The Road Toward Self-identification

Dances with Wolves, published in1988, is a well-known novel of American writer Michael Blake. The novel was adapted into a hit film which won numerous awards. The novel describes a white soldier’s adventure to the frontier and his story with the Indian Sioux after the Civil War.By using identity theory, this thesis analyzes a white soldier Dunbar’s quest for identity, his identity dilemma in Sioux camp, as well as the process and causes of his pursuit of self-identification. Through a lot of subtle examples and analysis, this thesis expounds Dunbar’s progress of pursuing self-identity. The progress develops from first contradictory attitudes toward Indians to gradually understanding and identifying with them; from contravening the marginalized cultural identity to finally inclining to integrate into Indian culture. During the process of his changing identity, he finds the value of the existence of himself and completes his self-identification In addition, this thesis also analyzes the causes of Dunbar’s identity from two aspects. On the one hand, he finds himself again in wilderness and solitude, in harmony with nature and in contacts with Sioux. On the other hand, Dunbar rejuvenates through positively getting a new understanding of Indian Sioux, and integrating into Indian camp and Indian culture.Identity problem has become a hot topic under the multicultural background. Sometimes, an individual or a group may have two or more than two identities due to cultural integration and social change. When people pursue their identity, they consider more about self-identification rather than the fetters of ethnic and racial problems. The purpose of this thesis is to make readers have a new understanding of Michael Blake and his Dances with Wolves on the basis of identity.