本文是一篇英语毕业论文，本文通过展现巴里不断打破社会规范、时间界限和空间束缚的行为，埃瓦雷斯托描绘了他自我探索、身份重塑与老年超越的过程。通过《爱人先生》，埃瓦雷斯托传达了对老年人生命潜力的积极肯定。
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Bernardine Evaristo and her works
Bernardine Evaristo is a writer shaped by a multicultural background. Her parents came from vastly different racial, class, and political environments, profoundly influencing her views on identity and creative philosophy. She began her literary career in the 1980s, exploring poetry, drama, and fiction, known for her unique narrative style and bold thematic explorations. Evaristo focuses on the diversity within Black communities, particularly the growth stories of Black women and queer individuals. Her works, both in subject matter and form, embody her commitment to challenging traditions and continually pushing creative boundaries.
In 2019, Evaristo won the Booker Prize with her novel Girl, Woman, Other, becoming the first Black woman to receive this prestigious award. Although this recognition brought her “overnight fame,” her achievements are the result of more than forty years of continuous literary dedication. Growth is one of the most important themes in Evaristo’s works. In her essay “Writers on Writing,” she mentions her constant effort to transcend limitations in her creative process, stating, “I hate to limit myself” (Evaristo para. 4). This philosophy is also reflected in her memoir Manifesto: On Never Giving Up, where she emphasizes the importance of continuous growth and learning, asserting that “stopping growth will lead to creative repetition and stagnation”(Evaristo 175, 2021). This belief in continuous growth not only shapes Evaristo’s creative trajectory but is also deeply embedded in each of her works. From Lara to Girl, Woman, Other, whether depicting teenagers, black women, or elderly queer individuals, each protagonist strives to break free from the constraints of identity and societal expectations in their journey toward personal growth, revealing the boundless possibilities of human experience.
B. Literature review
The international academic interest in Bernardine Evaristo’s work began early, with scholars recognizing her contributions to the portrayal of contemporary British identity and postcolonial discourse. Her debut novel Lara (1997) served as a key entry point for critical engagement. Patricia Murray’s 1999 essay, “Stories Told and Untold,” is often cited as the earliest known academic study of Evaristo’s fiction. Murray’s analysis focuses on how Evaristo uses a unique narrative blend of oral language, dramatic dialogue, and poetry to chronicle Lara’s journey of self-discovery, positioning the novel as a reconstruction of “postcolonial London”(Murray 38), offering a view of London that is deeply interwoven with the complexities of race, culture, and identity.
Murray’s study set the tone for future research, presenting Lara as a significant literary work that explored the intricacies of Black British identity. Further scholarly attention followed, with several key figures contributing to the evolving discourse on Evaristo’s fiction. Alison Donnell, for example, emphasized that Lara provides a “complex and mutable understanding of contemporary British cultural identity” (Donnell 149). This notion of fluidity and multiplicity of identity is essential to understanding Evaristo’s works, where cultural identities are constantly negotiated and redefined.
CHAPTER Ⅱ GEROTRANSCENDENCE OF GENDER IDENTITY THROUGH FORMAL TRANSGRESSIONS
A. Confrontation with hegemonic masculinity and de-sexualization
Age is closely linked to gender identity. On the one hand, the construction and manifestation of masculinity profoundly influence an individual’s social identity and role. As Alice Crossley states, “Age is therefore a central factor in shaping masculinity and vice versa” (Crossley 530). This argument underscores the interwoven relationship between age and masculinity, particularly in modern society, where, as individuals grow older, their masculine identity increasingly faces pressure from societal and cultural structures. On the other hand, the stigmatization of “sexual desire” in older individuals has long prevented them from confronting their own desires and authentic identities. Thus, this section explores the complexities and dilemmas that Barry faces in terms of gender identity, focusing on hegemonic masculinity and the depoliticization of aging sexuality.
1.Limitations of hegemonic masculinity
In the construction of gender, masculinity, as a socially historical and culturally constructed concept, profoundly influences male behavior, identity, and social status. According to Raewyn Connell’s theory, masculinity is “multilayered” and not a singular standard; different societies and cultures have varying expectations of masculinity. Masculinity encompasses traits such as strength, rationality, resilience, and economic provision, and it is closely linked to the power structures of society. Within Connell’s framework, hegemonic masculinity embodies the “currently most honored way of being a man” (Connell 77), urging other men to imitate it for fear of being excluded.
B. Transgression of marriage and heteronormative norms
As mentioned in the previous section, Barry faces a dual constraint of hegemonic masculinity and the de-sexualization of old age. His gender identity is in strong conflict with societal expectations of gender roles, forcing him to make a choice—whether to continue social conventions or to cross boundaries and pursue a life that aligns with his self-identity.
Social conventions refer to the behavioral norms and standards established within a particular society through culture, tradition, history, and customs. These conventions define what is considered “normal” behavior and establish boundaries for actions among members of society. The theory of social facts by the French sociologist Émile Durkheim provides a foundation for understanding how society creates these boundaries through conventions. Durkheim argued that social facts, which include laws, moral codes, customs, and religious beliefs, are “independent of their individual manifestations” (Durkheim 13) and “exert external constraints on individuals” (Durkheim 13). These social facts are not merely external rules but profoundly influence the behavior and thought processes of individuals. Through social facts, society forms both explicit and implicit boundaries, thereby constructing social conventions.
III. GEROTRANSCENDENCE OF AESTHETIC IDENTITY THROUGH TEMPORAL TRANSGRESSIONS ..... 39
A. Devaluation and restriction of aesthetic identity .................... 39
B. Transgression of linear time and alteration of temporal cxperiences .............. 44
IV. GEROTRANSCENDENCE OF POWER IDENTITY THROUGH SPATIAL TRANSGRESSIONS ......................... 54
A. Loss and imprisonment of power identity in aging ................... 54
B. Transgressions from private to public space ................................ 59
V. CONCLUSION ............................... 69
CHAPTER Ⅳ GEROTRANSCENDENCE OF POWER IDENTITY THROUGH SPATIAL TRANSGRESSIONS
A. Loss and imprisonment of power identity in aging
Social space can be divided into two categories: “public” and “private.” Lefebvre points out that environments such as the family home and domestic spaces, which are relatively closed, fall within the realm of private space. In contrast, the open space of social relationships and activities belongs to the public (also called global) space (Lefebvre 225-227). As Bourdieu points out, “Social space is not only composed of physical space but is also determined by power relations and the distribution of resources” (Bourdieu 385). This viewpoint reveals how aging intertwines with power relations within social structures. Therefore, this section explores the crisis of Barry’s power identity from the perspectives of both private and public spaces.
The loss of power in private spaceBarry experiences the loss of his power identity both in private and public spaces. Home was once an assurance of Barry’s power identity. Since buying his current house, Barry has never lived anywhere else (Evaristo 117, 2013). This highlights the importance of home to him. John Rowles suggests that “home” is the “fulcrum” for older adults (Rowles 143). After entertaining thoughts of divorce and facing the potential crisis of leaving his home, Barry begins to reflect:
It is what I used to. It is what I know. It makes me feel safe. Yet I go leave it? Yes, I go be brave enough to do that, right? The smell of goat curry and rice and peas in coconut milk is slow-cooking on the stove, making me salivate. A big pot that will last the week. No one can beat Carmel’s culinary skills. I will miss them for sure. (Evaristo 46–47, 2013)
CHAPTER V CONCLUSION
On the title page of Mr. Loverman, Bernardine Evaristo quotes James Baldwin: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced” (Baldwin, quoted in Evaristo 8, 2013). This quote reveals the transformative power of confrontation and serves as a profound commentary on the growth that transgression can bring. Transgression is not only a means for literature to intervene in society but also a practice through which writers challenge conservative forces and break boundaries.
Jean-Paul Sartre, in his 1948 essay “What is Literature,” emphasized that literature is “a perpetual revolution” (Sartre 102–103). Through the act of writing, marginalized groups previously excluded from mainstream discourse are made visible and heard. This is precisely the kind of story Evaristo strives to tell. She compares literature to a “free universe” (Evaristo para.5), within which experiences, characters, ideas, and histories can be freely narrated. Through critical reflection and writing, Evaristo constantly “transcends and reaches beyond the limit” (Hall 259, 1997), presenting stories that had never been told before. Barry’s story unprecedentedly illustrates the possibility of growth and transcendence for elderly minorities through the spirit of transgression.
Formal transgressive acts reveal the fluidity and reflective value of identity in old age. The sexual appeal of elderly individuals is often underestimated and distorted. Barry chooses divorce as the starting point of his transgression. This decision not only prompts him to reevaluate intimate relationships but also leads him to confront his authentic self, ultimately finding the courage to come out. These acts of transgression are acts of self-recognition and acceptance of his desires. Barry can finally identify as an old Caribbean queer. This process of self-acknowledgment and embracing his desires demonstrates a form of gerotranscendence, where aging individuals challenge societal norms and affirm their sexuality.
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