A Contrastive Study Of China's And Britain's Images In When We Were Orphans From Michel Foucault's Discourse Theory

Eastern nations have been defined as the imaginary otherness by western nations subjectively for a long time.Under the background of globalization,the stereotypes of eastern nations' images have drawn a strong condemnation among people around the world.Moreover,construction of national image exerts great impacts on contemporary nation's development and attracts academia's attention.This thesis analyzes Kazuo Ishiguro's(the 2017 Nobel Prize laureate in literature)fifth novel When We Were Orphans.The thesis analyzes the presentation and makes a contrast between both China's and Britain's images in this novel from Michel Foucault's discourse theory(knowledge discourse,power discourse,life discourse).It enlightens people that in this rapidly developed globalization,recognized by egocentric subject,national images of object are unreal and distorted images.In order to achieve national development,construction of national image is a crucial part of national development,which needs a fresh recognition of the subject-object communicating mode and even eradicating the power radiation route of center-periphery as well as under the principle of mutual respect and cooperation,casting away life prejudice towards otherness.Michel Foucault's discourse theory uncovers how various civilized centers marginalize and shape otherness into mad images in history.It underscores social reality,social order as well as national will,both constructed by discourse,between rationality and irrationality,between civilization and madness.In When We Were Orphans:Firstly,at knowledge discourse's level,considering itself as civilization center,Britain firstly constructs great national image with its scientific advantages and then suppresses China's self-expression with knowledge superiority so as to marginalize and construct China as irrational otherness.Finally,China's and Britain's images are unreal and distorted.Hence,in a gesture to construct truthful images of China and Britain,people should get rid of the influence of the conceptual stereotypes of subject-object and recognize national images with rational attitude.Secondly,at power discourse's level,complicated power relations of China and Britain are presented.For one thing,what Banks stands for is deceptive image of Britain subject.What lies behind democratic nation is a hierarchical Britain that is preoccupied with competition and contradiction.For another thing,Britain's guardian,like Christopher Banks,consciously utilizes spatial separation to progress hierarchical surveillance and disciplined training,which further consolidates the central position of Britain.Ultimately,China's and Britain's images are unreal images projected in the mirror,rooted in the constructive function of “power centers”.Hence,power centers should be decoded so that real national images can be presented.Thirdly,at life discourse's level,When We Were Orphans stresses the positive meaning of national strength and the correct construction of nations' images.It is Britain's life prejudice towards Chinese that aggravates the extent of both China's and Britain's images alienation.Hence,nations all over the world should get rid of prejudice and recognize real images of other nation as well as respect people's power and freedom in the process of communication.Only in these ways can all nations achieve development and do good to national images' construction in return.In conclusion,this thesis will analyze China's and Britain's images in When We Were Orphans from the three mentioned M.Foucault's discourse theory.China's and Britain's image in this novel are distorted and need to be reconstructed.Firstly,the construction of national images should break the “subject-object” thinking mode;second analysis perspective is the deconstruction of the authority from centers of power;finally,the thesis tries to explore the link between the construction and development of national images and people's happy life.Therefore,to achieve the ultimate goal of the correct understanding and recognition of national images and put it into practice,participation and cooperation from every nation are needed.