Abstract:James Baldwin is a famous African American writer, essayist, dramatist and social critic. Most of his literary works are known as “black” literature, yet Giovanni's Room is an exception. The story happens in France and the protagonists are all white. This book is often classified into homosexual literature for its explicit description of homosexual love. At that time, homosexuality was a taboo topic, and Baldwin was capable of withstanding the dual pressures of racial discrimination and homophobia to write a book with full heart that showed the survival status and inner world of the homosexuals. His action has a profound influence on promoting the homosexual literature and homosexual liberation that leads homosexuals to seek for their identity. Though the depiction of homoerotic love limits the novel to a category of gay literature, one can find that behind the homosexual description, there are some more profound themes concerning expatriation, identity and so on.

-This thesis is divided into four parts. The first part starts with the plot of the text, and the author's brief information. By reviewing the contemporary literary criticism on this book, this chapter introduces the history of the publication of the book and the significance of the study on the book in today’s world. The second part studies the author’s viewpoint on sexual identity in the novel through the depiction of homosexuality. The formation of the leading character’s homosexual behavior is revealed by introducing the theory of essentialism and constructivism in traditional studies of homosexuality. The third part gives more information of the expatriation trend in American history and the writer’s own experience as the antitype of David, to explore the racial identity theme of the novel. The fourth part is the summary of the novel and the discussion of the literary value and social value of this work in today’s world.

Key Words: homosexuality; racial identity; expatriation; sexual identity

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

Chapter One    Introduction-1

Chapter Two    The Search for Sexual Identity in Giovanni’s Room-3

A.-The Gay Culture and Gay Literature in America -3

B.-The Depiction of Homoerotic Love in Giovanni’s Room-4

1.-The Study of Causes of Homosexuality-4

2.-Exploration of Homosexuality in the Novel from the Perspective of Essentialism-4

3.-Exploration of Homosexuality in the Novel from the Perspective of Constructivism-5

Chapter Three   The Search for Racial Identity in Giovanni’s Room-8

A.-The Expatriation Trend in America-8

B.-The Expatriation for David to Explore His American Identity-9

1.-The First Period of the Journey-9

2.-The Second Period of the Journey-9

3.-The Last Period of the Journey-11

C.-The Expatriation for Baldwin to Explore His American Identity-12

Chapter Four   Conclusion-15

Bibliography-17

Acknowledgements-20

致谢-21