A Study of Black Female Images in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-8921.2024.02.014

Abstract

Abstract:

The impact of feminism over black American women writers since 1970s has made them reconsider the racial issues as well as the problems among black people, focusing especially on the racial discriminations and gender oppressions against black women. Toni Morrison, the representative figure, is not pleased with the existing images of black women, and has created multiple, and dimensionally sophisticated female characters in Song of Solomon, which challenges not only the stereotyped black women images, but also broadens the boundaries of (black) feminist thought, and enriches (black) feminist literary criticism.

Key words: Song of Solomon, feminism, female image

CLC Number:

I106

WANG Yukuo, WANG Meng. A Study of Black Female Images in Toni Morrison’s Song of Solomon[J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2024, 24(2): 153-162.

References 12

[1]	Bondi, V (ed.). 1995. American Decades 1970-1979[M]. Detroit: A Manly, Inc. Book.
[2]	Carby H. 1987. Reconstructing Womanhood: The Emergence of the Afro-American Woman Novelist[M]. New York: Oxford University Press.
[3]	Christian B. 2007. “But what do we think we’re doing anyway: the state of black feminist criticism(s) or my version of a little bit of history (1989)”[A]. In G. Bowles, M. G. Fabi & A. R. Keizer (eds.). New Black Feminist Criticism, 1985-2000 (Barbara Christian) [C]. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press. 5-19.
[4]	Christian B. 1985. Black Feminist Criticism, Perspectives on Black Women Writers[M]. New York: Pergamon. 1985.
[5]	Collins P. H. 2000. Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment (2^nd edn.)[M]. New York & London: Routledge.
[6]	Guy-Sheftall, B (ed.). 1995. Words of Fire:An Anthology of African American Feminist Thought[M]. New York: The New Press.
[7]	Kubitschek M. D. 1998. Toni Morrison: A Critical Companion[M]. Westport, Connecticut / London: Greenwood Press.
[8]	Morrison T. 2008. “What the Black Woman Thinks about Women’s Lib (1971)”[A]. In C. C. Denard (ed.). Toni Morrison: What Moves at the Margin[C]. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. 18-30.
[9]	Peterson N. J. (ed.). 1997. Toni Morrison: Critical and Theoretical Approaches[M]. Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
[10]	Plain G. & S. Sellers (eds.). 2007. A History of Feminist Literary Criticism[M]. New York: Cambridge University Press.
[11]	Smith V. (ed.). 1995. New Essays on Song of Solomon[M]. New York: Cambridge University Press.
[12]	摩里森. 2008. 所罗门之歌(陈东荣译)[M]. 台北: 台湾商务印书馆.

[1]	WEI Dingwen. The Mastheads of Comparative Literature and the Disciplinary Autonomy of American Comparative Literature: A Symptomatic Reading [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2023, 23(5): 176-184.
[2]	A Jingsi. Ekphrasis in the Oral Tradition: The Mongolian Epic as an Example [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2023, 23(5): 185-192.
[3]	LIU Dongxia, LI Zeng. Social Change and Transformation of Interpersonal Relationship:From the Perspective of the Servant Image in Edgeworth’s Novels [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2023, 23(4): 151-158.
[4]	LI Hairong. The Chinese Experience and Narrative Strategy of Modern Japanese Sinologists [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2023, 23(4): 138-144.
[5]	JIN Ke’er, LIU Guoqing. The Internet Writing in Contemporary British and American Fiction [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2023, 23(4): 130-137.
[6]	LU Yang. The Spatial Imagination of Dante’s Paradiso [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2022, 22(5): 5-11.
[7]	WU Shengbo. Construction of Social Identity and Criticism of Daily Life in Paris Nocturne [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2021, 21(5): 101-108.
[8]	XIE Wenyu, LI Rou. Canonization and “Re-canonization” of Philip Roth's Works [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2021, 21(5): 91-100.
[9]	LU Yangtai. The Analysis of the Characteristics of the karauta of the Samyrai School in the Sengoku Period in Japan [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2020, 20(1): 111-118.
[10]	XU Fangfang, CUI Yanqiu. Inter Image of Tragic Lives: Intertextual Analysis of Lacan's theory and Chekhov's Story of Unnecessary Victory [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2017, 17(04): 106-108.
[11]	Naomi Long Madgett, LUO Lianggong. Beyond the Black Arts Movement: An Interview with Naomi Long Madgett [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2015, 15(07): 58-63.
[12]	I-Hsin Kai. Smooth Space vs. Striated Space: Identity Floatability in Amy Tan’s Ethnic Autobiographic Novel The Bonesetter’s Daughter [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2015, 15(07): 64-71.
[13]	WU Suzhen. The Appeal of Language in Octavia Butler’s Kindred [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2015, 15(07): 72-75.
[14]	JIANG Hongxin, YE Dong. From the Grand to the Subtle:An Interview with Professor Jiang Hongxin [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2015, 15(06): 1-3.
[15]	LI Shunchun, LI Han. The Natural and Harmonious: Hua yen Thoughts in Gary Snyder’s Poems [J]. Contemporary Foreign Languages Studies, 2015, 15(06): 50-55.