《一生》与《白夜》中的女性形象对比研究

III摘要在莫泊桑的小说《一生》中，主人公珍妮从一个天真无邪的少女逐渐变成了婚姻的牺牲品，她的悲惨命运揭示了传统家庭结构是如何侵蚀女性自主权的。同样，贾平凹的《白夜》刻画了颜铭这个人物，她陷入了现代社会的困境，比如对外貌的焦虑以及在感情中对男性的依赖。她对外貌的痴迷以及对男性伴侣的依赖，反映了当代社会中父权制的隐性运作。尽管这两部作品设定在不同的时代和文化背景下，但它们都揭示了在父权制体系下女性的被动角色以及有限的反抗能力。本研究运用女性主义理论并通过跨文化比较来审视《一生》和《白夜》，分析了父权社会是如何塑造女性角色以及她们所面临的挣扎。研究突出了性别压迫方面的异同：西方的父权制在历史上强调将女性束缚于家庭角色之中，而现代东方社会的背景则将性别规范与消费主义和社会评判交织在一起。通过在不同时代和文化间展开对话，这项研究拓展了性别研究的范畴。它还通过将文学主题与现实问题相联系，丰富了文化批判的内涵。其价值在于超越了对单一文本或单一文化的分析，通过平行比较为当今的性别平等辩论提供了历史和理论层面的见解，最终有助于在多元文化背景下重新思考赋予女性权力的问题。关键词：父权制;女性形象;《一生》;《白夜》

AbstractInMaupassant’snovelUnevie,thecharacterJeannechangesfromaninnocentgirltoavictimofmarriage.Hertragicfateshowshowtraditionalfamilystructuresunderminewomen’sautonomy.Similarly,inJiaPingwa’sWhiteNights,YanMingisdepictedasawomancaughtinmoderndilemmas,suchasanxietyaboutherappearanceanddependenceonmeninrelationships.Herobsessionwithherlooksandrelianceonmalepartnersreflecthowpatriarchysecretlyoperatesincontemporarysociety.Despitebeingsetindifferenterasandcultures,bothworksrevealwomen’spassiverolesandtheirlimitedabilitytoresistwithinpatriarchalsystems.Byhavingadialogueacrosstimeandcultures,thisresearchbroadensthescopeofgenderstudies.Italsoenrichesculturalcriticismbylinkingliterarythemestoreal-lifeissues.Itsvalueliesingoingbeyondanalyzingasingletextorculture.Bymakingparallelcomparisons,itprovideshistoricalandtheoreticalinsightsfordiscussionsongenderequalitytoday.Ultimately,ithelpstoreimaginehowwomencanbeempoweredinvariousculturalsettings.Keywords:Patriarchy;Femaleimage;Unevie;WhiteNightsPAGE1ContentsTOC\o"1-3"\h\u22554原创性声明 I16154摘要 II15714Abstract III19297Contents 1242761Introduction 293061.1TheBackgroundandSignificanceoftheStudy 2275451.2BriefIntroductionoftheWorks 2184531.2.1Unevie 2283941.2.2WhiteNights 332652LiteratureReview 4262772.1DomesticLiteratureReview 4162412.2ForeignLiteratureReview 5162793ThePsychoanalyticTheory 696513.1ItsDefinition 6279463.2ItsDevelopment 6248543.3ItsApplication 7162054.AnalysisoftheMainFemaleCharacters 9276224.1TheMainFemaleCharactersinUnevie 9288814.1.1Jeanne 9247284.1.2Rosalie 10311314.1.3AuntLison 1024924.2TheMainFemaleCharactersinWhiteNights 11192764.2.1YuBai 11262314.2.2YanMing 1152044.2.3ZouYun 12286245TheComparativeAnalysisoftheMainFemaleCharacters 14175565.1TheDifferencesoftheMainFemaleCharacters 1434095.1.1ThePersonalBackground 14102225.1.2TheCourseofDestiny 14235025.2TheSimilaritiesoftheMainFemaleCharacters 15200855.2.1TheMaritalmisfortunes 15162135.2.2TheFinalEnding 16305046Conclusion 1816777Bibliography 206477Acknowledgments 21PAGE21Introduction1.1TheBackgroundandSignificanceoftheStudyThisstudyanalyzesthefemalecharactersintwoliteraryworkstoshowthesocialstatusandlivingconditionsofwomenindifferentculturalcontexts.Ononehand,itexaminesthegenderrolesandpowerrelationsintheworkstorevealthedifficultieswomenfaceunderpatriarchy.Ontheonehand,ithighlightsthechallengeswomenencounterunderpatriarchybyanalyzingthegenderrolesandpowerdynamicsintheworks.Bylookingatthehistoricalbackgroundsandtheauthors’lifestories,itinterpretsthemetaphors,symbols,andhiddenmeaningsinthetexts,helpingusunderstandhowfemaleimagesdifferacrossdifferenteras.Ontheotherhand,throughcharacteranalysis,itexploreshowtheirpersonalitiesleadtochangesduringconflictsinthestories.Theoretically,thisstudyenrichesliterarytheoriesbyanalyzinghowthefemalecharactersareportrayed,showingtheauthors’writingtechniquesandartisticfeatures.Socially,itcomparestheculturaldifferencesintheworkstoexposethereal-lifesituationsofwomeninvarioussocialsettings.Thestudyalsousesthedifferencesbetweenthetwoworkstomakepeoplethinkaboutcurrentgenderissues.Itsgoalistoimprovecross-culturalunderstandingoffemaleidentitiesandfeministideas,andpromoteculturalexchangeandmutualunderstandingThisstudyfocusesonthefemalecharactersintwoclassicliteraryworks,presentingthelivesandsocialsituationsofwomenfromacross-culturalperspective.First,itanalyzesthegenderpowerrelationsintheworkstorevealhowpatriarchyrestrictswomen.Byconsideringthehistoricalandauthorialbackgrounds,itinterpretsthesymbolicmeaningsinthetexts,helpingusunderstandhowfemaleimagesareshapedindifferenttimes.Then,throughcharacteranalysis,itexploreshowpersonalitiesaffectthecharacters’choiceswhenfacingdifficulties.Theoretically,thisdetailedanalysisofcharactersnotonlyhighlightstheauthors’creativestylesbutalsoprovidesnewperspectivesforliteraryresearch.Thevalueofthisstudyliesinrevealingthereallivingsituationsofwomenindifferentsocieties.Comparingthetwoworkscannotonlymakepeoplerethinkcurrentgenderissuesbutalsohelpusunderstandfeministideasandfemaleidentitiesinaglobalizedworld,thuspromotingcross-culturalcommunication.1.2BriefIntroductionoftheWorks1.2.1UnevieInthenovelUnevie,thetragicstoryofJeannedeVaux,a19th-centuryFrenchnoblewoman,isrecounted.Betrayalandthedecayofsocietymakeherprinciplescollapse.WhenwefirstencounterJeanne,sheisashelteredaristocrat.SheisfullofhopewhenshemarriesthecharmingJulien.Yet,soonshediscoversJulien’struecharacter:heisanunfaithfulandcalculatingmanwhohasaffairswithbothhermaidandherbestfriend.ThestorybeginswithJeanne’sinnocentmarriagetoJulien,whoseemsnicebutisactuallyhypocritical.Inthismarriage,Jeanneenduresmultipleemotionalbetrayals,economicexploitation,andJulien’sinfidelity.Besideshavinganaffairwithherclosestfriend,Julienalsohasarelationshipwithhermaid.Eventually,theonlythingJeannecouldaspireforwashersonPaul,whowasheronlycomfort,butheturnsouttobethedirectcauseofherdownfall.PaulwasoverlyspoiltbyJeanne.Paulspentmoneycarelesslyasaresult.HeeventuallyleftJeanneandgotbankrupt.Jeannewasextremelyimpoverishedinhersenioryears.ShecouldonlysurvivewiththesupportofRosalie,herdevotedmaid.Atlast,sheunderstoodonething:lifeisnotaswonderfulorasterribleaspeoplethink.Maupassant’sUneviedepictstheheart-breakingimageofJeanne,aprivilegedyoungFrenchwomanwhoseromanticidealsareshatteredbytheharshrealitiesoflife.ThroughJeanne’sstoryofdisillusionment,Maupassantcriticizesthehypocrisyofthenobility.Hepointsouttheweaknessofhumanagencyandemphasizesthesilentstrengthneededtoenduretheendlesstragediesoflife.Hisworkcombinesstarkrealismwithgreatcompassionfortheunspokensufferingsinordinarylife.1.2.2WhiteNightsJiaPingwa’s

WhiteNightsportraystheexistentialstrugglesofmarginalizedindividualsin1990sXi’an,acitygrapplingwithChina’srapidurbanizationandmoraldecay.CenteredonYeLang,arootlessurbandrifterworkinginatheatertroupe,thenoveltraceshisambiguousrelationships—includingacohabitationwiththewidowYanMing—andhisencounterswithsocietalabsurdities,reflectingapervasiveidentitycrisisamongthosetrappedbetweenfadingtraditionsandalienatingmodernity.ThetragicsubplotofYuBai,awealthywomanwhoseflesh-rottingdiseasesymbolizesspiritualcollapse,intertwineswithmagicalrealism:ghostlyapparitions,propheticdreams,andfolkritualsunderscorethesurrealdecayofhumanconnections.Throughfragmentedliveshauntedbylonelinessandmaterialism,JiacritiquesthemoralvacuumofChina’seconomictransformation,framingthecityasametaphorical“whitenight”—afalsedaylightdevoidofwarmthormeaning.Blendinggrittyrealismwithmythicalelements,

WhiteNights

ishailedasChina’sanswerto

OneHundredYearsofSolitude,capturingthedisorientationofanerathroughitshaunting,poeticdespair.JiaPingwa’s

WhiteNights

pullsusintotheshadowycornersof1990sXi’an,whereordinarypeoplestruggletofindtheirfootinginacitytransformingbeyondrecognition.AttheheartofthestoryisYeLang,atheaterhanddriftingthroughlifewithoutrootsorpurpose.HismessyrelationshipwithYanMing,awidowclingingtofadingtraditions,mirrorstheconfusionofagenerationcaughtbetweentheoldwaysandabrashnewworld.Thenovel’smostunforgettablecharactermightbeYuBai-awealthywomanliterallyrottingawayfromamysteriousdisease,herdecayingbodyapowerfulmetaphorforasocietylosingitssoul.Ghostsappear,dreamsforetelldoom,andancientritualstakeoneerienewmeaningsasJiablendsgrittyurbanrealismwithtouchesofthesupernatural.WhatemergesisaportraitofXi’anasa“whitenight”-thoseendlesssummernightswhenthesunbarelysets,creatingatwilightworldthat’sneitherdaynornight.It’stheperfectimageforanerawhenmoneytalkedlouderthanmorals,andpeoplefoundthemselvesincreasinglyaloneincrowdedstreets.WhilesomecompareittoLatinAmericanmagicrealism,

WhiteNights

remainsdeeplyChineseinitsmelancholy,capturingtheparticularacheofaculturelosingitsbearingsduringbreakneckeconomicchange.

2LiteratureReview2.1DomesticLiteratureReviewInmodernChineseliterarystudies,theportrayaloffemalecharactershasalwaysbeenanimportanttopic.SincetheMayFourthMovement,comparativestudiesoffemalecharactersinMaupassant’sUnevieandJiaPingwa’sWhiteNightsremainnotcommon.Currentdomesticresearchshowsthefollowingcharacteristics:RegardingUnevie,scholarstendtocompareitwithMaupassant’sotherworks.Forexample,somehaveanalyzedthefemaleprotagonistsinUnevieand“MadameBovary”fromthreeperspectives:familybackground,personalitytraits,andtragicfate.Feministapproachesarealsocommon.WangYa,inherarticle“WomenAreNotBorn,ButMade”,arguesthatJeanne’stragedystemsentirelyfromsocial,familial,religious,andeducationalconstraints.Similarly,ChangCong,inhisstudy“Jeanne’sSorrow”,identifiespatriarchaloppression,lackofself-awareness,andlovelessmarriageaskeyfactorsinhertragicfate.AndresearchonWhiteNightsmainlyfocusesonthemanifestations,characteristics,andsocio-culturalrootsoffemaletragedies.Scholarstypicallyapproachitfromthreeaspects:analyzingthesymbolicrepresentationofwomen’ssufferingduringurban-ruraltransition;examiningthecoexistenceofnostalgiaandgenderbiasinJiaPingwa’swriting;andtracingtheevolutionofhisfemalecharacterportrayalsacrossdifferentcreativeperiods.Aboveall,domesticstudiesofUnevieemphasizepsychologicalanalysisofJeanneandmultidimensionalexplorationofhertragedy’scauses,whileresearchonWhiteNightspaysmoreattentiontothesocio-historicalcontextoffemaletragediesandtheirreflectionofChina’smoderndilemmas.Thesestudiessharethreedistinctfeatures:apreferenceforcomparingworksbythesameauthorratherthancross-culturalanalysis;thedominanceoffeministtheoreticalframeworks;andspecialfocusongenderdiscoursewithinChina’suniquesocio-culturalcontext.2.2ForeignLiteratureReviewAroundtheworld,aprominentandpersistentareaofscholarlyinterestistheexaminationofpatriarchalstructuresandfeminineidentityinliterature.Thesestudiesdemonstratethesignificantinfluenceofpatriarchalinstitutionsonwomen’sself-perceptionandempowermentbyexaminingfemalecharactersinavarietyofculturalandsocialenvironment.ExistinginternationalliteratureshowslittleinterestintheparticularcomparativestudyofUnevieandWhiteNightscoveredinthispaper.Althoughtherearenocomparativeanalysesofthesetwopieces,thereareindependentexaminationsofhoweachcharacterizeswomen.ThemainfocusofinternationalscholarsexaminingfemalerolesinJiaPingwa’sWhiteNightsisontheunderlyingreasonsbehindtheterribleoutcomesofwomen’slives.CharacterslikeYanMing,whoobsessedwithcosmeticsurgeryduetosocietalbeautystandard,YuBai,sheissociallyostracizedforherintellectualaloofness,andZouYunembodiestheobjectificationofwomenduringChina’stransitionalmodernity.Theirbadendingsresultfrombothpersonallifeexperiencesandsocialandhistoricalchanges.Insummary,foreignscholarshaveanalyzedthepowerrelationshipsbehindtheseportrayals.Andtheyhaveexaminedfemalecharactersinliteratureandsocietyfromdifferentperspectives,revealinghowwomenarepositioned.Thesestudieshelpusbetterunderstandhowfemininityisdepictedinliteratureandusedinsocietyacrossdifferentcultures.3ThePsychoanalyticTheory3.1ItsDefinitionPsychoanalytictheorywasdevelopedbySigmundFreud,whichexplainhowourmindsworkanditsuggeststhatmuchofwhatwethinkanddocomesfromhiddenpartsofourmindwe’renotawareof,thatistosay,ourunconsciousisplayanimportantroleinourdailylife.Thisunconsciouspartstoresmemories,desiresandfeelingsthatsecretlyinfluenceus.Freudsaidourpersonalityhasthreeparts:Theidmeanspeoplewantinstantpleasureandsatisfaction.Theegoshowthatpeoplewilldealwithrealityproblemandtriestosatisfytheidinpracticalways.Thelastone,superego,whichactsasourmoralguidebasedontherightthingwhatwe’velearned.Whenthesepartsconflict,weusementaltricks,likeignoringproblemsorblamingotherstoprotectourselvesfromanxiety.Thesearecalleddefensemechanisms.Inshort,thistheoryhelpsusunderstandwhypeoplebehavethewaytheydobylookingathiddenthoughtsandfeelingswedon’tevenrealizewehave.It’susefulforexplainingbothnormalbehaviorandmentalhealthproblems.3.2ItsDevelopmentInthelate19thandearly20thcenturies,Freuddevelopedthebasictenetsofpsychoanalytictheory.Heemphasizedtheroleoftheunconsciousmindindetermininghumanbehavior.Hisearlyworkfocusedontheanalysisofdreamsandtheinterpretationofunconsciousdesiresandconflicts.Forexample,inhisbook

TheInterpretationofDreams,Freudproposedthatdreamsareawayfortheunconsciousmindtoexpressrepressedwishes.Hepresentedtheconceptsoftheego,superego,andid.Ourinnateandprimalneedsaredisplayedbytheid.Theegoaidsincopingwiththeexternalenvironmentandtheid.Thetaughtmorallawsarerepresentedbythesuperego.Overtime,Freudexpandedhisidea.Thephasesofpsychosexualdevelopmentwereaddedbyhim.Theoral,anal,phallic,latency,andgenitalstagesarehowhumansdevelop,heexplained.People’spersonalitiesaregreatlyinfluencedbytheexperiencesandissuestheyhaveduringthesephases,suchastheOedipuscomplexduringthephallicstage.Freudcameupwiththeideaofdefensemechanisms.Examplesincluderepression,denial,projection,anddisplacement.Thesemechanismshelptheegohandleconflicts.Theseconflictshappenbetweentheid,thesuperego,andtheoutsideworld.Inthemid-20thcentury,agroupofpsychologistswhowasknownastheNeo-Freudiansemerged.TheyacceptedsomeofFreud’sbasicideasbutalsomodifiedandexpandedonthem.CarlJung,forexample,introducedtheconceptofthecollectiveunconscious,whichcontainsuniversalarchetypesandsymbolsthataresharedbyallhumans.Healsoemphasizedtheimportanceoftheindividuationprocess,thedevelopmentofaunifiedanduniquepersonality.AndAlfredAdlerpaidattentiontosocialfactors.Hethoughtpeoplealwaystrytobecomebetter.Hebelievedthatpeoplewanttogetoverfeelingnotgoodenough.Theyalsowanttoreachtheirpersonalgoals.KarenHorneyalsosaidsocialandculturalthingsmatterforhowourpersonalitygrows.Sheespeciallypointedoutthatwhathappenstousasyoungchildrenaffectshowsafeorworriedwefeel.Overthepastfewdecades,psychoanalytictheoryhasbeendeveloping.Modernpsychoanalystshaveborrowedideasfromotherdisciplines,suchasneuroscienceandattachmenttheory.Psychoanalytictheoryisstillwidelyusedinpsychologyandtreatmenttoday.However,ithasencountereddifficultiesandcriticismthroughouttime.Itcontinuestobestudied,debated,andappliedinawiderangeofdomains.Itaidsinourcomprehensionofhowthehumanmindfunctionsandthedrivingforcesbehindconduct.3.3ItsApplicationPsychoanalytictheoryisusedinmanyareas,liketherapy,literature,art,andeducation.First,ithelpsusunderstandfictionalcharacters.TakeJiaPingwa’s

WhiteNights

asanexample.Thistheoryletsreadersandcriticslookintocharacters’hiddenwants,fears,andproblems.Itmakesusunderstandthebookbetter.Also,artistsandwritersmaybeaffectedbytheirunconsciousmindswhentheycreate.Wecanusethistheorytostudyhowtheycreate.Itsuggeststhatartcanhelpartistsdealwithhiddenproblemsorshowhiddenfeelings.Forexample,anartist’schoiceofcolorsandtopicsintheirpaintingsmaycomefromtheirhiddenwantsandpastexperiences.Second,therapistsassistpatientsinexploringtheirunconsciousthoughtsinpsychotherapygroundedinthisapproach.Theylookforunderlyingissues,desires,andmemories.Forinstance,dreamanalysisandfreeassociationcanbeusedbysomeonewhosuffersfromananxietydisorder.Theymightdiscoverthatunresolvedchildhoodissuesarethesourceoftheiranxiousness.Thisself-awarenesscanhelppeoplemanagetheirsymptoms.Third,thisapproachcanhelpteachersunderstandwhychildrenstruggletolearnorbehaveinparticularways.Teacherscanbetterassistchildrenbydeterminingthetruecauses.Thisideainsociologyenablesustounderstandhowanindividual’sinnerthoughtsinfluencetheirbehaviorinpublic.Itdescribeshowpeople’sinnerdesiresandidealsdeterminewhethertheyadheretoordefysocialnorms.Itcanalsobeusedbyanthropologiststoinvestigateculturalpracticesandbeliefs.Certainculturalcustoms,forinstance,mightassistpeopleinaddressinglatentdesiresorfears.ThisessayexaminesthefemalecharactersinUnevieusingpsychoanalytictheory.Everycharacterhasacomplicatedmentalcondition.Theyareshapedbytheirinstincts,defensemechanisms,earlyexperiences,andsubconsciousbrains.Theiractions,decisions,andoutcomesaredeterminedbytheseelements.Thisaidsinourcomprehensionofthebook’scharactersaswellasthemotivationsbehindthenovel’ssocialenvironment.Thistheorydemonstrateshowthefemalecharacters’secretwants,personalities,anddefensemechanismssignificantlyimpacttheiractionsandpersonalitiesinWhiteNights.Thisanalysisaidsinourcomprehensionofthenovel’spsychologicalbackdropaswellasthecharacters’intricateinnerlives.Furthermore,wemightbeginwiththeseindividualpsychologicalassessmentstocomprehendtheemergenceofthedifferentissuesthatwereprevalentinsocietyatthetime.4.AnalysisoftheMainFemaleCharacters4.1TheMainFemaleCharactersinUnevie4.1.1JeanneInMaupassant’sUnevie,JeanneLePerthuisdesVaudsisthemaincharacterandanaristocraticwife.Herstoryshowshowromanticdreamsbreakdownundertheharshrulesofmenandmoney.Herlifechangesfromhopefultohopeless,justlikehowwomenin19th-centuryFrancesufferedunderunfairsystems.Jeannegrewupinaconvent.Shewasveryshelteredandhadsimplehopesformarriageandmotherhood.Herbeliefscamefromherreligiousupbringingandrichfamilylife.Buteverythingchangedwhenshefoundoutherhusband,Julien,wasunfaithful.Followingthat,sheexperiencedfinancialdifficulties,andhersonPauldidnotfarewell.Herdreamsweredashedbythesethings.

Jeanneisadestitutewidowbythebook’sconclusion.Shelostbothherwealthandinfluence.Sheisleftwithjustrecollectionsofbetterdays.Jeanne’s“id”ismanifestedinherinstinctivedesiresforlove,happiness,andaharmoniousfamilylife.ThesedesiresdrivehertomarryJulien,hopingforabeautifullife.However,her“superego,”whichisinfluencedbyhernobleupbringingandtraditionalvalues,requireshertobealoyalandsubmissivewife.WhenshediscoversJulien’sinfidelity,her“ego”hastostrugglebetweenthe“id”desireforloveandthe“superego”demandforloyaltyanddignity.Thisconflictcauseshergreatpainandinnerturmoil.FromherchildhoodexperiencewecanlearnthatJeanne’sshelteredandhappychildhoodinanoblefamilyshapeshernaiveandinnocentpersonality.Shehasanidealizedviewoftheworldandlove.Thisearlyexperiencemakesherill-preparedfortheharshrealitiesofmarriageandlife.Forexample,herlackofunderstandingofhumannatureandthecomplexityofrelationshipsleadshertobeeasilydeceivedbyJulien’sappearance,resultinginthefailureofhermarriage.Andunconsciously,Jeannemaybeseekingfatherlyloveandprotectioninhermarriage.Herfatherisakind-heartedman,andshemayprojectherfather’simageontoJulien.WhenJulienfailstomeetherexpectations,shefeelsbetrayedanddisappointed.Thisunconsciousmotiveaffectsherchoiceofhusbandandherreactiontothebreakdownofhermarriage.4.1.2RosalieInUnevie,asthemaidofJeanneandtheformerloverofJulien,Rosalieembodiestheexploitationthatworking-classwomensuffer.Atthesametime,shealsoshowstheuniquestrengthofwomen.Jeanne’slowlegalstandingandlovenaivetearetherootofhersuffering.Rosalie’strauma,however,stemsfromherdifficultfightforsurvival.ShewasseducedbyJulien,gavebirthtohisillegitimatekid,andusedpracticalperseverancetogetbyinpoverty.Ultimately,thiscontrastresultsinamovingrolereversal.Eventually,RosalietakesuptheroleofcaregiverforJeanne.Onthesurface,thischangeofeventsappearstoreversetheclassorder,butinreality,itfurtherimprisonsherininstitutionalservitude.Rosalie’sinnateinclinationsformaterialpleasureandsurvivalhaveasignificantimpactonher“id”.Shehasagreatdesireforabetterlifebecauseshewasraisedinpoverty.SheseesJulienasameansofenhancinghermaterialandsocialstanding,whichmotivateshertobeginanaffairwithhim.Herunderlyingdesiretoescapepovertyandleadamorecomfortableexistenceiswhatmotivatesheracts.BothRosalie’ssocialsurroundingsandindividualexperiencesinfluenceher“ego”.Shemuststrikeabalancebetweenherowninclinationsandthecircumstancesather.Althoughsheisawarethathavinganaffairwithamarriedmanisimmoral,herdesireforabetterlifetakesprecedenceoverhermoralconvictions.Tocopewiththisstruggle,her“ego”comesupwithanumberoftactics,suchtryingtocontrolthesituationandconcealingherrelationshipwithJulien.Rosalie’srelationshipwithJuliencanbeviewedasanexpressionoftheOedipuscomplexfromamoreprofoundpsychoanalyticstandpoint.Juliencanbeseenbyherasafatherfigurebecauseheisamanofhighersocialstanding.Shecanunintentionallysatiateherneedtoownandbelovedbyapowerfulpersonbyhavinganaffairwithhim.ThisdesireiscomparabletowhatanOedipus-stagechildlongsforanopposite-sexfather.Thisisamorehypotheticalreading,ofcourse,butitoffersafreshperspectiveonhernuancedfeelingsandactionstowardJulien.4.1.3AuntLisonAuntLison,Jeanne’sdisenfranchisedaunt,eloquentlyillustratesthe19th-centuryFrenchsociety'sdisdainforsinglewomeninUnevie.Sheisalwaystaskedwithdoingalotofhousekeepingandisdescribedas“ugly”and“useless.”ThebiasoftheVictorianage,whichlinksawoman’sworthwithhermaritalstatusandfecundity,isprofoundlyreflectedinthis.Inthefamily,AuntLisonhasnopresence.Sheistreatedasaservantratherthanarelative.Thisalsoreflectstheculturalneglectofchildlesswomeninthepatriarchaleconomicsystem,seeingthemas“unproductive”.Duetotheneglectofherfamily,sheisdriventowardsdeathmorequickly.Suchanendingisabsurdbutalsoareflectionofreality.Ithighlightstheinsignificanceofwomenwhofailtofulfilltheirreproductiverolesintheeyesofsocietyatthattime.4.2TheMainFemaleCharactersinWhiteNights4.2.1YuBaiYuBaiisaneducatedandwell-offwoman.Sheisphysicallyandpsychologicallyisolatedbecauseofanenigmaticillnessthateatsawayatherbody.HerwitheringbodyservesasametaphorforChina’selite’smoraldecay.YuBaiformsafragileemotionalbondwithYeLang.YeLangisunemployed,andhischaracteristicsthatareinconsistentwithYuBaiherselfattracther.ItseemsthatYeLangisareflectionoftheemptinessofherownexistence.Herdeathistheclimaxofthenovel,symbolizingthecollapseofspiritualintegrity.HerincurablediseasereflectsthespiritualcorruptionlurkinginChinesesocietyamidstthewaveofeconomicreform.Asa“fragilewoman”inthemodernsense,herexistencecriticizesthehollownessofinterpersonalrelationshipshiddenbeneathmaterialaffluenceandintellectualvanity.Theone-sidedemotionalbondbetweenherandYeLangrevealsthefailuretoestablishgenuinehumanconnections.Thismorbidattachmentmaystemfromanunresolved“Electracomplex,”whichshecanonlyrealizebysubconsciouslyrebellingagainstthepatriarchalorder.Despitehavingenoughmoneytoeatandwear,herlongingforsincereaffectioncanneverbesatisfiedduetotheconstraintsofherdiseaseandsocialstatus.YanMing’sdeterioratingbodyhasbecomeacruelmetaphorforthedisintegrationofidentityintheprocessofcapitalistmodernization–materialaccumulationcanneverfillthespiritualvoid.Herdeathfinallyputsanendtothedualsufferingofherbodyandmind,confirmingLacan’sphilosophicalpropositionthat“desirecanneverbesatiated”:whatiscalledsatisfactionisnothingbutanillusion.4.2.2YanMingYanMingisamarginalyetsymbolicallysignificantcharacterinJiaPingwa’sWhiteNights.Inthisarticle,sheisanalyzedasthecentralfigure,forsheembodiesthesurvivalcrisisthatwomenfacedduringChina’smar