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Abstract:ThispaperintroducesToniMorrison,thefirstblackAmericanNobelPrizewinnerinAmericanliterature,whohashadaprofoundinfluenceintheliteraryworld.SofarMorrisonhaspublishedninenovels.InhernovelLove,publishedin2003,Morrisoncontinuestopayattentiontotheblackwomenunderthepatriarchy，sexismandracism.InLove,Morrisonfocusesonthemiserablelifeoftheblackwomenandexplorestheabsenceofloveanditsrestorationintheblackfamiliesandtheblackcommunity.
Keywords:ToniMorrison,Love,literarycareer,criticism,literaturereview
1.0AnOverviewoftheLiteraryCareerofToniMorrison
On１7December１993,theSwedishAcademyinStockholmrewardedToniMorrisontheNobelPrizeforliterature.AsthefirstAfrican-Americanwomanwritertowinthisprize,ToniMorrisonnowisasignificantfigureonthecontemporaryAmericanaswellastheworldliterarystage.Theawardmarks“notonlyapersonaltriumph,butalsotherecognitionoftheartistryofAfricanAmericanfictionandthevalidityoftheblackwoman’svoice”(Taylor-Guthrie,１994:vii).
OnFebruary１8,１931,ToniMorrisonwasborninLorain,Ohio.Asachild,shewasedifiedbyherparents,bothofwhomwerestorytellersandmusicians.Herparentsinstilledinheradeeprespectfortheirheritagethroughthestoriestheytold.Morrisongrewupinablackcultureofcommunityspirit,folklore,mythandstorytelling,allofwhichgraduallyinfluencedherandherwritingstyleinthelaterlife.In１949,MorrisonenteredHowardUniversityinWashington,D.C.,andthereobtainedaB.A.inEnglish.ShecontinuedherstudiesatCornellUniversityinIthaca,NewYork.MorrisonwroteherthesisonWilliamFaulknerandVirginiaWoolfandreceivedherM.A.in１955.ShehadalsoworkedasSeniorEditoratRandomHousein１967.From１965to１984,shepursuedheracademiccareeratTexasSouthernUniversity,HowardUniversity,andYaleUniversity.In１989,shewasnamedtheRobertF.GoheenprofessorintheCouncilofHumanitiesatPrincetonUniversityasthefirstblackwomantoholdthispositionthere,andsheisalsothefirstblackwomantoholdanendowedchairatanIvyLeagueUniversity.
WhileteachingatHowardUniversity,MorrisonpublishedherfirstnovelTheBluestEyein１970,whichdepictsavictimizedblackgirlwhowasobsessedbywhitestandardsofbeautyanddesiredforhavingblueeyes.In１973,asecondnovel,Sula,waspublished;itexaminesthedynamicsoffriendshipandtheexpectationsforconformitywiththecommunity.SongofSolomon(1977)istoldbyamalenarratorinsearchofhisidentity,whichbroughtMorrisontheNationalBookCriticsCircleAwardaswellasthenationalattention.TarBaby(1981),setonaCaribbeanisland,exploresconflictsofrace,classandsex.In１988,MorrisonreceivedthePulitzerPrizeforthenovelBeloved,whichisbasedonthetruestoryofarunawayslavemother,Sethe,whowasabouttobecapturedbyherpursuers.Shedecidedtokillallherchildrensothattheywouldnotbeslaves.Jazz(1992)isastoryaboutviolenceandpassionsetinHarlemduringthe１920s.In１993,MorrisonwasawardedtheNobelPrizeforliterature.InitsstatementtheSwedishAcademypraisedherasawriter“who,innovelscharacterizedbyvisionaryforceandpoeticimport,giveslifetoanessentialaspectofAmericanreality.”(Furman,１996:2)Fiveyearslater,hernovelParadise(1998)published,whichgivesarichlydetaileddescriptionofablackutopiancommunityinOklahoma.Andin2003,shepublishedLove,whichisatthepeakofhertalentandisreceivedwarmlyinAmerica.MorrisonpublishedherlatestnovelAMercyin2008whichhasgreatinfluenceonmanyfieldsandgetsmanydifferentresponses. 2.0CriticismonToniMorrison
Thepasttwodecadeshaveseenthepublicationofamassofreviews,essaysandbooksonMorrison’swork.Considerableresearchesonvarioussubjectswithdifferentcriticalmethodologieshavebeendoneonherworksbothathomeandabroad.Sincethe１970s,muchofthestudiesdiscussfromavarietyofperspectives:feminism,psychoanalysis,post-modernism,reader-responsecriticism,culturalapproachesandsoon.
“TheNovelsofToniMorrison:StudiesinThwartedSensitivity”writtenbyJoanBischoffin１975is,largelyspeaking,thefirstacademicarticleonMorrison,whichexploresthethemeofherformertwonovelsTheBluestEyeandSulabyassociatingthetwoheroinesPecolarandSula.Fromthelate１970s,withtheinfluenceofBlackPeopleCivilRightsMovement,afeministreadingofMorrison’snovelsbegantotakeshape.BarbaraSmithledamovementinwhichMorrison’sworksandthatofmanyotherblackwriterswereanalyzedfromtheperspectiveofblackfeminism.In１980s,withthepublicationofSongofSolomonandTarBaby,scholarlystudiesofMorrison’snovelshadbeguntoappearinanumberofimportantblackandethnicstudiesjournals—BlackAmericanLiteratureForum,CLAJournal,BlackScholar,MinorityVoices,etc.In1985,TheWorldofToniMorrison:ExplorationsinLiteraryCriticismwaspublished,whichisthefirstmonographofMorrison,.
From１990stillnow,especiallyaftertheawardingoftheNobelPrize,thereweremorecriticalstudiesofToniMorrison’snovelsthanbefore.ToniMorrison:CriticalandTheoreticalApproaches,editedbyNancyJ.Petersonandpublishedin１997,callsattentiontotheculturalandpoliticaldimensionsofMorrison’sworks.Kubitschek’sToniMorrison:ACriticalCompanionpublishedin１998isacollectionofessaysonMorrison’snovelsfromvariousperspectives.TheVoicesofToniMorrison,whichwaswrittenbyBarbaraHillRigney,manifestsissuesofbothraceandgenderinitsanalysis.JohnN.Duvall,whowroteTheIdentifyingFictionsofToniMorrison:ModernistAuthenticityandPostmodernBlacknesspublishedin2000,explorestheissueofnamesandnaminginMorrison’sfictionandrepeatedlyfindssurprisingtracesofMorrison’sstruggletoconstructahealthyidentityasanAfricanAmericanwomannovelist.InTheAestheticsofToniMorrison:SpeakingtheUnspeakable,publishedin2000,sometopscholarsprobeMorrison''snovelsandhergrowingbodyofnonfictionandcriticalworkforthecomplexandpotentaestheticelementsthathavemadeheramajorAmericannovelistofthetwentiethcentury.
However,thestudiesonToniMorrisoninChineseacademicfieldarestillweak,mainlyfrom１993afterherwinningoftheNobelPrizeforLiterature.MostofthearticlesaboutMorrison’sworkshavebeenpublishedinsomeinfluentialmagazinessuchasForeignLiteratures,ForeignLiteratureReview,andForeignLiteratureStudiesetc.Uptonow,manyacademicbooksaboutMorrisonhaveappeared.Thebook“Gender,RaceandCulture—AStudyofToniMorrison’sWritings”byWangShourenandWuXinyunisamonographonToniMorrison,andthroughthegeneralinterpretationofMorrison’seightnovels,thebookexploresherdevelopingideasongender,raceandculture.InPainandHealing:AStudyofMaternalLoveinToniMorrison’sFictionsfromaCulturalPerspective,ZhuRongjiefocuseson“maternallove”inthecontextofAfricanAmericanculture.WangYukuo’sToniMorrisonStudyiswrittenfromnewhistoricismperspective.TheSuperstarofAfro-AmericanLiterature:EssayonToniMorrison’sWriting,writtenbyMaoXinde,givesanintroductiontoMorrison’ssevennovels.AndHuJun’sAStudyoftheIdentityPursuitofAfricanAmericaninToniMorrison’sFictionprobesintotheself-hatredelements.Inaddition,therearemorethanninetyM.A.andPh.D.thesesconcerningMorrisonandherworksince１994inChina. 3.0ABriefIntroductiontoLove
“Loveisacomplicatedstory,thekindofmulti-themed,multi-layered,multi-generationalnovelMorrisonisknownfor.Inthisbookshepushesreaderstothinkaboutthekindsoflovepeopleexperienceandhowthatlovecanbedestroyed;sheexpoundsonthenatureofchangeandhowitcanbothnourishandpoison”(Gershenbaum,2005)Inthisnovel,ToniMorrisonfullydevelopstheideasofracialandsexualoppressionsthatareimposedontheblackwomenaswellaspatriarchyoppression.ThenovelLovesetmainlyinasmalltownintheEasternCoastofAmericafrom１940sto１990s.LovetoldastoryaboutawealthyblackmanBillCoseyand“his”women,wholovedhim,foughtoverhim,madehimmiserableandfinallydrovehimtohisgrave.
Thereweresixprotagonistsinthenovel:BillCosey,Heed,Christine,May,LandJuniorandanothersixsupportingcharacters:BillyBoy,Julia,Celestial,Sandler,Vida,andRomen.BillCosey,asthecentralcharacterinthenovel,wasasuccessfulblackmanandbecameanidolformanyblacksduringhislifetime.Duringthe１940shebecameawealthyownerofCosey’sHotelandResort.Heedwashissecondwife,andwhentheygotmarried,shewasonlyeleven-year-oldandhewasalreadyfifty-two.Christine,hisgranddaughter,wasHeed’sbestfrienduntilBillCoseydecidedtotakeHeedforhiswifeandthentheybecameenemies.May,Christine’smother,wasBillCosey’sdaughter-in-lawandwidowofhisonlysonBillyBoygivenbyhispreviousdeadwifeJulia.L,acookandhousekeeperinCosey’sfamilysinceshewasfourteenyearsold,narratedthestory—herpresencewasquiteghostly,butherwordswerewiseassheopenedandclosedthestory.Junior,recentlyreleasedfromtheCorrectional,washiredasan“assistant”totheagingHeed.
BillCosey’smarriagetolittleHeed,inappearance,maybefromhisshockathisonlyson’sdeath,butitbrokeeverynormalrelationship:grandfather-granddaughterrelation,mother-daughterrelation,couplerelation,sisterhood,etc.Afterthemarriage,thestruggleforCosey’saffectionandpropertyamongthethreewomen—Heed,ChristineandMay—hadneverended.Thebattlebecamemoreandmoreserious.Coseywasembitteredbythisandhewassodisappointedthatfinallyhedecidedtoleaveallhispropertytohisfavoritewoman,aprostitute—Celestial,nothis“Child”.Lthoughtthisunfair,andchangedCosey’swillonamenuoftherestaurantinordertoprotectCosey’swomenandsecureashelterforthemafterCosey’sdeath.Butthisbehaviordidnotbringpeacetothefamily.Thethreewomencontinuedtheirstrugglefortheclaimoftheproperty,withnoneofthemcomingoutasthefinalwinner.Maybecamemadinherlateryearsanddiedofit.HeedhiredJuniortohelpherchangethewillcreatedbyL,makingherastheonlybeneficiary.ButherintentionwasdiscoveredbyChristineandwasfatallyhurtafterfallingdowntheatticinherfightwithChristine.Intheend,ChristineputdownhatredandtookcareofthedyingHeed,herpreviousbestfriend,andthestoryendedintheirrestorationofsisterhood. 4.0LiteratureReviewonLove
MuchofthestudiesareonMorrison’smostfamousnovels,suchasTheBluestEye,SongofSolomon,Jazz,andBeloved.Love,theeighthnovelofToniMorrisonhasalsoreceivedmuchcriticismabroadandinChinasinceitspublicationin2003.ThereisnodoubtthatthepublicationofLoveisanewfocusintheliteraryworld,sovariousreviewsandcommentsofthisnovelinstantlyfollow.Somescholarsseverelycriticizethenovel,assumingittobeabook“notrequiringanyheavyliftingfromthereaderlikehermasterpiece,BelovedandSongofSolomon”.(Davis,2003:30)ThefamouscriticMichikoKakutaniwroteinTheNewYorkTimes,“thestoryasawholereadslikeagothicsoapopera,peoplebyscheming,bitterwomenandselfish,predatorymen:womenengagedincartoon-violentcatfights;mencattingaroundandgoingtocathouses.”①
However,therearemorepositivevoicesthanunfavorablecriticismsonit.TheAtlantaJournal-ConstitutionconsideredLovetobe“adeeplyaffectingworkbyaGreatAmericanNovelistwhoisstillatthetopofherform…Morrison’stender,tautprosewastesnoword,nosyllable,noletter…anovelofdevastatingrevelations,impeccablyarranged”.②BradHooperpraisedinBooklist“Loveisaprofoundnovel.Asavividpainterofhumanemotions,Morrisoniswithoutpeer,herimpressionsrenderedinanexquisitelymetaphoricbutcomfortablyopenstyle”③;JohnLeonardcommentedthat“LikeeveryotherstealthyMorrisonnovel,Lovehasclosetsandcellars,bolt-holesandtrap-doorandcardtricks…Yetagain,shegivesusdream”.④
Despiteitswarmreceptionsanddiversecriticismonit,Love,comparedwithMorrison’spreviousnovels,hasseldombeenacademicallystudiedasarelativelynewnovel.Onlyafewacademictreatisesbutnomonographsonthenovelarefoundoutwithinmysearchingscope.InherliterarycriticismPost-ColonialWomenWriter:NewPerspective,Dr.SunitaSinhacommentedonwomenwritersfromagreatvarietyofregionsandnationalities,amongwhich“ToniMorrison’sLove—AnEpicofEnslavementandLiberation”discussedthenovelfromtheperspectiveofhistoryandculture.“ALayingonofHands:ToniMorrisonandtheMaterialityofLove”writtenbyAnissaJanineWardicontrastedthesymbolismofhandsinBelovedandLoveseparately.In“‘I’llTell’—TheFunctionandMeaningofLinToniMorrison’sLove”,Wen-chingHoinvestigatedtheidentityandsingularityofLandaddressedthevariousrolessheplaysinthecomplexnarrativeinthenovelLove.In2008,inhisUncoveringtheBelovedintheWarringandLawlessWomaninToniMorrison’sLove,thecriticJ.BrooksBousongavearoughinterpretationfrommultifacetedaspectsofthenovel,butnodeepanalysisofsomespecificpoints.
AndinChina,therearearticlesonthisnovelpublishedinacademicjournals.“ANewReflectiononLove”byWangShourenandWuXinyungaveageneralintroductiontothenovel,includingitsplots,characters,themes,aswellasitsinfluence.CenteringontheheroineHeed’smarriageandlifeexperience,“LoveTrudginginMud”byZengMeiexposedthedeprivaloftheblackfemales’rightsforhappinessandlovebymalesinordertoarousethereaders’attentiontotheexistenceoftheblackwomenaswellastheracialdiscriminationandoppressioninAmericatoday.XiaoLameiexaminedloveandhatredwhicharecausedbyracialaswellassexualpoliticsin“LoveandPolitics”.In“TheFemaleSelfLostandRegained:AnAnalysisofMorrison’sLove”,LiXiuqingdiscussesthelossofthefemaleselffromthefeminismperspective;inherarticle“TheCarrierofValueandDesire:OntheFemaleBodyinToniMorrison’sLove”,ZhaiWenjingemploystheIragariantheoriestoelaboratethedifficultyofestablishingoffemalesubjectivitybecauseofwomen’svulnerabilityinself-control. ToniMorrison’snovelLoveisconsideredbyherselfasoneofhermostimportantworks,althoughitdoesnotarouseasmuchconcernashermasterpieceBeloveddoes.Inthisnovelshekeepsexploringtheexperiencesandpsychologyoftheblackpeople,especiallyoftheblackwomen.Asthetitleindicates,thenovelseemstodepictdifferentkindsoflove.Butafterreadingthewholenovel,allwecanfindistheabsenceofloveintheblackpeople.Inotherwords,thestrikingfeatureofthisbookistheabsenceoflove,whichbringsthetitleasenseofirony.
Notes
①http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/31/books/books-of-the-times-family-secrets-feuding-women.html2011,10,10
②http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/14000784742011,10,14
③http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/14000784742011,10,14
④http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/14000784742011,10,14
Reference
［1］Bell,BenerdW.TheContemporaryAfricanAmericanNovel:ItsFolkRootsandModernLiteraryBranches.Beijing:ForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPress.2007.
［2］Furman,Linden.ToniMorrison’sFiction.Columbia:UniversityofSouthCarolinaPress.１996.
［3］Guerin,WilfredL.,etal.AHandbookofCriticalApproachestoLiterature.Beijing:ForeignLanguageTeachingandResearchPress.2004.
［4］HuJun.AStudyoftheIdentityPursuitofAfricanAmericaninToniMorrison’sFiction.Beijing:BeijingLanguageandCultureUniversityPress.2007.(胡俊，《非裔美国人探求身份之路:对托妮?莫里森的小说研究》，北京语言大学出版社)
［5］MaoXinde.TheSuperstarofAfro-AmericanLiterature:EssayonToniMorrison’sWriting.Hangzhou:ZhejiangUniversityPress.2006.(毛信德，《美国黑人文学的巨星―托尼?莫里森小说创作论》，浙江大学出版社。)
［6］Morrison,Toni.Love.London:VintageBooks.2004.
［7］Taylor-Guthrie,Danille.ed.ConversationswithToniMorrison.Jackson:UniversityPressofMississippi.１994.
［8］WangShourenandWuXinyun.Gender,RaceandCulture—AStudyofToniMorrison’sWritings.Beijing:BeijingUniversityPress.2004.(王守仁,吴新云，《性别种族文化—托尼莫里森二十世纪美国黑人文学》，北京大学出版社。)
［9］WangYukuo.AStudyofToniMorrison.Beijing:People’sliteraturePress.2005.（王玉括，《莫里森研究》，人民文学出版社。)
［10］ZhuRongjie.PainandHealing:AStudyofMaternalLoveinToniMorrison’sFictionsfromaCulturalPerspective.Zhengzhou:HenanUniversityPress.2004.（朱英杰，《伤痛与弥合：托妮?莫里森小说母爱主题的文化研究》，河南大学出版社。）
Keywords:ToniMorrison,Love,literarycareer,criticism,literaturereview
1.0AnOverviewoftheLiteraryCareerofToniMorrison
On１7December１993,theSwedishAcademyinStockholmrewardedToniMorrisontheNobelPrizeforliterature.AsthefirstAfrican-Americanwomanwritertowinthisprize,ToniMorrisonnowisasignificantfigureonthecontemporaryAmericanaswellastheworldliterarystage.Theawardmarks“notonlyapersonaltriumph,butalsotherecognitionoftheartistryofAfricanAmericanfictionandthevalidityoftheblackwoman’svoice”(Taylor-Guthrie,１994:vii).
OnFebruary１8,１931,ToniMorrisonwasborninLorain,Ohio.Asachild,shewasedifiedbyherparents,bothofwhomwerestorytellersandmusicians.Herparentsinstilledinheradeeprespectfortheirheritagethroughthestoriestheytold.Morrisongrewupinablackcultureofcommunityspirit,folklore,mythandstorytelling,allofwhichgraduallyinfluencedherandherwritingstyleinthelaterlife.In１949,MorrisonenteredHowardUniversityinWashington,D.C.,andthereobtainedaB.A.inEnglish.ShecontinuedherstudiesatCornellUniversityinIthaca,NewYork.MorrisonwroteherthesisonWilliamFaulknerandVirginiaWoolfandreceivedherM.A.in１955.ShehadalsoworkedasSeniorEditoratRandomHousein１967.From１965to１984,shepursuedheracademiccareeratTexasSouthernUniversity,HowardUniversity,andYaleUniversity.In１989,shewasnamedtheRobertF.GoheenprofessorintheCouncilofHumanitiesatPrincetonUniversityasthefirstblackwomantoholdthispositionthere,andsheisalsothefirstblackwomantoholdanendowedchairatanIvyLeagueUniversity.
WhileteachingatHowardUniversity,MorrisonpublishedherfirstnovelTheBluestEyein１970,whichdepictsavictimizedblackgirlwhowasobsessedbywhitestandardsofbeautyanddesiredforhavingblueeyes.In１973,asecondnovel,Sula,waspublished;itexaminesthedynamicsoffriendshipandtheexpectationsforconformitywiththecommunity.SongofSolomon(1977)istoldbyamalenarratorinsearchofhisidentity,whichbroughtMorrisontheNationalBookCriticsCircleAwardaswellasthenationalattention.TarBaby(1981),setonaCaribbeanisland,exploresconflictsofrace,classandsex.In１988,MorrisonreceivedthePulitzerPrizeforthenovelBeloved,whichisbasedonthetruestoryofarunawayslavemother,Sethe,whowasabouttobecapturedbyherpursuers.Shedecidedtokillallherchildrensothattheywouldnotbeslaves.Jazz(1992)isastoryaboutviolenceandpassionsetinHarlemduringthe１920s.In１993,MorrisonwasawardedtheNobelPrizeforliterature.InitsstatementtheSwedishAcademypraisedherasawriter“who,innovelscharacterizedbyvisionaryforceandpoeticimport,giveslifetoanessentialaspectofAmericanreality.”(Furman,１996:2)Fiveyearslater,hernovelParadise(1998)published,whichgivesarichlydetaileddescriptionofablackutopiancommunityinOklahoma.Andin2003,shepublishedLove,whichisatthepeakofhertalentandisreceivedwarmlyinAmerica.MorrisonpublishedherlatestnovelAMercyin2008whichhasgreatinfluenceonmanyfieldsandgetsmanydifferentresponses. 2.0CriticismonToniMorrison
Thepasttwodecadeshaveseenthepublicationofamassofreviews,essaysandbooksonMorrison’swork.Considerableresearchesonvarioussubjectswithdifferentcriticalmethodologieshavebeendoneonherworksbothathomeandabroad.Sincethe１970s,muchofthestudiesdiscussfromavarietyofperspectives:feminism,psychoanalysis,post-modernism,reader-responsecriticism,culturalapproachesandsoon.
“TheNovelsofToniMorrison:StudiesinThwartedSensitivity”writtenbyJoanBischoffin１975is,largelyspeaking,thefirstacademicarticleonMorrison,whichexploresthethemeofherformertwonovelsTheBluestEyeandSulabyassociatingthetwoheroinesPecolarandSula.Fromthelate１970s,withtheinfluenceofBlackPeopleCivilRightsMovement,afeministreadingofMorrison’snovelsbegantotakeshape.BarbaraSmithledamovementinwhichMorrison’sworksandthatofmanyotherblackwriterswereanalyzedfromtheperspectiveofblackfeminism.In１980s,withthepublicationofSongofSolomonandTarBaby,scholarlystudiesofMorrison’snovelshadbeguntoappearinanumberofimportantblackandethnicstudiesjournals—BlackAmericanLiteratureForum,CLAJournal,BlackScholar,MinorityVoices,etc.In1985,TheWorldofToniMorrison:ExplorationsinLiteraryCriticismwaspublished,whichisthefirstmonographofMorrison,.
From１990stillnow,especiallyaftertheawardingoftheNobelPrize,thereweremorecriticalstudiesofToniMorrison’snovelsthanbefore.ToniMorrison:CriticalandTheoreticalApproaches,editedbyNancyJ.Petersonandpublishedin１997,callsattentiontotheculturalandpoliticaldimensionsofMorrison’sworks.Kubitschek’sToniMorrison:ACriticalCompanionpublishedin１998isacollectionofessaysonMorrison’snovelsfromvariousperspectives.TheVoicesofToniMorrison,whichwaswrittenbyBarbaraHillRigney,manifestsissuesofbothraceandgenderinitsanalysis.JohnN.Duvall,whowroteTheIdentifyingFictionsofToniMorrison:ModernistAuthenticityandPostmodernBlacknesspublishedin2000,explorestheissueofnamesandnaminginMorrison’sfictionandrepeatedlyfindssurprisingtracesofMorrison’sstruggletoconstructahealthyidentityasanAfricanAmericanwomannovelist.InTheAestheticsofToniMorrison:SpeakingtheUnspeakable,publishedin2000,sometopscholarsprobeMorrison''snovelsandhergrowingbodyofnonfictionandcriticalworkforthecomplexandpotentaestheticelementsthathavemadeheramajorAmericannovelistofthetwentiethcentury.
However,thestudiesonToniMorrisoninChineseacademicfieldarestillweak,mainlyfrom１993afterherwinningoftheNobelPrizeforLiterature.MostofthearticlesaboutMorrison’sworkshavebeenpublishedinsomeinfluentialmagazinessuchasForeignLiteratures,ForeignLiteratureReview,andForeignLiteratureStudiesetc.Uptonow,manyacademicbooksaboutMorrisonhaveappeared.Thebook“Gender,RaceandCulture—AStudyofToniMorrison’sWritings”byWangShourenandWuXinyunisamonographonToniMorrison,andthroughthegeneralinterpretationofMorrison’seightnovels,thebookexploresherdevelopingideasongender,raceandculture.InPainandHealing:AStudyofMaternalLoveinToniMorrison’sFictionsfromaCulturalPerspective,ZhuRongjiefocuseson“maternallove”inthecontextofAfricanAmericanculture.WangYukuo’sToniMorrisonStudyiswrittenfromnewhistoricismperspective.TheSuperstarofAfro-AmericanLiterature:EssayonToniMorrison’sWriting,writtenbyMaoXinde,givesanintroductiontoMorrison’ssevennovels.AndHuJun’sAStudyoftheIdentityPursuitofAfricanAmericaninToniMorrison’sFictionprobesintotheself-hatredelements.Inaddition,therearemorethanninetyM.A.andPh.D.thesesconcerningMorrisonandherworksince１994inChina. 3.0ABriefIntroductiontoLove
“Loveisacomplicatedstory,thekindofmulti-themed,multi-layered,multi-generationalnovelMorrisonisknownfor.Inthisbookshepushesreaderstothinkaboutthekindsoflovepeopleexperienceandhowthatlovecanbedestroyed;sheexpoundsonthenatureofchangeandhowitcanbothnourishandpoison”(Gershenbaum,2005)Inthisnovel,ToniMorrisonfullydevelopstheideasofracialandsexualoppressionsthatareimposedontheblackwomenaswellaspatriarchyoppression.ThenovelLovesetmainlyinasmalltownintheEasternCoastofAmericafrom１940sto１990s.LovetoldastoryaboutawealthyblackmanBillCoseyand“his”women,wholovedhim,foughtoverhim,madehimmiserableandfinallydrovehimtohisgrave.
Thereweresixprotagonistsinthenovel:BillCosey,Heed,Christine,May,LandJuniorandanothersixsupportingcharacters:BillyBoy,Julia,Celestial,Sandler,Vida,andRomen.BillCosey,asthecentralcharacterinthenovel,wasasuccessfulblackmanandbecameanidolformanyblacksduringhislifetime.Duringthe１940shebecameawealthyownerofCosey’sHotelandResort.Heedwashissecondwife,andwhentheygotmarried,shewasonlyeleven-year-oldandhewasalreadyfifty-two.Christine,hisgranddaughter,wasHeed’sbestfrienduntilBillCoseydecidedtotakeHeedforhiswifeandthentheybecameenemies.May,Christine’smother,wasBillCosey’sdaughter-in-lawandwidowofhisonlysonBillyBoygivenbyhispreviousdeadwifeJulia.L,acookandhousekeeperinCosey’sfamilysinceshewasfourteenyearsold,narratedthestory—herpresencewasquiteghostly,butherwordswerewiseassheopenedandclosedthestory.Junior,recentlyreleasedfromtheCorrectional,washiredasan“assistant”totheagingHeed.
BillCosey’smarriagetolittleHeed,inappearance,maybefromhisshockathisonlyson’sdeath,butitbrokeeverynormalrelationship:grandfather-granddaughterrelation,mother-daughterrelation,couplerelation,sisterhood,etc.Afterthemarriage,thestruggleforCosey’saffectionandpropertyamongthethreewomen—Heed,ChristineandMay—hadneverended.Thebattlebecamemoreandmoreserious.Coseywasembitteredbythisandhewassodisappointedthatfinallyhedecidedtoleaveallhispropertytohisfavoritewoman,aprostitute—Celestial,nothis“Child”.Lthoughtthisunfair,andchangedCosey’swillonamenuoftherestaurantinordertoprotectCosey’swomenandsecureashelterforthemafterCosey’sdeath.Butthisbehaviordidnotbringpeacetothefamily.Thethreewomencontinuedtheirstrugglefortheclaimoftheproperty,withnoneofthemcomingoutasthefinalwinner.Maybecamemadinherlateryearsanddiedofit.HeedhiredJuniortohelpherchangethewillcreatedbyL,makingherastheonlybeneficiary.ButherintentionwasdiscoveredbyChristineandwasfatallyhurtafterfallingdowntheatticinherfightwithChristine.Intheend,ChristineputdownhatredandtookcareofthedyingHeed,herpreviousbestfriend,andthestoryendedintheirrestorationofsisterhood. 4.0LiteratureReviewonLove
MuchofthestudiesareonMorrison’smostfamousnovels,suchasTheBluestEye,SongofSolomon,Jazz,andBeloved.Love,theeighthnovelofToniMorrisonhasalsoreceivedmuchcriticismabroadandinChinasinceitspublicationin2003.ThereisnodoubtthatthepublicationofLoveisanewfocusintheliteraryworld,sovariousreviewsandcommentsofthisnovelinstantlyfollow.Somescholarsseverelycriticizethenovel,assumingittobeabook“notrequiringanyheavyliftingfromthereaderlikehermasterpiece,BelovedandSongofSolomon”.(Davis,2003:30)ThefamouscriticMichikoKakutaniwroteinTheNewYorkTimes,“thestoryasawholereadslikeagothicsoapopera,peoplebyscheming,bitterwomenandselfish,predatorymen:womenengagedincartoon-violentcatfights;mencattingaroundandgoingtocathouses.”①
However,therearemorepositivevoicesthanunfavorablecriticismsonit.TheAtlantaJournal-ConstitutionconsideredLovetobe“adeeplyaffectingworkbyaGreatAmericanNovelistwhoisstillatthetopofherform…Morrison’stender,tautprosewastesnoword,nosyllable,noletter…anovelofdevastatingrevelations,impeccablyarranged”.②BradHooperpraisedinBooklist“Loveisaprofoundnovel.Asavividpainterofhumanemotions,Morrisoniswithoutpeer,herimpressionsrenderedinanexquisitelymetaphoricbutcomfortablyopenstyle”③;JohnLeonardcommentedthat“LikeeveryotherstealthyMorrisonnovel,Lovehasclosetsandcellars,bolt-holesandtrap-doorandcardtricks…Yetagain,shegivesusdream”.④
Despiteitswarmreceptionsanddiversecriticismonit,Love,comparedwithMorrison’spreviousnovels,hasseldombeenacademicallystudiedasarelativelynewnovel.Onlyafewacademictreatisesbutnomonographsonthenovelarefoundoutwithinmysearchingscope.InherliterarycriticismPost-ColonialWomenWriter:NewPerspective,Dr.SunitaSinhacommentedonwomenwritersfromagreatvarietyofregionsandnationalities,amongwhich“ToniMorrison’sLove—AnEpicofEnslavementandLiberation”discussedthenovelfromtheperspectiveofhistoryandculture.“ALayingonofHands:ToniMorrisonandtheMaterialityofLove”writtenbyAnissaJanineWardicontrastedthesymbolismofhandsinBelovedandLoveseparately.In“‘I’llTell’—TheFunctionandMeaningofLinToniMorrison’sLove”,Wen-chingHoinvestigatedtheidentityandsingularityofLandaddressedthevariousrolessheplaysinthecomplexnarrativeinthenovelLove.In2008,inhisUncoveringtheBelovedintheWarringandLawlessWomaninToniMorrison’sLove,thecriticJ.BrooksBousongavearoughinterpretationfrommultifacetedaspectsofthenovel,butnodeepanalysisofsomespecificpoints.
AndinChina,therearearticlesonthisnovelpublishedinacademicjournals.“ANewReflectiononLove”byWangShourenandWuXinyungaveageneralintroductiontothenovel,includingitsplots,characters,themes,aswellasitsinfluence.CenteringontheheroineHeed’smarriageandlifeexperience,“LoveTrudginginMud”byZengMeiexposedthedeprivaloftheblackfemales’rightsforhappinessandlovebymalesinordertoarousethereaders’attentiontotheexistenceoftheblackwomenaswellastheracialdiscriminationandoppressioninAmericatoday.XiaoLameiexaminedloveandhatredwhicharecausedbyracialaswellassexualpoliticsin“LoveandPolitics”.In“TheFemaleSelfLostandRegained:AnAnalysisofMorrison’sLove”,LiXiuqingdiscussesthelossofthefemaleselffromthefeminismperspective;inherarticle“TheCarrierofValueandDesire:OntheFemaleBodyinToniMorrison’sLove”,ZhaiWenjingemploystheIragariantheoriestoelaboratethedifficultyofestablishingoffemalesubjectivitybecauseofwomen’svulnerabilityinself-control. ToniMorrison’snovelLoveisconsideredbyherselfasoneofhermostimportantworks,althoughitdoesnotarouseasmuchconcernashermasterpieceBeloveddoes.Inthisnovelshekeepsexploringtheexperiencesandpsychologyoftheblackpeople,especiallyoftheblackwomen.Asthetitleindicates,thenovelseemstodepictdifferentkindsoflove.Butafterreadingthewholenovel,allwecanfindistheabsenceofloveintheblackpeople.Inotherwords,thestrikingfeatureofthisbookistheabsenceoflove,whichbringsthetitleasenseofirony.
Notes
①http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/31/books/books-of-the-times-family-secrets-feuding-women.html2011,10,10
②http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/14000784742011,10,14
③http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/14000784742011,10,14
④http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/14000784742011,10,14
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