On Gelingyan’s Novels

Geling Yan is a brilliant Chinese-American writer. In her literary creation, sheseeks not novelty in themes and forms but capricious human nature. Her in-depthexploration of humanity arouses emotional resonance in readers.This paper analyzes Yan’s revelation of human nature in her novels from sixaspects. The introduction part explains her life story and major phases of her writing. Italso includes an overview of literary critics on her novel. Besides, the new findingsand the design of this study are also pointed out.The first chapter discusses the formation of her ideas on literature based on theexperience of her childhood. Besides, her immigration to the United States afterwardsgave her more thoughts about diaspora and cultural identity. On top of everything, herpurposes of literary creation and her major concern—presentation of humannature—are made clear.The second chapter explores the characters in Yan’s novels. From the many figuresshe creates, we can see the extent of her imaginations and the depth of her thoughts.Her depictions of women do not stop at labelling their identity. For the images ofrevolutionary women, she gives a vivid narration of their existence and the process ofchanges in their thoughts, thereby revealing how revolution alienates human. On theother hand, Yan also observes the flexibility and resilience of human potentials underextremity. Therefore, a variety of folk women appear in her novels, featuring naturaland free spirit. In contrast, the male characters are less impressive. However, she issuccessful in visualizing their personality and living conditions, especially thesuffering of intellectuals and their sense of responsibilities in absurd historicalcontexts.The third chapter analyzes ethical relations from the perspective of human nature.As is well known, familial relationship is an important theme of literary works andalso a field for writers to reflect on human nature. Yan challenges traditional ethicsthrough her works which makes her stand out in immigrant writers. The first sectiondeals with the abnormal relationship between father and son. From patricide tojealousy of father, she delves into people’s souls to disclose the ugly part of humannature, such as depression and destroying drive. The second section focuses on therelationship between mother and daughter, which is bruised by estrangement,resentments, competition and jealousy but finally reconciled. The third section tackles the relationship between husband and wife. She puts thoughts on couple’s chase andbetrayal, waiting and missout, separation and remarriage, humiliation and survival.The forth section elaborates on the ethics of love affairs in her novels. Throughcross-cultural romance, she writes not just about love but cultural differences and thepredicament resulted from it.The fourth chapter discusses her experience as an immigrant and her poeticthoughts. She is concerned with diaspora’s situation and feelings, describing the lossand pursuit of spiritual home among the marginalized. The first section narrates theloners living between two cultures and their sentiments. The second section exploresthe mental world of the wanderers. The third section shows China in the memories ofthe overseas Chinese as the distance between cultures leaves an everlasting entangledcomplex in them. She portrays China during and after the Cultural Revolution whichtakes on a unique landscape about human nature. The fourth section analyzes the senseof metaphysical homelessness among immigrants and the nature of their existence.The fifth chapter discusses the narrative strategies and aesthetic principles inYan’s novels. She is good at capturing all kinds of literary images with specialmetaphors and references, which are of implicitness and structural tension, constitutinga most beautiful scenery in literary garden. Besides, her novels are dominant by a deeppessimistic tone beneath mirthful scenes and sorrowful themes with a light tone. Aprofound meaning conveyed by a variety of narrative devices shows her excellentcommand of language. This chapter highlights the carefully chosen images, tragicconsciousness, polyphonic features, filming techniques, to reveal the unique charm ofher novels.The sixth chapter goes deep into Yan’s philosophy—rooted in Chinese culture yettinged with western culture. In her literary world, the notion of femaleness prevails. Asembodied in the traditional philosophy of harmony advocated by Confucianism,“being weak to stay alive” by Laozi and Zhuangzi, and being tolerant by Buddhism,femaleness is better understood and conveyed. However, in the second section, herassimilation of western culture—Judeo-christian and ancient Greek culture—isanalyzed, with which, her novels can be savored from multi-levels of philosophicalviews, and therefore rich in values.