UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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| Abstract : Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun |
| The aim of this study is to reveal how individuals are disciplined by power-discourse during the modernization transition and how Eileen Chang critiques and transcends this phenomenon through her literary narratives. This study employs Foucault _ s theory of power-discourse as its theoretical framework to systematically examine the existential dilemmas and literary significance of the _ silenced figures _ in Eileen Chang _ s novels. Research methodology involves a combined approach of close textual analysis and theoretical interpretation. The study focuses on four typical types of silenced figures: remnants of the old era clinging to outdated knowledge, Westernized intellectuals alienated by modern education, morally degraded individuals lost in desire, and marginalized groups at the bottom of power structures. The findings demonstrate that by multi-dimensionally portraying these silenced figures, Eileen Chang not only depicts the cognitive fragmentation and subjectivity crisis of individuals under modernity _ s impact but also deconstructs the operational logic of power-discourse through her unique narrative strategies. Specifically, the _silence_ of these figures is not merely voice lessness but a form of resistant discourse_through which the writer subverts the grand narratives of traditional enlightenment while constructing an aesthetic paradigm that examines modern spiritual dilemmas from a micro-power perspective. The conclusion highlights that Eileen Chang_s depiction of silenced figures transcends mere tragic representation; its deeper significance lies in exposing the violence of power-discourse and exploring the limited possibilities of individual resistance within a disciplinary society. The study brings about three theoretical implications. First, it systematically establishes a critical dialogue between Foucault _ s theory and Eileen Chang _ s literary studies. Second, the proposed _silenced figures_ analytical model provides an interdisciplinary methodological reference for modern literary character studies. Third, by re-examining the modernity of Shanghaistyle literature, it offers insights into contemporary cultural criticism, particularly regarding discussions of subjectivity. |
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