本书以“文化批评”为理论先导，旨在解读美国华裔女性作家的作品，着重探讨身份寻求这一主题以及为此主题服务的艺术手段。通过对汤亭亭、谭恩美早期作品的细读，笔者试图揭示出深嵌于美国华裔女性作家作品之中的社会及文化结构，以理解将这些作品塑造成型的叙事和艺术实践，并最终阐明美国华裔女性作家笔下的身份寻求过程之中的混同与融合趋势。

Introduction

Development of Chinese American Literature

 Prominent Positions of Kingston and Tan in Chinese

   American Literature """

 Definitions of Chinese American Literature

 Literature Review and the Writing Purpose

Chapter One Silence-Breaking

 Layers of Silencing

 Impetus for Breaking the Silence

 Ways of Breaking the Silence

Chapter Two Identity-Seeking

 Stages of Identity Formation

 Identity Dilemma of Chinese Americans

 Identity-Seeking as Seen in Chinese American

   Women's Writings

 Seeking an Ethnic Identity

 Seeking a Gender Identity

Chapter Three Storytelling

 Strategy of Ambiguity

 Multi-Versions of Stories

 Rewriting Chinese Myths and Literary Classics

 Rewriting Western Classics and Myths

Conclusion

Bibliography