Deconstruction And Reconstruction Of Ethnicity And Human Nature

As the first Asian American writer in English, Sui Sin Far was a Eurasian born with half Chinese and half English blood. Her "Chinese instinct" together with her living environment and working experiences triggers her to write for Chinese. Sui Sin Far is best remembered for her only book-length collection, Mrs. Spring Fragrance and Other Writings, which is the most significant in theme and the best developed in structure.This thesis attempts to explore Sui Sin Fars idea of ethnicity and human nature. Through a rereading of her Mrs. Spring Fragrance and Other Writings, it probes into Sui Sin Far's "the whole world as one family" vision. Whoever you are, and wherever you are from, human beings have common ground in human nature, but at the same time they possess their own ethnicity. Human beings are selves existing as individuals, who can have their own character, habits, and hobbies, but human beings also exist as social beings and must live in a community, since "the free development of each person is the basis for the free development of all human beings" (qtd. in Huang 872).This thesis will proceed in the following four chapters:Firstly, the introduction elaborates on the author Sui Sin Far as a Eurasian and the influence upon her only book-length collection Mrs. Spring Fragrance and Other Writings. Then a comprehensive discussion on the short story collection is covered to make for the service of the exploitation of the theme. The idea of ethnicity and human nature in the final part is presented.Secondly, concentrating on the protagonists of "The Inferior Woman," "Pat and Pan," and "In the Land of Free," Mrs. Spring Fragrance and Other Writings aims to deconstruct racist stereotypes of Chinese Americans, such as dangerous, underdeveloped, inferior and so on, and political attribute of human nature. As the foremother of Chinese American literature, Sui Sin Far gives her criticism of the untrue images of Chinese Americans enforced by the white in environmental white supremacy. Meanwhile. Sui Sin Far realizes that it is sociality of human nature that directly results in human beings'pursuing their own interests, since human beings are eusocial and are easily influenced by people around them or by environment. Political attribute as one aspect of sociality plays an important role in human beings' activities. Therefore. Sui Sin Far's deconstruction of ethnicity is based on the whites' racial hierarchy and discrimination, and aims to subvert untrue stereotypes of Chinese Americans. In terms of political attribute of human nature. Sui Sin Far argues that it lies in human beings'close relationship with the government, that is, human beings work for the government; however in a true sense, the government works for human beings, since all including governments and social institutions originate from human nature.Thirdly, as shown through the delineation of the protagonists in "The Story of One White Woman Who Marries a Chinese," The Inferior Woman," and "The Chinese Lily," Mrs. Spring Fragrance and Other Writings intends to reconstruct new and true images of Chinese Americans, and at the same time explore the connotation of subjectivity of human beings. The short story volume is set in an era of extreme Sinophobia, and Sui Sin Far interprets ethnic integration in two levels:protesting the arrogance of Americans toward Chinese, and self-affirmation. She devotes to her idea of human nature through the presentation of relationship between "the self" and "the Other," and contends that self-reflection embodies the most essential attribute of human nature, that is, subjectivity with agency, autonomy, and self-performance. As a result, Sui Sin Far draws a conclusion:people with different nationalities and ethnicity can live harmoniously in a world, since human beings are an organic unity with personality, that is, ethnicity, and common ground, that is, human nature.In the end, through the conclusive summary of the former three chapters, I would probe into Sui Sin Far's contribution to Chinese American literature. Meanwhile, the conclusion reemphasizes the theme of this thesis and highlights that researches on Sui Sin Far could further improve the understanding of the importance of Chinese American literature.