The Two-level Construction of Asian Identity in American Born Chinese from a Third-space Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/ijeh.v10i3.11853Keywords:
American Born Chinese, Identity construction, Third-space, Post-colonialism.Abstract
This paper examines the film “American Born Chinese” through the lens of the “Third Space” theory, which focuses on the boundary areas between cultures. It explores how Asian characters in the film reconstruct their unique identity within the “Third Space” and why this film elicited different responses from Chinese and American audiences. The analysis shows that Chinese American characters face a dual otherness: being seen as “the other” by both American and Chinese cultures. The film adeptly combines traditional Chinese mythology to narrate the identity-building process of Chinese Americans, telling the story of their dual identity construction. However, it also conveys certain political unfriendliness towards China. The paper argues that Chinese-American film and television works can be seen as a form of “reflective literature,” highlighting the similarities, differences, and conflicts between two different cultures and value systems. By understanding the dual otherness of Chinese Americans, this study aims to promote cross-cultural understanding and mutual reflection between the East and West.
Downloads
References
Wang, N. (2001) Edward Said and his postcolonial critical theory. Southern Cultural Forum, 04: 17-19.
Zha, R.X. (2011) Spatial Turn, Cultural Negotiation and Reconstruction of Identity - A Review of Homi Baba's Postcolonial Cultural Critical Thought. Foreign Theoretical Trends, 03: 74-80.
Wang, X.Q. (2009) The Construction of Chinese Identity from the Perspective of the Shengmin in Tripmaster Monkey : His Fake Book. Journal of Liaodong College (Social Science Edition), 03: 92-95.
Tang, J. (2017) The creative mode of American Born Chinese. Journal of Science and Education, 03: 74-80.
Yao, Z.H. , Deng, X.H. (2019) An Exploration of the Identity of Chinese Adolescents in American Born Chinese from the Perspective of Coming-of-Age Fiction. Data of Culture and Education, 27: 13-14+17.
Wang, Y.W. , Wang, Y.Z. (2022) Identity Re-identification and Intercultural Negotiation in Chinese-American New Diaspora Films—Taking Crazy Rich Asians and The Farewell to Her as Examples. Future Communication, 01: 95-101+129.