| Acknowledgements | 第1-6页 |
| 摘要 | 第6-7页 |
| ABSTRACT | 第7-10页 |
| Chapter One INTRODUCTION | 第10-22页 |
| ·Barbara Kingsolver and The Bean Trees | 第10-13页 |
| ·Postcolonialism and American Multiculturalism | 第13-17页 |
| ·Literature Review | 第17-20页 |
| ·Thesis Statement | 第20-22页 |
| Chapter Two THE MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY REFLECTED IN UNTRADITIONAL FAMILIES | 第22-34页 |
| ·Deracination and Displacement from Home: Loss of Home for Native Americans | 第23-27页 |
| ·Illegal Immigration: Loss of Home for Immigrants | 第27-31页 |
| ·Traps of Multiculturalism | 第31-34页 |
| Chapter Three REDEFINING FAMILY: DECONSTRUCTION OF TRADITIONAL FAMILY VALUES | 第34-45页 |
| ·Belittling Blood Relationships | 第35-40页 |
| ·The Unhappy Kindred Family: Newt Hardbine’s and Jolene Shanks’ Families | 第36-38页 |
| ·The Happy Adoptive Family: Turtle’s Family | 第38-40页 |
| ·“Wisteria & Rhizobia”: Mutual Support | 第40-45页 |
| ·Reconstituted Family: Lou Ann and Taylor’s Family | 第41-42页 |
| ·The Unconventional White Family: Edna and Virgie Mae’s Family | 第42-45页 |
| Chapter Four “TO SHARE HARMONIOUS SPACE”: POSSIBILITIES AND PARADOXES | 第45-58页 |
| ·Locating Oneself in the Multicultural Society | 第46-51页 |
| ·Seeking the “Head Rights”: Taylor | 第46-48页 |
| ·Seeking to Belong: Estevan and Esperanza | 第48-50页 |
| ·Seeking the Self: Lou Ann | 第50-51页 |
| ·Literary Construction of “Together in Difference” | 第51-56页 |
| ·Internal Focalization | 第52-53页 |
| ·Journey Narrative | 第53-54页 |
| ·Symbolism | 第54-56页 |
| ·The Happy Ending: a Paradox | 第56-58页 |
| Chapter Five CONCLUSION | 第58-60页 |
| WORKS CITED | 第60-63页 |
| Appendix 攻读学位期间发表的论文 | 第63-64页 |
