| This dissertation aims at constructing a narratological-stylistic analytical framework,demonstrating how narratological analysis and stylistic analysis join hands in producing a more convincing interpretation of literary narratives. Combining the two analytical methods is not juxtaposing the interpretations produced by the two methods respectively. Both analyses shed new light on each other and the theme in the final analysis. In this study, choices and analyses of both narratological and stylistic techniques are determined by the foregrounding principle. Not confined to case studies, we tentatively propose the most common combinational rules between narratological and stylistic analyses, which hopefully can be of help for alerting students of fiction to the ways the two techniques work interactively in literary narratives. In so doing, their literary interpretations might be more solidly founded and profound.So far as the study of verbal arts is concerned, both narratology and stylistics study their formal features and have many things in common, so there have been several misunderstandings about their relationship. Recently, stylisticians like Prof. Shen Dan have realized that these two are simultaneously similar and different. Though both studying formal features, narratology, originating from structuralism, is primarily enthusiastic about macroscopic techniques; stylistics, in the modern sense, however, is noted for its close examination of linguistic details. Obviously, it is narratological techniques together with linguistic features that constitute the formal profiles of narrative texts. Without the support of macro-structure, stylistic features might be one-sided, whereas narratological description might be empty and impressionistic without the prop of linguistic details. So, instead of replacing or running parallel with each other, these two should join hands.The combinational methods have been proved by some scholars to be more revealing in literary analyses. But their practices are similar in following respects. For one thing, almost all practices are case studies. They did not go further than analyzing a certain technique, that is, the most foregrounded one in their respective cases. For the other, they used narratological techniques as umbrellas or prologues for ensuing yet much lengthier stylistic analyses. Not many of them managed a balance between these two analyses and mentioned their mutual benefits.Since narratological techniques, compared with stylistic devices, are macroscopic and limited in number, they are taken as starting points both in our theoretical constructions and practical analyses. Based on previous case studies, we attempt to give a broader picture of the combinational methods and rules concerning the most common narratological techniques, and to call attention to bi-lateral interactions between the two analytical methods.Since the most suitable interface in the combination on the part of narratology is its study of macroscopic structure, rather than narrative details, we link the study of narratological techniques with that of narrative structure. This then leads to the fusion of western and Chinese understandings of narrative structure. Drawing on western systematic analytical methods, we take the typically Chinese humanitarian stance. Foregrounded techniques are regarded as the key to the author's peculiar outlook on the life and the world. The humanitarian stance is imperative for reviving the life force of the narrative which is squeezed out of energy by postmodernists'leveling everything slogan and authors'repeated banishments. What is more, readers are seen to play a part in practical analyses, with their cognitions activated.Though providing several exemplifications, we do not stop at individual analyses. Every exemplification is preceded by theoretical elaborations and followed by more extensive explorations. In so doing, we hope our study could be helpful for others to spot foregrounded narratological-stylistic techniques in other literary works. Moreover, different from most previous practices, we put special focus on the interactions between the two techniques. Narratological study, in this dissertation, not only facilitates stylistic analysis, but also benefits from the latter. More importantly, our study shows that the simultaneous exploration of both techniques gives us more profound understandings of narrative works.This dissertation consists of nine chapters.Chapter One gives an overview of the dissertation. It briefly introduces the motivation, necessity, significance, methodology,procedure, scope and data of the study.Chapter Two reviews the combinations of the two disciplines achieved by far. Previous practices make us feel that the combinational methods promise a great deal in literary analyses. Yet, their case studies and stylistics-centered practices leave us much space to explore. Among them, Nash (1982), Short (1999) and Dai (2005) are the most important inspirations for the present study. They differ from others by paying proper attention to both techniques and their interactions. Based on their analyses of one technique in one text, this study intends to give a comprehensive picture of the combinational method, particularly about the three important narratological techniques in modern narrative fictions.Chapter Three introduces relevant concepts and methods of narratology and stylistics. Since the most promising interface in the combination on the part of narratology lies in its study of narrative structure, narratological techniques are related to or equated with narrative structure. After introducing the studies of narrative structure in the west and China respectively, we integrate western systematic formal analyses with Chinese human-centered interpretation in this study. We end this chapter with Labov's description of natural narrative structure. From daily immersions in it, people acquire the narrative competence, which is necessary for their understanding of written narratives. But this narrative competence can only work well when aided by some knowledge of narratological and stylistic techniques in narrative fictions, especially modern fictions which greatly distorted natural narratives.Chapter Four classifies literary narratives according to the two structural types, namely horizontal and vertical. The classification highlights the multi-uses of the combinational methods. For the one-layered or horizontal narrative, our combinational methods can be conveniently used. For multi-layered or vertical narrative works, the combinational methods are applicable not only to the narrative work as a whole, but also to every narration layer. To compare different narratological and stylistic techniques employed at different narration layers is supposed to be rewarding, especially in modern narrative fictions.Chapter Five builds the general narratological-stylistic framework and the specific framework aiming at modern narrative fictions. The general framework includes the five structural elements clarified in chapter three, namely character, space, event, spatial form and point of view. Narratological-stylistic approaches to all the structural elements are introduced separately. Under the title of event, we primarily discuss temporal techniques, the three divisions of which, namely order, duration and frequency in Genette's sense, are discussed respectively. Based on the general framework, we build the analytical framework suitable for modern narrative fictions. Considering the difference between modern fictions and traditional fictions, we focus on temporal techniques, spatial form and point of view, taking the others as sporadic and complementary.Chapter Six exemplifies narratological-stylistic analysis of temporal structure. We focus on the distorted temporal order, which is often accompanied by uneven speed or frequency, so the latter two are not discussed separately. Among the distorted temporal order, we only deal with analepsis, disregarding prolepsis and achrony, for the so-called prolepsis can be better studied as a privilege of a narrator, a facet of point of view, and achrony often appears at odds and ends and has little relationship with the theme.Our analysis of the part covering Joe's past in Light in August is supposed to show that narratological and stylistic analyses of the analepsis help and complement each other for the more profound thematic revelation. The special arrangement of temporal order and duration reveals that it is the traumatic past that shapes the later Joe and prevents him from living a normal life. The narratological arrangement is found to be strengthened and specified by foregrounded linguistic choices. By specified we mean the consistent linguistic features relating to the past such as"memory","circle", depict the specific way the past works on Joe. Moreover, stylistic analysis reveals that the controlling memory is basically unconscious and incomprehensible, which makes Joe's life look even more absurd. Considering Faulkner's constant concern about the fate of mankind, we take these techniques to be saturated by Faulkner's poignant understanding of his contemporary southerners and all modern men's absurd existences and the root causes.Our analysis shows that the narratological analysis of foregrounded analepsis concerning its position, speed and frequency relative to its adjacent text, together with the stylistic analysis of the linguistic features in between present and past universes and the possibly contrastive linguistic features of them, can give us more insight into the analepsis and the theme.Chapter Seven exemplifies narratological-stylistic approach to spatial form. We are greatly indebted to Nash for his analysis of the spatial form and linguistic features in Odour of Chrysanthemums, but we differ from his study on following two points. For one thing, based on his case study of spatial form, we propose the general rule for bringing the latent spatial forms to light or constructing them. Simply speaking, it is the sequence in which the crucial structural elements or plots appear that shapes the narrative in a particular way. For the other, our analysis proves that the theme can be more profoundly revealed by the interaction between narratological and stylistic analyses. Besides, these two are interdependent on rather than independent of each other. Serving as the macro-guide for stylistic analysis, spatial form can be confirmed, justified, enriched or even brought into being by the latter. To examine relevant stylistic features concerning those form-shaping elements is expected to yield deeper understanding of the spatial form.Chapter Eight demonstrates narratological-stylistic analysis of point of view, which is the most complicated among the three techniques. We devote more space to reviewing earlier studies of it in both narratological and stylistic fields. After reviewing some combinational studies of point of view, we reclassify it into perceptual point of view on the one hand and psychological and ideological points of view on the other, for these two groups involve different stylistic interfaces. We do not agree that perceptual point of view necessarily acts as the physical entity level for the emotional or ideological point of view; instead, it can be independent as a point of view type. To find stylistic interfaces with narratological point of view, we should take the two situations into consideration. For the perceptual point of view, linguistic features such as deixis, representations of thought and perception, prepositional and adverbial phrases indicating direction or location, etc, can serve as indicators, whereas for the value-laden point of view, stylistics is supposed to uncover the different evaluations within the point of view. Comparatively speaking, stylistic analysis of the former tells whose point of view it is, whereas for the latter, stylistic analysis reveals what point of view it is. When the point of view is value-laden, linguistic indicators of perceptual point of view might be emotionally or ideologically involved as well, so they are often analyzed together with those evaluative expressions. The combinational rules differ in first-person and third-person narratives. Many combinational analyses of this group focus on first-person narratives, which often display contrasts between the experiential self and the narrator self. We divide first-person narratives into two groups. In one, the experiential self is simply narrated or focalized, whereas in the other the experiential self's voice is audible or focalization perceptible. For the first, the narrator self's different references to the earlier self are arranged in a continuum according to the degrees of detachment intended by the narrator self. For the latter, reporting verbs introducing the two's speeches and thoughts, attached descriptions, evaluative words and other distinguishing features like deixis within them are noteworthy. Our analysis of The Catcher in the Rye shows that the narrator Holden's existential crisis is fully manifested in his mixtures of the stylistic features that should have belonged to the experiential Holden. As to third-person narratives, the common correspondences between narratological and stylistic facets of point of view can be either on the diachronic or on the synchronic level. We continue to use Light in August as the data, for in it we find different points of view for presenting different protagonists. Moreover, even when different protagonists'stories are narrated by the same character narrator, the points of view are not the same owing to different distances between the very narrator and the narrated objects. Our analysis shows that the different narratological points of view on the synchronic level are in accord with relevant stylistic features.Chapter Nine is the conclusion, in which the findings and significance of the dissertation are summarized, and the limitations are pointed out for future study. Our major findings in the study are as follows:Firstly, narratological-stylistic analysis can cover all formal features of narrative fictions and produce deeper interpretation of the theme and the author's world outlook.Secondly, narratological analysis not only serves as the guide for perceiving and analyzing stylistic features, but can be confirmed, enhanced and enriched by the latter; stylistic features, when finding their way into the macroscopic narrative structure, can be elevated as to their significances for narrative works.Thirdly, the concurrences between foregrounded narratological and stylistic techniques are by no means rare but can be found in most narratives, especially in modern narrative fictions, according to the rules suggested in the dissertation.Fourthly, spatial form is not so mysterious, totally up to intuition, imagination or recollection. It might become a little more palpable if readers pay more attention to the sequence in which the crucial elements appear in narrative works.Lastly, cognition plays a much more important role in spotting narratological techniques than basic story or the scene described in Genette's temporal paradigm. Prolepsis, from the cognitive angle, does not differ much from analepsis, while the narrator's privilege of pre-telling involved in it can be classified into point of view.
|
PDF Full Text Request