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中图分类号：单位代号：10280密级：学号：12720359硕士学位论文SHANGHAIUNIVERSITYMASTER’SDISSERTATIONIdentityConstruction题againstNihilisminNetherland目从《地之国》看虚无主义背景下的身份建构作者李晶晶学科专业英语语言文学导师曾桂娥副教授完成日期2015年4月 上海大学硕士学位论文上海大学本论文经答辩委员会全体委员审查,确认符合上海大学硕士学位论文质量要求。答辩委员会签名：主任：委员：导师：答辩日期： 上海大学硕士学位论文原创性声明本人声明：所呈交的论文是本人在导师指导下进行的研究工作。除了文中特别加以标注和致谢的地方外，论文中不包含其他人已发表或撰写过的研究成果。参与同一工作的其他同志对本研究所做的任何贡献均已在论文中作了明确的说明并表示了谢意。签名：日期：本论文使用授权说明本人完全了解上海大学有关保留、使用学位论文的规定，即：学校有权保留论文及送交论文复印件，允许论文被查阅和借阅；学校可以公布论文的全部或部分内容。（保密的论文在解密后应遵守此规定）签名：导师签名：日期： 上海大学硕士学位论文上海大学文学硕士学位论文从《地之国》看虚无主义背景下的身份建构姓名：李晶晶导师：曾桂娥副教授学科专业：英语语言文学上海大学外国语学院2015年4月 上海大学硕士学位论文ADissertationSubmittedtoShanghaiUniversityfortheDegreeofMasterofArtsIdentityConstructionagainstNihilisminNetherlandMACandidate：LiJingjingSupervisor：AssociateProfessorZengGui’eMajor：EnglishLanguageandLiteratureSchoolofForeignLanguages,ShanghaiUniversityApril,2015 上海大学硕士学位论文AcknowledgementsIwouldliketoexpressmysinceregratitudetoallthosepeoplewhohavehelpedmewiththischallengingandinterestingproject.Withouttheirkindlyassistanceandencouragement,thisthesiswouldneverreachitspresentform.MydeepestandheartfeltgratitudefirstgoestomydearsupervisorassociateprofessorZengGui’e,whohasgivenmeenormousinsightfulinstructionsandbrilliantadvicebothonmystudyandmylifeduringthepastthreeyears.Ihavebenefitedalotfromherpersistentanddedicatedacademicspiritaswellasheroptimisticandpassionateattitudetowardslife.Withouthercontinuoushelpandencouragement,itisimpossibleformetocompletethisthesis.MygratitudealsogoestoProfessorZhouPing,ProfessorZhuZhenwu,ProfessorPangHaonong,ProfessorShangXiaojin,ProfessorZhuangEnping,ProfessorYuJiancun,AssociateProfessorMiaoFuguang,AssociateProfessorWangXia,AssociateProfessorZhuJie,AssociateProfessorWangXiaoyuan,andotherprofessorsandteachersintheEnglishdepartment.Theirprofoundknowledgeandbrilliantlectureshavegivenmemuchinspirationformypostgraduatestudy.AndIwouldalsoliketoextendmygratitudeandregardstoMr.HuangCheng,Ms.XuKejia,Mr.WangJieandotherteachersinSchoolofForeignLanguages,ShanghaiUniversityfortheirlaboriousandpatientworkwhichhavemademystudyandlifeheremucheasier.Inaddition,Iwouldliketothankallmyclassmates,especiallymyroommates,whohaveofferedmemuchhelpandcareduringmystayinShanghaiUniversity.Theircompanionhasaddedmuchpleasuretomylife.Andspecialthanksgotomyparentsandmybrotherfortheirselflessloveandconstantsupport.I 上海大学硕士学位论文AbstractNetherlandisacriticallyacclaimedworkcreatedbythecontemporaryAmericanwriterJosephO’Neill,whohasspentalmostsevenyearsonit.InNetherland,JosephO’Neillusescricketasalinkingtie,depictingthejourneyofthetwoprotagonists’questandstruggleforidentityandtheireffortstoreconstructorderinlifeintheUnitedStates.Withtheadvantageofhisowntransculturalexperience,JosephO’NeillsucceedsinpresentingthedifficultandmarginalizedsituationofimmigrantsinAmerica,andexplorestheethnicrelationsinAmericawithinthecontextofmulticulturalism.ThoughJosephO’Neilltakesthe9/11eventasanimportantelementinthedevelopmentofthenovel,hedoesnotconfinethisnovelwithinthe9/11fiction.Instead,O’Neilldevelopsthestorywithinthegrandnihilisticbackgroundofthemodernworld,andsketchesimmigrants’reflectionupontheiridentityandthesocialreality.Thisthesisintendstomakeageneralanalysisofthecharacteristicsofthenihilisticsocietydepictedinthenovelatfirst,andthenprobeintotheidentityproblemfromtheperspectiveofidentitytheoryandmemorytheory.Throughadetailedexplorationofthetwoprotagonists’effortstoconstructidentityandorderwithinthenihilisticlandscape,thethesistriestoanalyzethefunctionsoffamilyandcricketinresistingnihilismandreconstructingorderinthepost9/11world.JosephO’NeillsuggestsinNetherlandthatfamilyplaysasignificantroleinindividual’sstruggletofightagainstnihilismandreconstructorderinlife.Meanwhile,heendowscricketwithsymbolicmeaning,tryingtoestablishcricketasanewvalueandaformofresistancetonihilism,andusesthemoralunderpinningsinvolvedincrickettoreflectupontheethnicrelationswithinthecontextofAmericanculturalhegemony.Thoughthedoomedfateofcricketplanimpliesthatitisofgreatdifficultytorealizegenuineequalityinethnicrelations,itdoesprovidesomeinspirationforthedevelopmentofethnicrelationswithinthecontextofmulticulturalism.KeyWords:JosephO’Neill;Netherland;Nihilism;IdentityConstruction;CricketII 上海大学硕士学位论文摘要当代美国作家约瑟夫·奥尼尔虽作品为数不多，但凭借其历时七年之久的新近之作《地之国》赢得评论界广泛关注。在《地之国》中，奥尼尔以板球运动为线索，描述了两位主人公在美国遭遇生活危机、身份危机、重构身份与生活秩序的历程。与此同时，奥尼尔凭借其特有的跨文化经历，深刻地展现了外来移民在美国的生存困境，审视了当代美国社会多元文化混杂下的族裔关系。奥尼尔在小说《地之国》中虽以“9·11”事件为契机，但并未局限于此，而是放眼于当代社会的虚无现状，展现了外来移民在美国经历恐怖袭击事件之后重新审视自身及当代社会的虚无现状，追寻身份以及重新建构生活秩序，于虚无之中追寻存在意义的过程。本文拟先从虚无的存在、异化的人际关系以及脱离真实三个方面来分析当代美国社会的虚无现状，从而进一步运用身份理论以及记忆理论分别阐述小说中两位主人公在多元文化交融的纽约，经历“9·11”事件，在虚无的大社会背景下的身份危机表征，以及各自于对抗虚无之中审视自身与社会，积极建构身份与生活秩序的过程，并分别探讨家庭与板球在对抗虚无、重构生活秩序中的作用。本文认为奥尼尔在小说中暗示家庭对于个人在虚无的现代社会对抗虚无以及构建生活秩序中的积极作用，并且赋予板球象征意义，试图将板球作为“新的价值”对抗现代社会的虚无现状，借以反思美国霸权文化逻辑下的族裔关系。小说中“板球计划”的失败虽暗示了在美国霸权文化逻辑下尚难以实现真正平等的族裔关系，但其以板球运动包含的公正平等原则为导向，对于构建新型族裔关系具有一定的积极意义。关键词：约瑟夫·奥尼尔；《地之国》；虚无主义；身份建构；板球III 上海大学硕士学位论文ContentsAcknowledgements.........................................................................................................IAbstract........................................................................................................................II摘要.............................................................................................................................IIIIntroduction..................................................................................................................11AnOverviewofJosephO’Neill’sWorks.............................................................12LiteratureReviewofNetherland.........................................................................43ThesisOrganization..............................................................................................7ChapterOneNihilisticSocietyinNetherland.......................................................91MeaninglessExistence.......................................................................................102AlienationinInterpersonalRelationships..........................................................133EstrangementfromReality................................................................................16ChapterTwoPassiveNihilismandIdentityConstruction.................................211PassiveNihilismandPersonalIdentityCrisis...................................................222IndividualMemoryandIdentityConstruction...................................................263ReturningtoHomeandOrderReconstruction...................................................30ChapterThreeActiveNihilismandIdentityConstruction...............................341ActiveNihilismandIdentityCrisis....................................................................342CulturalIdentificationandIdentityConstruction..............................................363CricketandValueReconstruction......................................................................40Conclusion...................................................................................................................44Bibliography...............................................................................................................47PublicationsandAwards...........................................................................................51IV 上海大学硕士学位论文IntroductionJosephO’Neill(1964-)isanIrish-bornwriterandregularliteraryandculturalcriticforAtlanticMonthly.O’Neill’slifeexperienceuptonowisnotusual.HewasborninCork,Ireland,in1964asahalf-Irishandhalf-Assyriandescendant(hisfatherisanIrishwhilehismotherisaTurkish).Sincehisparentsoftenmovedaroundwhenhewasyoung,O’NeilhasspenthischildhoodtimeinMozambique,Turkey,Iran,andtheNetherlands.Later,heattendedGirtonCollege,Cambridge,fromwhichhereceivedalawdegree.HepracticedasabarristerfortenyearsattheEnglishBar,mainlyinthefieldofbusinesslawandmeanwhilehealsoworkedasapart-timenovelist.Since1998hemovedtotheUnitedStatesandlivedinNewYorkCity.Inhisleisuretime,O’Neillisexpertatcricket.HewasamemberofHolland’sUnder-19NationalTeamandafterhemovedtoliveinNewYork,hecontinuedtoplaycricketinamateurleagues.Tosomeextent,hisexperienceofplayingcrickethascontributedalottohisliterarycreationwhichcanbeseenfromhismasterpieceNetherland.LiteratureisalwaysO’Neill’sprecioushobby.Infact,O’Neillfirstcameintotheliteraryfieldasapoetinsteadofanovelist.However,hedecidedtoturnawayfrompoetrytofictionattheageoftwenty-four.1AnOverviewofJosephO’Neill’sWorksUptonow,JosephO’Neillhasonlywrittenfournovels—ThisIstheLife(1991),TheBreezes(1995),Netherland(2008)andTheDog(2014)—andanon-fictionbook:Blood-DarkTrack:afamilyhistory(2001)whichturnedouttobeabookoftheyearforTheEconomistandTheIrishTimes,andaNewYorkTimesNotableBookfor2002.Asafamilyhistory,Blood-DarkTrackiswritteninmemoryofJosephO’Neill’stwograndfathers,whohavebeensentencedintoprisonforthreeyearsduringthesecondWorldWar.Apartfromnovelsandnon-fiction,JosephO’Neillalsocomposedsomeshortfiction,suchas“TheWorldofCheese”(2009),andsomeothersanthologizedinPhoenixIrishShortStories(1999),Dislocation:StoriesfromaNewIreland(2003),andFaberBookofBestNewIrishShortStories(2007).1 上海大学硕士学位论文JosephO’Neill’twoearliestnovelswerewritteninhistwenties.ThisIstheLifeisablackcomicnovelwritteninthefirst-personnarrative.Ittellsastoryaboutanunreliableandunskillfullawyerwhoembracesasomehowunrealisticdreamwishingtobeanequivalenttoaninternationallyaccomplishedlawyer,butunfortunatelywhoselifeandcareerhasalwaysbeenimpededbymissedchances.Thoughdesigningthenovelinahumorousway,JosephO’Neillactuallydealswiththeseriousissueofecologicaldestructioninthenovelandimpliesinthisnovelwithanintentiontodrawpublicattentiontotheincreasingsignificanceandthedemandingneedofinternationallaw.Hewantsthepublictobeawarethatalotofcountriesdemandlawsandregulationstorestrictothercountrieswhiletakenoconsiderationoftheirownbehavior.ThesecondnovelTheBreezescontinuestheblackhumorstyleandisfullofironichumor.IttellsthestoriesoftheBreezesfamily,whosemembersarealllosersandliveameaninglessandpatheticlife.Thisnoveldescribesthelifeoflosersbutunderthesurfaceithandlestheproblemofnihilismandfutility.O’NeillrevealsthatTheBreezesisdealingwith“theroleoffaithinthefaceoffutilityandtheroleoffictionsinthefaceoffutility”(Reilly3).Thenovelsendwithasinglesentence“Herewego.”Itisaseeminglyhappyendingbutitmayimplyanunanswerablequestionthatwhichwayonearthpeoplecantakeinthefaceoffutility.ItisnotdifficulttofindthattherearesomethingincommonbetweenNetherlandandTheBreezes.Inbothnovels,JosephO’Neillwritesaboutsportsandendowssportswithsymbolicmeaningsandsignificance.Moreover,justlikeTheBreezes,Netherlandalsodealswiththeproblemoffutilityandnihilism,aswellascommonpeople’sresponseinthefaceoffutility.Netherland,asJosephO’Neill’smostcriticallyacclaimednovel,presentstheUnitedStatesasamulticulturalspaceinwhichdiverseculturesconflictandreflecteachother.Throughtheprotagonist’sre-explorationofNewYork,O’NeillshowsreadersadifferentNewYorkcity.BesidesthebustlingandprosperousManhattanfinancialcenter,italsopresentsthesub-communitiesofimmigrantsandtheoutskirtsofNewYorkcity.NetherlandisdesignedasalongandrandomflashbackofaDutch-bornprotagonistHansvandenBroekwhooncelivedinNewYorkandworked2 上海大学硕士学位论文asanequitiesanalystforamerchantbankduringthetimewhenthe9/11terroristattackshappened.Atthebeginningofthenovel,itrevealsthedeathnewsofChuckRamkissoon,whoseremainswerediscoveredinBrooklyn’sGowanusCanalwithhishandshandcuffed.Chuckwasacricketenthusiast,dreamingtobuildthelargestcricketstadiuminNewYork,andaGatsby-likeentrepreneurwhomHansbecameacquaintedthroughplayingcricket.ThestunningnewsofChuck’sdeathpromptedHanstorecallhispastexperienceandinthiswaystorybegins.Therearetwostorylinesinthisnovel,oneofwhichisconcernedwithHansandtheotheroneisaboutChuck.ThestoryaboutHansismainlyabouthislifeexperiencebeforeandinthewakeof9/11eventandhislossofhismother,hisabandonmentbyhiswifeandson,aswellashisstrugglesinthefragmentedworldtoconstructidentityandorder.Chuck’sstoryismainlycenteredonhisover-sizedambitionanddreamofbuildingthelargestcricketclubinNewYork.ThisGatsby-likecharacterembracessomethingbiggerthanthepersonalAmericandream.Infact,heishopingtochangethecurrentAmericansocietyandmakeAmericanculturemoreinclusiveandtrytoendowcricketwithanewvalue,aspiritualguideforAmericanpeople.StoriesaremainlydevelopedinthemulticulturalNewYorkunderthegrandbackgroundofthenihilistmodernworld.ItisworthmentioningthatO’NeillusescricketasamajormetaphorinNetherland.CricketfunctionsastheincentivetobringbackHans’smemorieswhichconsisttheplot-lineofthenovel.ItalsoworksasatietogetHansandanotherprotagonistChucktogether,whichstartsoffthestoryofhowthetwoimmigrantsstruggleinthenihilisticsocietyinNewYorkcityafter9/11terroristattackandtrytofindoutthemeaningofexistenceandconstructorderandidentity.TheDogisO’Neill’slatestnovel,whichissetinDubai.TheDogbearsmanyresemblanceswiththespectacularNetherland.LiketheprotagonistHansinNetherlandwhohastransculturalexperience,theunnamednarratorinTheDogsharessimilarexperiencesincehewasraisedinNewYorkbyhisSwissmotherwhospeaksFrench,andlaterheleavestheUnitedStatesforDubai.Moreover,thisnarratoralsoencountersafruitlessrelationshipforheisestrangedfromhisgirlfriendandlivesina3 上海大学硕士学位论文lonelystateinDubai.Besides,inthisnovelthereisalsoasubplotbeneaththemainplotaboutthenarrator’sfriendwhomhegetsacquaintedthroughscubadiving,notcricketthistime.AsJosephO’NeillsaysintheinterviewwithCharlieReilly,whenhewriteshissecondbookTheBreezes,he,asawriterborninafamilyofIrishandTurkishparentsandgrowingupindifferentcountries,lacksasenseofbelongingtoacertainculture,sothestoryinTheBreezestakesplaceinnowhere.However,whenhecreatesNetherland,heturnsthislackofculturalbelongingintoavaluableasset,whichenableshimtojumpoutfromacertaincultureorperspectivetowriteabouttheUnitedStatesandtheimmigrantcommunitiesthereandthebigevent.Andhispersonalexperienceofmovingfromonecountrytoanotheralsogiveshimmuchadvantageinhiswriting,whichcanbeprovedinhislatesttwonovels.2LiteratureReviewofNetherlandNetherlandisJosephO’Neill’smostfamousandwell-knownnovel.IttakesO’Neillsevenyearstoaccomplishthisnovel.Fortunately,itisworthallthelaboranddedication.Assoonasitgotpublished,Netherlandreceivedravereviewsandwaswelcomedwithextravagantpraise.Itwasawardedthe2009Pen/FaulknerAwardforFictionanditwasalsoafeatureofNewYorkTimesBookReviewinMay,2008.AndevenAmericanpresidentBarackObamaoncesaidinaninterviewwiththeBBCinJune2009thathewasreadingthenovelandclaimedthatitwas“anexcellentnovel”.Moreover,NetherlandwastheprominentonetowintheManBookerPrizeof2008amongallthebooksonthelonglist,butunfortunatelyattheenditfailedtomakethelist.ItisanaturalthingthatNetherlandhasbeenclassifiedasoneofthecanonof“9/11fiction,”sinceO’Neilldevelopsarelationshipnarrativewithinthepost-9/11historicbackdrop,justlikeothertypical9/11novels,suchasDonDeLillo’sFallingMan(2007)did.ArinKeebleinhisarticlepublishedinEuropeanJournalofAmericanCulture,ratesNetherlandas“agenuinelyself-conscious9/11narrative,”(Keeble56)whilehethinksNetherlandisdistinctlydifferentfromother9/11fiction4 上海大学硕士学位论文sinceitsubvertsthemainstreamthemebypoliticizingrelationshipnarrativeandturnsfromtheManhattanareawhichisthefrequently-usedsettingfor9/11novelstothemarginalizedplacesandoutskirtsinNewYorkcity,andmoreoverO’Neillprobestheproblemofthelastingimpactof9/11eventwhichother9/11textsseldomdealwith.RichardGraywritesinhisbookAftertheFall:AmericanLiteratureSince9/11thatNetherlandsharesgreatsimilaritywithother9/11fictionbecauseofits“impulsetoapproachthecontemporarycrisisbyroundaboutmeans,usingindirectiontofindhistoricaldirectionsout”anditdepictspost-9/11Americaasamulticulturalspacewherediverseculturesinteractwitheachotherandassimilateintooneanother.(Gray55)Meanwhile,somescholarspaymoreattentiontoNetherland’sallusionstoScottFitzgerald’sTheGreatGatsbyandanalyzetheAmericandreaminit.ThegreatEnglishliterarycriticJamesWoodratesNetherlandas“oneofthemostremarkablepostcolonialbooks”(Wood78)hehaseverread,andhethinksthenovelbeginsfromwhereTheGreatGatsbyends,withtheunfortunateAmericandreamermeethisdeathinthewater.JeffreyHillsharessimilaropinionswithJamesWoodforhealsoreadsthisnovelwithinthecontextofAmericandream.However,hedoesthisfromadifferentperspective.HillstartswithexaminingthedevelopinghistoryandthesocialpositionofcricketinAmerica,thenprobesintotherelationshipbetweensportandliterature,atlaststudiesthesymbolicmeaningscontainedincricketanddrawstheconclusionthatChuck’sAmericandreamistoreclaimAmericaforthegameandusescricketgameas“aformofreversecolonialism”to“re-colonizeAmerica”(225).ExceptthecomparativestudybetweenNetherlandandTheGreatGatsby,thereiscomparativeresearchonJohnUpdike’sTerroristandJosephO’Neill’sNetherland.PamelaMansuttiinherarticletitled“Ethno-religiousIdentitiesandCosmopolitanEchoesinJohnUpdike’s‘Terrorist’(2006)andJosephO’Neill’s‘Netherland’(2008),”examinestheidentityproblemsofthevariousethnicgroupsinthesetwonovelsandarguesthatthesetwonovelsconveyasamenotethatthevisionofmulticulturalisminthe21stAmericaispessimisticandtheethnicminoritiesaredoomedtostitchtheiridentitytothefabricAmericansociety.(Mansutti106)Apartfromthosereviewerswhoconcernedmoreaboutthe9/11fictionelements5 上海大学硕士学位论文andthepostcolonialimplicationsinNetherland,somescholarsanalyzetheconnectionbetweensportandliteratureinNetherland.LikeHillwhoexplorestheAmericandreamfromtheperspectiveofcricket,KarolinaGolimowskaalsosuggeststhatcricketinNetherlandismorethanagame.Hedeemsthatthegameofcricketcontainsculturalandsocialcode,functioningasabridgelinkingprotagonist’stransnationalexperienceandbringinghimasenseofcontinuityinhislife,andthatcricketisacuretotreattraumaanddisplacementofthepost9/11Americancity.GolimowskaelaboratesinhisarticlethatJosephO’Neill“usesthegameofcricketasametaphoricalframeworktoaddressimmigrantcommunities,postcoloniallegaciesandtheneedforre-mappingofawoundedandparanoidcity”(Golimowska230).AndrecentlyJohnN.DuvallworksonthequeerracialidentificationsinNetherland.DifferentfromtheusualmethodofinterpretingthisnovelasastoryaboutthemulticulturalAmericainthewakeof9/11,heholdstheviewthatNetherlandisstoryofinterracialmalelovebetweenthetwoprotagonistsandtheirsharedenthusiasmforcricketimpliesthatthesportisaformofsexualpleasure.(Duvall341)ComparedwithoverseasresearchofNetherland,thedomesticscholarshipisfarfromenough.Domesticscholarsmainlystudythenovelfromtheperspectiveofpostcolonialtheoryandmemorytheory,dealingwiththethemeofAmericandreamandtheidentityproblem.PiaoYustartsfrommemorytheoriesandanalyzestherelationshipbetweenmemoryandindividual’sidentityconstruction.GongYuboandLiuQingworkonthethemeofAmericandreaminthenovelwithinthecontextofpostcolonialism.Previousliteraryresearchesonthisnovelmainlyfocusontheidentityprobleminthisnovel,however,itseemsthattheiranalysesofidentityproblemtoagreatextentareassociatedwiththe9/11eventandconductedwithinthecontextofthenovelitself.Thisthesisattemptsamorediverseapproachtothenovel.Thegrandnihilisticlandscapeofthemodernworldalsoimposesgreatinfluenceonthecharacters’identityproblemandlifecrisis.ThisthesisholdsthatJosephO’NeillinNetherlandtakesthe9/11eventasadeparturepointandtakesintoconsiderationthenihilisticproblemofthemodernworldandhumanbeings’struggletoreconstructorderandresistanceto6 上海大学硕士学位论文nihilism.ThroughananalysisoftheidentityproblemwithinnihilisticbackgroundandJosephO’Neill’simpliedinstructivesuggestiontodealwiththenihilisticproblemandidentitycrisis,itmayprovidesomeinspirationtoreconstructorderinthemodernworld.3ThesisOrganizationPreviousliteraryresearchesonJosephO’Neill’sNetherlandseldommentionsidentitycrisisandorderreconstructionwithinthegrandsocialbackgroundofnihilism,thoughthereisnolackofanalysesonidentityissues.Theproblemofidentityisasignificantthemeincontemporarynovels,especiallyincontemporarydiasporanovels.ThisthesisdevelopsfromapreviousarticlepublishedContemporaryForeignLiteraturethattheauthorco-workedhersupervisor.Basedonthepreviousstudy,thisthesismakesafurtherstudyonthenihilisticsocietyinNetherlandanddwellsonthetwoprotagonists’identityandlifecrisisunderthebackgroundofthenihilisticcultureandtheirquestandstruggleforidentityconstruction.Themainbodyofthisthesiswillbedividedintothreechapters.Thefirstchapterisdesignedasthedetailedintroductionandillustrationofthegrandsocialbackground,asitisgoingtoelaboratethenihilisticsocietyasdepictedinNetherlandfromthreeaspects,namelycurrentexistenceofmodernpeople,thealienationofinterpersonalrelationshipandtheirestrangementfromthereality.Duetotheconsequenceofmodernity,modernpeopleareinsuchadilemmathattheyarepreoccupiedwithspiritualwastelandandfailtofindanymeaningintheirlife.Moreover,theadvanceofcapitalismmakesmodernpeoplebecomemoreprofit-orientedwhichimposesadverseimpactontheirinterpersonalrelationship.Intheirassociationwithothers,theynolongeradheretotheprincipleofsincerityandauthenticity.Thealienationofinterpersonalrelationshipsdeepensmodernpeople’sfeelingthatlifeismeaningless.Inmodernage,thepeoplenotonlysufferfromtheestrangementbetweeneachother,what’sworse,theycannotevenseetheworldclearly.Theybecomemoreandmoredependentonthemassmediaforinformationwhichusherstheageofhyper-reality.Beingestrangedfromtherealandunabletodistinguishtheboundarybetweenthereal7 上海大学硕士学位论文andvirtual,modernpeoplefindthemselvesinthefaceofconfusionandfragmentation,whichinturnenhancestheirsenseofnihilism.JosephO’Neillfullyunderstandsthemodernpeople’sexistentialandspiritualdilemmaandmakesavividrepresentationofsuchamodernworldfraughtdiscontinuity,fragmentationandmeaninglessnessinNetherland.Undertheinfluenceofmodernity,thetwoprotagonistsinNetherlandinevitablysufferfromtheproblemofnihilism.AstheyarelivingintheUnitedStatesasimmigrantsbeforeandafterthe9/11terroristattack,theyalsoencounteridentitycrisis.Thesecondandthirdchapterswillseparatelydiscussindetailthetwoprotagonists’identitycrisiswithinthemulticulturalcontextintheUnitedStatesundertheinfluenceofnihilismandtheirconstanteffortsandstruggletoconstructidentityandorderintheirlife.Thethesisintendstocategorizethetwoprotagonistsintotwotypesofnihilism,whicharerespectivelypassivenihilismandactivenihilismandelaboratesthedetailedprocessoftheiridentityandorderreconstructionbymeansofmemoryandothermethods.Thisthesisalsoprobesthesignificanceofsenseofhomeinshapingone’sidentityandsenseofbelonging,andthesymbolicmeaningofcricketasaformofresistancetonihilismandasameansofconstructingnewrelationsbetweencountriesinthemodernage.Throughadetailedanalysisofthetwoprotagonists’identitycrisisandtheiridentityconstructionwithinthecontextofnihilismandmulticulturalisminmodernage,thisthesisdrawsaconclusionthatthenoveldemonstratesJosephO’Neill’shumanitarianconcernonAmericansocietyandindividual’sexistentialandspiritualconditionsaswellasandstrategyofconstructingethnicrelationsandorderwithinthecontextofAmericanculturalhegemony.Thoughitisunlikelytorelymerelyoncricketasaformofresistancetothenihilisminthemodernageandasasymbolicmeansofreconstructingorderandethnicrelations,thisthesissuggeststhatitdoesprovidesomenewperspectivetoviewtheworldandthenewethnicrelationsandthemulticulturalthoughtimpliedinthenovelmaybeofsomepositivesignificancetotheorderreconstructioninthepost-9/11world.8 上海大学硕士学位论文ChapterOneNihilisticSocietyinNetherlandInNetherland,JosephO’Neilldepictsarecognizableandilluminatingpictureofthemodernsocietyinwhichmodernpeoplearefilledwithspiritualvoidandlackofbelief.BoththemainstreamsocietyandthemarginalizedimmigrantcommunitiesinNewYorkcitydepictedinthenoveldemonstrateanihilisticlandscape.AsFriedrichNietzschepredictsthatthehistoryofthenexttwocenturiesisthehistoryofnihilismandtheadventofnihilismisinevitable.(Nietzsche3)Manyscholarssharethesameopinionthatintheageofmodernity,duetolackofvalueandbelief,themodernworldisfraughtwiththeproblemofmeaninglessnessandfragmentationandinurgentneedtoreconstructvalueandregainmeaningandorder.IntheeyesofFredericJameson,modernity“dashestraditionalstructuresandlifewaystopieces,sweepsawaythesacred,underminesimmemorialhabitsandinheritedlanguages,andleavestheworldasasetofrawmaterialstobereconstructedrationally”(Jameson1994:84).Modernityisconsideredasacatastrophicworld,inwhichrationalorderisingreatneedtobeestablished.ShaneWellerclaimsthatmodernityhasreachedtheultimatenihiliststageinthelate19thcenturyandearly20thcenturyandmodernismisa“revoltagainstdecadence”(Weller52).Thefundamentalproblemsofmodernityisthespiritualdecadenceandthelossoforder.Toovercomethisproblem,greateffortsareneededtofind“newsourcesofmeaning,spirituality,andcommunality”(Weller52).Itisadisputableissuetodeterminetheexactoriginandtheendofmodernity.Thisthesiswillnotmakeacleardivisionbetweenmodernityandpost-modernity,andintendstousetheconceptofmodernityinabroadsense.AsAnrewHarriganwritesinPost-ModernNihilisminAmericanihilismisessentialproblemofpost-modernismwhichdeniesanymeaningandpurposeinexistence.(Harrigan24)JeanBaudrillardalsoregardspost-modernityasanihilisticepoch.Whenitcomesintotheeraofmodernization,withtheemergenceandspreadofurbanizationandindustrializationaswellasthespeeding-upsocialmobility,9 上海大学硕士学位论文modernityiscoveredwithmanysocialandculturalproblems.ThischapterwillillustratethenihilisticmodernsocietyJosephO’NeillhasdepictedinNetherlandfromthefollowingthreeaspects:firstly,themodernpeople’slivingdilemmathattheycannotfindanymeaningintheirlifeandbeconstantlyfrustratedbyspiritualvoid.Secondly,theadvanceofcapitalismbringsnegativeinfluenceonpeople’sinterpersonalrelations,whichbecomesecularandarenowmoreandmoredrivenbyprofit.People’scommunicativeactionsintheirinteractionwithothersareagainsttheprincipleofsincerityandauthenticity.Thirdly,themodernworldentersintothephaseofsimulacra.Withtheproliferationofmassmedia,peoplebecomeestrangedfromthereality.Alloftheseaspectsdemonstratethatthemodernworldisintheshadowofnihilismandinturntheseaspectsdeepenmodernpeople’ssenseofnihilisminthemodernworld.1MeaninglessExistenceInTheCulturalContradictionsofCapitalism,DanielBellsuggeststhattherealproblemofmodernityistheproblemofbeliefwhichisaspiritualcrisis.Thesituationthatoldbeliefsdisappearedandthenewonesturnouttobeillusorywhichbringspeoplebacktonihilism.(Bell28-29)Thelackofbeliefisaspiritualcrisiswhichmakesmodernpeoplesituatedinavoidwithoutpastorfuture.Inthefragmentedmodernworld,peopleareinadilemmaofnihilismwhichmakestheminastatedevoidofmeaningandpurpose.Lifeappearstobepointlessanddisappointed,butpeoplehavenowaytofaceuptothisunpleasantreality.Themostcommonproblemofnihilismisthatpeoplefindslifeisaimlessandtheyareunabletotakeanyactivemeasurestofightagainsttheirmeaninglessexistence.InNetherland,thereisnolackofsignsindicatingmodernpeople’sdilemmainmeaninglessexistence,whichcanbedemonstratedbothfromitsdescriptionofenvironmentanditscharacters.TheatmosphereintheChelseaHotelwheretheprotagonistHansstaysafterthe9/11terroristattacksisalwaysshadowyanddispirited.TheresidentsofChelseaHotelarevariousanddiversified,sincetheresidentsarewhiteandblack,normalandabnormal,fromupperclassaswellaslower10 上海大学硕士学位论文class.Thehotelisinsomewaysaminiatureoftheoutsideworld.AsHanspointsout,thereis“acorrespondencebetweentheloomingandshadowyhotelfolkandthephantasmagoricandnewlyindistinctworld”(33)outsidethehotel,andhethinksthatonecanexplainstheother.Thehotelisalwayspresentedasagloomyplaceandpreoccupiedwithnihilisticmood.Theresidentstherearesomehowsufferingfrompsychologicalproblems,suchasthemanwithmentallyillnessalwaysdressinginananglesuitandawidowwhoismurmuringtoherselfalldaylong.Thisshadowyplaceandthetroubledresidentsimplythattheoutsidesocietyisalsoprevalentwithnihilisticproblem.Theoutsideworldalsoshowssignsofit.Forexample,theDeutshceBankBuildingseemstobe“doomed”anditsblacknettingconveysamournfulfeeling.(78)Exceptfromthenihilisticenvironment,thecharactersinNetherlandalsoshowsignsofnihilism.Boththeprotagonistsandminorcharactersfullydemonstratethemodernpeople’slivingdilemma.Infrontofdifficultiesanddisasters,theyaredevoidofbeliefandvaluesandunabletomakeactiveresponse.Theyarelivinginacompletevoid.Hans,theprotagonistofNetherland,isatypicalrepresentativeofmodernpeople.Heiseducated,richandsuccessful,workingasanequitiesanalystforamerchantbankinNewYork.However,spiritually,heispoorandafailureinmaritallife.Thoughlivingwithhiswifeunderthesameroof,hepayslittleattentiontohiswife’sspiritualneeds.Hislongtimeignoranceleadstohiswife’semotionaloutburstafterthe9/11eventandhermovingbacktoLondonwiththeirson.Confrontinghiswife’sabandonmentandthe9/11attack,Hansmakesnoactivereaction.“Whenthetimecametostopherfromleaving,Ididnotknowwhattothinkorwishfor”(128),Hansinhiswife’seyesis“anabandoner,ahole-dweller,aleaver”whohaslefthiswifetofendforherself.(128)DuringthesedayswhenhelivesaloneinNewYork,heisinastateofdecadence,followingthe“monthlongthawwithsomethingliketension”whichinhisownwords“sayssomethingaboutmyempty-headedness”(94).Inhislongtimestateofbeingempty-minded,hehasformedmanypeculiarhabits,suchas“lyingonthefloor...andstaringintoaletter-box-shapedcreviceoutwhich,Imayhavehoped,animportantcommunicationwouldcome”(94).ThoughHansis11 上海大学硕士学位论文longingforcommunicationwithothers,somehow,hecannotgoouttohavedirectinteractionwithothers.Asamodernpeople,Hansinevitablyhasbeeninfluencedbytheconsequenceofmodernity,whichislossofmeaning.Heindulgeshimselfindisillusionanddisplacementandisunabletotakeanyactivemeasurestofightagainstthetroublesanddifficultiesinhislife.Instead,hejustchoosestomakenoaction,inhopeofescapingthereality,locking“himselfaloneinChelseaHoteland“stayedinbedforalmostaweek”(31).Moreover,theoccurrenceof9/11terroristattacksinsomewaydeepensthisdilemma.ThehomethatAmericanpeoplealwaysthinkistheinvincibleandthemostsecureonehasbeeninvaded,whichmakesthemmorelikelytobeskepticalandstarttohaveasecondthoughtontheiroriginalvaluesandbelief.Afterthe9/11attacks,alittleHispanicmanappearsinTimesSquaresubwayeverymorningdancingwithaninanimatelife-sizefemaledoll.“Therewassomethingdiregoingon-somethingthatwentbeyonddesperation,economicandartistic,discernibleontheman’sdampfeatures”(21)andthecoarsefacialfeaturesthathavebeeninscribedonthefemaledollgiveher“ablank,bottomlesslook,”“itsvacancywasunanswerable,endless”(21).Bearingthetraumainflictedbytheterroristattacks,commonpeoplefailtofindameanstorescuethemselvesfromthepainandishelplessinfindingawaytoreturntotheiroldnormallife.What’sworse,theyareunabletoformtheirownvaluesandjudgmentswhenitcomestotherealoriginofthehorribleattack.Theyjustletthemselvesbeblindlydrivenbywhatthegovernmentandthemediatelltheminsteadofformingtheirownthinkingonthisevent.ThemodernpeopledepictedinNetherland,theynotonlyshowssignsofexistentialnihilism,butalsotendtohavenihilisticfeaturesinmorality.Moralnihilistbelievesthatmoralitydoesnotnecessarilyexistinobjectivereality.AsDonaldA.Crosbydefinesthatonetypeofmoralnihilismis“therejectionofmoralprinciplesandthedeterminationtolivewithoutmoralityaltogether”(Crosby11).InNetherland,allthemajorcharactersareimmoralinmarriage.Hanshasonenightaffairwhileheseparateswithhiswife,andhiswifeRachelopenlyfindsaboyfriendinLondon.TheotherprotagonistChuckalsohasawhitegirlfriendwhilehestillmaintainsthemarital12 上海大学硕士学位论文relationshipwithhiswife.Theyhaveneverthoughtormadeanyjudgmentsabouttheiraffairs.Exceptwithoutmoralconsiderationintermsofhismarriage,Chuckinhisassociationwithotherpeopleislikelytolosemoralprinciplessinceheoftenresortstouseviolenceinhisbusiness.Chuck’sfateofbeingmurderisnotonlyalegalquestionbutalsoamanifestationofdenialofmoralprinciples.Moralityisalsoonemeanstointerprettheworldforpeoplecanfindmeaningsandvaluesfromit,especiallywhenitisconcernedwithpeople’sownthoughtsandactions.Iftheyhavenomoraljudgmentsontheirownbehaviors,theyaremoralnihilistsandcannotgetthroughlifewithanymeanings.2AlienationinInterpersonalRelationshipsWiththehelpofadvancedtechnology,modernhumanshavedevelopedvarioustoolsandmachinestomanipulatethenaturalworldandimplementtheirinfluenceandcontrolovertheworld.“Inmodernage,threepowerfulforceshavecomeintoplay”(Smith7).Oneofthethreepowerfulforcesismodernscience.“Thethirdgreatforceiscapitalism-thesystematicpursuitofprofit”(Smith7).Thedrivingforceofcapitalismhasresultedintohumanbeings’activeaccumulationofwealth.AsSmithclaims“attheheartofmodernityisastruggleforbetterment:beingbetter,doingbetter,gettingbetter”(Smith7).Peoplearefightingforabetterearthlyexistence,andthemarkettriesinvariouswaystopersuadepeopletopurchaseandconsumecommodities.Therelationshipbetweenpeopletosomeextenthasbeeninfluencedbytheadvanceofcapitalism.TheinterpersonalrelationshipashasbeendescribedinNetherlandisquiteproblematic.Theassociationbetweenhumanbeingsissupposedtobebasedonmutualcareandhelp,whileinthemodernworldtherelationshipbetweenpeopletendstobebasedonutilization.Chuck’sassociationwithotherpeoplearemainlyoutofthepurposeofutilization.SeeminglyChuckishelpingHanswithhisdrivinglessonswhileheaccompaniesthelatterdrivingaroundthecity,butinfactheutilizesHans’swhitemanlookingasameasureofcoverandletsHansdriveshimaroundthecitytoconducthissecretandillegal“boutiquelottery”gamblingbusinessinNew13 上海大学硕士学位论文York.AndChuck’srelationshipwithhisbusinesspartnerAbelskyisestablishedonmutualexploitationanddrivenbythecharmofprofit.Fromtheverybeginning,Chuckapproacheshimwithpurpose,knowingthatAbelshyisadesperateguywhoiseagertomakefriendswithothersandwillabsolutelyworkhimselftotheboneforhim.ChuckutilizesAbelsky’sJewishnametoopenaJewishrestaurantwhilethelatterissatisfiedwiththeformer’sintelligenceinbusiness.ChuckholdsnorespectorconcernforAbelsky,andwhenhespeaksofAbelskyinfrontofHans,heevenshowscontempttowardshim.Asamatteroffact,AbelskytreatsChuckinnobetterway.WhenhelearnsthenewsofChuck’sdeath,heshowsnosignsofpityorsadnesstohisformerbusinesspartner.Lackofrationalityisanotherproblemofthemodernpeople’sinterpersonalrelationship.JurgenHabermasinhismagnumopusTheTheoryofCommunicativeActionwritesasfollows:Therationalitypropertothecommunicativepracticeofeverydaylifepointstothepracticeofargumentationasacourtofappealthatmakesitpossibletocontinuecommunicativeactionwithothermeanswhendisagreementcannolongerbeheadedoffbyeverydayroutinesandyetisnottobesettledbythedirectorstrategicuseofforce.(Habermas17-18)Habermas’scommunicativetheoryproposesthatthecriticalelementofreachingunderstandingininterpersonalrelationshipistousereasonstoobtaininter-subjectiverecognition.Chuck’sutilizingHans’swhitemanidentityislackinginrationality,sinceheissoprofit-driventhatheputHansinadangerousposition.Hiscommunicativeactionisnotrightorappropriateinrelationtothenormativecontext.ChuckdoesnottreatHansasarealfriend,andhiscommunicationandassociationiscontrarytoHabermas’stheoryofcommunicativeactionthatalltheutterancesinacommunicationmustbebasedontheprincipleofsincerityandauthenticity.AccordingtoHabermas’stheoryofcommunicativeaction,ifacommunicativeactionisconductedwithoutrationality,itwouldincurpotentialviolence.Thereisnolackof14 上海大学硕士学位论文suchkindofviolenceinthenovel.Chucksometimeswouldresorttoviolencewhenhecollectsmoneyinconductinghisgamblingbusiness.Moreover,hismurderisalsoamanifestationofthepotentialviolenceasaconsequenceofthelackofcommunicativerationality.Exceptthetendencytobefeaturedwithutilization,theinterpersonalrelationshipsometimesturnstobeaformofconsummation.Ontheonehand,ChuckusesitasameasureofcoverwhenlettingHansdrivehimaroundtheNewYorkcity,andontheotherhand,heisactuallyexploitingHans’swhitemanidentity.Beingacoloredmanhimself,Chuckregardshavingarespectable-lookingwhitemandriverisdefinitelyaprestige,whichcanbeseenasconspicuousconsummation.ThephenomenonofconspicuousconsummationisfirststudiedbyThorsteinVebleninhisworkTheTheoryoftheLeisureClass,proposingthattheactofconspicuousconsummationistoimpressotherpeoplewithone’swealthwithaviewtogainingrespectfromothersandinthehopeofimprovingone’ssocialstatus.Inconspicuousconsummation,consumersdonotnecessarilycareaboutthedirectutilityofthecommodityandconsumersatisfactionisderivedfromothers’reactiontothewealthdisplayedbytheconsumerinpurchasingthecommodityforconsummation.Inthisway,thecostorthepriceofacommodityisthedeterminantfactorinpurchasingbehavior.ChuckregardsHans’whitemaleidentityasacommodityandthroughhisconsumingofitwouldimprovehissocialidentitysincehehimselfisablackimmigrant.Ablackpersonhasawhitemandriverwhichisadistinctdisplayofone’swealthandsocialesteem.Apparently,ChuckgainsmuchpleasureandsatisfactionfromhisassociationwithHans.ApartfromhisfriendshipwithHans,Chuck’sextramaritalaffairwithElizawhoisatypicalAmericanlady,“whiteandpetiteandfair-haired”cannotavoidthesuspicionofconspicuousconsummation.Asablackimmigrantwhoiseagertofitinandbeacceptedinthiscountry,havingawhiteAmericangirlfriendisalsoasignofmeltingin.Indifferenceinsocialassociationisanotherproblemformodernpeople.AsKarolinaGolimawskapointsoutthat“thelegacyofmodernityanditscultofindividualismareverymuchpresentinWallStreet”(Golimawska233).The15 上海大学硕士学位论文interpersonalrelationshipinHans’sworkingenvironmentismerelylimitedtoexchangesofprofessionalinformationandfiercecompetition.Undertheinfluenceofmodernscienceandthedevelopmentofcapitalisminmodernepoch,theinterpersonalrelationshipofmodernpeoplehasbecomealienated.Thiskindofalienationandindifferenceisnotlimitedtoworkingcolleagues,butalsothesymptomoftherelationshipsbetweenfamilymembersandfriends,asHansfindsoutafterthedeceaseofhismother,hismotherandhischildhoodclosefriendshavebecomedreamingfigurestohim,andherealizesthat“one’sdealingwithothers,ostensiblyvital,atacertainpointbecomedealingswiththedead”(89).Lackingsharedbeliefandmeaning,peopleinthenihilistworlddescribedinNetherlandnowaremainlydrivenbythepleasureandsatisfactionthatprofitbringsthem.Theybecomeprofit-drivenintheirassociationwithothers,whichleadstothelossofauthenticityoftheircommunicativeaction.Thealienationofinterpersonalrelationshipisontheonehandamanifestationofmodernpeople’slackofmeaningfulgoals,andontheotherhanditinreverseexacerbatesmodernpeople’sspiritualnihilismsinceassociationwithothersisofgreatimportancetohumanbeing’sexistenceintheworld.Withoutproperandreasonableinterpersonalrelationship,theywilldefinitelyexperienceemptinessintheirlife.3EstrangementfromRealityInthemodernsocietyO’NeilldepictedinNetherland,peoplearestrugglingwiththemeaninglessexistence,andtheirassociationwithothersbecomealienatedwhichisnomorebasedontheprincipleofsincerityandauthenticity.Moreover,whenscientificrevolutionandindustrialrevolutionhaveboostedthetechnologicalprogress,ithaveimposedgreatinfluenceandimpactonvariousaspectsofpeople’severydaylife.JeanBaudrillardclaimsthatthehumanbeingshavecomeintotheeraofimages,simulacra,andvirtualreality.Tohaveaclearunderstandingofthisfourthorderofsimulacra,itisofgreatnecessitytobrieflygooverthedevelopmentofBaudrillard’stheory.JeanBaudrillardproposesthatinitiallyinthepre-modernerathereisadefinite16 上海大学硕士学位论文signsystem.Atthattimetherelationbetweensignifierandthesignifiedisuniqueandfixed.Thenthisrelationbetweenthetwoturnsouttobearbitrarywhenitcomesthefirstorderofsimulacraafterthecollapseofthefeudalsystem,inwhichthesignbeginsto“refertoadisenchanteduniverseofthesignified”(Baudrillard1993:50).Nevertheless,inthefirstorderofsimulacra,thedistinctionbetweenthenatureandtherealitycanstillbenoticedbecausetheimitationismademanuallyandinalimitednumber.Whentheeraofmassproductioncomestherecomesthedrasticemergenceofsimulacrawhichiscalledthesecondorderofsimulacra.Thespringingupoffactorieshasmadeimitationbymassreproduction.MultipleImitationscausetheoriginalobjectlosingitsuniquenessandsingularity.Inthethirdorderofsimulacra,towhichtoputitinanotherwayiscalledtheageofhyper-reality.Inthisphasetheimitationsarefarmorerealthanthereal.Therealnolongerexists.Theproliferationofmassmediahaschangedthetraditionalwayofentertainmentandlearningthisworld.Whatpeopleconsumefrommassmediaseemstobemorerealandeasiertobeaccepted.Afamousdictum“thelossofthereal”givesageneralsummaryaboutBaudrilliard’sphilosophicalthinking.Inthepostmodernworld,thevirtualturnstobemorerealthanthereal,whichleadstothefactthatthetraditionallyrecognizedboundarybetweenthevirtualandtherealbecomesblurredandinvalid.Americanpeople,oralmostthewholeworldhavewitnessedthe9/11attackfromthenewsreportintelevision,Internetorothermassmedia.Thehyper-realexperiencegivesthemafeelingthattheythemselveshavepersonallyexperiencedthisdisaster.Moreover,thenewsreportsandthegovernmentstatementsintensifytheiremotionalfeelingsthattheyarethedirectvictimsoftheterroristattack.However,thesehyper-realnewsandstatementsarefarfromreal,fortheyhavebeenselected,processedandtosomeextentdistorted.Afterthe9/11event,Americanpeopleweresupposedtorethinkabouttheirrelationswithothercountriesandtheirforeignpolicyfromcriticalperspective.However,theychoosetoconsumeandbelievealltheinformationtheygetfromthemassmediaandbecomeaslaveofthishyper-reality.TheAmericangovernmentimmediatelylaunchedtheso-called“anti-terroristwar”in17 上海大学硕士学位论文AfghanistanandIraq,whileAmericanpeopletakeinwhatthenewsandgovernmentstatementstellthemforjustifyingthesemilitaryactions.Imagingthattheyarethevictimsoftheterroristattacks,Americanpeopleintheirterrorandsorrowlosetheirjudgmentandtreatthe“waronterror”launchedbytheirgovernmentaswarofjusticewhichinfactnowasinvolvesjustice.AsthecharacterChuckinNetherlandclaimsthat“Americanscannotreallyseetheworld.Theythinkthecan,buttheycan’t”(211).Estrangedfromtherealitybythehyper-realitypresentedbythemedia,Americanpeoplefailtoreflectupontherealcauseofthisevent.JosephO’NeillusesthecharacterofHans’swife,Rachel,toremindreaderstohaveaclear-mindwhenfacingthebombardmentofinformationintheeraofsimulacra.RacheldeclaresshehasmadeadefinitedeterminationthatshewouldneverreturntotheUnitedStates“atleastnotbeforetheendoftheBushadministrationoranysuccessoradministrationsimilarlyintentonamilitaryandeconomicdominationoftheworld”(95).Inherwords,theUnitedStatesisan“ideologicallydiseased”country,a“mentallyill,sick,unreal”countrywhosemassesandleaderssufferedfromextraordinaryandself-righteousdelusionsabouttheUnitedStates,theworld...delusionsthathadtheeffectofexemptingtheUnitedStatesfromtheveryrulesofcivilizedandlawfulandrationalbehavioritsomercilesslysoughttoenforceonothers.(96)Theso-calledanti-terroristwarinfactissojustifiedandrighteousasithasbeenboastedbythemedia.Inthenovel,O’Neillactuallyshowshisconcernaboutthephenomenonthatinmodernagepeoplehavereliedonthemassmediatosuchagreatextentthattheycannotdistinguishwhatisrealandwhatishyper-real.Underthecontrolofthemassmedia,therealdoesnotexistanymore.ThroughthecharacterofRachel,O’NeillboldlyexpresseshiscriticismonAmericanpolicy,economyandmilitarystrategies,“TheUnitedStatesisnowthestrongestmilitarypowerintheworld.Itcanandwilldoanythingitwants.Ithastobestopped.(98)”O’Neill’sconcerntosomedegreecoincideswithBaudrillard’svision,asthelatterwritesinTheSpiritofTerrorismasfollows:whentheglobalpowermonopolizesthesituationtothisextent,whenthere18 上海大学硕士学位论文issuchaformidablecondensationofallfunctionsinthetechnocraticmachinery,andwhennoalternativeformofthinkingisallowed,whatotherwayistherebutaterroristicsituationaltransfer?Itwasthesystemitselfwhichcreatedtheobjectiveconditionsforthisbrutalretaliation.Byseizingallthecardsforitself,itforcedtheOthertochangetherules.(Baudrillard2002:8-9)BaudrillardhereexpresseshisstrongdisapprovalofAmericaandinterpretsthatterrorismisanunavoidableoutcomeofAmericanhegemony.IntheeyesofBaudrillard,Americaneconomy,cultureandmilitarypowerhavealreadycompletedtheprocessofglobalization.TheubiquitousAmericanpoweranditsglobaldominationwillinevitablyleadstoa“terroragainstterror,”(Baudrillard2002:9)inthiscasethatisthecatastrophic9/11terroristattacks.JustaswhatRachelaccusesAmericanpeopleinthenovel,AmericanpeoplearesupposedtothinkabouttheunderlyingrelationshipbetweenAmericanhegemonicdomination(Baudrillard2002:12)andthedisasterfallingontheirbelovedcountry.Unfortunately,alltheAmericanpeoplehavebeenblindlyimpressedbythe“visualsymbolismintheworldpolitics”(Randall14)ofwhichpresidentBushandhisgovernmentarefullyconscious.WhenAmericancommonpeopleareblurredbytheinformationadvocatedbythemassmediaandlosetheircriticaljudgmentsunabletodistinguishtherealandthehyper-realitycreatedbythemedia,theirgovernmenttactfullyutilizesitandmaketheirmilitaryactioninothercountriesjustifiableandrighteous.JosephO’Neillisfullyawareofthenegativeconsequencesoftheeraofsimulationsinwhichpeoplearelikelytobeconsumedbythehyper-realitycreatedbythemassmedia,sohetriestousethecharacterofRacheltoalertpeopletobeprecautiousoftheworldofthelossofthereal.AsBaudrillardwritesinIntheShadowoftheSilentMajorities,inmodernage,“weareinauniversewherethereismoreandmoreinformation,andlessandlessmeaning”(Baudrillard1983:95).Variousinformationmedia,especiallytelevisionandinternet,bombardpeoplewithallkindsofinformationeveryday.Humanlifenow19 上海大学硕士学位论文cannotdowithouttheseinformationmedia,sincetheyaredependentonthemassmediafordailyentertainment,informationandevenforeducation.Theageofsimulacrademonstratesthemodernworldenterstheageofnihilism.“Theuniverse,andallofus,haveenteredliveintosimulation,intothemalefic,notevenmalefic,indifferent,sphereofdeterrence:inabizarrefashion,nihilismhasbeenentirelyrealizednolongerthroughdestruction,butthroughsimulationanddeterrence”(Baudrillard1993:104).Inmodernera,“criticaldistancefromtraditionhasgonehandinhandwithanomieandalienation,unstableidentitiesandexistentialinsecurities”(Habermasv).Theworldofmodernityisfraughtwithfragmentation,discontinuityandlossofmeaning.Thenatureofmodernityisrelatedtotheexperienceofbeingdisappointed,beingdisillusionedandbeingconfused.Thedominantlivingexperienceofhumanbeingsinmodernageisconfusionandcontradiction.“AccordingtoBauman,modernityrequiresalargeadministrativemachinetomaintainorderlinesswithinsociety”(Smith138).However,itisnotlikelytohavealltheseelites,orinBauman’swords,gardeners,tomakesurethateverythingintheirrightplace.Whatcouldpeopledoinsuchaconfusing,fragmentedandfar-from-realworld?Theyhavenochoicebuttoobtainsalvationontheirown.Therefore,thetasksofobtainingasenseofpurposeanddirectionandreconstructingorderinasomehowincoherentandambivalentworldfalltoeachmodernpeople.InNetherland,thetwoprotagonistsalsomakegreateffortsinstruggleforintegratingtheiridentityandrecreatingorderbyvariousmeans.20 上海大学硕士学位论文ChapterTwoPassiveNihilismandIdentityConstructionIdentityisalonglastingquestionconcernedbyhumanbeings.Itgivesmeaningtopeople’ssocialrolesandfunctionsasalinkingtiebetweenindividuals.Whenpeopleliveinasingularculturalenvironmentwheretheyonlyhaveinteractionswithpeoplewhosharesimilarmodesofthinkingandvalueswiththem,peopletendtoseldomworryabouttheirsenseofvalue.However,whentheyarelivinginamulticulturalcommunitywherevariousculturesinteractandconflict,theyarelikelytolosetheoriginalsinglestandardtojudgetheirbehaviorandmayhaveconfusionsabouttheirsenseofidentity.“Identitycontinuestobetheproblemitwasthroughoutmodernity”(Hall18).Intheepochofmodernitywhereproblemscausedbydisillusion,fragmentation,discontinuityandlossofmeaningareprevalent,thequesttounderstandoneselfandtosearchfortheanswertothequestions“whoamI”and“whereamIfrom”becomesevenmoreurgent.Especially,nowadaysthesocialmobilityisfarmorefrequentthanthepastandglobalizationmakestheworldsmallerandsmaller.Peoplenownolongerstayinthesamecommunitywhereallthememberssharesimilarcultureandvalues.Instead,theyarecrossingculturalboundariesintheirdailylife.Modernityisthealsotheprocessofhumanbeingstryingtomakethemselvesintomeaningfulindividualswithidentitieswhichcanprovidethemwithasenseofpurposeandguide.Moderneliteshavetriedto‘make’themassesintomodernnationsandalsogivethemothercollectiveidentitiesrelatedtoclass,religion,ethnicityandcitizenship.Identityissueisalsoamajorthemeinliteraryworks,especiallyintheworkscreatedbyimmigrantwriters.AftertheSecondWorldWarandthe9/11event,alotofliteraryworksgivemuchconcerntotheidentityproblem.Forexample,AmericanJewishwriterJonathanSafranFoerhasdealtwithidentityproblemsinhistwoworksEverythingisIlluminatedandExtremelyLoudandIncrediblyClose.InEverythingisIlluminatedFoerillustratestheidentitycrisiscausedbythetraumaafterwitnessing21 上海大学硕士学位论文theHolocaustonthebasisofhisrealpersonalexperience.InExtremelyLoudandIncrediblyCloseFoershowstheexperienceofseveralcharacters’strugglingtodealingwithidentitycrisisandconstructingidentity.InJosephO’Neill’sNetherland,theidentityproblemhasbeenputinthegrandbackgroundofmodernityanditisrelatedtotheproblemofnihilism.ThetwoprotagonistsinNetherlandhaveexperiencedidentitycrisisinthemodernworldandbothofthemaretryingtoconstructidentitywhilefightingagainstthenihilistdilemmainaworldfilledwithmeaninglessnessandfragmentation.1PassiveNihilismandPersonalIdentityCrisisChapteronehasalreadybeenillustratedthatinNetherlandJosephO’Neillhassketchedanihilisticsocietyinwhichpeopleareconfrontingallthenegativeconsequencesofmodernity.Inthiscase,thenarratorandprotagonistofthenovelHanscanbeseenasa“victim”ofthemodernworldwhichisinthethirdorderofsimulacraandfraughtwithmeaninglessnessandspiritualdecadence.AccordingtoNietzsche,nihilismmeansthedevaluationofthehighestvaluesandthelackofaim.Peoplecannotfindananswertothe“why”question.(Nietzsche9)Nietzscheholdsthat“theadventofnihilism”istheinevitableconsequenceofthewesterncivilizationwhichhasbeenmovingtowardsacatastropheanditisthehistoryofthenexttwocenturiesfromhistime.Nihilismisapsychologicalstatethateveryonewilldefinitelyexperience.Whenonetriesinvaintoachievesomething,thenhewillreachthepsychologicalstateofnihilism.The9/11eventmakesthispsychologicalproblemmoreintenseandperceptible.Afterthe9/11terroristattacks,Hansandhiswifefeelextremelyinsecureandtheirlifesinkintoastateofparalysis.TheweirdhowlofapassingmotorbikewouldterrifyRacheltovomitwithgreatfear.Hanswouldconfusesthecriesofsirenswithhisson’scries,butallhecoulddoisto“helplesslykiss”(19)hisson.ThesenseofextremeinsecuritydeepensHans’sfeelingofnihilism.AsNietzschewritesinhismagnumopusTheWilltoPower,nihilismisthe“recognitionofthelongwasteofstrength,theagonyofthe‘invain,’insecurity,andthelackofanyopportunitytorecoverand22 上海大学硕士学位论文regaincomposure-beingashamedinfrontofoneself,asifonehaddeceivedoneselfalltoolong”(12).Afterthedisaster,Hansfeels“shame”andinstinctivelyrecognizesthatthereis“anawfulenfeeblingfatalism”(30).Hislifebecomes“disembodied”andisbeyondrepair.Dullnessisprevalentinhislife.Inhisownwords,“myfamily,thespineofmydays,hadcrumbled.Iwaslostintheinvertibletime”(30).Nietzscheclaimsthatthereareactivenihilismandpassivenihilism.Passivenihilism,accordingtoNietzscheis“nihilismasdeclineandrecessionofthepowerofthespirit”(Nietzsche17).Hans’spessimisticandpassiveresponsestowardsthedifficultiesandthegreatchangesinhislifefullydemonstratesthecharacteristicofNietzsche’passivenihilism.Beingapassivenihilistinaforeigncountry,Hansinevitablyfindshimselfcaughtinthetrapofidentityproblems.Owensdefinesidentityas“categoriespeopleusetospecifywhotheyareandtolocatethemselvesrelativetootherpeople”(MackinnonandHeise97).Accordingtotheidentitytheoryandsocialidentitytheory,thereareaboutthreecategoriesofidentity,whichareroleidentity,socialidentity,andpersonidentity.Arolereferstoaseriesofexpectationswhicharerelatedtoasocialposition,alsoknownas“socialtypes”or“thekindsofpeopleitispossibletobeinagivensociety,”andtheseexpectationswillfunctionasaguideorstandardtowardsindividuals’attitudesandbehavior.Everyroleidentityinvolvessomeinternalizedmeaningsandexpectationsofarolewhichpeoplemayapplytothemselvesandthesemeaningscontainedineveryroleidentitystemfromculturaltraditionsandtheindividual’spersonalunderstandingoftherole.(BurkeandStets114)Infamily,Hansishismother’sson,hiswife’shusbandandhisson’sfather.Theinternalizedmeaningsandexpectationsofbeingasonaresupposedtobeassociatedwithfilialpiety,respect,loveandcaretowardsparents.Astheonlysonofhismotherwhohasbeenawidowsincehersonwastwoyearsold,Hansissupposedtospendmorequalitytimewithhismotherandtakegoodcareofher.However,asamatteroffact,heonlyspendsoneortwoweekswithhismothereveryyearandhisrelationswithhismotherisreducedtomonthlyphoneconversations.Assson,hefailstomeettheexpectationsassociatedwiththisroleidentity.Thesocialunderstandingand23 上海大学硕士学位论文expectationsforahusbandisthatheshouldbefaithful,considerateandcaringtohisspouse.However,Hansisemotionallydistanttoherandgivesherlittlesupportandintimacyshewants.Inhiswife’swords,Hans’semotionalfeelingstowardherhasreducedinto“ameresenseofresponsibility”(128).Hanshasawronginterpretationfortheroleahusbandplaysinthemaritallifeforheprovideshiswifewithfinancialsupportwhileironicallythatiswhathiswifeleastneedsatallbecausesheearns“twohundredandfiftythousanddollarsayear”(128).Hercryof“Ineedtobeloved!”(128)isastrongcondemnationofHans’sfailureinplayingtheroleofagoodandqualifiedhusband.Besidesbeingasonandahusband,Hansalsoplaystheroleoffatherinthefamily.Afatherissupposedtoprovidehischildrenwithinstruction,spiritualguide,constantcompanionandensurehischildrenhavingaconstantsenseofsecurity.Afterseparatingfromhiswife,HanslivesaloneinNewYorkwhilehissonstayatLondonwithhismother.Hansisunabletoplaytheroleofafatherandcannotguidehisson’sgrowth.Hismonthlyarrivalanddepartureisfrighteningmysteriestohisthree-year-oldson.Duetotheabsenceofhisfatherinhisgrowing-upexperience,Hans’sinterpretationandunderstandingtowardstheroleidentityofafatherisvagueandincompletewhichleadstohisincompetenceinbeingqualifiedfortheroleoffather.Hansencountersfailureinintegratinghisbehaviorswiththeinternalizedmeaningsofhisroleidentitiesinthefamily,whileintermsofsocialroles,healsofacesmanytroubles.Socialidentitiesarebasedoncollective-levelwhileroleidentitiesarebasedonindividuallevel.Ifanindividualidentifyhimselfwithacertainsocialgroupofwhichitsgroupmemberssharesimilarvaluesandviews,thenhissocialgroupidentityisconfirmed.Consequently,theindividualisconsideredhimselfastheingroupwhilepeoplewhoarenotpartofthissocialgroupislabeledastheoutgroup.(BurkeandStets118)Tajfelequalssocialidentitieswithcollectiveidentities,claimingthatsocialidentitiesenableindividualstoformidentificationwithothersinthesamegroupandrepulsiontowardsoutsiders.(MackinnonandHeise50)BornandgrewupinNetherland,marriedanEnglishwifeandworkedseveralyearsinLondon,latermovedtoNewYork,Hansfindshimselfhavinggreatdifficultyin24 上海大学硕士学位论文findingasenseofbelongingtoanysocialgroup.WheninNewYork,intheeyesofhiscricketfellows,heisawhitemandistinctlydifferentfromthem.However,intheeyesofworkersoftheDepartmentofMotorVehiclesandtheBureauofCitizenshipandImmigrationServicesAmericanpeople,heisjustoneofthelargeimmigrantgroupwhoiseagertogetadrivinglicenseinNewYork.AccordingtoHans’sownwords,wheninAmericaheisrememberedbynoone.SadlythismightnotbetheonlyfactbecausewhenheisinAmerica,hehasnotreceivedanyphonecallsfromallthosepeoplehe“designatedashisLondonfriends,”(105)whichmeansinLondonnosocialgroupacceptshimasagroupmembereither.HansisalsotheoutgroupinsteadoftheingroupinLondon.Roleidentitiesarecloselyrelatedtotheindividual’sinterpretationofaroleandthesocialexpectationsinvolvedinit,andsocialidentitiesareaboutcategorizingoneselftoacertainsocialgroupinordertogainasenseofbelonging.Differentfromroleidentitiesandsocialidentities,personidentitiesarethatindividualsseehimselfasauniqueanddistinctpersonwhoisdifferentfromothers.AccordingtoHogg,thepersonidentityisthe“idiosyncraticpersonalityattributesthatarenotsharedwithotherpeople”(Hogg115).Whenitcomestopersonidentities,individualsdonotactaccordingtotheexpectationsofroleidentitiesorsocialidentities,insteadtheybehaveinaccordancetotheirownaims.Burkeholdsthattheinternalizedmeaningsofpersonidentityarebasedonculturally-sharedtraitswhichpeopleassimilateandusethemtodistinguishthemfromotherindividuals.(Burke7)WhenlivinginAmericaHansinhiseverydaylifehastoswitchrolesinordertoadapttothevariousculturalsettingsandtoadjusthisbehaviorstomeetdifferentsocialexpectations.AllthesemulticulturalexperiencehavebroughttheproblemofauthenticitytoHans.Itisofgreatdifficultyforhimtomaintainasatisfyingsenseofcontinuouspersonalitywhenheconstantlymovesfromonecountrytoanothercountryandfrequentlychanginghisvaluesandactsinordertocatertothepeopleinvariousculturalsocieties.Moreover,havingbeensubjectedtohismother’sdeath,themaritalcrisisandthe9/11event,Hanscompletelydemonstratesthecharacteristicsofpassivenihilism,indulginghimselfintothestateofdecadenceandlossofgoals.Hansfindsthatheisunableto25 上海大学硕士学位论文identifyhimselfwithhisyoungerself,whichmeansHanshaslostthefeelingofbeinghistrueself.AccordingtoBurkeandStets’stheory,personidentityisabouthavingthefeelingofauthenticitythatis“thecoreself:whooneisasapersonacrosssituations,acrosstimeandacrossrelationships”(BurkeandStets125).Hansisinthetroubleofself-estrangementandcannotintegratetheformerselveswiththepersonwhoheisatpresent,whichmeanshehaslossthefeelingofauthenticity,thatisthelossofthecoreself.Nomatterwhetheritisarole,socialorpersonidentity,individualsalwaysbehavetocontroltheconceptandunderstandingofwhotheyareindifferentsituationtomeetthefeedbacktheygetfromeverysituation.Ifthereappearsadifferencebetweenself-in-situationmeaningsandidentity-standardmeanings,thentheindividualwillgetnegativestimuliandaccordinglychangetheiractstoreducethesenegativefeelingsinordertoreducethesenegativefeelings.(BurkeandStets112)Thisadjustingprocessiscalledasidentity-verification,whichmeansindividualsindifferentsituationswilladjusthisbehaviortoensurethattheperceptionsofhisidentitiesareinconsistencewithindividual’sidentity-standardmeaning.SinceHansbelongstowhatNietzschecalledthepassivenihilism,whenallthediscrepanciesappears,heisunabletotakethefeedbackandmakeappropriateadjustmentsofhisbehaviors.WhenHansisunabletoverifyhisroleidentities,itmakeshimlosethesenseofcompetence,andwhenheisunabletoverifyhissocialidentities,heisdoomedtolosehissenseofpersonalworth.Moreover,whenheisunabletoverifyhispersonidentities,hewillinevitablyfailtobridgehisformerselveswiththecurrentselfandlosethefeelingofauthenticity.Consequently,Hansencountersalackofidentity-verification.Asaresult,allthecrisesofrole,socialandpersonidentitiesoccurandthesecrisesinturnalsointensifyhisnihilisticstate.2IndividualMemoryandIdentityConstructionMemoryisconductiveforhumanbeingstoformtheawarenessandunderstandingofthemselvesfrombothindividuallevelandcollectivelevel.JanAssmanholdsthatmemoryreflectsindividuals’accumulatedimpressionand26 上海大学硕士学位论文understandingofpastevents,feelingsandexperience.(Assman110)OccasionalacquaintancewithChuckpromptsHanstopickuphischildhoodsport—cricket.ThemomentHansbeginstorestartthecricketgame,heisonthewayofrecallingpastexperience.AccordingtoPierraNora,“sitesofmemory”canproviderelativelysteadyreferentialpointsforpeopletorecallthepastexperience.TheexperienceofplayingandtheconditionsofcricketfieldsinNewYorkaresuchkindof“sitesofmemory”toHans.TheyfunctionasastimulatingfactorthatarousesHans’sremoteanddust-ladenmemoriesabouthishometown,hischildhoodexperienceandhismother.TheexperienceofreplayingcricketconnectsHanswithhismother.Sincehewasachild,hismotheralwayswatchedhimplayingcricket.Thecricketistheconnectingtiebetweenhimandhismother.Inthepast,cricketisimportanttohiminthatheenjoysthetimebeingwatchedbyhismother.Hansusedtothinkthathehasalwaysdisappointedhismotherandthathislifeandhiscareerdestroyhismother’sexpectationsonhim,whichisoneofthefactorscausingHans’sroleidentitycrisisasason.InHans’sownwords,“itishardnottosuspectthatsheopenedthefrontdoorhopingtomeetsomeoneotherthanhisbusinessman”(86).Moreover,duetothegreatspacialdistanceandlackofcommunicationandcompanion,Hansbecomesunfamiliarwithhismother.Asidefromself-accusation,hehasamoredisturbingrealizationthatfromlongtimeagohismotherhasbecome“animaginarybeingofsorts”(85)and“atypeofstranger”(86)tohim.ThecricketplayingexperienceinNewYorkenableshimtorecallhismemoriesrelatedtohismother.ThethoroughandlogicalprocessofsortingoutallthesememoriesenablesHanstohaveanewunderstandingandinterpretationoftherelationshipbetweenhismotherandhimself.Hanslearnsthatthoughhismotherdoesnotoftenshowsherlovetohimbutshedoeslovehimandthislovehasneverchanged.WhenheplayscricketinLondon,hesays“withmymothernolongerwatching,cricketwasneverquitethesameagain,”(44)butnowinNewYork,henolongerneedshismother’spresenceandwatchingwhenplayingcricketsinceheknowsthatherlovealwayscompanionshim.Throughrecallingmemoriesconcernedwithhismother,Hansfinallyfindsagreementbetweenhisbehaviorandtheexpectationsoftheroleofson.27 上海大学硕士学位论文Individual’srememberingthepastexperienceandassociatingthepastwiththepresentmightbeseenasatypeofnarrative.InIdentityinNarrative:AStudyofImmigrantDiscouse,AnnaDeFinadefinesthatnarrativesaretextswhichnarrateeventsinchronologicalorder.Sheclaimsthat“temporalordering,orsequentiality”isanessentialcharacteristicofanarrative,(DeFina11)justasOchsandCappsproposethatpersonalnarrativecanbeenseenas“awayofusinglanguageoranothersymbolicsystemtoimbuelifeeventswithatemporalandlogicalorder.(OchsandCapps2)Throughrecallingthepastexperienceanddisplayingtheformereventsinatimeorderinhismind,Hansmanagestogetoutofthestateofnihilistdecadenceandreconstructorderandlogicinhislife.Polkinghornebelievesthat“narrativehelpsbuildasenseofselfbyprovidingtemporalorganization,whichinturnproducescoherentself-understanding”(DeFina17).WhenHansstartstorecallhispastmemories,heisactuallyintheprocesstoconstructhisidentitysincethememory-recallingprocessiskindofnarrativewhichallowshimtoderivemeaningandsignificancefromhisformerexperienceandtointerprethimselfasawhole.Exceptfromtimesequencetherearemanyotherprinciplesthatarerecommendedasdistinctivecharacteristicsofnarrative.AnnaDeFinaclaimsthatallthoseproposalsarenotuniversalandonlystorycanberegardedasthe“prototypeofanarrative,bothinliteraryandconversationaldomains”(DeFina12).Hanshasaboxofhisson’spicturesbuthefailstoknowhowtosortoutthesesocalled“mementos”.Hans’sinabilitytoclassifypicturesinanorganizedwayfullyreflectsthathelosescontinuityandorderinlife.AftergettingacquaintedwithChuck’sgirlfriendEliza,herealizesthatheneedsastoryaboutallthesepictures.HeentrustsChuck’sgirlfriendElizatoreorderallthepicturesofhissonandmakeastoryoutofit.TheprocessofreorganizingandcategorizingofoldpicturesiskindofdemonstrationofHans’sefforttoregaincontinuityandconstructhisroleidentityasafather.BothLabovandPolanyiholdthatthesignificanceforprototypicalstoriesis“tohaveapointtoconveythenarrator’sinterpretationandopiniononcharacters,events,orstateofaffairs”(DeFina13).Bymakingastoryoutofthepictures,Hansisabletogainanewinterpretationandformhisopiniononhisson’sgrowthandobtainaconnection28 上海大学硕士学位论文betweenhissonandhimself,havingasenseofparticipatingintohisson’sgrowth.AccordingtoAnnaDeFina,“storiestellspastevents...andconveyaspecificmessageandinterpretationaboutthoseeventsand/orthecharactersinvolvedinthem”(DeFina14).Hansacquiresmeaningandbeabletointerpretthepastconnectingwithhisson.ConsequentlyHanssucceedsinconstructinghisroleidentityasafatherandfindingcontinuityandmeaninginlifethroughthisorganizedpicturealbumandthelogicstorybehindit.Eliza’scareerofcomposingphotoalbumshasaquitegoodmarketbecausepeopletakemanyphotosbuttheydonotknowwhattodowithallthepictures.Elizasays“peoplewantastory”(131).Thisphenomenonreflectsthatmodernpeoplelackasenseoforderandlogicintheirdailylifeandduetotheinfluenceofnihilismtheycannotfindthemeaningoflifeontheirown.Asaresult,theyhavetoresorttotheoutsideforce,suchaslettingotherstomakeastoryoftheirlivingexperience.Thestorycomposedbypicturescanintegratetheirfragmentedlifeandconnecttheirpastwiththepresent,inthiswaytheygetsomemeaningandorderinlifefromthestory.Throughrecallingmemoriesofthepastandsucceedinginconnectingthepastwiththepresent,Hansisabletointegratehispreviousselvesandhispresentself.InitiallyHansstubbornlystickstohisformerwayofbattinginplayingcricketeventhoughitisnotsuitableinAmericancricketfield.Unabletofindcontinuityinlife,Hanstakesthisoldbattingapproachasaconnectionbetweenhischildhoodselfandtheadultself,betweenhispastandthepresent.HeusedtobelievethattoadjusthimselftobatinAmericanwaymeans“snippingafinewhitethreadrunning,throughyearsandyears,tomymotheredself”(50).ConstantreminiscenceofthepastandtheencouragementofChuck,Hanseventually“hittheballintheairlikeanAmericancricket”withoutinjurytohissenseofhimself.(176)Throughtheprocessofrecallingthepastmemories,Hanscomestorealizethatitisnotnecessarytosticktoanexternalfactor,suchasthewayofbattingcricket,toimposeaconnectionbetweenthepastandthepresent.ThechangingofbattingmethodsignifiesHans’ssuccessinintegratinghisselfasawholeandinfindingthecoreself,whichmeansthathegetsoverhispersonidentitycrisistosomeextent.29 上海大学硕士学位论文MemoryplaysagreatroleinHans’sstruggletodealwithhisidentitycrisiswhiletheactofplayingcricketitselfandtheinteractionbetweenHansandhiscricketfellowsalsocontributetoHans’sidentityconstructionintermsofhissocialidentity.PlayingcricketinNewYorkenablesHanstobeacquaintedwithmanyimmigrantsandestablishfriendshipswiththem.Thesecricketfellowsoffercomfortandcompaniontoeachotherandtakecareofeachother.Hansattachesgreatimportancetothesepeople’srespectandthinksthattheirrespectmattersmorethananyoneelse’srespect.Tajfeiarguesthatsocialidentityisrelatedwithpeople’sself-conceptwhichoriginatesfromtheirunderstandingoftheirbelongingtoinacertainsocialgroupalongwiththevalueandemotionalsignificanceassociatedwiththatmembership.(Tajfei255)Hansgetsemotionallyattachedtohiscricketfellowsandthesefellowshavealreadybeentakecareofhim.CricketislikealinkingtieconnectingHansandotherimmigrantstogetherandgivethemasharedvalueandemotionalsignificance.Inthisway,Hansconsidershimselfasapartoftheirsocialgroupandgetsasenseofbeingacceptedandrecognizedbythem.ThroughplayingcricketHansfindsasenseofsocialbelonging.Throughmemoryandinteractionwithothers,Hansreconstructstherelationshipbetweenthepastandthepresent,andrelocateshimselfintherelationtothememorysites.ThecricketgamenotonlyworksasasubstitutetofillthevoidofhisfamilylifebutalsoarousesHans’sformerfeelingsandpassions,whichrenewshopeforhimandmakeshimdeterminedtofightagainstthenihiliststateinlife,torebuildorderandsavehismarriage.Jamesonclaimsthat“personalidentityisitselftheeffectofacertaintemporalunificationofpastandfuturewithone’spresent”(Jameson1997:29).MemoryenablesHanstounifyhispastandpresent,andhelpshimbacktonormalandhealthyinterpersonalinteraction.Inaword,memorytosomedegreecontributestoHans’sconstructionofidentity.3ReturningtoHomeandOrderReconstructionThemodernsocietyisdevoidofmeaningandfraughtwithfragmentation,whichishardforindividualstorelyontheirowntofightagainstthegrandnihilist30 上海大学硕士学位论文landscape.JosephO’NeillinNetherlanddesignsanendingofreturningtofamilyforHans’squestandstruggleforidentityandreconstructingorderinlife.FamilyisconduciveforHans’squestforidentityandorderinlifeinthatitprovidesHansasenseofcontinuity.ItissuggestedinBetweenCultures:DevelopingSelf-identityinaWorldofDiversitythatasenseoffamilycanenablepeopletofindalinkingtietocontinuityandauthenticity(SeelyeandWasilewski8).Duringhisconstanttransnationalandtransculturalexperience,Hanshasencounteredrole-based,group-basedandperson-basedidentitycrisisashasbeendiscussedabove.Ashetravelsfromonecountrytoanotherandhastoconstantlyadjusthisbehaviorandvaluesinordertoassimilateintothediverseculturalenvironment,Hansatfirstfailstoobtainandmaintainasenseofcontinuityandauthenticity.Rightafterthe9/11event,Hansrealizesthathislifehassunkintodisembodimentandhisfamily,thespineofhisdayshasbrokendown,andthathewas“lostininvertebratetime”(30).WhenHansisstuckinthechaoscausedbythe9/11eventandhismarriagecrisisandinthedepthofhisidentitycrisis,heisunabletoformanyopinionontheevent.Heconfessesthathecannottellhisstandpointandlackperceptionandcertainty.Inaword,heisunabletoformhisopinions.Asanindividualwithmulticulturalbackgroundandtransculturallivingexperience,Hansatfirstdoesnotknowwhatsideheissupposedtotakewhenitcomestothe9/11eventandtheimmediatewaronterrorinIraqlaunchedbytheUnitedStates.Ashereconstructsorderanddealswithhisidentitycrisisbymeansofrecallingpersonalmemory,heisalsorepairinghisrelationshipwithhiswifeandatthesametimehismissingsenseoffamilyisonitswayback,whichenableshimtofindasenseofcontinuityandregainstheabilitytomakejudgmentsonthe9/11event.WhenhearingMatt,anoldfriendofRachel,remarksthat9/11is“notsuchabigdeal”,Hansgetsfilledwithangerandforthefirsttimemakeshisstatementthat9/11is“abigdeal”(181-182).Hiswife’semotionalresonancewithhimontheonehandintensifieshissenseoffamily,andontheotherhand,helpsHanstogainasenseofsauthenticity.CharlesTaylorproposesthattheoriginalidentityrequiresandissensitivetotherecognitionofferedorheldbyimportantpersonsintheirlife.(Taylor36)Therelationshipbetweenfamilymembers31 上海大学硕士学位论文issignificantinthattheycanhelpindividualsgetself-approvalandgainthesenseofauthenticity,whichisimportanttoformone’spersonidentity.Familyisthesmallestunitofsocietyandtherelationshipbetweenfamilymembersformsthebasisofotherinterpersonalrelationshipsforindividuals.Hans’sreturningtofamilyandreunionwithhiswifemeanshissucceedinginestablishinganormalrelationshipwithinthefamily,whichisconduciveforhimtointeractwiththeoutsideworld.Activeassociationwithotherpeoplecanprovidesomemeaningandgoalsforindividuals.Maintainingahealthyinterpersonalrelationshipisadvantageousforindividualstoavoidindulgingthemselvesinthestateofspiritualdecadence.FromtheexampleofHans’seffortstofightagainstspiritualnihilismandconstructidentityandorder,itissafetosaythatfamilyisimportanttomodernpeoplesincethehealthyrelationshipsbetweenfamilymembersmayhelppeopletorealizerationalizationincommunicationandisconduciveforthemtodealwiththeproblemofidentityissueandspiritualdecadenceinmodernworld.Apartfromadvocatingtheimportanceoffamily,JosephO’Neillmightalsogivemuchconcernoverindividuals’dilemmaandconfusionindifferentcultures.Whenindividualsleavetheirowncultureforadifferentcultureorliveonacultureboundarywherediverseculturesinteractandconflict,itisveryhardforthemtomaintaintheiroriginalcultureandkeepasenseofcontinuityinlifesincetheyhavetoconstantlychangeandmodifytheirbehaviorandvaluestoadapttothesociety.JosephO’Neillmightadvocatetheconceptof“multiculturalpersonality”inthisnovel.AccordingtoEncyclopediaofMulticulturalism,theterm“multiculturalpersonality”,firstinventedbyProfessorManuelRamirez,isusedtodescribepeoplewhocansuccessfullymakeadjustmentsandthriveindiverseculturessimultaneously.(Jackson326)FromtheinitialstateofgettinglostandlackingasenseofbelongingintheUnitedStatetomakingaclaimthatheisaNewYorker,Hansatlastsucceedsincultivatingthismulticulturalpersonality.WhenheeventuallymovesbacktoLondon,hecanalsoadjusthimselftothelocalcultureandachieveintegrity.ThecultivationofmulticulturalpersonalitytosomeextentechoesJosephO’Neill’sstatementabout“postnational”culturewhichhemadeinaninterview32 上海大学硕士学位论文conductedbyCharlieReilly,arguingthatitisnolongermeaningfulinrecentyearstoidentifyanindividualintermsof“anation-state”andindividual’spersonal“back-story”isnotthecenterofpeople’sinterest.(ReillyandO’Neill14)O’Neillpointsoutthatidentifyinganindividualintermofhisnationalityorethnicgroupislessandlessvaluable.EveryonelivinginNewYorkcanjustsimplytaketheidentityof“aNewYorker”withouttracingbacktohisorigin.Hansresortstopersonalmemoryandcricketsporttofightagainstthenihiliststateandtofindacureforhisidentitycrises.Throughrecallingthepastmemories,Hansisabletobridgetherupturebetweenhispastandpresentandregainasensecontinuity,whichcontributestohisrealizationofsolvingidentitycrises.Hans’sfinalsuccessinsolvingmaritalcrisisandreturningtofamily,andhisachievingorderinlifeandconstructingidentitiesreflectsJosephO’Neill’spositiveresponsetoAmericanoptimisticspirit.ThoughtheUnitedStatessufferedfromthe9/11terroristattacks,theoptimisticAmericansholdstheviewthattheywilleventuallygetoverallthedifficultiesandbringthedisturbedandshatteredlifebacktonormal.Likeother9/11novelists,O’NeillinNetherlandexpressessimilaroptimismbydesigningthehappyendingofHans’sreunitingwithfamilymembersandhissuccessinconstructingidentityandorderinlife.33 上海大学硕士学位论文ChapterThreeActiveNihilismandIdentityConstructionJosephO’NeillinNetherlandnotonlydescribesindividual’sidentitycrisesfrompersonallevelbutalsomanifeststheidentityproblemsthatimmigrantcommunitymayencounterintheUnitedStates,especiallyintheaftermathof9/11eventaswellastheethnicrelationsintheUnitedStatesthroughdescribingthejourneythatimmigrantsmakevariouseffortstoassimilateintoAmericansociety.Attheendof20thcenturytherewasanincreasinglyheateddebatebetweenAmericanscholarsonthethreatsbroughtbyimmigrationtohomogeneousAmericaneityandtheinabilityandunwillingnessofimmigrantstoassimilateintotheAmericansociety.(Tillett233)JosephO’NeillinNetherlandutilizesChuck’squestforidentityandhisdreamofbuildingcricketasaformofnewvalueforthemodernpeopletoindicateimmigrants’effortandtheirdeterminationtoassimilateintotheAmericansociety.1ActiveNihilismandIdentityCrisisNietzscheholdsthattheadventofnihilismisnecessarybecausealltheexistingvalueshavealreadycometoanendandhumanbeingsmustexperiencenihilismbeforetheycanfindnewvaluestosubstitutetheoldones.Theactivenihilism“evictspriorvaluesandinstallsthenewformoutitself”(Heidegger207).InNetherland,HansisatypicalexampleofwhatNietzschecalled“passivenihilism,”whileanotherprotagonistChuckRamkissooncanbeenseenasanexampleof“activenihilism”definedbyNietzsche.Activenihilismisdefinedas“asignofincreasedpowerofspirit”(Nietzsche17).Thoughundertheinfluenceofthenihilistmodernage,ChuckdoesnotactlikeHans,justindulginghimselfinthechaosoflossofmeanings.Onthecontrary,heisstilltryingtoestablishanewvalueforhimself,orevenforthesocietymeanwhileinhiswaytoconstructhisidentityinspiteofexperiencingidentitycrisis.Chuck’sidentitycrisismainlydemonstratesintwoaspects,whichareonhisowninterpretationofhimselfandothers’interpretationofhim.ChuckRamkissoonwas34 上海大学硕士学位论文originallyTrinidadianandnowanimmigrantintheUnitedStates.HefirstcametoAmericaattheageoftwentyfivein1975withoutjob,moneyorrights.After17years’hardlaborinAmerica,hemanagedtoearnsomemoneyandfinallygothiscitizenship.WiththeAmericancitizenship,ChuckconsidershimselfasatrueAmerican.Chuck’sowninterpretationofhisidentityisthatheisanAmerican.WhenHansaskswherehecomesfrom,heanswerswithaffirmationthatheisfromtheUnitedStates.Moreover,heevenhastheplantowriteanautobiographywithasuccinctandclankingtitle“ChuckRamkissoon:Yank,”(133)followingtheAmericanpeople’sstoryofstartingfromscratch.AssuminghimselfasanAmericanpeople,Chucktriestoavoidmentioninghisownoriginalcountryandevenshowsmuchcontempttohishomeland.OncehementionsTrinidadtoHans,criticizingthatTrinidadisacountry“fullofpeopleagainstthis,againstthat,”(150)andclaimingthatthecountrywithanationaldiseaseofnegativity.Withsuchadenialofhisoriginalcountry,Chuckdoesnotwantbebackthereevenafterhedies.HedemandshiswifetoresthiminBrooklynafterhediesandsayshewillputitinwritingandinvitesHanstobehiswitnessincasethatthereshouldbesomeconfusion.ChuckdenieshisorigininthehopeoffullyconvincinghimselfandothersthatheisanAmerican.However,accordingtoJameson,individual’sidentityisactuallytheeffectoftheunificationofthepastandfuturewithhispresent.Chuck’sdenialofhisoriginmakesitimpossibleforhimtounifyhispastwithhispresentandthefuture.Tothisextent,Chuck’sself-interpretationofhisownidentityisproblematic.ThoughtryingtodenythefactthatheisanimmigrantintheUnitedStates,ChuckisfullyawareofthathisAmericanidentityisnotsosecurefromothers’reactionsandresponsestohim.Initially,whenhewantstobuysomewretchedcommercialbuildings,hehasnoaccesstothatbyhimselfbecauseofhisblackidentity.HehastouseAbelsky’snameandhiswhite-manidentitytosetuptherealestatecompany.IntheUnitedStates,Chuck,alongwithotherimmigrants,suffersfromtheignorancefromthewhitemen.AsChuckputsout,inAmerica,“theyarenowhereandtheyajoke”(15).TherearehundredsofimmigrantsplayingcricketinAmericaeverysummer,butnobodypaysattentiontothemjustliketheyareinvisible.35 上海大学硕士学位论文Heevenmakesajokeabouttheirblack-manidentity,ifanyonewantstofeelhowitisliketobeablackmanintheUnitedStates,hejustneedstoputonthewhiteclothesofthecricketer.(16)ChuckunderstandsthatinAmericatheynevertotallyassimilateintoandbeacceptedbythesociety.ToChuckandmanyimmigrants,“oneofthehappiesttimes”oftheirlifeiswhentheyworktogetherwithwhitepeopletore-homepetsafterthe9/11event.(77)Thatistheonlytimeallimmigrantscantemporarilyignoretheiridentityissue.ParticipatingintothevolunteerworkgivesthemasenseofassimilatingintoAmericaandbeingacceptedbytheAmericansociety.Besidesindividuals’owninterpretationofthemselves,otherpeople’srecognitionplaysagreatroleintheiridentityconstruction.CharlesTaylorholdsin“ThePoliticsofRecognition”thatindividuals’identityispartlyshapedbyotherpeople’srecognitionormisrecognition.Ifthepeoplearoundthemorthesocietygivethemanoppressiveorscornfulinterpretationofthem,individualislikelytosufferpsychologicaltraumaanddistortion.(Taylor25)Chuck’sself-assumedAmericanidentitynotonlyfailstowinthesociety’srecognitionbutalsofailstowintherecognitionofthetwoimportantwomeninhislife.Inhiswhitegirlfriendeyes,heisTrinidadian.Tohiswife,ChuckalwaysbelongstoTrinidad,soafterChuckdiessheinsistsinsendinghisremainsbacktoTrinidadtorestwithhispeople.Chuck’sgirlfriendandhiswife’srefusaltorecognizehisAmericanidentityinfactisakindofoppression,whichcausesChucktohaveadistortedunderstandingofhimself.Thoughhavingadistortedunderstandingofhimselfandsufferingfromotherpeople’snonrecognitionofhisAmericanidentity,Chuckbynomeanssinksintoinaction.Asan“activenihilist,”Chuckshowsgreatvigorandenergyinhispursuitofrebuildingvalueinhislifeandconstructinghisidentity.2CulturalIdentificationandIdentityConstructionIndividual’sidentityiscloselyrelatedtothecultureofasociety.Fromtheperspectiveofculture,individual’sidentityisestablishedonthebasisofone’ssenseofbelongingto“distinctiveethnic,racial,linguistic,religious,andaboveall,nationalcultures”(MackinnonandHeise50).Individual’sidentityconstructionisclosely36 上海大学硕士学位论文relatedtoone’sculturalmemory.Hansmainlyconstructshisidentityfrominnersideforhepursueshisidentitythroughpersonalmemory,whileChuck’sidentityconstructionturnstomemoryfromcollectivelevel.ChuckgraduallypursueshisidentityintheprocessofhisunderstandingandidentificationofAmericancultureandmeanwhileheresortstotheexternalobjectstomaintainhisidentity.AsanimmigrantintheUnitedStates,ChuckformsgreatattachmenttoAmericanculture.WhenChuckretellshisexperienceofpreparingfortheUnitedStatescitizenshipexamstoHans,heshowshistotalagreementwithchoosingbaldeagleastheAmericannationalbird.Baldeaglerepresentsthespiritoffreedomandsymbolizespowerandauthority.Chuckchooses“thinkfantastic”ashismotto,whichresonateswiththeimagethatthebaldeaglefliesfreelyintheboundlessvoidofthesky.HisprojectofbuildingthebiggestcricketclubinNewYorkisalsoinaccordancewithhismotto,whichmanifeststhathetotallyidentifieswiththeAmericancultureoffreedom.Chuck’sidentificationwithAmericanculturealsomanifestsinhisinvitingHanstotakepartintheannualMacy’sparadeonThanksgivingDay.Macy’sThanksgivingDayParadeisanannualeventheldbytheU.S.departmentstorechaincompanyMacy’s.Startedin1924,thisgrandThanksgivingDayparadeisoriginallyheldtocelebratethenewAmericanheritage.ItisarepresentationofAmericancultureandalsobecomes“amemorysitefornationalconsciousness”(Piao92).ChucktriestoparticipatethisculturaleventtoconstructthesecollectiveculturalmemorywithotherAmericans.ZengGuiesuggeststhatduringtheprocessofconstructingone’sidentity,individualsdefinitelywantstohaveinteractionwiththesocietyandareeagertogainothers’recognition.(Zeng2013:76)ChucktakesparticipatingintheparadeasatypicalinteractionwiththeAmericansocietyandachancetowinothers’recognition,inthehopeofconstructinghisAmericanidentityinthisway.Theconstructionofone’sidentityisacontinuousprocess,whichmeansonehastoconnectitspastwiththepresent.InitiallyChuckrefusestofaceuptohispastinTrinidad.WhileinhisassociationwithHansandhisprojectofbuildingthelargestcricketclubinNewYork,hestartstotellthestoriesabouthishomecountry.Chuck’smemoryabouthishomecountryTrinidadisassociatedwithdarknessandoppression.37 上海大学硕士学位论文ThereexaminationandnarrationofhishomecountryhistoryandcultureenablesChucktobridgehispastwithhispresent,whichisconduciveforhimtoformacompleteandthoroughunderstandingofhimself.ChuckpursueshisAmericanidentitynotonlythroughpsychologicalsearchbutalsobymeansofexternalsubstances.AccordingtoGregStone,appearanceattributestoindividual’sefforttoestablishandmaintainanidentity.Stoneattachesgreatimportancetoappearanceandperformanceofindividual’sidentityininteraction.(BurkeandStets39)ForChuck,appearanceisanidentitycardindicatinghissocialstatus,sohecaresmuchabouthispersonalappearance.AsHansputsout,Chuckhasawardrobewithcollectionsofcapsandcollectionsofshinyathleticshortsshowinghisextremeleisure.(132)Bywearingthoseclothes,Chucktriestogiveothersanimpressionthatheisasuccessfulbusinessman.However,hisfriendHansseesthroughhisextremeindustrybehindhisfancyappearance.CharlesHortonCooleyarguesthattherelationshipwithotherpeopleworksasalooking-glassmirror,inwhichpeoplecanhaveaunderstandingandinterpretationofthemselvesthroughothersreactionsandresponsestothem.(BurkeandStets25)Thesereactionsandresponsesarenamedasreflectedappraisalsinidentitymodelthroughwhichpeoplelearntogetanunderstandingoftheiridentity.GregStonealsosuggeststhatindividual’sidentityinvolvespersonalidentificationwithandinternalizationofsomeposition,butthereisanothersideofidentity.Anindividual’sidentityisestablishedwhenothersplacetheindividualasasocialobjectbygivinghimthesamewordsofidentitythathehasforhimself.(BurkeandStets38)Chuck’sefforttoestablishhisidentityinfactturnsouttobeafailure.FromtheperspectiveofstructuralsymbolicinteractiondefinedbyStryker,symbolsdemonstrateasharedpointofviewthroughnamingvariousobjectsandcategorieswhicharerelatedtosocialinteraction.Symbolsandnamesworktogethertogivesharedmeaningsforthenamedobjectsandcategories.Luxuriouscarscanbeseenassymbols,sinceinmodernworldtheyconveycertainmeanings.Throughadvertisementandmediapromotion,luxuriouscarsbecomeasymbolforwealthinessandsocialstatus.Inotherwords,theyareasymbolofsuccess.CadillacMotorCar38 上海大学硕士学位论文divisionisfamousforluxurycarsitproducesandsellsallaroundtheworld.IntheUnitedStates,Cadillaccarshavealwaysbeenthesymbolforluxury.ChuckdrivingaCadillacaimsatusingthissharedmeaningofluxurytodemonstratethatheissuccessfulandinthehopeofwinningrespectfromothersinAmerica.Fromtheperspectiveofconsumptionculture,inthesocietyofmaterialdependence,objectsbecomesymbols.AsBaudrillardwritesinTheConsumerSociety,“tellmewhatyouthrowawayandI’lltellwhoyouare”(Baudrillard1998:43).Usuallypeopleturntoobjectivematerialstomanifesttheiridentityandinthehopeofgainingrecognitionofothersandfromsociety.Wordsarealsosymbolssincetheycanbeusedtoexpressideas.OnhisCadillacthereare“bannersandstickersoftheStarsandStripesandyellowribbonsinsupportofthetroops”(74).ChuckusestheseobviousobjectswithAmericancharacteristicsandpatrioticwordstoshowhissupportforAmericaandhispositionasanAmericancitizen.Eachindividualisapartofaculture.Asapartoftheculture,theindividualwilllearn,acceptandusethesharedconcepts,symbolsandmeaningswhichareusedbyotherpeopleinthesameculture.Chuck’sbehavinginadistinctAmericanwayalsoshowsChuck’sassimilationofAmericanculture.AsMcCallandSimmonssuggestthatidentitiesinvolveculturalexpectationswhichareattachedtosocialpositionsinthesocialstructure.(BurkeandStets39)Whenindividualsassumethemselvesacertainidentity,theywillassociateasetofmeaningstothemselves.Thesesmeaningsarecloselyrelatedtotheidentityandindividualslearnandgetthesemeaningsthroughtheirinteractionwithothers.Individualscomplywiththebehaviorprescribedbythecultureofthatsocietyasanindicationoftheestablishmentoftheidentity.ToconstructhisidentityofAmericancitizen,ChuckbehavesinthewaythatmostAmericancitizensbehaveduringthatperiodsuchassupportingAmericanwaronterror,tryingtomeettheculturalexpectationsthatinvolvetheroleofAmericancitizen.Throughrecallingmemoriesabouthishomecountry,ChuckobtainsacompleteunderstandingofTrinidadandhimself.HismemoriesrelatedtoAmericancultureandhisparticipationintoAmericanculturaleventstrengthenshisidentificationwith39 上海大学硕士学位论文Americancultureandenableshimtohaveasenseofbelonging.However,Chuckstillfailstowinothers’recognitionofhisAmericanidentity.3CricketandValueReconstructionCricketwasoriginallyconsideredasanEnglishsport,butnowitistoagreatextentrelatedtoimmigrantcommunitiessincetheyplaythisgameforentertainmentaswellasawaytopreservetheirethnicidentity.(Hill221)Inliteraryworkscricketsportisoftenusedasabindingtieforcharacterstorefertotheirhomecountriesandtocombinedifferentculturalelements.Forexample,inRomeshGunesekera’sTheMatch(2006),MalcolmKnox’sAdultBook(2004),H.M.Naqvi’sHomeBoy(2009)andMoshinHamid’sTheReluctantFundamentalist(2007),theliterarycharactersusecricketasanimportantmethodintheirpursuitofpersonalidentityorregardcricketasametaphortoimplytheirpastexperienceintheirhomecountry.ThroughoutthenovelJosephO’Neillgivesmuchspacetodescribecricketsport.InNetherland,cricketservesasalinkingtiethatconnectsthetwoprotagoniststogetherandenablesthestorytofollowon.Asidesfromplayinganimportantroleinthenarrativestructure,cricketalsocontainssymbolicsignificance.ForHans,cricketworksasatransnationalbridgebringinghispastmemoriesinHaguebacktohimandhelpinghimobtainasenseofcontinuityandcoherenceinhisdisconnectedlife.IntheeyesofChuck,cricketcontainsgreateducationalsignificanceandcanbeusedtointroducepeaceandorderinthemodernworld.Itissuggestedinthenovelthatcricketcanfunctionasasymbolofcivility.Chuck’sefforttosetupthebiggestcricketstadiuminNewYorkcanbeenseenashisdreamofconvincingAmericanpeoplethatbypromotingcricketandlearningthemorallessonsinvolvedinthissport,differentracialandculturalgroupscanmaintainaharmoniouscoexistenceintheUnitedStates.AsChucksaysinhislectureoncricket,“cricket,morethanothersport,isalessonincivility”(15).Cricketismorethanasport.Itisamoralcode.ThereisaterminEnglishlanguage,“Itisn’tcricket,”(14)whichisusedtoimplythatsomebehaviorisnotacceptableandpeopledisapproveofsomething.Comparedwithothercut-throat40 上海大学硕士学位论文nativeAmericansports,cricketismoregentle,slowandmorecivilizedandconcernsmoreaboutindividuality.Withitsmoralunderpinnings,cricketisagameoffaircompetitionandbrotherhood.ChucktellsHansastoryaboutBritishmissionariesteachingTrobriandIslanderscricket.Thecricketgamewithitscomplicatedrulesandregulationsworkslike“acrashcourseindemocracy”(211)whichhelpstoinstructtheuncivilizedpeopletobehospitaltotheirenemiesandtomaintainaharmoniousco-existence.ChuckbelievesthatcrickethasitscapacitytobringunificationandcivilizationtotheUnitedStates,claimingthat“people,allpeople,Americans,whoever,areattheirmostcivilizedwhenthey’replayingcricket”(211).Besidesthemoralunderpinningsinvolvedincricket,thecricketgamesplayedbyimmigrantcommunitiesisamanifestationoftheirstrivingforrecognitionandacceptancebythesociety.Thefirstagreedrulesofmoderncricketwerestipulatedin1720,whichmakescrickettobetheonlymodernsportthatwasestablishedinapre-nationalistage.(WaggandGemmell254)Inthisway,cricketbecomesanimportantelementinestablishingidentityandcommunitybeforethecountriesusedtobecolonizedbyBritishwonitsindependencetobeacknowledgedasnations.Cricketisofgreatsignificancetoimmigrantsinthatitenablesthose,whotakepartinthisgame,nomatterthecricketersorthefamilymembersandfriendswhowatchthegame,tosocializewitheachothertomaintainastabilizedcommunitiesandidentities.However,asJefferyHillargues,afterhisexaminationofcricket’ssocialstatusanditshistoryofdevelopmentintheUnitedStates,cricketisreducedto“anetherlandofsporting,andmarginalizedbothsociallyandracially”(Hill221).InNetherland,JosephO’Neill’sdescriptionreflectsthecurrentlowsocialpositionofcricketintheUnitedStates.Theenvironmentforcricketgameisdifficult,andthereisnospecializedcricketfieldandforthesamefieldbaseballplayerspossessprioritytouse.Moreover,thecricketplayersinNewYorkareallblackimmigrants.Thoughtheyarelargeinnumber,theyfailstowinanyattentionandrecognition.ChuckintendstochangethispresentsituationandmakecricketplayersinNewYorkvisible,inthehopethatthroughestablishingthelargestcricketstadiuminNewYorktocivilizeAmericanpeopleandmakethemtobemoreopen-mindedandinclusivetothe41 上海大学硕士学位论文immigrants.FrarukPatel,onecharacterinNetherland,claimsthatthat“thereisalimittowhatAmericanunderstand.Thelimitiscricket”(251).C.L.R.James’sinhisbookaboutcricketBeyondaBoundarysuggeststhatcricketismorethanameregame,“Thecricketfieldisastageonwhichselectedindividuals,representativeroles...chargedwithsocialsignificance”(James66).RichardGraypointsoutthatcrickethasbeenandremainsalegacyofimperialismandmeanwhileitisaformofresistancetoimperialism.Itissuggestedthatcricketgamebalancescollusionandresistance,anditisaboutpowersinceitinvolvescomplicityandconflictbetweenthecolonizerandthecolonized,oppressorandvictim.(Gray71)JosephO’Neillconfirmsthatwritingaboutcricketactuallyhassomethingtodowithpower,butintheUnitedStatescricketturnsouttobeasportofthemarginalizedandunprivilegedpeople.Asanactivenihilist,Chuckistryingtofindanewvalueinlifetofightagainstthenihilistreality.ForNietzschevaluerepresents“aconditionoflife,aconditionoflife’sbeingalive”(Heidegger15).“Asaconditionoflife,valuesupportsandawakenstheenhancementoflife.Onlywhatenhanceslife,andbeingsasawhole,hasvalue-moreprecisely,isavalue”(Heidegger15-16).Chuckresortstocricketasa“newvalue”.Justassuggeststhat“cricketinNetherlandismorethanagame-itisalifeconcept”whichgraduallyplaysansignificantpartintheprotagonists’dailyexistence.Thecricketbecomesameansoflifeenhancement.Chuckbelievesthatcrickethastheuniversalpowertorealizecivilizationtoitsfullextentthatisnotyetattainedandtocreateaneworder.Onthecricketfieldunderconstruction,Chuckoncekneesdownand“spreadshishandsontheshortenedgrasslikeahallower”(147).ForChuck,cricketsportmightsubstituteGodintheeyesofChristianstoovercomenihilisminthemodernage.AsNietzscheclaimsthatGodnolongerexistsandwiththeadventofthedevaluationofthehighestvalue,themodernworldislackinginspiritualguide.Chuckbelievesthatcricketwithitsmetaphorforcivilitycanberegardsasthespiritualguideformodernpeople,oratleastforAmericanpeople.Hearguesthathavingnotfullyacceptedcricket,Americaisnotcompleteandnotfullycivilized(210).ThecricketteaminNewYorkisactuallyaminiaturecommunityconsistingofimmigrantswhocomefromvariousanddiverseculturesandreligions42 上海大学硕士学位论文butsharesimilardestinyofbeingmarginalizedinNewYork.ChuckhopesthatbypromotingcricketgameanditssocialstatusinAmericatohelpAmericanrealizecivilizationandchangestheethnicrelationshipintheUnitedStates.43 上海大学硕士学位论文ConclusionThereisnolackofthethemeofconstructingidentityandorderincontemporaryAmericannovels,especiallywithinthe9/11fictioncanon.Afterthe9/11terroristattacks,manynovelistssufferedashortperiodofthefailureoflanguageandverbalimpotence,butthentheybegantoengageindepictingtheaftermathsofthiseventandpresentingcommonpeople’sstruggleforrecoveringfromtraumaandregainingorderinlife.Forexample,JonathanSafranFoerinhisExtremelyLoudandIncrediblyClosedepictsastoryofanine-year-oldboy’squestfororderandidentitythroughhisexplorationforalockinNewYorkcityandwiththehelpofthetraumatizedcommunitywhosemembersarelikehimselfallsufferingfromtrauma.DonDellioinFallingmantellsthestoryoftheprotagonist’straumacausedbytheattackandhisvainefforttoreconstructorderbytakinggamingasameanstorepairinterpersonalrelationships.Whilemost9/11fictionsetsthestorywithinthebackgroundof9/11eventanddealwithcommonpeople’sdailylifeandthetraumaandanxietyinflictedby9/11terroristattacks,JosephO’Neillfindsanewwaytopresentandinterpretthisevent.InNetherlandhenotonlydepictsthecommonpeople’squestforfamilyreconstitutionandreflectsupontheissuesofdisaster,humanityandlove,butalsoattachesgreatimportancetotherepresentationofthenihilisticrealityofthemodernworld.O’NeillinNetherlanddosenotconfinehisviewswithinthe9/11context,thoughthe9/11eventisasignificantelementforthedevelopmentofthestoriesinthenovel.Instead,hecombinesthe9/11terroristattackswithinthegrandsocialbackgroundthatthemodernworldpresentsanihilisticlandscapeinwhichmodernpeople’sstruggleandquestinthefaceofnihilismanddisaster.Infact,O’Neillinthisnovelconveystheideathatthemodernworlditselfisdevoidofmeaning,andthat9/11eventawakenspeopleandmakesthemmoreawareoftheproblemofnihilism.Throughdepictingtwoimmigrants’questforidentityandtheirstruggleformeaningandorderinthepost-9/11NewYork,O’NeillshowshisconcernaboutthecurrentethnicrelationsinthemulticulturalAmericaandhisthought-provokingperceptionaboutAmericanculturalhegemony,asitisdescribedinthenovelthatHanswasseizedbyadisgusting44 上海大学硕士学位论文feelingofAmericawhenhewastreatedrudelyintheDepartmentofMotorVehiclesandrealizedthatunderitsglitteringsurface,thereishiddeninjusticeandindifferentpowersinthiscountry.JosephO’NeilltitlesthenovelNetherland.Thistitlecanbeinterpretedinseveralways.Ontheonehand,O’NeillnamesthisNewYork-basednovelasNetherlandbecausetherelationshipbetweenNewYorkandtheNetherlands.AsaformercolonyoftheNetherlands,NewYorkwasoncenamedasNewNetherland.Ontheotherhand,“Nether”means“lower,”whichimpliesthatthecommunityconsistingofHans,ChuckandotherimmigrantsisanetherworldinNewYork.Fromthetitle,itcanbeseenthatO’Neillinthenovelshowsmuchconcernaboutthecurrentsituationofthisimmigrants’netherland.HisconcernsovertheimmigrantsintheUnitedStatesandtheethnicrelationstherearedemonstratedbyChuck’scricketdream.InthenovelcricketisdepictedasanimmigrantsportinNewYork,whoseplayeraretotallyconsistingofimmigrants.ThelowsocialstatusofcricketinNewYorkimpliesthatimmigrantsintheUnitedStatesareinamarginalizedandunprivilegedsocialposition.JustasChucktriestousecricketasameanstocivilizeAmericanpeople,O’Neillendowscricketwithsymbolicmeanings,indicatingthatifAmericanpeoplecannottotallyacceptcricketandlearnthejusticeinvolvedinthecricketrules,theyarenotlikelytotrulydeservethehonorofculturalmeltingpot.Chuck’ssuddendeathandhisfailuretoturncricket,thecurrentlyimmigrantsport,intoanationalorglobalsport,indicatesJosephO’Neill’squestioningspiritwhichisdifferentfrommost9/11novelists’somewhatblindoptimism.Most9/11novelsendwithahappyendingthatorderisobtainedandeverythingisbacktonormalaftertheprotagonists’effortsandstruggle.Withoutdoubt,O’NeillalsoshowshisresponsetotheuniversalAmericanoptimisticspiritattheendofthenovelthroughdescribingabrilliantgoldensunsetandthe“extraordinarypromise-apeopleriseninlight”thatHansandotherpassengersontheferryseeandacceptfromthispromisingview.Moreover,Hans’sfinalreturntothefamilyandhisreunionwithhiswifeindicateshissuccessinconstructingidentityandorder,whichisanotherdemonstrationofO’Neill’soptimisticattitudetowardsthepossibilityofpeople’s45 上海大学硕士学位论文reconstructingorderinlife.However,Chuck’smysteriousdeathandhisabortivecricketdreamindicatethatthedifficultyandfailureofimmigrants’questforidentityandorderinAmerica,whichimpliesO’Neill’scriticalspiritonAmericanculturalhegemonyandhisconcernsoverthefutureofethnicrelationsintheUnitedStates.Ingeneral,JosephO’Neillendowscricketwiththesymbolicsignificanceasanewvaluetofightagainstthenihilismandpursuethemeaningofexistenceaswellasaformofresistance.Thoughitiscontroversialandunpracticaltoresorttotheinstructivesignificanceandjusticeinvolvedinthecricketgameasaguideforthedevelopmentofethnicrelations,itdoesprovidesomeenlightenmentandprovokingthoughtsonhowtoconstructorderinthenihilisticmodernworldandhowtomaintainharmoniousethnicrelations.46 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上海大学硕士学位论文安东尼·吉登斯：《现代性与自我认同：现代晚期的自我与社会》，赵晓东、方文译，北京：三联书店，1998年。但汉松：《“9·11”小说的两种叙事维度——以〈坠落的人〉和〈转吧，这伟大的世界〉为例》，《当代外国文学》，2011年第2期，第66-73页。朴玉:《多重记忆书写——论约瑟夫·奥尼尔的<地之国>》，《当代外国文学》，2012年第4期，第87-96页。让·鲍德里亚：《消费社会》，刘成富、全志钢译，南京：南京大学出版社，2008年。萨特：《存在与虚无》，陈宣良等译，北京：生活·读书·新知三联书店，2007年。斯图亚特·霍尔,保罗·杜盖伊(编著)：《文化身份问题研究》，庞璃译，开封：河南大学出版社，2010年。王晓德：《文化的帝国：20世纪全球“美国化”研究（下）》，北京：中国社会科学出版社，2011年。杨金才：《关于后“9·11”文学研究的几点思考》，《外国文学动态》，2013年第3期,第4-5页。曾桂娥：《创伤博物馆——论〈剧响、特近〉中的创伤与记忆》，《当代外国文学》，2012年第1期，第91-99页。曾桂娥，李晶晶：《从〈地之国〉看后“9·11”秩序重构》，《当代外国文学》，2014年第4期，第5-11页。曾桂娥，江春媛：《论〈皇帝的孩子〉中的青年身份建构》，《当代外国文学》，2013年第3期，第70-79页。曾艳钰：《后“9·11”美国小说创伤叙事的功能及政治指向》，《当代外国文学》，2014年第2期，第5-13页。张和龙：《“9·11文学”：新世纪美英文学的审美转向？》，《深圳大学学报》（人文社会科学版），2014年第2期，第20-25页。50 上海大学硕士学位论文PublicationsandAwards论文：1.《从〈地之国〉看后“9·11”秩序重构》，《当代外国文学》，第二作者，2014年第4期，第5-11页。2.《〈二十年后〉：“物是人非”别样之“美”》，《全球化背景下的语言文化交流：上海大学国际交流学院2013年学术节论文集》，第一作者，2014年5月，第43-48页。3.《浅析华兹华斯的儿童观》，《美与时代》，第一作者，2014年7月，总第566期，第129-131页。译著：1.《为奴十二年》，第一译者，武汉：长江文艺出版社，2014年6月。奖项：1.2014年11月，上海大学校长奖学金。2.2014年11月，上海大学研究生学业一等奖学金。51
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