Chinese Canadians' Quest For Identity

Identity issue, central to cultural or social studies, is especially inescapable in this discussion of Chinese Canadians. Identity is shaped by such social structures as class, race, gender, culture, language, values etc.. And identity crisis often occurs when one fails to find who he or she is or which group he or she should identify with.For Chinese people scattering in Canada, it is a formidable process to quest for their identity. The early Chinese immigrants, especially women, are the victims of institutional racism of mainstream Canadian society so that they are put on the margin. Through various kinds of anti-racist activities, they have managed to regain their lost political identity and simultaneously developed Chinese tradition and culture. Meanwhile, living in the cleaves of two cultures, they become increasingly confused about their identity. Thus identity crisis emerges, which causes a lot of social and family problems. Although contemporary Chinese Canadians have achieved a lot in different professions and trades, they are faced with many challenges. Then how to cope with these challenges is an urgent problem that Chinese Canadians must face, embrace and try to solve.Now Chinese Canadians' quest for identity has made rapid progress, which is attributed not only to their efforts but also to multiculturalism and the policy of encouraging immigration. As part of Canadian experiences, undoubtedly, their quest for identity will push forward that of the whole Chinese community and the larger Canadian society, and further promote the development of Canada's multiculturalism. In addition to introduction and conclusion, this thesis falls into five chapters:Chapter One traces the history of Chinese immigration to Canada. By analysing the discriminatory legislations and multiculturalism, it reflects the suffering and pains of the Chinese immigrants for survival and development in Canada.Chapter Two examines the formation of institutional racism, two attitudes held by Chinese Canadians towards it: tolerance and struggle, and the important role of Chinatown. And the author points out that their regaining of political identity through the anti-racist movement does not suggest the elimination of racial discrimination.Chapter Three first deals with the reasons for the emergence of identity crisis by analysing acculturation and the establishment of individual identity; then it focuses on the social and family problems resulting from identity crisis; finally the author puts forward some suggestions on how to understand the identity of a Chinese Canadian.Chapter Four is devoted to Chinese Canadian women's quest for identity. Providing the background of women of colour's struggle in the Western feminist movement, especially Canada's anti-racist feminist movement, this chapter makes a detailed study of the survival and development of Chinese Canadian women, who, under racial discrimination and gender oppression, have made unremitting efforts to reestablish their identity and struggle for their rights.Chapter Five tries to examine how Chinese Canadians' quest for identity is embodied in Chinese Canadian literary writings in English by employing three typical fictions as case studies, and in turn how the literary works propel this effort.