Araby英文讲义

1UnitSevenSetting,JamesJoyce’sEpiphanyReading:JamesJoyce,ArabySetting:PlaceandObjectsinFiction•Thestageagainstwhichthestoryunfoldswecallthesetting.Initsnarrowestsense,settingistheplaceandtimeofthenarration,buteventuallyitcontainsthetotalenvironmentofthework.Setting,therefore,initsbroadestsense,containsthephysicallocalethatframestheaction,thetimeofdayoryear,theclimaticconditions,andhistoricalperiodduringwhichtheactiontakesplace.•Asabasicfunction,settinghelpsthereadervisualizetheactionoftheworkandthusaddscredibilityandanairofauthenticitytothecharacters.Ithelps,inotherwords,tocreateandsustaintheillusionoflife,toprovidewhatwecallverisimilitude(貌似真实).NaturalSettingNatureherselfisseenasaforcethatshapesactionandthereforedirectsandredirectslives.Theopenroadmaybeaplacewhereonepersonseeksflight,othersfaceashowdown(一决胜负),andstillothersmaymeettheirfate.Nature,inshort,isoneofthemajorforcesputtingundercontrolthecircumstancesofcharacterswhogoaboutfacingtheconflictsonwhichtheplotsofstoriesdepend.ManufacturedSettingManufacturedthingsalwaysreflectthepeoplewhomakethem.Abuildingoraroomtellsaboutthosewhobuiltitandliveinit,andultimatelyaboutthesocialandpoliticalordersthatmaintaintheconditions.Arichly-decoratedhouseshowstheexpensivetastesandresourcesofthecharactersowningit.Afewcracksintheplasterandsomechipsinthepaintmayshowthesamepersonsdeclininginfortuneandpower.Uglyandimpoverishedsurroundingsmaycontributetotheweariness,insensitivity,negligence,orevenhostilityofthecharacterslivinginthem.SettingasabackgroundforactionEverythinghappenssomewhere.Sometimesthisbackgroundisextensiveandhighlydeveloped.Inothercases,includingmanymodernstories,settingissoslightthatitcanbepresentedwithinasinglesentenceormustbeinferredaltogetherfromdialogueandaction.Whenwespeakofsettingasbackground,then,wehaveinmindakindofsettingthatexistslargelyforitsownsake,withoutnecessaryrelationshiptoactionandcharacters,oratbestarelationshipthatisonlyinsignificantandslight.SettingasantagonistOften,theforcesofnaturefunctionasacausalagentorantagonist,helpingtoestablishconflictandtodeterminetheoutcomeofevents.WashingtonSquaremaybeconceivedofasanexampleofasettingthatfunctionsasantagonist,inthatthereweremanyotherpeoplegettinginthewayofthereconciliationbetweenthetwocharacters.SettingasameansofcreatingappropriateatmosphereManyauthorsmanipulatetheirsettingsasameansofarousingthereader’sexpectationsandestablishinganappropriatestateofmindforeventstocome.SettingasameansofrevealingcharacterVeryoftenthewayinwhichacharacterperceivesthesetting,andthewayheorshereactstoit,willtellthereadermoreaboutthecharacterandhisorherstateofmindthanitwillaboutthesettingitself.Thisisparticularlytrueofworksinwhichtheauthorcarefullycontrolsthepointofview.The“blind”RichmondStreetandthe“”imperturbable”housesinthe“cold”and“quiet”lanesperfectlymirrorsthenarrator’sgrowingsenseofisolation,loneliness,frustration,andconfusion.2Anauthorcanalsoclarifyandrevealcharacterbydeliberatelymakingsettingametaphoricorsymbolicextensionofcharacter.Acaseinpointisfoundinthechickenraisingfarm,asettingofdisaster,asshowninSherwoodAnderson’sTheEgg.Settingandcharacterareone:thehouseobjectifies,andinthiswayservestoclarify,itsmaster.SettingasameansofreinforcingthemeSettingcanalsobeusedasameansofreinforcingandclarifyingthethemeofanovelorshortstory.InTheEgg,HillsLikeWhiteElephants,EarlyAutumn,allthesettingshavecontributedtotheclarificationofthethemesofthestories.JamesJoyce’sEpiphanyByanepiphanyJamesJoycemeantasuddenspiritualmanifestation.Writersrevealasearchformeaningandidentitybytheircharacters,whooftenachieveawarenessbymeansofepiphany,momentsofsuddenilluminationorrevelation.Reading:JamesJoyce,ArabyJamesAugustineAloysiusJoyce(2February1882–13January1941)wasanIrishnovelistandpoet,consideredtobeoneofthemostinfluentialwritersinthemodernistavant-gardeoftheearly20thcentury.JamesJoyce(1882-1941)ThestreamofconsciousnesstechniqueculminatesitselfinthenovelsofJamesJoyce.Hispsychologicalperceptionsandmasterlyuseoftheinteriormonologue,asdemonstratedinhisnovelUlysses,winhimafamethatveryfewotherwriterscanachieve.JoycewasborninDublin,Ireland.Hisfatherwasalandowner.HewaseducatedatUniversityCollege,Dublin.HewasdeeplyimpressedbyIbsen’snewapproachtodrama.Joyceonceintendedtobecomeapriest,buthelaterrebelledagainstCatholicismandleftDublinwhenhewastwenty.Joyce’scareerasawriterstartedwithacollectionofthirty-sixlovepoemsentitledChamberMusic(1907).HisfirstmajorworkwasDubliners(1914),acollectionoffifteenshortstoriesdealingsuccessivelywitheventsofchildhood,youthandadulthood.Asthetitleindicates,JoycemadeIrelandthefocusofhisstories.“Myintentionwastowriteachapterofthemoralhistoryofmycountry,”wroteJoycetohispublisheraboutthisbook,“andIchoseDublinforthescenebecausethecityseemedtometobethecentreofparalysis.”Dublinersisaboutpeople’sspiritualgrowth.Allcharactersinthestoriesstruggle,inonewayoranother,withoppressivemorality,personalfrustrations,orrestlessdesires.Theyareordinarypeopleinvolvedinvariousminoryetmeaningfuleventsineverydaylife.Often,thesecharactersareonthebrinko