個人自由的追尋——論法國中尉的女人一書存在主義自由的主題構(gòu)建

1、上海交通大學(xué)碩士學(xué)位論文個人自由的追尋——論《法國中尉的女人》一書存在主義自由的主題構(gòu)建姓名：劉艷申請學(xué)位級別：碩士專業(yè)：英語語言文學(xué)指導(dǎo)教師：左曉嵐20100101iii Abstract Contemporary British writer John Fowles (1926-2005) is an inescapable chapter among any literary text book. His notably bes

2、t piece, The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1969), enjoys remarkable acclaim and success from both the reading public and serious literary circles. This thesis aims to show how the theme of existential freedom is construc

3、ted in John Fowles’s The French Lieutenant’s Woman through a textual study and detailed analysis from the perspective of the general elements of fiction, namely, setting, conflict, characterization and narration. This

4、 thesis consists of three parts. Introduction forms the first part, which will be focused on a brief introduction to John Fowles’s life, literary career and The French Lieutenant’s Woman with commentary remarks on the

5、relationship on how his personal life exerts impact on his philosophical and artistic views, and a literature review in terms of thematic concern and narrative technique. Chapters One, Two, Three, and Four compose the

6、 body, offering an interpretation of the text, which is the second part of this thesis. Chapter one will make a general introduction to existentialism, focusing on the concept of freedom of Sartre who influences Fowels g

7、reatly and Fowles’s distinctive philosophical concern of freedom as well, which differentiates Fowles from other existentialists. Chapter Two will analyze the physical, social and cultural setting of the novel coupled wi

8、th the conflict that ultimately leads to the liberation of the main characters. Setting and conflict are the basis of characterization and thematic construction. The repressive and restrictive Victorian society and the c

9、onflict between a culture that suppresses authenticity and a self that seeks truth prompt Sarah and Charles to be aware of and realize their freedom. Chapter Three will deal with thematic construction from the aspect of

10、characterization. Both Sarah Woodruff and Charles Smithson demonstrate existential freedom that can be reflected in the portrayal of the characterization. The novel justifies the two of them emancipated from the constrai

11、nts of the society and its institution and freed through their individual pursuit and personal choice. Chapter Four will be engaged in narration. Particularly, intrusive first-person narrator and triple endings will be

12、 discussed to show how Fowles leverages conventional as well as postmodern narrative techniques to liberate the narrator and the readers from the rigid norm and limitation of the traditional realism. Conclusion is the

13、 third part of this thesis, which comprises a summary of Fowles’s thematic construction of existential freedom and comes to the conclusion that those fictional elements, essentially authentic and consciously existential,

14、 work as an organic unity to develop the story and construct the theme. The thematic construction of existential freedom demonstrates Fowles's philosophy of life on relative freedom and his view on fiction-writing,