朱天心(1958-)是台灣中生代最重要的作家之一,從朱天心的文學創作中,我們發現,朱天心的族群身份∕認同和台灣政治情勢的變遷有著密切的關係,符合後現代情境中身份∕認同的理論。本文是以擬從後現代的認同理論出發,來分析朱天心作品中族群認同的轉折。朱天心從早期理所當然的「生為中國人」(being Chinese),到九○年代以後的「成為台灣人」(becoming Taiwanese),為我們做了一個身份∕認同轉折的最佳例證。而其轉變,無疑是受到現實政治、社會環境挑戰所做的回應,當眷村裡已有七成以上的人口自認為台灣人,台灣人的身份主體已被重新填入和改寫,在此情況下,朱天心也順勢完成了她身份∕認同的轉折。
Chu T'ien-hsin is one of the most important writers in Taiwan. Reading Chu's novels, we find that Chu's awareness of her ethnic identity has everything to do with the changes of political situation in the island and can be analyzed with postmodern identity theory. In her early writing years, Chu T'ien-hsin considers herself a native Chinese without a bit of doubt, while in the 90s of last century she begins to feel uncertain about being a Chinese and recognizes that she maybe was born to becoming a Taiwanese. Chu's change of her ethnic identity recognition is a response to the political challenge posed by the society. When more than 70% of the mainland China immigrants consider themselves Taiwanese, it is only nature for Chu to admit that she is a daughter of Taiwan too.