Post-Colonial Rewriting And Its Limitations In J.M.Coetzee’s Foe

J. M. Coetzee’s Foe is a rewriting of Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe. With the help of theoretical terms like "postcolonial rewriting" and "counter-discourse" in postcolonial studies, and the foundation of the successful parts in the post-colonial rewriting in Foe, this thesis aims at illustrating the limitations of postcolonial rewriting in Foe as well as reasons contributing to these limitations by means of close reading and textual analysis.Apart from Introduction and Conclusion, the body of this thesis is divided into four chapters. Chapter One briefly introduces some critical terms concerning postcolonial rewriting and canonical counter-discourse. Chapter Two illustrates some successful parts in the post-colonial rewriting in Foe. Chapter Three explores the limitations in the post-colonial rewriting in Foe from three aspects, including the discussion about Susan Barton’s identity, Susan Barton’s attitude towards and her relationship with Friday, and a different interpretation of Friday’s muteness. In addition, it also explores the reasons contributing to these limitations.