《等待》的现实主义特征探讨_英语论文

Discussion of Realistic Features of Waiting

摘要

哈金是知名的华人作家，在当代美国文学界颇负盛誉。其代表性小说《等待》是一部现实主义小说。通过对二十世纪六十至八十年代中国青年人婚恋状况的描写，在某种程度上反映了当时中国社会现实，表明了作家个人对社会的思考。

小说情节围绕三位主要人物之间的关系而展开。小说主人公孔林是一位军医，故事叙述了他长达二十年的感情生活。孔林因家庭安排，娶了没有文化却孝顺贤惠的妻子淑玉。与此同时，工作在外的孔林，与护士曼娜相恋。孔林决心与淑玉离婚，但每次却在最后关头因淑玉的反对而搁置。小说出色的人物内心活动刻画、动作描写等细节使这部作品极度精致，人物丰富饱满，充分展现人物之间的冲突，以及尖锐的社会矛盾。

本文基于现实主义理论，从背景的真实性，人物刻画的真实性和叙事方法的真实性展开分析，力求还原作品以及人物的真实状态，从看似普通人的生活中看到当时社会的大背景以及部分国民的生活状态，从而了解作家的社会责任感以及严谨的写作态度，对小说作出正确而全面的的评价。

关键词：哈金；《等待》；现实主义特征

Abstract

Ha Jin is a famous Chinese American writer in the literary circle in contemporary America. Waiting, his representative writing is a realistic novel, which depicts the conditions of marriage of the Chinese young people during1960s-1980s. The novel acts as a mirror reflecting to some extent the reality of the circumstances of then China and it displays the writer’s opinion about the society. 

 Waiting centers around the relationship between three main characters Lin Kong, Shuyu and Manna. Lin Kong, an army doctor, marries poorly-educated but virtuous  country woman Shuyu out of fulfilling filial duty to his parents. And in Muji town, Lin Kong falls in love with a nurse named Manna Wu. To marry Manna, Lin determines to divorce his wife Shuyu. For seventeen years, Lin doesn’t succeed because of Shuyu’s objection at the critical moment each time. In Waiting, characters become colorful and vivid due to psychological characterization. In addition, detailed narration and depiction successfully demonstrates the conflicts among the characters, as well as reveals social contradictions.

Based on realistic theory, the author of the thesis begins with analyzing the novel Waiting mainly from three aspects including the authenticity of historical background, characterization and narration. Then, the author tries to examine the novel and reflects characters’ real mental state at that time. And starting with common people and trivial matters, readers could have a glance of the whole society and part of natives’ living conditions. Thus a comparatively wholesome and correct judgment could be made about the novel since the novelist’s social responsibility and rigorous writing techniques are fully presented.  

Keywords：Ha Jin; Waiting; realistic features

Contents

Acknowledgements i

English Abstract ii

Chinese Abstract iii

Table of Contents iv

Chapter One Introduction 1

1.1 Introduction of the Author 1

1.2 Introduction of the Novel 1

1.3 Literature Review 2

1.4The Framework of the Thesis 2

Chapter Two Realistic Theory 4

2.1 General Introduction of Realistic Theory 4

2.2 Features of Realistic Theory 4

2.2.1 Convincing Background 4

2.2.2 Actual Character Portryal 5

2.2.3 Natural Narrative Skills 6

Chapter Three Interpretation of Historical Background 8

3.1 Domestic Background 8

3.2 International Background 9

Chapter Four Authencity of Characterization 11

4.1 Psychological Characterization 11

4.2 Depiction of Appearance 12

Chapter Five Interpretation of Narrative Method 14

5.1 Chronological Narration 14

5.2 Detailed Narration 15

Chapter Six Conclusion 17

References 19