" A Study on Double Consciousness and Growth Narrative in Piecing Me Together: Focusing on Oxymoron and Collage"

This paper aims to investigate the characterization and growth narrative of the protagonist, Jade, in Renée Watson’s Piecing Me Together. The study draws on Du Bois’s concept of double consciousness from his race theory to explore Jade’s experiences of discrimination within American society and how they shape her psychological state, reflecting elements of double consciousness. It also focuses on the prominent linguistic feature of the character: the oxymoron, where two seemingly contradictory or opposing terms are used together to create another profound truth. This feature is central to the discussion for the relationship between double consciousness and Jade’s character. Furthermore, considering the pivotal role of character transformation in reinforcing themes and motifs of coming-of-age fiction, the study extends its analysis to capture the changes arising from the collage and its contribution to Jade’s growth narrative. (Nambu University)