本文是一篇英语毕业论文，本文《毒木圣经》以五位普莱斯女性轮番担任叙述者的方式，展现了她们的生活经历和情感变化，情节紧凑而引人入胜。通过不断学习与反思，普莱斯女性发现来临中的共同体，完成自身主体性建构，最终获得自由与解放。
Chapter One The Discipline Faced by Price Women under Power ofPatriarchy
1.1 Behavior Manipulated by Patriarchy
In the novel,Nathan,the prominent representative of patriarchy,is influenced byreligious beliefs and is in a lead position of family power,thereby neglecting theemotions of women and doing things as he wishes.Foucault said,the chief function ofthe disciplinary power is to train and the excise of discipline presupposes amechanism that coerces by means of observation(Foucault,1997:170).In the novel,itshows in the women’s behavior manipulated by Nathan.On account of the influenceof psychological and spiritual aspects,Nathan disciplines those women throughmethods of observation and punishment so as to make them voluntarily serve him andassert his authority status.
Psychologically,in the novel,the male character influences the behavior offemale characters through emotional manipulation and psychological control.Nathanexploits the emotional needs and dependencies of women,creating an emotionalreliance that allows them to exert control over them.For instance,by emphasizingfamilial responsibility and mission,Nathan makes his wife and daughters feel thatthey must comply with his arrangements and decisions.Therefore,the Price womenare unconditionally following Nathan even though they would be far away from thecountry and would come to a place where not enough food and resources.In thosefemale’s hearts,it is normal and regular to follow the father’s instructions.Moreover,the Price daughters’perceptions have been significantly influenced by their ongoingobservation of parental interactions and cultural adaptation in the African setting.
1.2 Body Controlled by Patriarchy
The control of bodies under patriarchy is a profound and complex socialphenomenon,manifested in the ways men impose restrictions,surveillance,andmanipulation on women’s bodies.In the novel,Nathan in the name of the Bible warnswomen to protect their bodies and not expose their skin to the sky.Under the power ofpatriarchy,the body does not belong to oneself anymore,which shows thatdisciplinary power has regulated life and brings bios into politics.
In the novel,the bodily autonomy of female characters is often deprived.Theyare unable to independently decide on their clothing,hairstyles,and other appearancefeatures,and even cannot choose their partners autonomously.These decisions aretypically made by male family members or social authorities,leaving women topassively accept them.When the Prices arrived at the Congo,facing with a cluster ofpeople,they were shocked at seeing people half-naked and still dancing and cooking“as if nakedness were nothing special”(Kingsolver 24).For modern people,it is aninconceivable and unimaginable thing to see naked people in public,let alone thosePrice women,who are under the scrutiny of the patriarchy.So Rachel keeps glancingover at her father,and wondering,“Am I the only one getting shocked to smithereenshere?He had that narrow-eyed,lockjawed look like he was starting to get steamed up,but you never know exactly where that’s going to lead”(Kingsolver 25).Sure enough,her point is soon confirmed,Nathan is invited to deliver a speech,he says:“Theemissaries of the Lord smote the sinners,who had come heedless to the sight of God,heedless in their nakedness”(Kingsolver 25).Even,he points at a woman andcriticizes:“Nakedness and darkness of the soul!For we shall destroy this place wherethe loud clamor of the sinners is waxen great before the face of the lord”(Kingsolver25).
Chapter Two The Oppression Confronted by Homo Sacer underState of Exception
2.1 Physical Maltreatment over Homo Sacer
The word Sacer originates from the Latin.According to Han,the notion of homosacer serves as a core notion in Agamben’s philosophy and aesthetics,yet its originsand implications remain ambiguous(Han 79).Agamben explains it in his book,thesacred man is the one whom the people have judged on account of a crime.It is notpermitted to sacrifice this man,yet he who kill him will not be condemned forhomicide(Agamben,1998:71).Thereby,a homo sacer can be summarized as men canbe killed and the people who kills homo sacer will not be punished.In the novel,RuthMay was killed by a venomous snake,and the person who released the snake is notgetting punished,which incisively confirms that the women of Price have completelydescended into a group of homo sacer.Under the state of exception,the Price womenhave suffered great physical maltreatment,which can be analyzed from two phrases:their journey to the Congo and their life in the Congo.While the reason behind themaltreatment is what we are concerned most.
In the first phase,when they prepare for the Congo,the mother adheres to thephilosophy of caring for the entire family and puts in great effort to organize the itemsthat may be needed.And“she thought we’d need in the Congo just to scrape by.Thus,all those colorful treasures are safely transported and stowed against necessity”(Kingsolver 13).Yet,to their surprise,the plane only allows some pounds tobe carried.The Father surveys their despair but just leaves it up to the wife anddaughters to sort it out.Finally,they rearrange their luggage with somethingabandoned and carry all their excess baggage on their bodies,under their clothes.Besides,to make a good impression,they wear the best clothes on the outside.On theplane,the space is small,and the air is stuffy.Everyone feels uncomfortable anduneasy.Even the father said to God:“Heavenly Father please make me a powerfulinstrument of Thy perfect will here in the Belgian Congo”(Kingsolver 18).WhileLeah at that moment is the loyal believer of her father,who sees their journey as agreat enterprise of balance.And she believes that her father is bringing the Word ofGod—which was later confirmed weighs nothing at all(Kingsolver 19).From these,itcan be found that Women bear the burden of life,and their bodies have been injured.While Nathan is indifferent when they encounter troubles.Yet,compared to thesituation behind,these are just too minor issues.
Chapter Three The Resistance Initiated by Bare Life through ComingCommunity.................42
3.1 Potentiality of Subjectivity Construction for Equality...................................44
3.2 Evacuation from State of Exception for Freedom...................48
Conclusion.................................52
Chapter Three The Resistance Initiated by Bare Life throughComing Community
3.1 Potentiality of Subjectivity Construction for Equality
According to Agamben,the coming community is built on the new and coherentontology of potentiality(Agamben,1998:44).It is this potentiality that plays a pivotalrole in the development of subjectivity consciousness.As Agamben states,the conceptof potentiality has never ceased to function in the life and history of humanity,mostnotably in that part of humanity that has grown and developed its potency to the pointof imposing its power over the whole planet(Agamben,1999:177).However,thepotentiality represented by the possibility of“I can”is often constrained by theauthority of necessity.The realization of potentiality,when governed by externalpowers,does not lead to true freedom;instead,the inherent essence of potentiality isundermined by imposed forces.In other words,potentiality can become“darkness”when the individual is subjugated to other external power.What is crucial is thatpotentiality is not simply non-Being,simple privation,but rather the existence ofNon-Being,the presence of an absence(Agamben,1999:179).That is,darkness is oneof“the color of potentiality”symbolizing the absence or suppression of potentiality.
Under the state of exception,the potentiality of homo sacer is severelyconstrained,as sovereignty imposes its own potentiality to dominate and control,thereby reducing others to a state of impotentiality or the darkness of potentiality.InThe Poisonwood Bible,the Price women possess the inherent potentiality to definethemselves beyond the roles of a good wife and obedient daughters.However,underthe oppressive control of sovereignty,they are unable to realize this potentiality,leading to their unhappiness and subjugation.It is only after Nathan’s death that theirsuppressed potentiality finds an opportunity to emerge.Freed from the constraints ofpatriarchal authority,they begin their journey towards freedom,self-realization,andequality.
Conclusion
As an American prominent representative who has personally experienced andwitnessed life in Congo,Barbara Kingsolver has seen firsthand the impact that theinvasion and plunder can have on the people in Congo.The great distinction inlifestyle between the Congolese people and the white people has had a profoundinfluence,letting newcomers feeling fearful and confused,along with a sense ofhelplessness and despair.Under the state of exception,Kingsolver has keenlyobserved disparate manifestations of politics and the survival predicament faced bythe homo sacer around the world,addressing them in her writing to explore the way indealing with the dilemma.In the face of survival challenges,those suffered people donot give hope up;rather,they positively start to learn and arm themselves so as tocatch the coming community.Therefore,Kingsolver’s novel is not merely a portrayalof suffering and pain but also a celebration of resilience and an unwavering positiveattitude toward life.These values of life play a great importance for homo sacer groupto resist the biopolitics and lay a solid foundation for their subjectivity construction.The potentiality of subjectivity construction and the creation of ruptures providepathways for homo sacer groups in the state of exception to find the comingcommunity.These themes form the core of this thesis.
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