Rootlessness on a Transitional Cultural Space

張榮

【Abstract】Cultural identity has long been a heatedly-discussed topic not only in peoples ordinary lives but also in literary works.With the guidance of the related interpretations made by previous scholars，this paper tries to explore the cultural rootlessness on in-between space based on the four English novel texts，namely Wide Sargasso Sea，A Way in the World，Brick Lane and Sour Sweet as well.Meanwhile，it implies that cultural rootless is the result of globalization，cultural exclusiveness and lack of communication，and that only when we accept the cultural integration，strengthen communication and exchange between different cultures，can we eliminate barriers and achieve our own cultural identities.

【Key words】cultural identity； cultural rootlessness； cultural exclusiveness； cultural integration

Ⅰ.Introduction

Wide Sargasso Sea，A Way in the World，Brick Lane and Sour Sweet have something in common that they all illustrate the cultural identity crisis，although they are created by four different writers who are Jean Rhys，V.S.Naipaul，Monica Ali as well as Timothy Peter Mo，respectively.

Ⅱ.Rootlessness Between Two Cultures of Host-land and Homeland

Wide Sargasso Sea deals with two main characters cultural identities，especially the female character.As a white Creole，Antoinette can identify herself neither as white nor black，while Rochester also suffers from severe physical，psychological and cultural alienation in Caribbean colonies，which ultimately leads to his troubled sense of identity.Both the black （host-land）and the English white （homeland）are disgusted at Western Indian Creoles represented by Antoinette.For instance，the black servant Emily arrogantly said to Antoinette that “The white cockroach she marry； the white cockroach she buy young man…”（Jean Rhys，1968，p.75）.Also，English women call white Creoles “white niggers”（p.9）.Thus，not only in host-land but also in homeland does Antoinette fail to find a position for herself.

A Way in the World unfolds as a blend of autobiography，history，travelling account and short story.This book consists of nine chapters.Chapter one is about Naipauls return to Trinidad and Tobago and the story of the distorted cultural identification of Leonard Said，a man who not only makes cakes but also beautifies dead bodies，and a Muslim who hangs a picture of Jesus Christ in his room.This vividly depicts an embarrassing and marginalized situation that immigrants cannot keep themselves entirely away from homeland culture although they live in host-land，just as Leonard Said who positions himself in a site where cultural imperialism and colonies interact.From my perspective，this is actually cultural root-seeking or cultural nostalgia.Because “sometimes we can be strangers to ourselves” （V.S.Naipaul，p.11）.

As contemporary British literary works，Brick Lane tells about new immigrants，their disappointments，their cultural conflicts，their generational conflicts，and the youth who have turned to drugs and radical Islam.Also，it debates about the nature of immigrant subjectivity，examination of the double bind especially the female migrants encounter.They are treated as aliens by their host nation and as commodities by the people in their own communities，such as Hasinas non-standard English which not only shows her cultural and geographical distance but also expresses her helpless feelings.

Sour Sweet tells about a story of family and their relation between family members.Chen，together with his wife Lily and Lilys sister Mui made a living in London after World War Ⅱ.Unfortunately，they stuck to traditional Chinese culture，which caused their dilemma and in-betweenness in cross-cultural communication.“ four years is long enough to have lost their place in the society from which they had emigrated but not long enough to feel comfortable in the new”（Timothy Mo，p.1）.For example，Mui was alienated by western culture，which results from TV，the visual culture.To some degree，she is similar to Nazneen who wished to skate with a sari after she watched TV.

Ⅲ.Main Causes of Cultural Roorless

1.Globalization

Globalization is the exchange and interaction of production，communication，and technologies between different civilizational entities.“Due to the heterogeneity of their basic values，history，customs，mentalities，etc.，conflicts of civilizations become inevitable”（Wang and He，2014）.Set A Way in the World as an example，Naipaul depicts the journey overseas as an attempt to find the “real” land which helps to confirms the narrators being or defining himself，a world where he can be in control of his world and himself.Thus，globalization can also “bring about difficulty in national crisis and national identity” （Chen，2002）.

2.Cultural Exclusiveness

Thanks to the modern and advanced science and technology，people all over the world can communicate with each other，which on the other hand，causes some terrible problems，such as the loss of cultural identity.This is clearly presented in Wide Sargasso Sea.Both the black （host-land）and the English white （homeland）are disgusted at Antoinette who represents Western Indian Creole.Or rather，they conduct serious exclusiveness each other both psychologically and culturally.

3.Lack of Communication

Last but not least，lack of communication and exchange among different cultures is a direct cause of cultural rootlessness.It is inevitable based on different belief，values，history and customs，that every cultural community has its own cultural characteristics.These differences may bring about prejudice if they are unable to deal with them by understanding，communication and exchange，which can contribute to accounting for the reason why there characters in the four novels are struggling to get rid of cultural rootless and pursue their cultural identities.

Ⅳ.Cultural Integration： Sharp Weapon Against Cultural Rootless

Based on these four English novels，not only can we analyze its cultural rootlessness and its “why”，but also we should take its “how” into consideration.From my perspective，cultural integration can function as a useful and effective way to ease cultural tension and rootless.Just like Gu Jiazu said “ the essence of cultural integration through the whole world lies in the fresh cultural pattern in which individual culture learns and integrates other various cultures”（Gu，1993）.

Ⅴ.Conclusion

From what we have discussed above，we can easily come to some reflections that cultural rootless is the result of globalization，cultural exclusiveness and lack of communication，and that only when we accept the multicultural coexistence，strengthen communication and exchange between different cultures，can we eliminate barriers and achieve our own cultural identities.

References：

[1]Jean Rhys，Wide Sargasso Sea，England： Penguin Books，1968.

[2]Morica Ali，Brick Lane，Great Britain：Doubleday，2003.

[3]Timothy Mo，Sour Sweet，London：Abacus，1982.

[4]V.S.Naipaul，A Way in the World，New York：First Vintage International Edition，1995.

[5]Wang Zhuojun，He Hualing，Special Issue： National Identity in the Course of Globalization，National Identity in the Era of Globalization：Crisis and Reconstruction，Social Science in China，2014（2）：139-154.

[6]陳剛，全球化與文化認同，江海學刊，2002： （5）： 49-54.

[7]顧嘉祖，論文化的排他性、互補性與自我完善——中美文化關系發(fā)展趨勢之我見.外語研究，1993（3）：8-14.