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InterpretationofCora’sFateofTheUndergroundRailroadfromthePerspectiveofFeminism

摘要

科爾森·懷特黑德在2016年憑借《地下鐵道》獲得美國(guó)國(guó)家圖書獎(jiǎng),在2017年憑借《地下鐵道》獲得普利策獎(jiǎng)。他成為了二十一世紀(jì)唯一憑借同一部小說(shuō)獲得美國(guó)兩個(gè)重要文學(xué)獎(jiǎng)的小說(shuō)家。本文以《地下鐵道》為研究對(duì)象,以女性主義為理論基礎(chǔ),試圖找出小說(shuō)主人公科拉命運(yùn)的成因。

本文從種族歧視,性別歧視和階級(jí)壓迫三個(gè)方面入手,分析了科拉獨(dú)自面對(duì)欺辱和不公后的對(duì)待逃跑的態(tài)度變化,以及對(duì)她最終命運(yùn)的影響;同時(shí)本文結(jié)合科拉的情感和她所居住的環(huán)境,分析了對(duì)她命運(yùn)走向的影響最深的人及原因。

經(jīng)過(guò)上述分析,本文發(fā)現(xiàn),科拉母親拋棄科拉,推動(dòng)了科拉的逃跑的腳步,幸得西澤和羅亞爾的幫助,科拉才獲得自由。白人對(duì)黑人的種族歧視,性別歧視和階級(jí)壓迫,讓科拉逐漸覺(jué)醒,讓她清楚若想生存,必須逃跑,重獲自由。根據(jù)美國(guó)歷史的發(fā)展,廢奴勢(shì)在必行,科拉的最終命運(yùn)是走向自由。

關(guān)鍵詞:《地下鐵道》;女性主義;科拉

Abstract

In2016,ColsonWhiteheadwontheAmericanNationalBookAwardforTheUndergroundRailroad.AndhewonthePulitzerPrizein2017forTheUndergroundRailroad.Hebecametheonlynovelistinthe21stcenturywhowontwoimportantAmericanliteratureawardsforthesamenovel.ThisthesistakesTheUndergroundRailroadastheresearchmaterial,andbasesonfeminism,triestofindoutthecausesofCora’sfateinthisnovel.

Thisthesisfromthreeaspectsofracism,sexismandclassoppression,analyzesCora'sattitudetowardescapeafterbullyingandinjustice,andfindsouttheimpactonherultimatedestiny.Atthesametime,thisthesiscombinesCora'semotionsandtheenvironmentinwhichshelived,analyzesthepeopleandreasonsthathadthegreatestimpactonherfate.

Aftertheaboveanalysis,thisthesisfindsthatCola'smotherabandonedCorawhichpushedCoratoescape.Luckily,withthehelpofCaesarandRoyal,Corawasfree.Whitesbullyblacksfromraceandsex.AndtheclassoppressionofblacksmadeCoragraduallyawakenandmadeherrealizethatifshewantedtosurvive,shemustescapeandregainherfreedom.AccordingtothedevelopmentofthehistoryoftheUnitedStates,theabolitionofslavepowerisimperative,andCora’sultimatefateistomovetowardfreedom.

Keywords:TheUndergroundRailroad;feminism;Cora

Chapter1Introduction

Thischapterwillintroducebackground,objectiveandoutlineofthestudy.Andhopefullythispartwillprovidereaderswithabasicunderstandingofthisstudy.

1.1BackgroundoftheStudy

ColsonWhitehead,anAmericannovelist,wasborninNewYorkCityonNovember6,1969.HegrewupinManhattanandgraduatedfromHarvardUniversityin1991.WritingwassomethingWhiteheadhaddonesincehewas10or11,inspiredbythewiderangeofbooksinhishouse.Afterleavingcollege,WhiteheadwroteforTheVillageVoice.WhenheworkedattheVoice,hebegandraftinghisfirstnovels.Hehasproducedsixnovels,includinghisdebutwork,the1999novelTheIntuitionist,andTheUndergroundRailroad(2016),whichwasacriticalandcommercialsuccess,hitthebestsellerlistsandwonseveralnotableprizes.TheUnderground

Railroad

won

the

2016

National

Book

Award

for

Fiction

and

the

2017Pulitzer

Prize

for

Fiction.

And

The

Underground

Railroad

was

a

selectionofOprah’sBookClub2.0,andwasalsochosenbyPresidentBarackObamaasoneoffivebooksonhissummervacationreadinglist.

TheideaforTheUndergroundRailroadcametoWhiteheadearly-in2000,inthewakeofhisfirstbookbeingpublished.HewroteTheIntuitionistwhiledoingreviewsfortheVillageVoiceandlaterasamorewide-rangingfreelancewriter.Hisyouthfulconfidencehaditslimitations,however.WhenhecameupwiththeconceptthatwouldbecomeTheUndergroundRailroad,itwasdifferentfromwhatappearedinthefinalversionofthenovel.Heknewhewantedtowriteaboutthechannelsthathelpedslavesescapefromplantationsinthesouthtothenorth.Heknewhewantedittoincludeanelementifmagicalrealism–inthecase,theconversionofthefigurativerailroad,thenetworkofsafehousesviawhichescapedslavespassed,intoanactualsubwaysystem.Healsothoughthisprincipalcharacterwouldbeayoung,singleman,ashewasatthetime.Thatwasasfarashegot.Whiteheadsaid,“WhenIhadtheideain2000,itseemedlikeagoodidea,butIdidn’tthinkIwasagoodenoughwriter.IthoughtifIwrotesomemorebooksImightbecomeabettercraftspersonand,ifIwasolder,Imightbeabletobringthematurityofsomeofthoseyearstothebookanddoitjustice.AndsoIshiedawayfromit.Itwasdauntingintermsofitsstructure,andtodotheresearchasdeepasitneededtobedone,andtodealwiththegravityitdeserved,wasscary.Andthen,acoupleofyearsago,Ithoughtmaybethescarybookistheoneyouaresupposedtobedoing.”Theheroinebecamenotamaninhismid-20s,butCora,ateenagegirlfollowinginherrunwaymother’sfootsteps.Themoststrikingsectionofthebookistheintenselyrealisticopeningportrait,oflifeontheplantationbeforeCora’sescape,inwhichWhiteheadfocusesontherelationshipsbetweenslaves,sooftensentimentalizedinshallowerdepictionsofslavery.

Whiteheadspentalongtimeontheresearchforthebook,ploughingthroughoralhistoryarchives,inparticularthe2,300first-personaccountsofslaverycollectedbytheFederalWriters’Projectinthe1930s,when,incredibly,thelastsurvivorsofslaverywereintheir90s.Whilehewasatschool,hesays,educationonslaveryhadbeenpitifullyinadequate.Whiteheadalsowantedtowritemoreaboutparentsandchildren.Havingchildrenhimselfputtheimaginedexperienceofslaveryinanevenmoreintolerablelight.Coraisgalvanizedbyherlovefor,andfuryat,hermother,Mabel.Mabelprovidesontheonehandanexampleofsomeonewhocanrunawaysuccessfully,andalsothecounterexampleofsomeonewhoabandonstheirchildtothehellofslavery.AndbothofthosethingswarpCora’sperceptionsanddrivedifferentbehaviorsinthebook.WhathappenstoMabel,Whiteheadwantedtoaddressthegapbetweenwhatweknowofourparentsandwhotheyreallyare.

TheUndergroundRailroad,analternatehistorynoveltellsthestoryofCoraandCaesar,twoslavesinthesoutheasternUnitedStatesduringthe1800swhomakeabidforfreedomfromtheirGeorgiaplantationsbyfollowingtheUndergroundRailroad,whichinthenovelisanactualsubwayasopposedtoaseriesofsafehousesandsecretroutes.CoraistheheroineofTheUndergroundRailroad.ShewasbornonRandallplantationinGeorgiatohermotherMabel,andsheneverknewherfather,Grayson,whodiedbeforeshewasborn.Coraisbraveandrebellious;thenarratorsuggestssheinheritedhercapacitytoendureobstaclesandbrutalityfromAjarry,andherstubborninstinctforresistancefromMabel.Evenso,CoraatfirstfindstheprospectofrunningawaywithCaesarludicrous.Itisonlyonceshehastastedfreedomforherself—andovercomenumerousnear-escapesthatCorabecomesfearlesslydedicatedtothepursuitofafreelifeinthenorth.Towardtheendofthebook,inIndiana,shehasaromanticaffairwithRoyal,whichisprematurelyendedwhenRoyaliskilledbyRidgeway.Cora’sfateisneverdetermined,butthebookendsonanoptimisticnote,withOllieofferingherfoodasshejoinshimontheroadtothenorth.

1.2ObjectiveoftheStudy

ThisthesistriestointerpretCora’sfatefromtheperspectiveofblackfeminism.Thisthesisisbasedonblackfeminism,takingthebook–TheUndergroundRailroadasthematerialtobeanalyzed,aimingatinterpretingCora’sfateandexploringthereasonsforCora’sfatefromtheblackfeministperspective.

Hopefully,itwillprovideanswerstothefollowingquestions:

1)WhoaffectedCoratoescape?

2)WhyCoraresolutelychosetoescape?

3)WhatisCora’sfinalfate?

1.3OutlineoftheThesis

Thisthesisiscomposedoffivechapters.

Chapter1makesageneralintroductiontothebackgroundandaimsofthestudyaswellastheoutlineofthestudy.Chapter2providesabriefreviewofthepreviousstudiesinrelevantfield,includingabriefreviewofcontributionsmadebynumerousresearcherstoTheUndergroundRailroad,thestudyofFeministTheory.Chapter3introducestheresearchdesignofthestudy,includingtheoreticalframework——FeministTheory,andresearchmethod.Chapter4devotestoanalyzeandinterpretCora’sfatefromFeministTheory.Chapter5concludesthestudywithadiscussiononmajorfindings,implications,limitationsofthisthesisandsomesuggestionsforthefurtherstudy.

Chapter2LiteratureReview

ThispartwillmakeareviewoffeministtheoryandTheUndergroundRailroadabroadandathome.

2.1ReviewofFeministTheory

TheconceptoffeminismfirstappearedinFranceinthelate19thcenturyduringfeministmovement.Therearethreewavesoffeministmovements.Duringthefirst-wave,feministsfightforbettereducation,morejobopportunitiesforwomenandhigherlegalstatus.Thesecondwavefocusmoreonpoliticalequality,

such

as

the

right

to

vote

and

the

right

to

participate

in

majornationaldecisions(Tong,1989).Andforthethirdwaveoffeministmovement,feministsturnedtheirconcernstothesexualrightofwomenandtheequalitywithinmarriage.Untilnow,thatthedefinition

of

feminism

is

a

range

ofpolitical

movements,

ideologies,

and

social

movements

thatshareacommongoal:todefine,establish,andachievepolitical,economic,personal,andsocialequalityofsexes.Thisincludesseekingtoestablisheducationalandprofessionalopportunitiesforwomenthatareequaltothoseformen.Feministtheoryistheextensionoffeminismintotheoretical,fictional,orphilosophicaldiscourse.Itaimstounderstandthenatureofgenderinequality.Itexamineswomen’sandmen’ssocialroles,experience,interests,chores,andfeministpoliticsinavarietyoffields,suchasanthropologyandsociology,communication,mediastudies,psychoanalysis,homeeconomics,literature,education,andphilosophy.Feministtheoryfocusesonanalyzinggenderinequality.Themesexploredinfeminismincludediscrimination,objectification(especiallysexualobjectification),oppression,patriarchy,stereotyping,arthistoryandcontemporaryart,andaesthetics.

2.1.1ReviewofPreviousStudiesAbroad

Sincethreewavesoffeministmovements,moreandmorescholarsstartedtopayattentiontofeministtheory,andtheystartedtodoresearchesfromtheperspectiveoffeminism.Generallyspeaking,Westernscholarsdoresearches,theyoftencombinefeminismwithliterary,history,sociology,anthropology,cultureandsoon(Li,2005).Feministcriticism,asafeministcriticaltheory,originatedfromwomen’sliberationmovementinthe1960s.Fromthenon,thistheoryhasbeendevelopedintomanyfields.

Inliterary,

Simon

de

Beauvoir

(1949)

in

her

book

The

Second

Sex,

which

is

regardedastheBibleofthefemaleliberationinthewest,arguesthat“Theworldhasalwaysbelongedtomale”(Blackwell,2011),andawomaniscreatedbymanandthetraditionalsociety.Inherview,“Oneisnotborn,butratherbecomes,awomanItiscivilizationasawholethatproducesthiscreature,whichisdescribedasfeminine.(TheSecondSex,255)Shethinksthatwomenweretheproductofsocietyandtheyarenotborntobesubordinate.Inaddition,shepointsoutthatwomenlostself-identitybecauseoftheoppressionofpatriarchalsociety.(AbramsHarpham,2014).Whatismore,Beauvoircriticizesthatthemalewritermisrepresentsthefemalecharacterintheirworks.Linda(1971)fromthefeministperspectiveanalyzesthedifficultiesandlimitationalongtheprogressoffemaleartists.Shefirstqueriesthenormalformofarthistory.Andsheisthefirstpersontodiscussarthistoryfromfeministperspective.SheputsforwardthattheneglectandrepressiontofemaleartistinWesternarthistoryisdeservedtoresearch,andshestudiesonthistheme.Moreover,inherresearch,shefirststatesthatfeministarthistoryisnotonlythemainstreamofarthistoryorsupplementforanotherform,butalsodarestochallengeauthorityandtradition,queriesmanymainschool’sstandpoint.BeverlyJ.Rasporich(1990)focusonMunro’sworksfromtheperspective,andhepointsoutthattheissuesofwomen’sidentityandwomen’sconsciousness.

Afterthesecond-wavewomenmovements,feminismbecomesanewperspectiveforscholarstoresearchcitysociology.ThefamousBritishsociologistGiddens(2003)pointsoutthatgenderrelationshipissoultimateforsociologicalanalysisthatcannotbesimplyattributedtoasubdisciplineofsociology.Moreover,manyscholarsresearchgeographybycombiningwithfeminism.Andtheybelievethatinalongterm,urbandevelopmentisalwaysinfluencedbymaleprincipleormalestandards,andignoresthespaceexistenceandspacerequirementoffemale.Therefore,theurbanconstructionisconsideredthatthegenderisunequal,sothattherearemanyseriouscityproblems,suchastrafficjam,housingshortage,environmentaldegradationandsoon.Andtheypointoutthatitisdifficulttosolvetheseproblemsthoroughlybytechnology,thegovernmentmustreconsiderthecityspacefromtheperspectiveoffemale.

2.1.2ReviewofPreviousStudiesatHome

FeminisminChinabeganinthe20thcenturyintandemwiththeChineseRevolution.AlthoughtheappearanceoffeminisminChinaislaterthanthatinWestern,thestudiesrelatedfeminisminChinaarenotlessthanthatinWestern.Thefeministtheoryisappliedinvarietyfields.

Inliterary,manyscholarsbymeansoffeministtheoryanalyzecharactersintheliterature.AndmanyscholarsexplorethestemofTess’stragicfatefromtheperspectiveofecologicalfeminism,tohelpreaderstounderstandTessoftheDUrbervillesfromanewview.Zhang(2004)thinksthatinHardy’swork,womenandnaturearecloselylinked.AndHardyusesthenaturalworldtoreflectthepsychologicalchangesofwomen,tofoilthefemaleimage,andasthesametime,heusedthetragedyofwomentoconveythesadnessofthelossofnature.Wei(2012)whointerpretsTessoftheDUrbervillesfromtheperspectiveofecologicalfeminism,aimstohaveadeeperunderstandingofhardyhimselfandthiswork.Sheintendstoguidepeopletounderstandandreflectontherelationshipbetweennature,humanandfemale.Andsheadvocatesthatpeopleshouldpromotetheawarenessofenvironmentalprotectionandtrytobuildaharmoniousworldofnature,menandwomen.Bai(2017)exploredtheprotagonistofWhoDoYouThinkYouAre?Rose’sidentityissuesfromtheperspectiveoffeminism.Sheillustratesthatthefemale’ssearchforidentityisacontinuousprocess,duringwhichthefemaleinevitablyencountersthechallengesandpressuresfromthepatriarchalsociety.Toestablishself-identity,thefemaleshouldkeepthepositiveattitudeandviewwithlong-termpotential.Chen(2010)revealsthegrowthandtoughsurvivalofwomeninRunawayfromtheperspectiveoffeminism.

Ingeographicalresearch,Chai(2003)appliesfeministtheorytogeographicalstudies,andheexpoundstheprocessofspatialstructurewhenurbanwomendothedailyactivities.Yao(2017)pointsthattheresearchesaboutfeminismismoreandmorerelatedtodisadvantagedgroupgeography,socialgeography,andnewculturalgeography.

2.2ReviewofPreviousStudiesRelatedTheUndergroundRailroad

TheUndergroundRailroadisthesixthfictionofColsonWhitehead,whowritesthetragichistoryofAmericanslavery,exploresthetopicoffreedomandhumanrights.ThispartwillmakeareviewaboutTheUndergroundRailroadabroadandathome.

Manisha(2016)summedupCora’sexperiencesofeverychapter.AndhepointsoutthatWhitehead’sliteralundergroundrailroadalsoquiteremarkablyilluminatesthehistoryofslaverythroughthestoryofCora’sescape.EachstatethatCoramovesthroughmapsthehistoricalgeographyofenslavementandfreedomwithWhiteheadtakingliterarylicensetotellabroaderstory.However,hejustinterpretsthisnovelfromtheperspectiveofracesandslavery,andhedoesnotfurtherstudythecausesofCora’sfate.Kathryn(2016)pointsoutthatthemetaphorfortherailroad,aliteraltrainwithunknownconductorsandsporadicbranchesthatjustmightleadtofreedom,isitselfaptandgetstothehistoricaltruthinanessentialsense.Thiswasadangerous,secretive,botchyenterpriseinwhichtheenslavedandtheiralliestookhugerisksandwerealwayssubjecttorecaptureandtortureemergesfromthisfictiveaccountratherthanthemythic,heroicaccountsoftheUndergroundRailroad.Juan(2016)commendstheundergroundrailroadismorethanametaphorfromperspectiveofclosereading.Hesaysthatittouchesonthehistoricalnovelandslavestory,butwhatitdoeswiththosegenresisstrikingandimaginative.Thenovelistakingussomewherewehaveneverbeenbefore.Eric(2016)revealsthetruehistoryofTheUndergroundRailroad.

Geng(2017)exploresthepublishingvalueofTheUndergroundRailroadfromsocialvalue,valueoftimesandculturalvalue.Shepointsoutthatthisnovelplaysanimportantroleincontemporarysocialharmonyandnationalequality.Inaddition,sheexploresthepracticalsignificanceofthisnovel.Shepointsoutthatthisnovelcriticizesslaveryandracialdiscriminationandpreachesdemocraticfreedomandtheideaoffairnessandjustice.Kang(2017)contraststhenarrativebetweenTheUndergroundRailroadandMorrison’sBeloved.HefoundthatthoughbothTheUndergroundRailroadandBeloveddescribeintenseviolence,TheUndergroundRailroad’sdescriptionismoredirectandthorough.Wang(2017)sumsupCora’sexperiencefromtheperspectiveofliterarycriticism.HepointsoutthatCorahadnoregretsandfearaboutrunningawayfromtheplantation.AndhepraisesCora’sboldness.Inaddition,hebelievesthatCoranevergiveup,althoughthelifeofescapeishardandtough.AndhethinksthatCorahasbeenreinventingherself.Coraisnotinvincible,onthecontrary,sheconfuseswhyhermotherhasabandonedher,andsheisgrievous.But,eventuallysheunderstandswhyhermotherescaped.Andsheforgavehermother.Qiao(2017)analyzesdocumentaryvalue,thoughtvalueandculturevalueofthefiction,andresearchesitsculturalconnotationandpublishingmeaning.ShepointsoutthatColsondocumentstherealenvironmentoftheprocessofsellingslavesandthelifeofslavesinplantations.Moreover,shepointsoutthatthethoughtvalueofTheUndergroundRailroadistopursuitfreedom.ThebooknotonlydescribesCora’spursuittofreedom,butalsoexplorestheessenceoffreedom.Andheillustratestheculturalvalue,artisticvalueandhistoricaldatevalue.Ding(2017)interpretsTheUndergroundRailroadfromnarrative.SherevealsthesorrowhistoryabouttheBlackman.Chang(2017)pointsoutthatthecharacteristicsofTheUndergroundRailroadisthatthelimitationbetweenkindandevilfromCriticalperspective.

2.3SpaceoftheStudy

Despiteallthesestudies,littleinterpretsCora’sfate,andmostpreviousstudiesdidnotcovertheperspectiveofFeministTheory.ThisthesistakesCora’sexperiencesascasestostudy,aimsatanalyzinghercharactersandthereasonsforherfate,andinterpretherfinalfate.

Chapter3ResearchDesign

Thetheoreticalframeworkofthisthesisisblackfeminism.ThisthesiswillinterpretCora’sfatefromtheperspectiveofblackfeminism.

3.1FeministTheory–BlackFeminism

Blackfeminismisdifficulttobedefinedasasocialandcriticaltheory.Blackfeminismisoftendefinedasaschoolofthoughtstatingthatsexism,classoppression,genderidentityandracismareinextricablyboundtogether.PatriciaHillCollins(2000)describedblackfeminismasthat“womenwhotheorizetheexperiencesandideassharedbyordinaryblackwomenthatprovideauniqueangleofvisionofself,community,andsociety”.TheCombaheeRiverCollectivestatedthat“theliberationofblackwomenentailsfreedomforallpeople,sinceitwouldrequiretheendofracism,sexismandclassoppression.

Blackfeminismwhichisabranchofwesternfeministcriticism,originateswiththeemergenceofBlackWomen’sMovementinthe1970sintheUnitedStates.Blackfeministcriticsresearchtheworksofblackfemalewritersfromafeministperinscriptionsselective.Feministperspectiveisconsideredasawayofreadingofrace,classandgenderinmodesofculturalexpression.BarbaraSmith(1978)statesinheressay–TowardaBlackFeministCriticism:LongbeforeItriedtowritethisIrealizedthatIwasattemptingsomethingunprecedented,somethingdangerous,merelybywritingaboutblackwomenwritersfromafeministperspectiveandaboutblacklesbianwritersfromanyperspectiveatall,thesethingshavenotbeendone.Notbywhitewomencriticswhothinkofthemselvesasfeminists.Andmostcruciallynotbyblackwomencritics,althoughtheypaythemostattentiontoblackwomenwritersasagroup,seldomuseaconsistentfeministanalysis.

Blackfeministcriticismcontainsdiverseandevencontradictorymeanings.Althoughtherearethesedifferences,itisstillimportanttofindsomecommongroundforthinkingthroughtheboundariesofblackfeministcriticism.JustPearlCleageremindsus,“wehavetoseeclearlythatweareauniquegroup,setundeniablyapartbecauseofraceandsexwithauniquesetofchallenges”.

Blackfeminismbecamepopularinthe1960s,astheresultoftheCivilRightsMovementwhichexcludedwomenfromleadershippositions,andperceivedracismofthefeministmovement.Fromthe1970sto1980s,blackfeministsformedvariousgroupswhichaddressedtheroleofblackwomeninblacknationalism,gayliberation,andsecond-wavefeminism.Inthe1990s,theAnitaHillcontroversyplacedblackfeminisminamainstreamlight.Inrecentyears,thedistinctionofblackfeminismhasbirthedthetagwhitefeminist,usedtocriticizefeministswhodonotacknowledgeissuesofintersectionality.Criticsofblackfeminismarguethatracialdivisionsweakenthestrengthoftheoverallfeministmovement.

Thewell-knownblackfeministleaderAliceWalker(2014)firstused“womanist”inherwork:“Womanististofeministaspurpletolavender”.AccordingtoWalker,awomanistisonewholovesotherwomen,sexuallyand/ornonsexually;appreciatesandpreferswomen’sculture,women’semotionalflexibility,andwomenstrength:sometimeslovesindividualmen,sexuallyand/ornonsexually;commitstothesurvivalandwholenessofentirepeople,maleandfemale”.Walker’sdefinitionindicatesthatwomanismtriestofosterinterracialcooperationamongwomenandstrongerrelationshipsbetweenblackwomenandblackmen.SheexpressesherfeelingofexclusionbyBlackNationalistmen,andherfeelingofseparationfromwhitefeministswhofailtoconsiderrace.Womanismisdifferentfromandsuperiortoblackfeminism.Ontheonehand,blackwomencanaddressracialoppressionwithoutattackingblackmenbyusingwomanism.Ontheotherhand,womencanaddressgenderoppressionwithinterracialcooperation.AnotheressentialideainWalker’sblackfeministisself-love;thisloveofselfistheimpetusforhercommitmenttowomenandmenandtostruggleforjustices.

Althoughitishardtofindaspecificdefinitionforblackfeminism,ithasdistinguishingfeatureswhicharemainlybasedonhistorical,racialandculturebackgroundrootedintheblackliterature:

Firstly,exposingpatriarchalprejudicelaidontheblackwomen.Blackfeministsbelievethatblackwomenareprejudicedagainstaswellasoppressed.Theirmiseryistheresultoftheintersectingoppressionsoftheracism,sexismandclassoppression.Thusthemaintaskforblackfeminismisnotonlytoexposepatriarchaldominationoverwomenbutalsotoempowerblackwomenwithinthecontextofsocialinjustice.

Secondly,analyzingblackwomen’sworksisonecorethemeinblackfeministthought.AccordingtoWallace,documentingblackwomen’slaboristoseethegeneralpatternsofraceandgenderinequalityisoneprimaryareaofanalysis.Thisresearchissupplementedbystudiesofblackwomen’spositionsinspecificoccupationalniches,suchastheattentiondevotedtoblackwomendomesticworkers,andspecifichistoricaleras,suchasslavery.BlackfeministpresentAfrican-Americanwomenasconstrainedbutoftenempoweredfigures,eveninextremelydifficultlabormarketsettings.

Thirdly,cherishingblackculture.Blackfeministsallegethatblackwomenarenolongermerespectatorsinthehistoricaldevelopmentoftheblack.Instead,theyareinheritorsofblacktraditionandculture.Intheprocessoffightingagainstracism,sexismandclassoppression,theblackwomenusuallygetmoresupportsandhelpfromtheirfemalefriends.

Fourthly,thatchallengingcontrollingimagesofblackwomenasstereotypicalmammies,matriarchs,welfarerecipients,andhotmommasportrayedbythewhitehasbeenacorethemeinblackfeministcriticism.AsCherylGilkescontends,“Blackwomen’sassertivenessandtheiruseofeveryexpressionofracismtolaunchmultifacedthreattothestatusquo.Aspunishment,blackwomenhavebeenassaultedwithavarietyofnegativeimages”.Sochallengingtheseimageshaslongbeenamissionforblackwomenwriters.

3.2ResearchMethods

ThisthesiswillusetextanalysisandclosereadingtostudyCora’sexperience.

Textanalysisisaboutparsingtextsinordertoextractmachine-readablefactsfromthem.Thepurposeoftextanalysisistocreatesetsofstructureddataoutofheapsofunstructured,heterogeneousdocuments.Theprocesscanbethoughtofasslicinganddicingdocumentsintoeasy-to-manageandintegratedatapieces.

Inliterarycriticism,closereadingisthecareful,sustainedinterpretationofabriefpassageofatext.Aclosereadingemphasizesthesingleandtheparticularoverthegeneral,effectedbycloseattentiontoindividualwords,thesyntax,andtheorderinwhichthesentencesunfoldideas,asthereaderscansthelineoftext.

Chapter4AnalysisofCora’sBasedonFeminism

ThispartwillanalyzeCora’sexperiencesindetailcombiningwithblackfeminism.AndthispartwillexploreCora’sfatefromheremotionsandlivingenvironment.

TheUndergroundRailroad,setbeforetheAmericancivilwar,tells

the

story

of

Cora.

Cora

is

a

slaveon

a

cotton

plantation

in

Georgia.

Life

is

hell

for

all

the

slaves,

but

especially

bad

for

Cora;anoutcastevenamongherfellowAfricans,sheiscomingintowomanhood

where

even

greater

painawaits.

When

Caesar,

a

recent

arrival

from

Virginia,

tells

her

about

the

Underground

Railroad,theydecidetotakeaterrifyingriskandescape.Mattersdonotgoasplanned–C

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