表征理论与美国少数族裔书写

表征的特征就是观念系统的再现、对身份的表现、或建构一种有误的再现。这样一种表现或建构显然与意识形态和权力密切相关,同时也与隐含在表现这些形象的话语形式密切相关。少数族裔的书写在很大的程度上是对现存表征系统的颠覆,以更为贴近自身历史真实的再现覆盖原有表征系统对该族裔的叙述。美国少数族裔文学书写的历史均是与这种表征系统的调停、纠正、对抗的历史。

Representation and the American Ethnic Writings

The author holds that there is a flaw in the current study of American ethnic writings as the analysis has always focused on the texts themselves and social conditions rather than the representational system within the society. Behind the social codes there have been political implications in such representations. Through presenting or enforcing the interest of a political group by institutions, a social group and gender could be represented in media. In this way, the will of the dominant could be artistically represented while the images of the other would remain stereotyped. Certain conceptions, cultural conventions as well as norms can thus be established. The feature of representation, therefore, is the representation of conceptions, identities or misrepresentations. Such a system is involved with ideology, power and the discourse through which such conceptions and images are constructed. The writings by ethnic groups are characterized with the subversion of the previous system of representation, which should be replaced by some representation on the actual situation of the ethnic group themselves. The history of American ethnic writings can be regarded as the negotiation, correction and opposition of the mainstream system of representation.