Subversion, Hybridity And Recognition Of Indian Cultural Identity In Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water

Green Grass, Running Water is one of Thomas King’s representative works. Ever since its publication in 1993, the book has aroused great attention of many scholars,newspapers and American readers. However, the book has not been brought to attention in China. So far, except Professor Zou Huiling’s study from the aspect of subversive mimicry and Yan Jia’s from the angle of the deconstruction of binary opposition, nobody else has carried on studies on the novel. By employing cultural identity and hybridity theory, Indians’ identity seeking process in Green Grass, Running Water is explored. And Indians’identity-pursuing journey from identity subversion, identity hybridity to identity recognition is analyzed.In addition to the introduction and conclusion, the thesis consists of four parts.King’s personal life, literature achievements and the novel Green Grass, Running Water will be introduced briefly in the introduction part. After that, the overseas as well as domestic research relevant to the novel and the author is reviewed.In chapter one, a brief account of cultural identity theory is given. According to cultural identity theory, identity is not a stable and fixed concept, but the product of sustainable development. Cultural identity includes religious cultural identity, racial cultural identity and indigenous cultural identity. Indians’religious and indigenous cultural identity mainly indicates their piety to religion and worship to religious ceremony. The characters in Green Grass, Running Water seldom go to see the Sun Dance ceremony, which shows their loss of religious and indigenous cultural identity. The existence of religious cultural identity indicates Indians’ respect of and love to the lands. In Green Grass, Running Water, Indians’ land is appropriated by the white government to build the infamous Grand Baleen Dam, thus Indians lose their racial cultural identity.Chapter two analyzes the subversion of Indian’s cultural identity. Under the influence of the western culture, Indian loses their primitive lifestyle, and begins to rely on media and technology that stands for advanced western culture. In addition, their state of mind starts to change. On one hand, they deny their traditional Indian culture. On the other hand, they blindly worship western culture, and thus become the funny mimics in white society.The third chapter discusses the hybridity of Indian’s identity. Indians live in two worlds. One is the reserve that their ancestors live in, and the other is the white society that they are yearning for.Chapter 4 analyzes the recognition of the Indian people. After Karen’s death, Eli returns back his mother’s cabin and firmly fights against the construction of the infamous Grand Baleen Dam, which reflects King’s praise to Indians’love to their land. Charlie returns to the reserve after he loses his lawyer job, and reunites with his father, which indicates King’s commendation to relations. Thus, Indians achieve their racial cultural identity. Lionel’s cultural identity comes true when he is on his way to see Sun Dance ceremony. At last, Eli and Lionel cooperate to stop George from stealing the information of the Sun Dance ceremony, ensuring the independence of Indian culture. Therefore, Indians attain their religious and indigenous cultural identity.The conclusion reviews what has been discussed in the previous chapters and comes to a conclusion:characters in Green Grass, Running Water experience the subversion and hybridity and finally realize the recognition of Indian cultural identity. It is their strong affinity with Indian identity that helps them achieve their return of identity. Meanwhile, the thesis points out that Indians’identity-pursuing journey may enlighten people’s "identity consciousness" in modern society.