ABSTRACT

Amy Tan is a famous Chinese American writer. From her specific identity as a Chinese descendant in America, most of her works concentrate on the lives and emotions of Chinese American women, and she creates lots of vivid female images, making her popular among the readers and critics at home and abroad. Narrating from the perspectives of four pairs of mothers and daughters respectively, The Joy Luck Club provides them with a chance to get to know their living status and emotions .

Through analyzing the post-colonial feminism of the novel, this thesis explores the Chinese American women's efforts to break through the double oppression of gender and race and depicts their construction of self identity, which builds the dynamic process of their change from "other" image into "self '.

Key words: Amy Tan, The Joy Luck Club, post-colonial feminism, aphasia, cultural identity

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

Chapter Two LITERATURE REVIEW-3

2.1 Amy Tan and Her Works-3

2.2 A Review of Post-colonial Feminism-4

Chapter Three APHASIA OF CHINESE -AMERICAN WOMEN-7

3.1 Aphasia of Mothers-7

  3.1.1 In the patriarchal society-7

  3.1.2 In the white-centered society-9

3.2 Aphasia of Daughters-10

 3.2.1 In the Chinese culture-10

 3.2.2 In the American culture-11

Chapter Four SILENCE BREAKING-12

4.1 Mothers’ Efforts -12

 4.1.1 Awakening of feminine consciousness-12

 4.1.2 Regaining self confidence-13

4.2 Daughters’ Efforts-13

 4.2.1 Inspired by the stories of their mothers-13

 4.2.2 Inspired by Chinese values-14

Chapter Five  REESTABLISHMENT OF CULTURAL IDENTITIES-15

5.1 From Awakening to Rebellion -15

  5.2 Construction of Dual Cultural Identity-16

Chapter Six CONCLUSION-18

WORKS CITED-20