University of Macau / Faculty of Arts and Humanities. / Department of English

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Thesis advisor: Bonnie Jefferson / This paper analyzes the reconstruction of the American identity through the lens of two post-modern films: Paul Haggis’ Crash and Tony Kushner’s Angels in America. First, the role of 9/11 on the resurgence of trauma culture and its catalytic effect on the start of the post-modern era is examined. This analysis argues that these films unite American citizens through the central notion of humanity that mankind ultimately shares. This is achieved through the framework of three central themes: the elimination of the typified other, the restoration of faith in mankind and the human condition, and the uniting sense of touch. The construction of these themes reconciles the ambiguity and uncertainty inherent in all aspects of the post-modern era. These films serve as metaphorical narrative vehicles and function to draw the American people back into a sense of a universal, national identity in the wake of September 11. In addition, they foster reassurance in the American spirit and ensure the ability of the United States to initiate collective recovery after periods of intense national trauma. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2010. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Communication Honors Program. / Discipline: Communication.

My thesis seeks to examine the relationship that exists between queer selfidentification and heterosexual hegemonic/heteronormative power in three works of and about the AIDS era. Working from feminist and queer theory perspectives, I first chart the way in which a problematic identity—be that identity a non-identity of utter invisibility, a sick identity, a dangerous identity, or (most commonly) an identity of utter hedonism disconnected from any notions of attachment, affection, or love beyond the physical sexual act—has been and is still wholly adopted by some. I do this principally with a close reading of Renaud Camus' 1981 novel Tricks, as well as with substantial historical grounding. I assert that this is not just a problem in queer literature, but in queer life which queer literature deeply reflects. Through a close reading of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes, I seek to illustrate the consequences of accepting entirely and without question a constructed and problematic identity for gay men. Historical examination also comes strongly into play through correspondence and personal narratives of men who lived through (and died in) the AIDS era, casualties of war of queer self-definition. Employing a close literary analysis of Larry Duplechan's 1986 novel Blackbird, my thesis seeks to chart a way to a stable, holistic, queer identity negotiated from a position of strength. In a larger sense my thesis explicates constraints upon queer identity intended to limit queer people to a heteronomous, damaged, vulnerable social position. I raise awareness of these constraints in attempt to navigate a way around them with the ultimate destination of this navigation being a perpetually increasing humanization of a historically and institutionally dehumanized population.

東尼•庫許納的劇本《美國天使》曾經被批評為「宣揚啟蒙主義式的進步觀，即使這種觀點造成的災難正在二十世紀末顯現」。儘管明顯受到華特•班雅明 (Walter Benjamin) 的歷史觀點影響，批評者仍認為庫許納在《美國天使》劇中刻意忽視班雅明對進步的歷史觀發出的警告。然而，事實上庫許納在《美國天使》劇中，藉由劇中角色所刻畫的，即是班雅明對於歷史中進步 (progress) 的觀點，而非啟蒙主義式的進步史觀。造成這種批評觀點上的差異的原因，乃在於《美國天使》的批評者未能真正了解班雅明對於進步的概念，以及此概念在庫許納劇中的重要性。本文欲以班雅明進步的概念為出發，來檢視《美國天使》劇中對於進步與救贖 (redemption)的應用，並在其中闡明庫許納以班雅明的進步與救贖概念為基礎，試圖在劇中發現自我救贖 (self redemption) 之可能的企圖。 《美國天使》分《千禧年近了》和《重建》上下兩部，是庫許納分別在一九九一及九二年完成的劇作。劇中主要描述主角普萊爾華特 (Prior Walter) ，一位男同志愛滋病患，在遭遇愛人的拋棄，以及美國天使 (American Angel) 的啟示之後，努力尋找在千禧年的各種災難與異象的威脅下，人類生存的希望的過程。在劇中，庫許納以美國紐約多元的種族、文化、信仰為背景，探討世紀末的各種問題與困境，並且尋找對於未來的展望。 　　　本文的第一章為總論，將介紹庫許納的生平、《美國天使》的故事情節、批評家與劇評對於該劇的分析、以及班雅明的理論對此劇的影響。根據班雅明的看法，在人類的歷史中真正的進步並非在空洞的時間 (homogeneous, empty time) 之中前進，而是察覺到人類歷史真正的組成分子─辯證影像(dialectical images)，其型態為不斷反覆出現的歷史影像。當人類認知到此種影像的存在時，此認知將使人類從現有的歷史框架中解放，進而認識到徹底改變現有狀態的可能性。這種革命性的 (revolutionary) 認知即是班雅明所謂的進步，這也是第二章的討論範圍。在第三章中，則是以班雅明的救贖理論 (theory of redemption) 解釋庫許納劇中角色的「彌賽亞式的救贖力」(messianic power) 的覺醒 (awakening)。根據班雅明在歷史哲學綱要 (Thesis on the Philosophy of History) 的說法，人類擁有彌賽亞式的救贖力，並且憑藉之發現以「彌賽亞式的視界」(messianic vision) 的形式出現的辯證影像。此即為班雅明定義下的救贖。第四章則以解釋庫許納對於班雅明理論的修正—重建 (restructuring)—為出發點，探討《美國天使》劇中救贖的完成。第五章為結論，以劇中角色的得到救贖為《美國天使》一劇的結尾，同時也是另一個偉大的工作 (The Great Work)—人類在新千禧年的救贖—的展開。 / Tony Kushner’s Angels in America has been accused of its proposing the Enlightenment progress when its disastrous consequence is seen at the end of the 20th century. In spite of the obvious color of Walter Benjamin’s philosophy of history in the play, critics still consider that Kushner ignores Benjamin’s warning of the idea of progress for human history in Angels. Nevertheless, what Kushner describes in the play, through the struggles of the characters, is actually a Benjaminian progress instead of an Enlightenment one. The reason for such a difference of critical viewpoints is: the critics of Angels fail to fully understand Benjamin’s concept of progress and its real significance in the play. Starting from Benjamin’s concept of progress, this thesis aims at examining the application of Benjamin’s concept of progress and redemption in Angels and discovering Kushner’s intention to propose a self-redemption. Angels is comprised of part I: Millennium Approaches (premier in 1991) and part II: Perestroika (1992). It is Kushner’s most celebrated play. The play begins when a gay man, Prior Walter, has found his infection with AIDS. Facing his destined death and deserted by his lover, one day, Prior is visited by an American Angel, who calls him the “prophet” and gives him a gospel of anti-migration to spread. Since then, his life becomes a journey searching for self-awareness and hope in the future. In Angels, Kushner discusses the questions in the United States at the end of the 20th century against the multi-cultural background of New York and America. The prospect of the human race’s future becomes his ultimate concern in the play. This thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter, “Introduction,” provides the background information of Angels, including the plot summary, critical history, and my concerns on the critiques of play. In Chapter Two, Benjamin’s theory of progress will be used to analyze the idea of progress in Angels, which means discovering the dialectical images of history that are suppressed in historical time. This concept of progress is “revolutionary” because it will change mankind’s recognition of history and their conception of themselves. Chapter Three begins with Benjamin’s definition of “redemption” of human history, which means the awakening of the “weak messianic power,” the power that a whole generation of human beings is endowed with. This power gives human beings a “messianic vision,” a glimpse of the redemptive world. In Chapter Four, Kushner’s supplement to Benjamin’s theory of redemption, the idea of “restructuring,” will be applied as the key word for the completion of redemption for the characters in Angels. Chapter Five concludes this thesis with the self-redemption of the characters in the play and the beginning of the “Great Work”: the redemption of the entire humanity in the coming Millennium.

Zugl.: Heidelberg, Univ., Diss., 2006.