Identity, Community Education and Private Schooling—On Gus Lee’s China Boy

Abstract

Chinese American literature, as a unique part in American literature, since its appearance has undergone dramatic changes and received more and more attention at home and abroad, especially after the 1960s. The special writing style, the gender problem, the emasculated Chinese men and the struggles of oppressed Chinese are always the issues that catch the notice of critics. Among them, the exploration of identity is the most pervasive. From “yellow peril” to “model minority,” Chinese American identity has experienced a great transformation. To interpret this phenomenon, critics have adopted different perspectives, like historical, cultural, religious, psychological and sociological ones. However, few of them pay attention to the influence of education on Chinese American identity formation. Despite several researches about the role of education, most are focused on some limited samples acquired through the qualitative methods. China Boy as the debut of Gus Lee, since the publication has provoked a stir around the world, this research concentrates on the influence of education on the identity formation of Kai Ting, the protagonist, from a scraggy little boy to a strong one in the dilemma of traditional Chinese culture and dominant culture. Through the research of community education and private schooling, the thesis tends to probe into the impact of education on the construction of Chinese American identity.