ContentsChineseAbstract 2EnglishAbstract 31.Introduction 41.1CelesteNgandEverythingINeverToldYou 41.2LiteratureReview 51.3Post-colonialTheory 82.AnalysisofLydia’sDeathfromImmigrationStatus 102.1ChineseImmigrantsHenryandJames 102.2AsianImmigrantLouisa 103.AnalysisofLydia’sDeathfromthe“Silent” 143.1The“Silent”AmongtheImmigrantsWendy 143.2The“Silent”AmongtheMainstreamSocietyMarilyn 173.3The“Silent”AmongtheMixed-racefamilyLydia 174.Conclusion 18References 20從后殖民主義的角度探析莉迪亞之死摘要《無聲告白》（2014）是美國當(dāng)代著名作家伍綺詩的處女作。該小說于2014年獲得美國亞馬遜年度最佳圖書第1名。小說以莉迪亞一家為切入點(diǎn)，展示了二十世紀(jì)最后四十多年華裔在美國的窘境。小說以莉迪亞之死為起點(diǎn)，依靠人物之間的牽絆，逐步揭開這個華裔家庭之中所發(fā)生的一切，引出莉迪亞之死的真相。本文以后殖民主義理論為主要框架，剖析莉迪亞悲劇的深層原因。本文主要從華裔的身份與無聲者兩個角度來分析書中主要角色與莉迪亞之死的聯(lián)系，進(jìn)一步說明莉迪亞之死這一悲劇是亞裔族群沒有自己的話語權(quán)而造成的。本文揭示了蘊(yùn)含其中的當(dāng)時美國華裔群體的窘境和沒有話語權(quán)的女性的悲劇。關(guān)鍵詞：后殖民主義；莉迪亞；華裔OntheDeathofLydiafromthePerspectiveofPost-colonialism AbstractEverythingINeverToldYou(2014)isthedebutofCelesteNg,afamouscontemporaryAmericanwriter.Itwasawardedthebestof2014byAmericanwebsiteAmazon.ItshowstheplightofChinese-AmericansintheUnitedStateduringthelastfortyyearsofthetwentiethcentury.TakingLydia’sdeathasastartingpointanddependingonthetiesbetweenthecharacters,thenovelgraduallyuncoverswhathappensinthisChinese-Americanfamily.Finally,itpointsoutthetruthofLydia’sdeath.Thisthesisusespost-colonialismtheoryasthemainframeworktoanalyzetheunderlyingcausesofLydia’stragedy.Furthermore,italsoanalyzestherelationshipbetweentheothermaincharactersandLydia’sdeathfromthetwoperspectivesofChinese-Americans’identityandthe“Silent”.ThenitfurtherillustratesthatthetragedyofLydia’sdeathisduetothecoursethatChinese-Americansdon’thavetheirownrighttospeak.ThepaperrevealsthepredicamentoftheChinese-Americansandthetragedyofwomenwhohavenorighttospeak. Keywords:post-colonialism;Lydia;Chinese-Americans1.Introduction1.1CelesteNgandEverythingINeverToldYouAsafamousAsianAmericannovelist,CelesteNg(1980-)isawriterwhopreferstowriteabouttheissuesofthestereotypesofAsianAmericansintheUnitedStates.BorninPittsburgh,theUnitedState,sheisadescendantofChineseAmericanbuthasinheritedAmericanculture.CelesteNg’sparentswerefromHongKongimmigrants.ShegrewupintheUnitedStatesandreceivedanAmericaneducation.ButtheUnitedStateswasnotsofriendlyasAsiansdreamedtobe.EvenifherfatherworkedforNASAandhermothertaughtatOhioStateUniversity,theirhomewasstillexcluded.Attheageof11,shewasimpressedbyadrunkardyellingather“GobacktoyourChina,SouthKoreaorothercountries”,whichwasoneofthereasonsshewantedtotellthestoryofAsianinterracialmarriage.Inaddition,CelesteNgwrotethatwritingwasoneofherlongest-standinginterests.Whenshewasten,shepublishedherfirstshortstoryinachildren’smagazine.Inhighschool,shewastheeditor-in-chiefoftheschoolliterature.Aftercollege,shecontinuedtostudyforamaster’sdegreeinwritingatUniversityofMichigan.Herfirstnovel,EverythingINeverToldYou(2014),wasahugesuccessassoonasitappeared.ItwasaNewYorkTimesbestseller,aNewYorkTimesNotableBookof2014,Amazon’s#1BestBookof2014,andwasnamedabestbookoftheyearbyoveradozenpublications.EverythingINeverToldYouwasalsothewinneroftheMassachusettsBookAward,theAsian/PacificAmericanAwardforLiterature,theALA’sAlexAward,andtheMediciBookClubPrize,andwasafinalistfornumerousawards,includingtheOhioanaAwardandtheVCUCabellFirstNovelistAward.Tillnowithasbeentranslatedintoovertwentylanguages.CelesteNgisnotthefirstpersontodescribeAsianstories.EarlyAsianAmericanwritersAmyTanandMaxineHongKingstonalreadycoveredthisintheirworks,buttheirworksmainlyemphasizetheconflictsbetweentheimmigrantsthemselves,suchasChinesedescentandtheAmericanexternalenvironmentinwhichtheylive.AndCelesteNgputstheethnicandculturalconflictsinafamilywhichChinese-AmericansarefacedintheUnitedStates.Inthenovel,shetellsaboutthespecialculturalconflicts,uncoverstheinequalityofthesocietyatthattime,takesintoaccounttheneglectedAsianinter-ethnicmarriage,andshowsthesituationofanoutsiderinChineseculture.Atthesametime,CelesteNgshowsherproficientwritingskillsinEverythingINeverToldYou,includingsuspensesettings,non-linearnarrativestructure,lightanddarkstorylines,etc.Withauniqueinsight,thisnovelalsofullyrevealsthefragilehumannatureofamixed-racefamilyandmultipletopicssuchasraces,genders,family,growths,etc.FortheprototypeofEverythingINeverToldYou,CelesteNghasbluntlystatedthatitisbasedonarealcaseofafriendandembellisheswithherownexperience.ThenovelmainlytellsthestoryofaChinese-Americanmixed-racefamilyfrom1950sto1970s.Theopeningpartdirectlypointsoutthat“Lydiaisdead.Buttheydon’tknowthisyet.”(CelesteNg,2014:1).TheystilllookforLydia,thenthroughtheback-and-forthshuttlebetweenrealityandpast,thisnovelgraduallyrevealsthesecretfeelingsofeachmemberofthisAsianinterracialmarriagefamily.Thenovelcanberoughlydividedintotwoclues.OneishowherfamilythinksandfeelsafterLydiahasdisappeared.AnotheristhememoriesdatingbacktothepreviousgenerationsafterLydia’sdeath.Thearrangementnotonlyattractsthereader’sattention,butalsogivesthemahintofthefateofthe“Silent”.Althoughthenovelisanopen-ending,itcanbeseenvaguelythatthisfamilyhasgraduallyrepairedtheseproblemsafterpassingthroughthis.1.2LiteratureReview1.2.1DomesticStudiesCelesteNghasgainedherpopularityandreputationforhernovels.Butthereareonlysomeresearchacademicpapersonherandherworks.ManydomesticresearchersintendtostudyChineseAmericanliteraturerelatedtoearlyChineseAmericanwriters’works,suchasAmyTan(TheJoyLuckClub1987),MaxineHongKingston(TheWomanWarrior1976).IntermsofEverythingINeverToldYou,ithasgainedlessresponsefromcriticsabroadcomparingwiththoseworks.Withthedevelopmentandin-depthstudyatChineseAmericanliteratureinChina,thedomesticresearchonCelesteNg’sworksandherliterarypropositionhavegraduallyincreasedandhaveattractedanumberofresearchersandscholarswhohavemadeoutstandingcontributionsinthisfield.Atpresent,theresearchersaremainlythescholarsorpostgraduatesofEnglishdepartmentsandChinesedepartmentsinuniversities.UntilApril10,2020,byapplyingthedocumentretrievalinChinaNationalKnowledgeInfrastructure,inputtingCelesteNgasakeyword,therearerelevant42literatures,including27periodicalsand15doctoral/masterdissertations.InputtingEverythingINeverToldYouasfull-texttosearch,thereare93literatures,including70periodicalsand23doctoral/masterdissertations,amongwhich11doctoraldissertationshavesomechapterstodiscussit,and5masterdissertationsarededicatedcompletelytodiscussit.ThestudiesandresearchaboutEverythingINeverToldYouabroadanddomesticcanbedividedintothefollowingaspects.A.PerspectiveoffamilyeducationWuDongliofNanjingUniversityusesthetheoryoffamilysystemstoanalyze.WubelievesthatLydia’sdeathhastornapartthemildappearanceofmodelminorityethnicfamiliesandbreaksthefragilebalancebetweenmembers,thusrevealsthemodelminorityethnicities’identitycrisisandexistenceanxietyinwhitemainstreamsociety(吳冬麗,2018).LuNingyuandZhangLudidresearchfromtheperspectiveoffamilyeducation.TheybelievethatthebiggestreasonforLydia’sdeathisthatherparentsfallintothemisunderstandingoflovebecauseofdifferentculturesandidentities,andsubjectivelyinterferedwithLydia’slife(路寧鈺，張璐,2019).B.PerspectiveofnarrativecharacteristicsNiuYuebelievesthathermother’sdepartureandNath’s“accidental”causesstructuraltraumatoLydia,whichisthereasonwhyshefinallydrownedherself(牛越,2018).HuangHuihuistartswithtraumaticnarrativeandpointsoutthatEverythingINeverToldYouisatraumaticcognitivenovelandtimephilosophynovelabouttime,personality,andself.AlthoughfollowingthetraumaticnarrativetraditionofChineseAmericanliteraturefamilies,itisdifferentfromit.(黃輝輝,2019).C.PerspectiveofmainstreamcultureGuJingyumainlyexploresfromtheperspectiveofthe“other”.Shebelievesthatapartfromhermother’sfamily,Marilynisnotinthisremotearea.OtherpeopleinthisfamilyaremoreorlessaffectedbyOrientalism,especiallyJamesandNath(顧晶鈺,2017).ZhongWentingmainlyresearchesfromthemarginalizedpeople,Marilyn,James,andNath,andbelievesthatthemarginalizedMarilynisthemainreasonforLidia’slackofself(鐘文婷,2017).YanYinmainlyanalyzesthesituationofthe“other”intheculturalgapofsilentconfessionmainlyfromthe“hybrid”ofHomiBaba(YanYin,2016).1.2.2ForeignStudiesSinceitspublication,EverythingINeverToldYouhasattractedwidepublicattentionandhasbeenwidelyreportedbymanyfamousnewspapersandmagazinesinashortperiodoftime.ClaireSimoncommentedinTheBostonGlobethat“Wonderfullymoving!Emotionallyprecise!Abeautifullycraftedstudyofdysfunctionandgrief!Thisbookwillresonatewithanyonewhohaseverhadafamilydrama”(Net1).Threeexclamationmarksinarowareenoughtoshowthathevaluesthiswork.Inaddition,hebelievesthattheauthor’sdelicatewritingsusethedeathofLydiaasacluetofullyexpressthestatusandstatusofdifferentcharactersduetoracialdiscriminationandtheiranxietyperformance.RTSaward-winningjournalistClareFallongaveitahighratinginTheHuffingtonPost,“Apowerhouseofadebutnovel,aliterarymysterycraftedoutofshimmeringproseandprecise,painfulobservationaboutracialbarriers,theburdenoffamilialexpectations,andthebasichumanthirstforbelonging…”(Net2).HebelievesthatCelesteNgnotonlyshowsthediversityofthemesinEverythingINeverToldYou,butalsoshowsrace,feminism,familyandotherissues.KoreanwriterAlexanderCheebelievesthatCelesteNgmainlyuncoversthepressureof“heterogeneous”surroundingsandfocusesonasmall,unknownfamily,andgraduallyexpandsthehiddencontradictionsofthisfamily.AndhecommentedinTheNewYorkTimes:“Ifweknowthisstory,wehaven’tseenityetinAmericanfiction,notuntilnow…Whatemergesisadeep,heartfeltportraitofafamilystrugglingwithitsplaceinhistory,andayoungwomanhopingtobethefulfillmentofthatstruggle.Thisis,intheend,anovelabouttheburdenofbeingthefirstofyourkind—aburdenyoudonotalwayssurvive”(Net3).O,TheOprahMagazine,awomen’smagazine,mainlyconsidersthistobethewritingtechniqueiswonderfulandthecontentiswonderful.Notonlyisthecontentexcellent,butitsconnotationisalsoverybroad.Itcoversavarietyoftopicssuchasgenderandrace,butthecontentisseriousandinteresting.Itcommentedthat“Cleverlycrafted,emotionallyperceptive…Ngsensitivelydramatizesissuesofgenderandracethatlieattheheartofthestory…Ng’sthemesofassimilationarethemselvesdeftlyinterlacedintoatauttaleofeverdeepeningandquickeningsuspense”(Net4).Atpresent,theaboveforeignmaterialsmainlycomefrommediareports.Inthesepraises,thesereportsfocusonthreethemesrevealedbythenovel:racism,feminism,andfamilyissues.ThispaperattemptstofurtheranalyzethecauseofLydia’sdeathfromtheperspectiveofpost-colonialism.AboutEverythingINeverToldYou,itisnotdifficulttofindthatthereislessresearchonthepost-colonialismdirection.Theyconductresearchonraceandfamilyeducation.ItisnecessarytoexplorethecausesandeffectsofLydia’sdeathinCeleste’sworks.Fromthegeneralpointofviewoftheresearch,thepost-colonialperspectiveisindeednewtoexploringthecontentofthenovel.ThispaperattemptstoanalyzethenovelfromthisperspectiveinordertohelpreadersfullyunderstandthetragedyofLydia’sdeathinCeleste’sworksandthesituationoftheChineseAmericans.1.3Post-colonialTheoryPost-colonialtheoryisthemaintideofWesterncultureafterpostmodernism.Post-colonialismemergesinthewesternacademiccirclesinthemiddleofthetwentiethcentury.Itisakindofacademicthoughtwithstrongpoliticalandculturalcriticismandmainlyfocusesonthesovereignstateanddiscourseofrelationsbetweentheformercolonies.Post-colonialism,asadiscourse,alwayschangeswiththedifferentpolitical,economic,andculturalrequirementsimposedbydifferentnational,ethnic,linguistic,andreligiousgroups(翟金,2013).Althoughtheconceptandconnotationofdefiningpost-colonialtheoryhasbeencontroversialinwesternacademiccircles,nomatterwhatthedefinitionis,thereisstillsomeconsensusonsomegeneralcharacteristicsofpost-colonialism.Itscharacteristicnotarigidtheory,whichhasoftenchangedsinceitsbirthtoadapttodifferenthistoricalmoments,geographicalareas,culturalidentities,politicalsituations,affiliationsandreadingpractices.1.3.1OriginPost-colonialismisbasedonthedeconstructionofstructuralismandthe“decentralized”thinkingmodelandadvocatesthatallnationsintheworldequallyenjoygoodmaterialandculturalrights.AfterthedevelopmentofSaid,SpivakandHomiBaba,theyhaveformedauniquediscoursesystem.ThemaintheoreticaloriginsofitsriseareAfricananti-colonialChinesetheoriesinthe1920s;Marxistnation-statetheory,especiallythetwoarticlesBritishRuleinIndia(1853)andTheFutureResultsofBritishRuleinIndia(1853)Gramsci’sthoughtofculturalhegemony;Foucault’stheoryofpowerdiscourse.Inshort,post-colonialismiscommittedtochangingthewaypeoplethinkandbehaveinordertocreateamorejustandfairrelationshipbetweendifferentraces.Fromtheearly20thcenturytothe1970s,FranzFanon’sBlackSkin,WhiteMask(1952)canbesaidtobethebeginningofpost-colonialism,atwhichtimepost-colonialismhadnotyettakenshape,oratthattimetherewasnotheword“post-colonialism”.Fromthe1970stothe1990s,post-colonialismasaliterarytermreallyappearedbetweenliteraryschools,whileSaid’sOrientalism(1978)andSpivak’sCantheSubalternSpeak?(1988)andHomiBaba’stheLocationofCulturewereanimportantpartoftheformationanddevelopmentofpost-colonialism.Theemergenceofpost-colonialismwassounexpectedandrapid.Evenwiththesedimentationofthepasttwodecades,post-colonialismhadstillfacedmanyquestions.Andfromthe1990stothepresent,post-colonialismisinastageofreflection.ItsrepresentativeisAlifDrake,andhisrepresentativeworkisRevolutionandHistory:OriginofChineseMarxistHistoriography,1919-19TheoreticalFrameworkStrictlyspeaking,post-colonialismisanambiguousconcept.Itusuallyhastwodirections.First,itreferstoatheoreticaltrend,andsecond,itisakindofwritingthatisdifferentfromtheorthodoxliteratureofthecolonialsuzerain.Post-colonialismasatheoreticaltrendofthoughtactuallyreferstothestudyofcolonialwritinganddiscoursebysomeWesterntheoristssuchasSaid,Spivak,andHomiBaba.A.Said’sPost-colonialTheoryOrientalism(1999)writtenbythePalestinian-Americanscholar,EdwardSaid,officiallymarksthebirthofpost-colonialism.Heusedtheterm“Orientalism”todescribethepost-colonialrelationshipbetweentheWesternandEasternworlds.Orientalismisfirstlythenameofadiscipline,andsecondlyitisalsoawayofthinkingbasedonthedifferencesbetweenEasternandWesternontologyandepistemology,oritisaWesterndomination,reconstructionanddiscoursemonopolyoftheEast.Inessence,OrientalismisapoliticalsystemthatdominatestheEastintheWesternworld.Orientalismwasproducedatthesametimeascolonialactivities,anditexpressedakindofpower,dominance,andhegemonicrelationshipbetweentheWesternworldandtheEasternworld.Inaseriesofpost-colonialtheories,SaidinsistesonthecritiqueofWesterncentralismandtheexposureofculturalhegemony.Ideologyisalwaysconnectedwithspecialinterests,orthereasonwhyideologydefends“reversalconsciousness”and“falseconsciousness”isthatspecialinterestsaretreatedaspity.ThereisnodoubtthatWesternwritershaveabiasofnationalclassconsciousnessindescribingliterarytextsinvolvingtheEast.B.Spivak’sPost-colonialTheoryOnthebasisofSaid’sachievement,Indian-AmericanscholarGayatriSpivaksupplementedthetwoaspectsofcolonizationandgenderdiscriminationandthediscussionofanti-colonialappeals.HerdissertationCantheSubalternSpeak?(2006)becameaprogrammaticdocumentforpost-colonialism.Inherwork,Spivakbelievesthatthereisaninconsistentrelationshipbetweentheconditionsandeffectsofobtainingcognitionbetweenrhetoricandlogic.Thisrelationshipistherelationshipbetweentheagentswhobuildtheworld,sothattheagentscanhaveethicsbehavior,politicalbehavior,anditispossibletosurviveasahumanintheworld.Spivak’spost-colonialismhasthecharacteristicsofpluralism.Shecombinesthesethreetheories,deconstructionism,Marxism,andfeminismtoformherownuniquestyle.C.HomiBaba’sPost-colonialTheoryHomiBaba,aPersian-Americanscholar,hasauthoredpost-colonialstudiessuchasNationandNarration(1990),TheLocationofCulture（1994）,andAGlobalMeasure.Hispost-colonialtheoryrepresentsthelateststageinthedevelopmentofcontemporarywesternpost-colonialtheoryofcriticism.Andthiscriticismischaracterizedbytheeliminationoftheculturalpre-rightsoftheWesternEmpirethroughitsmuddledstrategy.TheachievementsofBaba’scriticaltheoryaremainlyreflectedin:(1)callingMarxismandpost-structuralismthestyle,developingachallenginganddeconstructivestyleofpost-colonialculturalcriticism;(2)hispromiscuoustheoryinfluencesthecurrentresearchonculturalidentityandethnicminoritiesintheinternationalacademiccommunity,andproposesspecificstrategiesforthirdworldcriticstovoice;(3)HomiBabaattemptstooverturnthisone-dimensionalunidimensionaldialecticalrelationshipofsubjectandobject,selfandother,essenceandphenomenon,andreplacesitwithtermssuchas“hybrid”,“simulation”,“thirdspace”,“ambiguity”,etc.Post-colonialtheoreticalthoughtsareverycomplicated.Ithasaninterdisciplinarytendencyincontentandform,andintricaterelationshipswithmanycontemporarytheoreticalthoughtsintheWest.ThispaperattemptstoanalyzethecausesofLydia’sdeathfromsomeofthekeyperspectivesofthepost-colonialism.2.AnalysisofLydia’sDeathfromImmigrationStatus2.1ChineseImmigrantsHenryandJamesHenryisJames’fatherandJamesisLydia’sfatherwhoisoneoftheprotagonistsofthisnovel.TheyarethefirstandsecondgenerationofChineseimmigrantsrespectively.AsaChinese-American,thisidentitymadethemexcludedbytheUnitedStates.HenryhadsuccessfullyemigratedtotheUnitedStates,buthewasinferiorinAmericaandhadtorelyonthelowliestjobsforhislivelihood.Inthemid-20thcentury,ChineseAmericanswerealwaysregardedasan“other”inAmerica.SoasaChinese-American,hecouldn’tgetadecentjobandlifeabetterlife.Hebelievedthatlanguagebarrierandskincolorwerethemainreasons.HewaseagertoberespectedbywhitepeopleandhaveabetterlifeintheUnitedStates.However,asthe“other”oftheWest,hedoomedtofail.Throughouthislife,hewasstillanemployeewithpoorpay.Henrybelievedthatwasduetolanguagebarrier.Ifhefixedit,thenhecouldbetransformedfromthe“other”to“self”.ButHenrycouldn’tchangehisstatusquosoheplacedhiswishonJames.HedreamedthatJamescouldintegrateintothemainstreamsociety.Thus,hetriedhisbesttocreatetheexternalconditionsforJames.Forinstance,Jamescouldgotoschoolthat’swhyHenrymovedtoLloyd.ButHenrydidn’tknowthat’snotenough.ComparedwithHenry’splightintheUnitedStates,James’situationwasevenmoreunfavorable.EvenifJameswasexcellentinlanguageandacademicperformances,hehadstillneverbeenfittinginhere.Jamescouldn’talsogetridoftheidentityof“other”duetohisskincolorwhichwasnatureandcouldn’tbechanged.Henry’sdesirewasoneofthereasonsthatJameswaseagertointegrateintothemainstreamsociety.Additionally,Henrycouldn’tupholdJamesandtoldhimhowtodealwithsuchoccasionswhenhewashumiliated.Therefore,Jamesbelievedthathisidentitymakeshimexcludedfromothers.Asasecond-generationChineseimmigrant,Jamesbecamemoreandmoreinferior.InthathealsohadOrientalmasculinityinhisheart.AsSaidpointsout,inOrientalism,thatintheprocessoftheformationofOrientalism,theWestistheculprit.Firstofall,itismanifestedinthesenseofinferiorityoftheeasternnationsandthepsychologicalconsciousness.ThatisshownasJameswantedtobeamemberofthemainstreamsocietybymeetingtherequirementsofothers.Hedidn’tlikethathewasaChineseimmigrantratherthanapureCaucasian.Accordingly,theolderJamesgrew,themoresensitiveandinferiorhewas.Consequently,hewasobsessedwiththerecognitionofmainstreamsocietybutfailed.Andthiscouldbeexplainedfromthefollowingexamples.ItoccurredonthefirstmorningofgoingtoLloydacademic.Awhitegirlnexttohimaskeddirectly,“What’swrongwithyoureyes?”(CelesteNg,2014:43).ItmadeJamesfeellikehewasthe“other”.ThisquestiondeeplyhurtJames;however,histeacherjuststoppedthegirlaskingsuchaquestionina“horror”(CelesteNg,2014:43)voice.Bothgirl’squestionandteacher’stonemadeJamessensitivelyawarethathisstatusandconditionwasdifferentfromhisclassmatesandhewasthe“other”.Forthefirsttime,JamesreallyknewthathewasdifferentfromCaucasianaroundhim.Hedidn’twanttobealonelypeopleortobethe“other”,sohelearnedakindof“supposedembarrassment”(CelesteNg,2014:43)fromhisteacher’svoice.Fromthenon,hebegantomakeuphismindtoenterthemainstreamsocietyandchangefromthe“other”to“self”.Hetriedtogettheapprovalofthepeoplearoundhimbyrespondingaccordingly.Buttheseideasmadehimfallintoakindofself-denial,denyhisownskincolor,acceptthebullyingofothers,andfallintothetrapof“theother”.Nevertheless,Jamesstillfallsintothetrap.Hefranticallywantstointegrateintothismainstreamsocietythroughacompromiseway.HeexperiencesplentyofunfairtreatmentinAmericaforheisaChineseImmigrant.IncludingthathisjobofferisanunknowncollegeinsteadofHarvard.Forexample,ProfessorCarlsonrejectedJameswithsuchaword“fit”(CelesteNg,2014:50).Whataridiculousreason!ButJamesjustmadeacompromisewithit.Andforsuchabullying,henotonlysilentlyaccepted,butalsotriedtoteachNathtoacceptit.HiscompromiseisattributedtoinferiorityfeelingasanOriental.AccordingtoOrientalism,thisinferiorityfeelingisnotonlyrelatedtothelong-termcolonialindoctrinationoftheWest,butalsotothelong-termeconomicandpoliticalbackwardnessoftheEasternnation.WhetherNathorJames,bothofthemhaddarkeyesandyellowskin.ButLydiawasdissimilar,shehadapairofblueeyesandwhiteskin.Thus,JamesputallhiswishesonLydia,especiallyafterMarilynranawayfromhome.Hefeltapanicthathewas"again"abandonedbytheUnitedStates.Accordingly,JamesbegantoinfuseLydiafrequentlywithhisdesireofmakingfriends.AlthoughheknewLydiadidn’tlikeit,hestilldid.AndhecomfortedhimselfthatLydiawouldunderstandhimwhenshegrewup.ButheforciblyignoredLydia’smicro-expression,she“swallowed,hard”(CelesteNg,2014:176).HetookitforgrantedthatLydiadidsuperiortohimselfinintegratingintothemainstreamsocietyduetoherblueeyes.Nevertheless,thebiggesthopethatJamesthoughtwasanillusion.JamesfoundthathisproudestseconddaughterLydia,neverfulfilledhiswish.Lydiahadnofriends.Inthat“hehadneverseenaticketstub”(CelesteNg,2014:19).Buthenevertookhermoodintoaccount.Consequently,Lydiapassedaway.JamessuddenlyrealizedthathiswishwastooheavyforLydia.Hewasalsoawareofaproblem.Immigrantshadalwaysstruggledtointegrateintomainstreamsocialcircles.Buttheyalwaysfailed,notonlybecauseoftheirlowself-esteem,butalsoduetotheprejudiceofwhitepeople.Allinall,James,asthe“other”inAmerica,notonlyisinfluencedbyHenry,butalsohasagreatinfluenceonLydia’sdeath.Intheprocessofpursuingidentity,JamesisunconsciouslyinfiltratedbyWesternculture.Toacertainextent,itishispersistentpursuitofmainstreamsocietythatforcesLydiatodie.2.2AsianImmigrantsLouisaLouisaisanAsianImmigrant,whoisnotonlyJames’assistantbutalsohislover.LouisaaffectsLydia’sjudgmentwhensheappears.Lydia’sfirstimpressionofLouisaisverybad.AsNgdescribesthat“Thisgirlissleepingwithmyfather”(CelesteNg,2014:229).Andthat’smainlybecauseofLydia’sstereotypeoftheOriental.Said’sOrientalismdescribesthattheEastisbrutal,degenerate,dictatorial,corrupt,antiquated,stagnant,evil,whiletheWestiscivilized,rational,scientific,modern,progressive,andactive.Similarly,Lydia'simpressionofLouisastillstaysinthisstereotype.MeanwhiletheemergenceofLouisaexacerbatedhersenseofoppressionaboutthefamily’simpendingdisintegrationandLydiawasverysensitive.ScarcelyhadLydiarealizedthatshewouldloseherfatherwhenLouisaappeared.ShemisunderstoodthatLouisawasdatingherfather.Thus,LydiawasextremelyrepelledbythegiftLouisaselected.Nguseswordslike“hook”(CelesteNg,2014:230)and“yank”(CelesteNg,2014:230)todescribeLydia’srejectionofLouisa.ThemistakemadeLydiauneasy.ItdirectlyledtothefailureofLydia’sdrivinglicensetest.Andthat’safuseofLydia'sdeath.Said’spost-colonialtheorymainlystudiesmeninthethirdworld,whileSpivak’spost-colonialismfurthe