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Asian American Forms: from Realism to Modernism

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Asian American Forms: from Realism to Modernism Asian American Forms: From Realism to Modernism Yifan Zhang A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington 2012 Reading Committee: Stephen H. Sumida, Chair Shawn H. Wong LeiLani Nishime Program Authorized to Offer Degree: English University of Washington Abstract Asian American Forms: From Realism to Modernism Yifan Zhang Chair of the Supervisory Committee: Professor Stephen H. Sumida American Ethnic Studies The subject of this dissertation, to boldly state it, is the history of Asian American literary formation. The tradition of formalist criticism of literature, reaching down from the Russian formalist school, has been confronted with suspicion and modified by the Marxist revolution of the notion of “form.” Realism and modernism converge in my investigation of Asian American literary forms, along with other equally “cliché” literary and cultural concepts, including satire, the Bildungsroman, cosmopolitanism, transnationalism, and identity. However, to return to this formal tradition of literary criticism is not to canonize Asian American literature or treat Asian American literature as a fixed philosophical abstraction. By re-introducing the formal method to Asian American literary studies, I will examine the historical formation of Asian American fictions, which are categorized with three thematic features—survival, transformation, and contradiction. From survival to transformation to contradiction, from realism to modernism, Asian American fiction has experienced and reflected the demographic vicissitudes of Asian America in its adaptation of different forms. The study of form points to the extension of Asian American literature from a domestic enlightenment project to a transnational, diasporic observation. Each of the three body chapters centers on one category and closely examines two novels that represent the features of that category: America Is in the Heart by Carlos Bulosan and All I Asking for Is My Body by Milton Murayama for survival fiction, Donald Duk by Frank Chin and Native Speaker by Chang-rae Lee for transformation fiction, and Fixer Chao by Han Ong and The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri for contradiction fiction. Applying realism, modernism and various sub-forms as the formal method, I argue that the progression of Asian American forms testifies to the active autonomy of literature in Asian American studies. In my argumentation, I tend to resume literary criticism in Asian American literary studies and study Asian American literature as literature instead of a mere cultural production or a historical continuation, without discharging its historicity. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ......................................................................................................................................1 I. Some Preliminaries: Why Form? .....................................................................................1 II. Form Defined: A Brief Historical Overview...................................................................4 III. Form Matters: Asian American Literature and Asian American Studies ......................6 IV. Realism and Modernism/Post-modernism: A Battle within the Asian American Literary Form .....................................................................................................................11 V. Developmental Narratives: Truthful Realism or Bourgeois Modernism? ....................16 VI. Formal Approach, Postformalist Denomination ..........................................................26 VII. The Structure of Analysis ...........................................................................................29 Chapter One: Survival Fiction: Realism, Satire, and Ambiguity as Means of Survival ................36 I. A Personal Correspondence............................................................................................36 II. Writing of Survival........................................................................................................38 III. Survival History vs. Survival Fiction...........................................................................45 IV. The (Sub)Forms of America Is in the Heart ................................................................53 V. Realism, Satire and History in All I Asking for Is My Body ..........................................75 Chapter Two: Transformation Fiction: A Negotiation with the Bildungsroman ...........................97 I. The Historical Background: The Emergence of Model Minorities ................................97 II. Is the Bildungsroman Dead? .......................................................................................103 III. Go Ethnic: Bildungsroman or Transformation? ........................................................113 IV. Donald Duk: Failed Bildungsroman, Successful Transformation .............................123 V. The Ordeal of Native Speaker: Bildungsroman or Anti-Bildungsroman? ..................143 Chapter Three: Contradiction Fiction: When Realism Is Not Enough ........................................162 I. Asian America as a Modern Phenomenon ...................................................................162 II. Contradictions under Transnationalism ......................................................................164 III. “Colorless” Modernism against Realism ...................................................................169 IV. Writing the Identity....................................................................................................176 V. Realism in Fixer Chao: Inchoate Pursuit of Modernism ............................................180 VI. New Form of Asian America: Cosmopolitanism and Modernism in The Namesake...... ..........................................................................................................................................203 Conclusion: National or Post-national? .......................................................................................225 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................246 Appendix: What Kind of Asian are You? ....................................................................................272 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The work of a dissertation writer is not easy. We risk very much and yet gain very little at every step of writing. It’s not up to us to decide which part of the dissertating is worth doing and which part is a waste. We offer up our work and ourselves to others’ judgment. There are countless times when we are at the mercy of others. We determine our value through others. We are not at free will in writing. We are held to standards and judgments that have thrived over decades and succeed the old-school type of writing that sometimes only imparts a message of beauty. Dissertating, at some point, is analogous to household chores, which would make the housewife slave away for a temporary moment of cleanness and yet still have to face endless humdrum that is pointless and unappreciable to her husband and children. Among all the rumors about dissertation writing, emotional breakdown—I was told by all kinds of dissertation writers—is part of the process. Fortunately, I never really experienced it. Every dissertation writer suffers, but my suffering was not tremendous. I shall attribute my peaceful and fruitful dissertating process to my committee chair, Professor Stephen H. Sumida. He made this process easier than I expected. As supporting as he has always been, Steve embraced me with kindness and amiability, and made me feel relaxed under the stressful circumstances of dissertation writing. Never intruding as an authority figure, Steve is this kind of professor that can become a true friend for life. Professor Shawn Wong as my committee member encouraged me to have my own voice in the dissertation. He invigorated my belief that I could be a good English writer, despite my inherent disadvantage as a non-native English speaker. Professor LeiLani Nishime, the third committee member, joined during the last phase of my dissertating process. Undeniably, she was a limited but pleasant and confirming presence especially during my hard time. She facilitated a promising dissertating experience. In many ways, dissertating is never single-handedly decided by writing itself. To produce a dissertation requires several years’ accumulation of the writer’s immense effort as well as assistance and support from others. Among many, I thank Professor Robert Shulman for his generosity and help during my first year in America and at the UW. His attentiveness and warm- heartedness drove away the gloominess of Seattle’s dreadful winter. I enjoyed Professor Chandan Reddy’s fascinating lectures during my graduate study and appreciated his sapient advice as my committee member at the beginning of my dissertation writing. I’ve also built up ii friendship with Professor John Webster, who completely understands and sympathizes with international students like me for all the difficulties we have to go through. Kathy Mork in the graduate office of the English department with her near thirty years of work experience has been so helpful and reliable. My gratitude also goes to Professor Gail Nomura, Laura Chrisman, and Moon-Ho Jung, who have supported and helped me one way or another. Finally, I shall thank everyone that cares for me. Most of all, I can never show enough gratitude to my dear husband, Bill,
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