| As an important part of western feminist literature,Afro-American female literature has been concerned by scholars at home and abroad.Among them,black female writer Toni Morrison is especially favored by researchers.In 1993,Toni Morrison won the Nobel Prize for Literature,becoming the first black writer in the world to win the prize as a “woman” and “black”.This paper attempts to analyze the origin and development of maternal identity in western feminist theories and examine the evolution of Morrison’s views on maternal identity in different generations,in order to point out the differences in the choice of maternal identity by different black women.Through the discussion of black women’s confusion in the practice of motherhood,the author’s gender consciousness hidden behind motherhood is presented,and the reflection of motherhood in Morrison’s literary works is verified from the perspectives of black history,racial culture and gender differences.The introduction mainly introduces the origin,status quo,research methods and significance of Morrison’s novels.The first part of the first chapter systematically combs the development and evolution of maternal studies in western feminist theories and examines the dialogue and complementary relationship between African-American female scholars and white female scholars on maternal issues.The second part summarizes the origin of the study of the writing of maternal identity in African-American feminist literature and the theme of maternal identity in Morrison’s novels.The second,third and fourth chapters describe and analyze Morrison’s different cognition of maternal identity in the early,middle and late stages.The second chapter mainly discusses the dilemma of the construction of black motherhood in Morrison’s early novels.Combining The Bluest Eye（1970）,Sula（1973）and Song of Solomon（1977）,from the alienation of maternal identity under the dual consciousness,the loss of maternal identity under the patriarchal culture and the potential crisis of maternal identity within women,this paper analyzes the oppressive connotation of maternal identity and the resolution strategy of relevant institutions.The third chapter mainly discusses the reconstruction of mother’s subject identity in Morrison’s mid-period novels.Combining with four novels,Tar Baby（1981）,Beloved（1987）,Jazz（1992）and Paradise（1999）.This paper analyzes and discusses the topic of mother subjectivity from three aspects: the loss of subject identity in maternal experience,the manifestation of maternal concern and subject identity,and the generation of mother subject identity under the dissolution of naming.The fourth chapter mainly discusses the empowerment of motherhood in Morrison’s later novels,combining Love（2003）,A Mercy（2008）,Home（2012）and God Help the Child（2015）.This paper discusses the empowerment of motherhood from three aspects: the multiple games between motherhood and self-empowerment,the empowerment representation of non-traditional motherhood and the racial empowerment of community culture and motherhood.This reflects the trend of disempowerment in the study of motherhood,affirming that motherhood is an important field for self-empowerment,the growth and development of black children,and the construction of community culture.The conclusion mainly summarizes the hierarchical relationship of maternal identity research in Morrison’s novels and the awakening process of the author’s female consciousness. |
