Abstract

Early literary studies on the location of identity and relationship between the colonizer and the colonized with the perspective of post-colonialism theory usually tend to take a stance.Yet recently the scholars have realized that both self-perception of the individual and the cultural identity of a group are constantly changing and can be rediscovered with a new location in a diagram.Stuart Hall's study confirms it by claiming that identity is not something that has been settled；on the contrary，it is always in the process of production.In that sense，the historical impacts of colonialism should not be approached with the Hegelian dialectic of lords and slaves but with other senses such as “aporia”“coordination”or “ambivalence”.Even though people have learned to adapt their way of seeing the post-colonial phenomena，in most cases they like to attach their attention to the colonized，who are supposedly weak and marginalized，to illustrate the difficult situations they are faced with after the independence of their nation.It is rarely noticed that the flexibility of identity in the situation of diaspora can happen to the colonizer as well.This does not mean that hegemony stops existing，and the power of the West still sheds light on the colonized through cognitive violence in invisible ways.However，people in the colonized regions had started their resistance against the Western hegemony through nationalistic activities，especially after the decolonization movements.

The four stories written by Lawrence on Mexico as their setting are about the conflicts and intercourse between the white people and the cultural others.These stories depict the antagonists' psychological changes，therefore，there are plenty of inner struggles，and the narrative clues are complicated，which reflects the evolution of subjectivity resulted from the interruption of the Other on the trans-cultural border.These are the most important values of the four Mexican stories，but they have long been ignored.As the trans-cultural and trans-racial situations on the border are immediate and relative，and both sides can influence each on a great deal，there are plenty of possibilities in the open field.This dissertation tends to discuss these situations in light of space and body on the individual scale and the religious andpolitical issues on the collective scale，trying to explain the complexity of the liminal and hybrid situations in the post-colonial society which are demonstrated in Lawrence's four Mexican stories. This study finds that while the colonial subjects and the Other are fighting against each other for power，they are making conversation and coordinating as well，and this，in return，would affects the colonial subjects’ sense of identity.As a result，the colonial discourse is not static，and instead，it is in the process of location and relocation in a diagram.

First of all，colonial behavior is essentially spatial expansion and occupation.Therefore，the collision in space is the foremost conflict in colonial society.All of Lawrence's late novels are on the theme of “going away”，attaching to the colonial ideology，embodying the will of the colonists who conquered and pioneered. The empire background also makes the characters in the novel enjoy privileges in both physical and psychological space，and its boundaries can be extended indefinitely. Once embarked on a foreign land，the colonists need to constantly face the challenges and limitations of the Other，which primarily exists in the form of nature.In that case，the landscape writing in those novels conforms to the narrative norms left over from the early colonial process with both aesthetic and practical values，only to reflect the power consciousness for the purpose of conquest and possession，with cognitive violence implied in narration.At the same time，due to the prevalence of primitivism，Lawrence has always advocated the animism of primitive culture，and is committed to presenting his “spirit of place” concept in the novel.Therefore，his natural landscape often shows a subjectivity that is equal to people，and the relationship between man and nature has become a confrontation between subjects. In addition，since the colonists often settled in the struggle for space between the colonists after they landed the foreign countries，the space of daily life in the novel The Plumed Serpent reveals this opposing spatial consciousness and activities，and the colonial space also is processed from segregation to integration.Concequently，the spatial experience of the protagonists in Lawrence's late novels shows that colonial consciousness is not an unrestricted expansion of the imperial will，but an unstable boundary.The interaction with the Other causes the subject to constantly correct the boundaries of the self and the colonized.And their sense of identity is also repositioned during this process.

Secondly，the body is the contact between the human being and the outside world，shaping the elements of self consciousness.In the colonial society，the body is still the primary basis for the division of social groups and the creation of social rules.The character portrayal in Lawrence's late novels reflects the strict distinction established by colonial society on the ground of skin color and clothing.This difference in physical characteristics draws a clear and absolute line between the colonizer and the colonized，making the confrontation in the physical field more intense，and mostly it will resort to violence.In addition，in colonial society，inter-racial marriage is inevitable. Colored people hope to improve their condition by marrying the whites，while white people also project their erotic desires on the Other.At the same time，they have some deep concern over the contamination of their blood and quality of the population，so they hold descrition over inter-racial marriage.The white people in Lawrence's Mexican novels show a contradictory and obscure attitude towards the Other，and this is the result of the challenge from the colonized people，and this challenge in return shatters the stability of their subjectivity.

In addition to confrontation in the field of daily life，the novels also reflects dialogue and integration in the public sphere.Among the four novels，The Plumed Serpent explores to the deepest on this subject.Its plot incorporates a large number of religious and political narratives，and explores the possibility of dialogue between Western culture and Mexican traditional culture in the context of Mexico's history.With regard to the religious affairs，Lawrence introduced Mexico's religious reforms under the impetus of nationalism.By narrating the movement of the renaissance for traditional Mexican religion，Lawrence integrated Christian civilization Mexican Indian traditional culture.In terms of the political system，Lawrence also combines his political ideas with the historical experience of Mexico，and thus points out the direction for its development.The combination of Western and Mexican elements in the field of religion and politics in the novel illustrates that dialogue and integration between the self and the Other is also taking place in the public domain.This is the confirmation of the mixed culture of Mexican society after independence. Regardless of the point at which Lawrence is based，his focus on Mexico's future is enough to show that “Mexican” has become a common identity for all people in it.

In summary，the boundary experience of the colonists written in Lawrence's Mexican novels demonstrate the state of the coexistence of confrontation and communication.This shows that the subjectivity in borders not an absolute essense but it is constantly changing and evolving.Therefore，the analysis of colonial discourse can only be a kind of positioning，not a definition.Compared with the traditional Lawrencian criticism，the Mexican-based novels composed during his stay in the America have never attracted enough attention.Even if they are mentioned，they are approached with some presuppositions or critical opinions.The critics either reproach Lawrence's hidden imperialist ideology or praises his sympathy for the Indians，and yet these opposing views further deepen the misunderstanding of these novels.Therefore，this study provides a new way to understand Lawrence's Mexican novels，which not only can help us know better about the evolution of European-centred colonialistic ideology after World War I，but it can also help us to understand the social and cultural conditions of the European countries and even the post-independence Mexico better，which will lend some insight in the understanding of the more diverse cultural status quo in the current trend of globalization.