(英语短篇小说鉴赏)IntheAmericansociety(课堂)

IntheAmericansocietyBy:LiXiFrom:EconomyandAdministrationCollege1

IntheAmericansociety

AbouttheauthorAboutcultureshockAboutthearticle2AbouttheauthorGishJen:Realname:LillianJenChinesename:任碧莲Born:in1955inLongIsland,NewYorkOccupation:novelistNationality:AmericanPeriod:CurrentGenres(体裁):novelNotableworks:TypicalAmerican

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GishJenisasecondgenerationChineseAmerican.HerparentsemigratedfromChinainthe1940s,hermotherfromShanghaiandherfatherfromYixing.ShegrewupinQueens,NY,thenYonkers,thenScarsdale.ShegraduatedfromHarvardUniversityin1977

withaBAinEnglish,andlaterattendedStanfordBusinessSchool,butdroppedoutinfavoroftheUniversityofIowaWriters'Workshop,wheresheearnedherMFAinfictionin1983.45BecomingawriterforGishJenwasnotaneasytask.Inthebeginning,Jenhadtroubleconvincingherparentsthatitwasaworthwhilecareer.ShechosethenameGishafterasilent-screenactressofthesamename.6InJen'swork,shecombinestheadolescent'ssearchforselfwiththelargersearchforculturalidentity.NotonlydoesshefocusonherownChineseAmericanethnicbackground,theauthoralsoincludesworkonJewishAmericans,AfricanAmericans,andIrishAmericans,aswellasothergroups7Inaddition,manyofherwritingsreflectherchildhoodexperiencesgrowingupinScarsdale,NY.Thecommonthemesthewriteremploysincludestoriesofimmigration,assimilation,andoccasionaltensionswithotherethniccommunities.TheAmericandreamisalsoanimportantaspecttoherwork."IcansaythattheAmericandreamismuchmorecomplicatedthanyouwouldthink.IthinkI'mjusttryingtocapturesomeofthatcomplexity."8GishJeniscurrentlylivinginCambridgewithherhusband,hersonanddaughter.Shehasmadegreataccomplishmentsforherethniccommunityandhasgainedhonorablerecognitionforherworks.Atthistime,sheisenjoyinghertimeasamother9

Honorsandawards2009AmericanAcademyofArtsandSciences,member2006PBSAmericanMastersProgramontheAmericanNovel,featuredwriter2003MildredandHaroldStraussLivingAwardfromtheAmericanAcademyofArtsandLetters2003FulbrightFellowshiptothePeople'sRepublicofChina2001RadcliffeInstituteforAdvancedStudyFellowship1999BestAmericanShortStoriesoftheCentury10CultureshockCultureshockisthedifficultypeoplehaveadjustingtoanewculturethatdiffersmarkedlyfromtheirown.11Fourphasesofcultureshock:HoneymoonPhaseNegotiationPhaseAdjustmentPhaseMasteryPhase12HoneymoonPhaseDuringthisperiodthedifferencesbetweentheoldandnewcultureareseeninaromanticlight,wonderfulandnew.Forexample,inmovingtoanewcountry,anindividualmightlovethenewfoods,thepaceofthelife,thepeople'shabits,thebuildingsandsoon.Duringthefirstfewweeksmostpeoplearefascinatedbythenewculture.13NegotiationPhase

Differencesbetweentheoldandnewculturebecomeapparentandmaycreateanxiety.Thatsenseofexcitementwilleventuallygivewaytonewandunpleasantfeelingsoffrustrationandangerasyoucontinuetohaveunfavorableencountersthatstrikeyouasstrange,offensive,andunacceptable.It'saveryhardperiodforthepeoplewhoneedtoadjusttoanewculture.Themostimportantchallengeiscommunication.14AdjustmentPhaseAgain,onegrowsaccustomedtothenewculture.Thehostcountrynolongerfeelsthatnewandthingsbecomemore"normal".Onestartstodevelopproblem-solvingskillsfordealingwiththeculture,andbeginstoaccepttheculturewayswithapositiveattitude.Theculturebeginstomakesense,andnegativereactionsandresponsestotheculturearereduced.15MasteryPhaseInthemasterystageassigneesareabletoparticipatefullyandcomfortablyinthehostculture.16GishJenin"IntheAmericanSociety"describesthevariouspersonalitiesintheChangfamily.HerstorydescribeshowabenevolentChineseAmericanfatherresistsswimmingintheAmericansociety,butencourageshisdaughters--directlyandindirectly--toswiminAmericanSociety.17"IntheAmericanSociety"isabouttheChangfamily,withthefatherRalphasfocalpoint.Thestoryisdividedintotwosections:'HisOwnSociety'and'IntheAmericanSociety'and,takentogether,bothsectionsillustrateRalphChang'stransformationfromoldcountryChinese-AmericantonewcountryChinese-Americanonhisownterms.18Whatactionsshowusthat“myfather"waseducatedunderChineseculture?1)…astimewentonandthebusinesscontinuedtothrive,myfatherstartedtotalkabouthisgrandfatherandthevillagehehadreignedoverinChina—thingsmyfatherhadnevertalkedaboutwhenheworkedforotherpeople.(P101,para2)2)…Forinmyfather’smind,afamilyoweditsheadadegreeofloyaltythatleftnoroomfordissent.Toembracewhatheembracedwastolove;andtoembracesomethingelsewastobetrayhim