论极简主义在A.J.费克里《岛上书店》中的积极作用_英语论文

Brief Analysis Of Minimalism And Its Positive Effects In The Storied Life Of A.J. Fikry 

摘要

《岛上书店》是美国当代作家加布瑞埃拉·泽文的杰作，该作品在对于人生描写以及感悟上震撼人心。这部小说把人们孤独的内心和书籍、书店与爱贯穿于中年鳏夫A.J.费克里在人生低谷时由于一个特殊包裹的出现而发生转变的过程，整本小说也同时是泽文用讲故事的方式对书籍与爱的个人思想表达，是给读者的一碗特殊的“心灵鸡汤”。本文通过分析小说中的角色对话与动作的描写和情节发展的描写，探讨泽文对于温情故事的描写技巧，同时探讨极简主义的使用相较“哲理类”鸡汤文的积极效果。论文的主体部分探讨了加布瑞埃拉·泽文在《岛上书店》中所使用的极简主义手法。本文通过对于角色人物的对话和动作描写分析，表现泽文如何用角色的表面描写表达其内心变化，剧情进展表现了生活中书和爱的重要地位。本文还对比了泽文用极简主义手法表达对生活的积极态度，而一些鸡汤文仅仅在华而不实地大讲道理，借此表现出了泽文高超的写作手法，。文章最后进行总结，得出的结论是加布瑞埃拉·泽文在描写生活中的书与爱的主题时，其极简主义手法的使用有着很强的积极效果。

关键词：极简主义；书与爱；《岛上书店》；加布瑞埃拉·泽文

Abstract

American contemporary writer Gabrielle Zevin’s masterpiece The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry is a shocking depiction and inspiration of life. In this novel, books, bookstore, love and the loneliness of the human beings are connected with the transformation period of A.J. Fikry, who has met with a special package at the lowest point of his life. The whole novel is also an expression of the connection between book and love from Zevin. It is a special kind of “chicken soup for the soul”. This paper analyzes the dialogues and actions of the characters as well as the plot to show the use of minimalism in the description of the affecting novel, and the positive effects it has compared with the chicken soup books which only have philosophical words. The main body of the paper probes into the minimalism used by Zevin in The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. By analyzing the dialogues and the actions, the surface description of the characters is used to show their inner change, and the narration of the plot is used to stress the importance of the book and love in human’s life. This paper also show a comparison between the words of this book and that of some chicken soup books. The brief words used by Zevin show her positive attitude, while the specious sayings in the latter are just useless. These all show the unmatched writing skills of Zevin. In the end, there is a conclusion. In this part the whole paper is summarized and a final conclusion is drawn: while writing about the theme of love and books in the life, the use of minimalism has a positive effect.

Key Words: Minimalism; Book and Love; The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry; Gabrielle Zevin

Contents

Acknowledgments 

Abstract (Chinese)  ii 

Abstract (English) iii 

Introduction   1 

Chapter One Minimalism and its Positive Effects in Novel 2 

1.1 Characterization . 3 

1.1.1 Dialogue. 4 

1.1.1 Action. 6 

1.2 Plot 7 1.2.1 Beginning. 7 

1.2.2 Development . 9 

1.2.3 Climax and End. 10 

Chapter Two Contrast with Chicken-soup Book 12  

Conclusion 14 

Bibliography 15