《夕阳》叙事技巧分析

《夕阳》叙事技巧分析
作者：张爽赵凌宇
来源：《青年文学家》2011年第11期
Analysis of Narrative Tactic in That Evening Sun
摘要：威廉·福克纳是20世纪美国著名现实主义作家。

其短篇小说《夕阳》在布局、谋篇上堪称现代主义短篇小说的典范之作。

《夕阳》的主题是揭示种族歧视。

本文将从小说叙事结构与主题的统一方面分析作者的叙事策略。

这一叙事策略的运用使作品的内容和形式得到了完美的统一，作品也因此获得了独特的艺术魅力。

关键词：叙事结构、主题、统一
Ⅰ.Introduction
William Faulkner has made great contribution to the development of modern novels“by constantly experimenting with various kinds of forms and tactics in novels and daringly broadening the scope of representation of modern life”. His innovative experiment enhances the expressiveness of various narrative tactics; more truly represents the reality and proves more deeply into the inner world and the soul of characters thus deepening the theme of the work.
Ⅱ.Narrative Form and Motif
“Faulkner is the genius in the aspect of form. He explores every possibility of form unceasingly.” Because the length of the story is limited, in That Evening Sun, Faulkner utilizes the tactic of echo to specialize the short story.
2.1 Begins with Quentin’s Narration
In That Evening Sun, the narrator of the beginning is adult Quentin who is the oldest child in Compson. He begins the story by describing a well-developing Jefferson. It is full of appreciation, however, Quentin is still immersing in nostalgic feeling. As the descendant of the rich white family, Quentin is affected deeply by the racial discrimination so that he cannot pick out the evil behind the so-called harmonious society.
2.2 Ends with Quentin’s Question
That Evening Sun ends with a question by Quetnin, “who will do our washing now, father?” He is rather more anxious about his own personal welfare, worrying over such a trivial problem as who will wash the family’s clothes while Nancy is under her utmost fear. Quentin’s question represents the astonishing indifferences of the whites toward the black’s sufferings.
Ⅲ. Conclusion
Therefore, through Quentin’s question, Faulkner not only unifies the firs t and the last section in the story, but also reinforces the theme of black people’s sufferings and the white man’s indifferences toward them. In this way, Faulkner not only colors the short story but also riches the theme of the story.
Bibolioragphy:
[1] Qin Xiaomeng. Contemporary American Literature with Collateral Readings. Shanghai: Shanghai Translation Publishing House.,1986
[2] 管建明.“福克纳的叙事艺术中的时间和空间形式”.《外语教学》.2003（7）
[3] 康拉德·艾肯.“论福克纳的小说形式”.《福克纳评论集》.。