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1、A Thematic Research on By the Light of My Fathers Smile Based on Queer Theory1 Introduction Alice Walker, author of By the Light of My Fathers Smile, was born in Georgia, America. She is one of the most productive and influential contemporary Afro-American woman writers. With her childhood spent in
2、the South of America, Walker herself suffered prejudice and great miseries as her black fellows did at that time, which has inspired abundantly her literary creation. Through all her works, Walker focuses on the predicament especially that Afro-American women are confronting with and strives for an
3、ideal society where all colored women could achieve their self-identity and self-esteem. With her pen, she hails for the history and heritage of the blacks, cherishes their brave and laborious spirit, attacks the social unfairness and racial suppression and appeals for a harmonious human utopia. Wal
4、ker is a standout amongst the contemporary Afro-American woman writers. With her childhood living in the Deep South of America, Walker herself experienced racial bias and incredible hard life struggle as her black fellows did around then, which has enlivened copiously her artistic creation. Through
5、every one of her works, Walker concentrates on the issue particularly that Afro-American women are seeking their own root and makes efforts for building a society where all colored women could accomplish their self-worth and self-identity. With her pen, she sings for the long history of the black pe
6、ople, values their legacy and courage, denounces the social injustice and racial discrimination and bids for a universal harmony. As the first black lady to win Pulitzer Prize, she has made an extraordinary commitment to enriching Afro-American literature. At present, Walker is as yet being dynamic
7、and active in her writing venture, and brings constant surprises for the public with her brave heart and laborious writing (Rudolph, 1999).Published in 1998, By the Light of My Fathers Smile has invited much attention at home and abroad. The novel hit upon such extensive issues as racial segregation
8、, cultural colonization, and the coexistence of man and nature, and so on. It also significantly discusses over complex gender and sexual relations, and particularly the homosexuality and its social impact. As Walker puts that a woman could fall in love with other women, no matter sexual or nonsexua
9、l. Likewise, the queer theory was proposed initially as a cultural movement in the 1990s in Europe, which focused on the research of abnormal sexual behaviors, and especially of homosexuality. The term “Queer” means strange, abnormal and unnatural (Li, 2002). Generally speaking, queer includes homos
10、exuality, bisexuality, heterosexuality, algolagnia, transvestite, and those who agree with the ideas of queer. The queer theory is now a comprehensive subject, and many subjects such as sociology, literature, history, psychology, culturology, etc. are closely related to it (April, 2009: 214). Queer
11、theory shows great subversion, creativity and liberation. It challenges the traditional hegemony of heterosexuality and holds that a new sex culture should be established for the human sexual desire of is in nature multiple, and. It rejects all the established social order, and believes that all the
12、 outdated social structure, economic structure, and culture norm should be criticized and abandoned. As a critical approach, the queer theory helps explore the identity of characters in literary works. The perspective of the queer theory provides understanding to the marginalized life of these queer
13、 people, and their sullen mind, which could reveal the unreasonable old social order, the limit to human nature and freedom.) Queer concept indicates subversion, creativity and liberation. it challenges the conventional hegemony of heterosexuality and holds that a new sex culture must be established
14、 for the human sexual orientation is in nature multiple, and. it rejects all the installed social order, and believes that. and dominated culture norm must be criticized and abandoned. As an essential approach, the queer theory enables discover the identity of characters in literary works. the persp
15、ective of the queer concept affords knowledge to the marginalized life of those queer human beings, and their sullen thoughts, that may reveal the unreasonable vintage social order, the limit to human nature and freedom. this paper aims to analyze the intricate embodiment of heterosexual and homosex
16、ual, male and female, mainstream culture and marginal culture in the novel, and understand better Walkers negation of the binary oppression and the cultural hegemony and her incessant desire of constructing a harmonious society with no gender prejudice and cultural discrimination.Based on the queer
17、theory, this paper goals to analyze the complex demonstration of ., mainstream way of life and marginal culture inside the novel, and apprehend better Walkers negation of the binary oppression and the cultural hegemony and her incessant appeal for building a harmonious society without gender prejudi
18、ce and cultural discrimination.2 Subversion of the Supremacy of HeterosexualityThe love story of Susannah and Pauline in the novel serves as the evidence to subvert the dominance of heterosexuality. Susannah gains her selfcognition in her homosexual love affairs. Her sisterhood bond with Pauline and
19、 Irene could be seen as a challenge to break up the traditional heterosexuality frame. The homosexual love with Gina also makes Pauline liberated woman. The affection tale of Susannah and Pauline in the novel serves as the evidence of subverting the dominance of heterosexuality. Susannah gains her s
20、elfcognition in her homosexual amorous affairs. Her sisterhood bond with Pauline and Irene can be seen as a mission to break up the conventional heterosexuality body. The homosexual love with Gina also makes Pauline a liberated woman. 2.1 Susannah - Seeking Selfidentity by Homosexual LoveSusannah is
21、 the youngest daughter of Mr. Robinson. She was born an open and docile character, “She was her fathers favorable slave”, says her elder sister Magdalena. It is not until her accidental witness at her fathers merciless whipping Magdalena that she takes Robinson as the most devoted and beloved father
22、 in the world. Since then, she withdraws herself in silence in front of her father, and she even does not shed a drop of tears at her fathers funeral. “She was a stoical bystander, and she thought her heart closed. I noticed she look at me - a father who gave her life with a numb facial expression -
23、 as if she had endured all pain and misfortune that she was ready to bear.” (Alice, 2003). After that, she changed absolutely her view on men, she felt disgusted of any man including her own father Robinson, she was no longer that girl used to be talkative, sweet and happy. Even later she gets marri
24、ed with Petrow, she is still unable to drive away her disgust and fear of the man, for that adolescent scar constantly aches and the violent scene of her fathers furious beat on Magdalena has been there on her mind. Her marriage with Petrow ought to offer an escape to ease her pain, but soon it ends
25、 up with no cure, their heterosexual marriage lasts only short while. After her failed marriage, Susannah began to live a homosexual life, by which she hoped to seek her self-identity as an independent woman. No doubt, such behavior is an open challenge to patriarchal autocracy, an intolerable pract
26、ice that is seen as heresy to orthodox morals. However, the experience of homosexual love does not meet her desire, either. Susannahs homosexual relationship with Pauline is finally ruined by jealousy and injury caused by the different circumstances of them, so she resolutely put an end to her homos
27、exual relationship with Pauline and reset foot on the road to seek self identity (Wang, Wu,2011:283 ). After the failed marriage, Susannah tries a homo way of life, via which she is hoping to search for self-identification. No doubt, such behavior is an open challenge to patriarchal autocracy, an in
28、supportable practice that is as heresy to orthodox morals.Aileen, a Greek dwarf, could be viewed as the soul tutor to guide Suzanna to identify herself. Encouraged by Aileen Suzanna returns to Greece the first time she got divorced with Petrow, and there she got acquaintance with Anand who respected
29、 women and showed sympathy to devastated women and children. Suzanna developed a lover relationship with Anand and remained a good friend relationship with her. Susannah hoped to seek her self identity through homosexuality after the failure of her marriage, and her conduction was a great challenge
30、to the patriarchy. However, she did not think homosexuality was the final settlement to the problem of sexuality. Either. She believed that “women all over the world have been brainwashed to think sex is not meant to be pleasurable to them” (Alice, 2003). The queer theory put it that the social gend
31、er of a person does not necessarily have to conform to the biological gender. Namely, a woman can be endowed with the masculine character, and vice versa. The traditional heterosexualityoriented society demanded that people of each sex should play the role conforming to their biological gender. Howe
32、ver, the queer theory points out that the social gender is changeable and indefinable, which best explains the abnormal behavior of Suzanna. She displays masculine nature as she bravely seeks for her true love and meaningful life like what a man does. She broke the binary opposition of femininity an
33、d masculinity. It was worth to note that the character Suzanna is a symbol of resistance and subversion to patriarchic hegemony and heterosexuality, and her “queerness” in fact a blow to the fixed gender conventionality. The queer theory suggests that the social sexual orientation of a man does not
34、really need to fit in with his natural sex. To be specific, a woman can be endowed with manly characters, and the other way around. The heterosexualityoriented society requests that individuals of each sex ought to assume the part designated to their natural sexual orientation. In any case, the quee
35、r theory puts forward that the social sexual orientation is alterable and indefinable, which best clarifies the “queer” conduct of Suzanna. She shows manly nature as she fearlessly goes after her genuine love and life value like what a man does. She has broken the sexual boundary of and . It is much
36、 worthy of noticing that the character Suzanna is an image of the subversion of patriarchic authority and heterosexuality dominance, and her “queerness” reinterprets the settled sexual relationships.2.2 Pauline - Seeking self-liberation by Homosexual Love Pauline was born in a poor black family, and
37、 her father worked in a meat plant, and her mother was a housewife who spends all her time and energy bearing and rearing children. As Pauline said in the novel, “all his anger and self pity was brought home to our door. A scratch and scarred door that was hideous and forbidding, reeking as it did o
38、f the misery on the other side, my fatehrs stereotypical belligerence, hostility, maudlin and abusive bullying were not all there was to him” (Alice, 2003). Paulines parents made her heavily drunk and let Winston rape her. “They expect to make me pregnant and help them to trap me at home (Alice, 200
39、3).” Being pregnant, Pauline is in great distress and helplessness, she has to marry Winston. Unluckily, Winston, influenced by patriarchal autocracy, only treated Pauline as a tool to vent his sexual desire, as Pauline said “there I was, sick as a dog, big as a house, having to fuck Winston every n
40、ight” (Alice, 2003). Pauline felt that her life was nearly like this until she encountered Gina, who later becomes her homo lover and teacher. Gina was the descendant of Eastern European immigrants. She believes all people should be treated equally other than being judged by skin colors. However, in
41、 reality, Pauline led a hard life and was betrayed by her family. It was Gina who ridded her of pain and despair. Gina talked about sex with her and enabled her to realize that the purpose of sexual life was not to satisfy the need of men or bring pleasure to them. Her words aroused the courage and
42、belief of Pauline to resist the patriarchal autocracy of her father. She rejected the destiny, and seek her identify. Pauline thought that “Im damned to lechery, why only could men enjoy?” (Alice, 2003). She even carried off with a laugh at her experience of being raping in her childhood that “in a
43、sense, it is a step for my liberation.” The queer theory is to challenge the traditional gender mechanism and the socalled “normalcy” of the society. In accordance with the queer theory, Pauline in the novel is a representative of a suppressed woman to resist the autocracy of male centralization in
44、a patriarchic society, and an embodiment of seeking liberation and obtaining selfidentity. Pauline was born in a poor black family, and her dad worked in a meat plant, and her mom was a housewife who invests all her time and enengy bearing and raising children. Her black parents made her heavily dru
45、nk and ask Winston to take this chance of assaulting her. Being raped and pregnant, Pauline has to marry Winston. Unfortunately, Winston, a chauvinistic black who is 10-year older than Pauline, just regarded Pauline as a tool to vent his sexual desire. Pauline felt that her life was about like this
46、until she encountered Gina, who later turns into her homo partner and life instructor. Gina was the descendant from an Eastern European immigrant family. She thinks all people ought to be treated equally other than being judged by skin hues. However, Pauline had a hard existence and was sold out by
47、her family. It was Gina who helps to set her free from the hell of agony and hopelessness. Gina discussed sex issues with her and empowered her to understand that the reason for sexual life was not just to satisfy the need of men or convey joy to them. Her words stimulated the valor and conviction o
48、f Pauline to oppose the patriarchal totalitarianism. She dismisses the fate, and look for her self being. Pauline in the novel is a representative of a suppressed woman to resist the autocracy of male centralization in a patriarchic society, and an embodiment of seeking liberation and obtaining self
49、identity.3 Rejecting Binary Gender Pattern The queer theory overthrows the conventional gender patterns for they bind up the free development of both body and mind. It also intends to disintegrate the hegemony of heterosexuality and challenge the dualist opposition of the two kinds of genders. Magdalena leads an asexual life to fight patriarchal orders and established gender norms. Pauline and Irene, as nonconforming roles in the novel, bear no feminine standards and instead present muscular perso
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