关键词: 北美华文文学, 文化, 存在, 《芳华》, 《忠臣逆子》

Abstract: Culture,as a basic way of existence of human beings,is the meaning norm established by a historical nation for its own real life,and preserved in time.Although culture is a priori in the individual being and requires the individual to adapt and acquire constantly in the acquired life experience,it is not an unquestionable and unalterable “absolute order”.Taking Western culture as a mirror of our own “other” helps us to know ourselves more soberly and comprehensively.Because of the dual cultural background of its creative group,North American Chinese literature naturally has the perspective of looking at the world and the meaning of cultural reflection.Yan Gelings novel Youth reveals the division of the times and the artificial collective subconsciousness of the people by depicting the unique national psychological structure and inner soul image of the Chinese people in the sixties and seventies of the 20th century.This paper makes a deep reflection on the “hypocrisy” side of Chinese culture.Through the family change history of the four generations of the Dai family,Yuan Jinmeis novella Loyal Minister and Rebellious Son probes into the limitations of the historical era and cultural environment,and can go deep into the cultural roots lurking under human nature through the superficial cultural phenomenon to reveal the fundamental purpose of life.

Key words: North American Chinese Literature, culture, existence