(英语短篇小说鉴赏)In-the-American-society

IntheAmericansocietyBy:LiXiFrom:EconomyandAdministrationCollegeIntheAmericansocietyAbouttheauthorAboutcultureshockAboutthearticleAbouttheauthorGishJen:Realname:LillianJenChinesename:任碧莲Born:in1955inLongIsland,NewYorkOccupation:novelistNationality:AmericanPeriod:CurrentGenres(体裁):novelNotableworks:TypicalAmericanMonainthePromisedLandTheLoveWifeWho'sIrish?WorldandTownHerexperiencesGishJenisasecondgenerationChineseAmerican.HerparentsemigratedfromChinainthe1940s,hermotherfromShanghaiandherfatherfromYixing.ShegrewupinQueens,NY,thenYonkers,thenScarsdale.ShegraduatedfromHarvardUniversityin1977withaBAinEnglish,andlaterattendedStanfordBusinessSchool,butdroppedoutinfavoroftheUniversityofIowaWriters'Workshop,wheresheearnedherMFAinfictionin1983.BecomingawriterforGishJenwasnotaneasytask.Inthebeginning,Jenhadtroubleconvincingherparentsthatitwasaworthwhilecareer.ShechosethenameGishafterasilent-screenactressofthesamename.InJen'swork,shecombinestheadolescent'ssearchforselfwiththelargersearchforculturalidentity.NotonlydoesshefocusonherownChineseAmericanethnicbackground,theauthoralsoincludesworkonJewishAmericans,AfricanAmericans,andIrishAmericans,aswellasothergroupsInaddition,manyofherwritingsreflectherchildhoodexperiencesgrowingupinScarsdale,NY.Thecommonthemesthewriteremploysincludestoriesofimmigration,assimilation,andoccasionaltensionswithotherethniccommunities.TheAmericandreamisalsoanimportantaspecttoherwork.IcansaythattheAmericandreamismuchmorecomplicatedthanyouwouldthink.IthinkI'mjusttryingtocapturesomeofthatcomplexity.GishJeniscurrentlylivinginCambridgewithherhusband,hersonanddaughter.Shehasmadegreataccomplishmentsforherethniccommunityandhasgainedhonorablerecognitionforherworks.Atthistime,sheisenjoyinghertimeasamotherHonorsandawards2009AmericanAcademyofArtsandSciences,member2006PBSAmericanMastersProgramontheAmericanNovel,featuredwriter2003MildredandHaroldStraussLivingAwardfromtheAmericanAcademyofArtsandLetters2003FulbrightFellowshiptothePeople'sRepublicofChina2001RadcliffeInstituteforAdvancedStudyFellowship1999BestAmericanShortStoriesoftheCenturyCultureshockCultureshockisthedifficultypeoplehaveadjustingtoanewculturethatdiffersmarkedlyfromtheirown.Fourphasesofcultureshock:HoneymoonPhaseNegotiationPhaseAdjustmentPhaseMasteryPhaseHoneymoonPhaseDuringthisperiodthedifferencesbetweentheoldandnewcultureareseeninaromanticlight,wonderfulandnew.Forexample,inmovingtoanewcountry,anindividualmightlovethenewfoods,thepaceofthelife,thepeople'shabits,thebuildingsandsoon.Duringthefirstfewweeksmostpeoplearefascinatedbythenewculture.NegotiationPhaseDifferencesbetweentheoldandnewculturebecomeapparentandmaycreateanxiety.Thatsenseofexcitementwilleventuallygivewaytonewandunpleasantfeelingsoffrustrationandangerasyoucontinuetohaveunfavorableencountersthatstrikeyouasstrange,offensive,andunacceptable.It'saveryhardperiodforthepeoplewhoneedtoadjusttoanewculture.Themostimportantchallengeiscommunication.AdjustmentPhaseAgain,onegrowsaccustomedtothenewculture.Thehostcountrynolongerfeelsthatnewandthingsbecomemorenormal.Onestartstodevelopproblem-solvingskillsfordealingwiththeculture,andbeginstoaccepttheculturewayswithapositiveattitude.Theculturebeginstomakesense,andnegativereactionsandresponsestotheculturearereduced.MasteryPhaseInthemasterystageassigneesareabletoparticipatefullyandcomfortablyinthehostculture.GishJeninIntheAmericanSocietydescribesthevariouspersonalitiesintheChangfamily.HerstorydescribeshowabenevolentChineseAmericanfatherresistsswimmingintheAmericansociety,butencourageshisdaughters--directlyandindirectly--toswiminAmericanSociety.IntheAmericanSocietyisabouttheChangfamily,withthefatherRalphasfocalpoint.Thestoryisdividedintotwosections:'HisOwnSociety'and'IntheAmericanSociety'and,takentogether,bothsectionsillustrateRalphChang'stransformationfromoldcountryChinese-AmericantonewcountryChinese-Americanonhisownterms.Whatactionsshowusthat“myfatherwaseducatedunderChineseculture?1)…astimewentonandthebusinesscontinuedtothrive,myfatherstartedtotalkabouthisgrandfatherandthevillagehehadreignedoverinChina—thingsmyfatherhadnevertalkedaboutwhenheworkedforotherpeople.(P101,para2)2)…Forinmyfather’smind,afamilyoweditsheadadegreeofloyaltythatleftnoroomfordissent.Toembracewhatheembracedwastolove;andtoembracesomethingelsewastobetrayhim.(P103,para6)3)Hedemandedasimilarsortofloyaltyofhisworkers,whomhetreatedmorelikeservantsthanemployees.(P103,para7)4)“Didyoueattoday?”heaskedinMandarin.(P106,para4)5)“Iliketotalkingtothejudge,”saidmyfather.(P110,para4)Thankyou!