Inescapable And Invisible Bondage-an Interpretation Of THEM With The Theory Of Panopticon And Disciplinary Power

Joyce Carol Oates (1938-) is one of the famous American contemporary writers and the representative writer of the psychological realism. She is praised as"female Faulkner". In the novel, THEM, Oates writes about the difficult life stories of the Wendall family in Detroit from1937to the riots of1967.The novel is developed around two main characters, Maureen and her brother Jules. It realistically depicts the difficult life of "them". As members of the American white people of the lower social status, they can’t escape the panopticon of Detroit and the ubiquitous bondage of the disciplinary power. Foucault’s theory of disciplinary power and panopticon can help to give a better interpretation of the difficulties and the invisible spiritual tortures borne by the characters in the novel. They can’t break the bondage no matter how hard they try. The consistent occurrence of violence, distorted personality, the numerous setbacks and the continuous rebellion are the inescapable fates caused by disciplinary power of the panopticon and are also the fighting against the bondage. This thesis will interpret THEM with Foucault’s theory of disciplinary power and panopticon, try to find the root of the violence and get a better understanding of the novel.