An Interpretation Of China Boy From The Perspective Of Initiation Story

Gus Lee(1946—), as one of the prominent and prestigious Chinese American writers, makes significant contribution to the contemporary Chinese American literature. China Boy, a representative work of Gus Lee, earns him a great reputation. It mainly depicts the growing process of the protagonist Kai Ting from innocence to maturity. Researches from many angles on this novel have been worked on from domestic and overseas academia, but few have analyzed it from the perspective of initiation story, which provides certain feasibility and necessity.This thesis aims at utilizing the theory of initiation story to analyze China Boy. It mainly explores the three phases of the protagonist Kai Ting's growth and his pursuit of cultural identity. The main body firstly probes into Kai Ting's beloved and protected life during the innocent phase. During this phase, he learns Chinese culture from his birthmother and Uncle Shim, experiencing his Chinese identity with maintenance and inheritance to his Chineseness. Then this thesis analyzes Kai Ting's tribulations as well as his support from initiation companion in his growth. Under the influence of Kai Ting's stepmother and father, Kai Ting gradually becomes Americanized and identifies himself as American. At last, this thesis illuminates Kai Ting's accomplishment of maturity through learning boxing and his final identity location between Chinese and American cultures. In conclusion, this thesis points out that Kai Ting's process of initiation and cultural identity pursuit is an epitome of that of ethnic minorities. Under the cultural collision and fusion, when confronting the question of initiation and cultural identity, ethnic minorities in between-worlds should not embrace one culture thoroughly and abandon the other, but integrate the merits of the two cultures with an open attitude in order to adapt to the multicultural society.China Boy is a typical American initiation story. The protagonist Kai Ting's initiation is a special case of highly worth of research and his growing experience is meaningful to other ethnic minorities' initiation.