The Educational Meaning and Artistic Features in Great Expectations.docx

The Educational Meaning and Artistic Features in Great Expectations.docx

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TheEducationalMeaningandArtisticFeaturesinGreatExpectations

Contents

摘要3

Abstract4

1ABriefIntroductiontoCharlesDickensandGreatExpectations5

1.1CharlesDickens5

1.2TheGreatExpectations5

1.3TheCardinalThemeinGreatExpectations6

2AnalysisontheEducationalMeaninginGreatExpectations7

2.1SearchforOne’sOwnIdentity7

2.2MoralImprovement8

3ArtisticFeaturesofGreatExpectations12

3.1UniqueandCreativeMethodsofNarration12

3.2ComicandIronicEffectinDescribingStory13

3.3SymbolicMeaningandGrotesqueFeatureinCharacterPortrayal14

3.3.1JoeSymbolizingaGoodManwithDecentCharacter14

3.3.2BentleyDrummleSymbolizingtheGrotesqueCapriceoftheUpperClass16

3.3.3TheMarshMistsSymbolizingDangerandAmbiguity.17

4Conclusion18

Bibliography19

Acknowledgement20

TheEducationalMeaningandArtisticFeatures

inGreatExpectations

《远大前程》的教育意义和艺术特点

摘要

查尔斯·狄更斯（1812-1870）是世界著名作家之一。

《远大前程》是狄更斯最成熟的作品之一，也是他晚期的作品。

《远大前程》叙述了一个青年幻想破灭的故事。

金钱使皮普从一个穷学徒变成阔少爷，也使他染上了上流社会的恶习，而背离了他原有的劳动人民的纯朴天性。

没有了金钱，皮普两手空空地回到家乡，但恢复了自己的人性。

本文透过对小说《远大前程》的分析，揭示狄更斯在作品中反映出的深入思想及写作的艺术特点。

第一章简单介绍作家生平和作品大意。

第二章将集中分析人在寻找自我时需要勇敢与自我的弱点、有罪的过往斗争，正是由于对峙和激烈的心理斗争与深刻的内心剖析，人性的真善美才能战胜假恶丑，才能取得道德的进步。

第三章着重阐述小说的艺术特征，尤其是在叙事技巧和人物刻画方面的特色。

最后得出结论，狄更斯是英国文学史的一代名家，取得了辉煌的艺术成就。

关键词：

《远大前程》；教育意义；艺术特色；叙事技巧

TheEducationalMeaningandArtisticFeatures

inGreatExpectations

Abstract

CharlesDickens（1812-1870）wasoneofthemostfamouswritersintheworld.GreatExpectationswasoneofDickensmostsuccessfulworks,anditwashisworkofcomparablylaterperiod.GreatExpectationstoldusastoryofayoungmanwhoseexceptionsbecamebabble.MoneymadePipfromapoormantoarichpeople,buthealsolearnedthebadthingsoftheupperclass.Withoutmoney,Piphadtogohome,buthegotwhathewanted.

ThispaperwouldexplorethedeepeducationalmeaningandwritingfeaturesthattheauthorDickensreflectedintheGreatExpectations.ThefirstchapterwouldprovideusabriefintroductiontoCharlesJohnHuffmanDickensandGreatExpectations.Thesecondchapterwouldfocusonconfrontationofindividualweaknessandguiltypasttosearchone’sidentityandwouldspecificallyanalyzethemoralachievementoftheherothroughintenseinnerstruggle.ThethirdchapterwouldelaboratetheuniqueartisticfeaturesoftheGreatExpectations,includingnarrativetechniquesandtheskillsofcharacterportrayal.ThelastchapterwasaboutthegreatachievementsofCharlesDickensandhisgreatinfluenceonthelaterliterarycreation.

Keywords:

GreatExpectations;EducationalMeaning;ArtisticFeatures;NarrativeTechniques

TheEducationalMeaningandArtisticFeatures

inGreatExpectations

1ABriefIntroductiontoCharlesDickensandGreatExpectations

1.1CharlesDickens

CharlesJohnHuffmanDickenswasanEnglishwriter,generallyconsideredtobethegreatestnovelistoftheVictorianperiodandresponsibleforsomeofEnglishliterature’smosticonicnovelsandcharacters.Duringhislifetime,Dickens’sworksenjoyedunprecedentedpopularityandfame,andtheyremainpopulartoday.Hisliterarygeniuswasfullyrecognizedbycriticsandscholars.Hiswritingstylewasfloridandpoetic,withastrongcomictouch.Manyofhischaracters’namesprovidedthereaderwithahintastotherolesplayedinadvancingthestoryline.

Allauthorsmightbesaidtoincorporateautobiographicalelementsintheirfiction,butwithDickensthiswasverynoticeable,eventhoughhetookpainstomaskwhatheconsideredhisshameful,lowlypast.HewasafiercecriticofthepovertyandsocialstratificationofVictoriansociety.Hisfiction,withoftenvividdescriptionsoflifeinnineteenthcenturyEngland,hadinaccuratelyandanachronisticallycometosymbolizeonagloballevelVictoriansociety（1837-1901）asuniformly“Dickensian”.

1.2TheGreatExpectations

ThestorytookplaceontheChristmasEve,1812,whentheprotagonistwasaboutsevenyearsold.GreatExpectationswasastoryoftheorphanPiptoldbytheprotagonistinsemi-autobiographicalstyleasaremembranceofhislifefromtheearlydaysofhischildhooduntilyearsafterthemainconflictsofthestoryhavebeenresolvedinadulthood.

Pip,whoseparentshadbeendead,wasapoorchild.HelivedwithhissisterandherhusbandJoe.Oneevening,hewassenttoMissHavisham’shouseandplayedwithher.Atthattime,hemetEstella,agirlwhowasadoptedbyMissHavisham.SincehemetEstella,hefellinlove.Hedecidedtobeagentleman.AndhewantedMissHavishamsenthimtoLandontostudy.Butsometimelater,EstellawenttoLandonandPiphadtogobackhomeandtobeablacksmith.Oneday,hereceivedaletterandhadachancetogotoLandon.WhenPipwasatLandon,hemethiscompanion,HerbertPocketandMr.Jagger,alowerwhogavehimmoneyfromhisguardian.ButPiphadnotseenhisguardian.HethoughtthatthischancemustbegivenbyMissHavisham.ShemusthavewantedPipmarrytoEstella.

PipmetEstellainLandon.HetoldEstellahowhefelt.ButEstellatoldthatshedidn’twanttohurthimandshewouldneverlovehim.Shewasgoingtomarrytoarichbutrudeman.

Justthen,anoldmanMr.MagwitchvisitedPip.Tohissurprise,themanwastheconvictandhewasPip’sguardian.Pipfeltallhopewaslost.HehadtohelpMagwitchescapefromthepolice.Herbertdecidedtohelpthem.TheyhidinHerbert’shousewherewasnearariver.Theycouldrowaboatalongtheriverandwentabroad.

1.3TheCardinalThemeinGreatExpectations

SomeofthemajorthemesofGreatExpectationswerecrime,socialclass,empireandambition.Fromanearlyage,Pipfeltguilty,hewasalsoafraidthatsomeonewouldfindoutabouthiscrimeandarresthim.ThethemeofcrimecameintoagreatereffectwhenPipdiscoveredthathisbenefactorwasinfactaconvict.Piphadaninternalstrugglewithhisconsciencethroughoutthebook.GreatExpectationsexploredthedifferentsocialclassesoftheGeorgianera.Throughoutthebook,Pipbecameinvolvedwithabroadrangeofclasses,fromcriminalslikeMagwitchtotheextremelyrichlikeMissHavisham.Piphadagreatambition,whichwasdemonstratedconstantlyinthebook.

2AnalysisontheEducationalMeaninginGreatExpectations

2.1SearchforOne’sOwnIdentity

DickenshadPipasthewriterandfirstpersonnarratorofthisaccountofhislife’sexperiences,andtheentirestorywasunderstoodtohavebeenwrittenasaretrospective,ratherthanasapresenttensenarrativeoradiaryorjournal.

InGreatExpectations,thefirstonewastodeterminethenatureofpeople.AstheoutlineMissHavishaminGreatExpectationsshouldbelongtothetypicalbadwoman.Shewasspoiledinchildhood;shewascheatingbythegroomintheweddingday.Afterthat,sheneverwentoutofherhome,from“Revengeoftheworldofmen”seemstobeallherlife,andshewasfullofanoldmonster.Thesecondwastofigureclarity.InDickens’snovels,eachcharacterrepresentedacertainclassofpeople,reflectedthecommonalityofagroupofpeople.SuchastheimageofJaggers,whofullyreflectedtheimageoflawyersinLondonsociety.Thethirdwastoseekdeephuman’smeaning.Dickenswasverygoodatdiggingtheimpliedhumanfactors,andthroughthemtoreflectthetendencyofhumannatureandthelawsofsomeuniversalthings.（MichaelWheeler,1985,p.1985）[14]Joesisterbeinggangstersintheattack,afterparalyzedinbedshebecameamildtemperament,askedJoetoforgiveher.ThePip’sexpectationwasjustthesearchofone’sownidentity,Itfocusedontheconfrontationofindividualweaknessandguiltypasttosearchone’sidentityandwouldspecificallyanalyzethemoralachievementoftheherothroughintenseinnerstruggle.Piplivedahumbleexistencewithhisill-temperedoldersisterandherstrongbutgentlehusbandJoe.Pipwantedtobecomeablacksmithlikebrother-in-law.Pipwassatisfiedwiththislifeandhiswarmfriendsuntilhewashiredbyanembitteredwealthywoman,MissHavisham,asanoccasionalcompaniontoherandherbeautifulbuthaughtyadopteddaughter,Estella.HismeetingwithHavishamchangedhisattitudetowardlife,andheadmiredhisdecentwayoflivinglikeagentleman.hemetEstellaandfellinlovewithher,buthecannotmarryherbecauseofhisinferiorstatusandhisexpectationschanged:

raisehissocialstatusandtobecomeagentleman,getbettereducationandthenmarryEstella.Finally,Piphadrealizedthemoneyandsocialstatuswasnotthemostimportantthinginlife.Whatwasimportantwasloveandloyalty.Man’struevaluehadnothingtodowithhismoneyandstatus.

Everymanhadhisfaults,wesawmuchvaluablemoralityfromtheleadingcharacterinGreatExpectationsandhedeservedourrespect,suchashisfortitude,andgoodness.Itwasacontinualprocesswhileindividual’sgrowingandimproving.（JohnForster,1928,p.38）[11]Pipgothisgoodmoralitybackandstartedabrand-newlifealthoughhisbrightfuturewasbroken.

2.2MoralImprovement

Pipwasthemaincharacterofthisnovel.Hewasanorphanwhoneverseeshisparentsforunexplainedreasons.Hewasbroughtup“byhand”byhisfiercesisterMrs.JoeGargeryandbefriendedbyherhusbandMr.Joe,thevillageblacksmith.Atthattime,Piplivedaquietlifewithkindnessandinnocence.AllhisexpectationwastobecomeamanlikeJoeanddosomethinguseful.However,whenhemetthebeautifulbutarrogantMissEstellainSatisHouse,hefoundthatheliveda“commonlife”ofthe“lowerclass”.Sohefeetself-abasedandunsatisfiedwithhis“commonlife”.Hewantedtochangeandbecameagentlemanofthe“upperclass”tomatchwithMissEstella.Hebecamerashandfrustrated.

Atthisverytime,ananon