An Interpretation of the Archetypal Image “Mother” from Life Ethical Perspective
Zhang Yuan1,2, Li Juan3
1. School of Chinese Language and Literature，Soochow University，Suzhou 215123，China; 2. School of Foreign Languages, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003，China; 3. Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541004, China
Abstract：Pearl S. Bucks The Mother reveals the eternal value of life, in which the archetypal images are closely related to life consciousness. The archetypal image of “the Earth and the mother” serves as the son of natures ode to life, manifesting the mothers cherishment and affection for nature and life. The archetypal image “the Earth and the seed” is nothing but the poetic metaphor of sexual relationships between males and females, representing the mothers solid power of fertility and spirit of responsibility. The archetypal image “the mother and the Civil God of Earth” truly portrays the interrelations between individuals and society, and between culture and tradition, highlighting the conflicts between instinct and taboo, and between life and ethics. The archetypal images in The Mother at multiple levels show Bucks life consciousness, feminist standpoint, and her contradictory cognition of the Chinese traditional family system and insights into life ethics, infiltrating her deep thinking on life ethics.
2019, Vol. 21 
