Modern Means Of Transport In Virginia Woolf's Works

At the beginning of the 20 th century in Britain,there is the change of social space which is caused by the wide application of modern means of transport.They reduced the journey time,became an indispensable way of travelling,and gave modern people a new lifestyle.For Virginia Woolf,the car,train and plane are not only convenient modern means of transport,but also the vehicles of the constantly-changing modern experience and fleeting modern consciousness of modern people,forming Woolf's most innovative themes,images and unique writing techniques and reflecting her criticism of modern society.This thesis consists of six chapters in total:Chapter One introduces the thesis of the study;sums up previous research on Virginia Woolf and modern means of transport abroad and in China,demonstrating the inadequacy of domestic research and pointing out the originality of this study;and finally,presents the structure and significance of the study.Chapter Two provides the background for the study.By discussing the development of the train,car,aeroplane,and bus,as well as Woolf's attitude to modern means of transport,this chapter deals with the influence of modern means of transport on Woolf's life and her works.Chapter Three elaborates modern experience and modern consciousness caused by modern means of transport.The rapidity of modern means of transport evokes the fleeting scene,makes the journey fatiguing and boring,and brings people a sensation of nowhere.People's meeting and separating from strangers in modern means of transport form new interpersonal relationships.Chapter Four illustrates the literary theory of Virginia Woolf that is influenced by modern means of transport.This chapter is composed of two sections.Section One analyzes the influence of modern means of transport on Woolf's writing technique of stream of consciousness.Section Two points out that modern means of transport shapes modern people's mode of thinking,which impels Woolf to create the new technique of characterization.Chapter Five deals with Woolf's attitude to modern society.By using modern means of transport to depict modern people's experience and consciousness,as well as to introduce new writing techniques for modern fiction,Woolf intends to level criticism against modern society.Chapter Six summarizes the influences of modern means of transport on Woolf's works.Modern means of transport provide modern people with the fleeting modern experience and modern consciousness,which shapes modern people's mode of thinking,triggers Woolf's innovation in novel writing,and reflects Woolf's criticism of modern society.In short,modern means of transport exert a great influence on Woolf's work.This thesis explores the influence from three aspects,which are modern experience and modern consciousness,conception of modern fiction,and Woolf's criticism of modern society.By elaborating Woolf's works from the perspective of modern means of transport,this thesis attempts to find a new approach to study Woolf's works.