Postmodern Narrative Techniques Of Madeleine Is Sleeping

Madeleine is Sleeping is the most popular book of Chinese-American writer SarahShun-Lien Bynum who used ten years to write this book. This novel was awardedPublisher Weekly’s Best Fiction of2004, Washington Post’s Best Fiction of2004, YoungLions Literary Award of2005, and Whiting Writers’ Award of2005. This novel makesSarah Shun-Lien Bynum the most famous representative of21st centuryChinese-American writers. In terms of the fantasy style in this novel, critics at home andbroad have made a lot of study. They believe that Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum makes aparody to western classic fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty”.Not like most of the Chinese-American writers who choose the classicChinese-American traditional themes such as mother-daughter relationship or theimmigration experience to show Chinese-Americans’ rebellion to the power center intheir novels. In this novel, Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum uses many obvious postmodernnarrative techniques, such as parody, fragmentation, collage and indeterminacy. By usingsuch techniques, Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum shows her unique views about themarginalized identity of Chinese-American and her deconstruction and subversion to thetraditional power center.The thesis will be divided into four chapters with an Introduction in the front and aConclusion in the end to discuss the four postmodern narrative techniques and theintended meanings in Madeleine is Sleeping.The introduction part is about the introduction of the novel and the writer withintroduction the studies of Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum’s novels at home and abroad and thetheoretical framework which will be used in this thesis. In Chapter One, the technique ofparody in Madeleine is Sleeping will be analyzed. In Chapter Two, the technique offragmentation in Madeleine is Sleeping will be analyzed. In Chapter Three, the techniqueof collage in Madeleine is Sleeping will be analyzed. In Chapter Four, the technique ofindeterminacy in Madeleine is Sleeping will be analyzed. Through successfully use of postmodern narrative techniques in Madeleine isSleeping, this thesis tries to find how Sarah Shun-Lien Bynum makes a deconstructionand subversion to the traditional power center.