An Analysis of Chinese Traditional Culture Elements in Chinese-American Bildungsromane—Taking Gus Lee's China Boy and Honor and Duty as Examples
Chinese-American bildungsromane are novels with the theme of Chinese-Americans seeking the self in the process of grow-ing up.Chinese-American writers,represented by Gus Lee,try to find themselves in the face of cultural conflict and cultural assimilation crisis,and create Chinese-American bildungsroman with Chinese traditional cultural elements.Chinese traditional culture elements include Chinese folk myths and legends,Confucianism and traditional festival customs and so on,which are profoundly reflected in Gus Lee's auto-biographical novels China Boy and Honor and Duty.Although Ding Kai,the protagonist of the novel,is a Chinese-American born in the United States,he bears deep imprints of Chinese traditional culture.In material life,he likes Chinese cuisine that embodies a sense of community,and in daily words and deeds,he is spurred by Guan Yu's loyalty and righteousness spirit,and in his ideology,he obeys filial piety and ethical norms of the feudal hierarchy.These cultural imprints stem from the Chinese-style family education he received from his biological mother,Ma Daili,and the elder,Uncle Xin.The novel embodies the unity and inclusiveness of Chinese excellent traditional cul-ture,which have imperceptibly influenced Chinese-Americans and cultivated them,and have internalized the spirit of Chinese traditional culture in their hearts and externalized it in their actions,making it their wisdom and the power for their growth.
Ding KaibildungsromanChinese-AmericansChinese traditional culture
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