The diasporic identity in Yan Geling’s Works (A Study on The Lodger and Here is your life)

Abstract

Yan Geling (严歌苓) is one of the most prominent Chinese diaspora writers in contemporary literature, with numerous works that depict the fate of individuals in the context of migration and historical upheavals. The two novels, The Lodger (《寄居者》) and Here is your life (《少女小渔》), reflect the lives of Chinese people living abroad, trapped in an ambiguous state between two worlds—they no longer fully belong to their homeland but have yet to integrate into their new society, leading to profound internal conflicts. This paper focuses on analyzing the issue of cultural and social identity among diaspora characters in these two works, particularly the tension between personal identity and the receiving environment. To address this issue, the study employs the literary analysis in conjunction with the identity theories proposed by Stuart Hall, Homi Bhabha, and Paul Ricoeur, to examine how characters negotiate between tradition and modernity, between their old identity and the demands of the new society. The study centers on the concepts of “hybridity” and the “third space”, which help explain the uncertainty of characters and their choices in the process of reshaping their identity. The findings indicate that through a narrative structure interweaving past and present, Yan Geling not only portrays the struggles of diasporic individuals but also raises questions about integration, adaptability, and identity reconstruction in multicultural environments. Additionally, this study suggests a broader connection between diaspora literature and identity issues in the era of globalization, encouraging a more flexible approach to identity studies as individuals increasingly move and restructure their identities within a more complex contemporary world.