Interpreting Ge Weilong’s Survival Dilemma in “The First Incense” from the Perspective of Simone de Beauvoir’s “Other”

Suzhou University of Technology, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China

^* Corresponding author: zongrao@ldy.edu.rs

Abstract

At present, the status and rights of women have received widespread attention from society, but the construction of women’s subjectivity is still somewhat inadequate. This article analyzes the character traits and tragic fate of Ge Weilong in Zhang Ailing’s novel “The First Incense” based on Simone de Beauvoir’s theory of the “Other”, using the inherent and self deceptive nature of the “Other”. It also introduces the theory of Homi Baba, one of the Three Musketeers of postcolonialism, to analyze the influence of the colonial background on Ge Weilong’s life choices. From this, it is concluded that his “otherization” is the result of the dual oppression of patriarchy and colonialism, and further deduces the tragic cause of his “clear-headed decline”. Based on this, this article proposes feasible strategies for women to overcome the dilemma of “others” through economic and personal independence, and calls on the whole society to pay attention to the construction and adherence of women’s subjectivity.