Theme-文学原理教程课件.pptVIP

Definition ---- The central idea or statement about life that unifies and controls the total work. Misconceptions about Theme 1. Each a novel has a theme / themes. Five Requirements for Stating a Theme A theme must be expressed in the form of a statement with a subject and a predicate. Eg: “Love of one’s country often inspires heroic self-sacrifice”. Some Themes Justice prevails. Love conquers all. Society will always overwhelm the individual. Children often see more clearly than adults. There’s no place for the artist in the jungle. Where to Look for the Theme 1. How the novel is entitled. ---- The central theme of the novel is sometimes present in the title. Analyzing Theme 1. Does the work have a theme? Is it stated or implied? 2. What generalization(s) / statement(s) about life / human experience does the work make? A Rose for Emily Death 1. Funeral of Emily; 2. Death of Emily’s father; 3. Death of old lady Wyatt, Emily’s great-aunt; 4. Corpse of Homer Barron 3. What elements of the work contribute most heavily to the formulation of the theme? 4. Does the theme emerge organically and naturally, or does the author seem to force the theme upon the work? 5. What is the value / significance of the work’s theme? Is it topical or universal in its application? 主题： 是故事的意义； 是作者对题材的某种评论，不论明示或暗示； 是作者在写作过程中，与读者在阅读过程中所发现的总意义； 也是人类欲使经验意义化的一种小说形式的反映。 　 * Theme A theme may be stated or implied. It is the perception about life or human nature that the writer wants to communicate. Theme only exists in the novel that ① seriously attempts to reflect life faithfully; ② intends to reveal truth about life; ③ are based on ideas or theories of life. Eg: Novels of ratiocination (推理) / horror have no theme. ---- They are aimed at entertaining the reader, not at improving his understanding of life. 2. The theme is largely what the novel is. The difference between Theme Novel: Theme ---- An abstract idea appealing solely to the intelle