A Study Of Intertextuality In David Lodge's Novels

David Lodge (1935- ) is one of the most prominent British writers after the World Warâ…¡. He is versatile both in the fields of novel writing, literary theory and literary criticism. He obtained a PhD at the University of Birmingham and he taught English Literature there for 27 years from 1960 to 1987. In 1987, he retired from Birmingham University but retains the title of Honorary Professor of Modern English Literature of Birmingham University. After his retirement from Birmingham University, he becomes the full-time writer. His trilogy of campus novels:Changing Places, Small World and Nice Work draws the attentions of critics and readers. Small World makes him to be the candidate for the Booker Prize.On the basis of the studies of the previous critics, the thought of the study of the literary texts, theoretical texts and social texts together comes into the mind of the author of this thesis. The relationship between David Lodge's these texts is worthy of studying.This thesis aims to prove that there is intertextual relationship among David Lodge's literary texts, theoretical texts and social texts. To prove this point, firstly I find out the evidence to prove that intertextuality has some basic principles which are the production of meanings, dialogic nature of language and repetition. In this part, I mainly use Saussure, Bakhtin, Kristeva and Barthes's theory on intertexuality. Secondly, I try to find out how the intertextual relationship exists in David Lodge's literary texts and theoretical texts. In this part, I mainly use the principles concerning intertextuality analyzed in the previous part. Finally, by analyzing David Lodge's literary texts, I find out there lies intertextual relationship between David Lodge's literary texts and social texts.This thesis will be divided into four parts. The first part is the introduction which gives an account of the latest studies both at home and abroad on David Lodge and the central argument, research method and the significance of the thesis.Chapter One presents some basic principles of the theory concerning intertextuality, which will form the base of the thesis theoretical methods. The principles are the production of meanings, dialogic nature of language, and repetition.Chapter Two analyzes the intertextual relationship between David Lodge's literary texts and his theoretical texts and points out that his theories of game, the production of meanings, the indeterminacy of meanings, and discourse are drawn from his practice in writing the novels and his literary works and theoretical works construct each other. Actually the relationship between his theory and practice is a kind of dialogue. This repeated dialogue foregrounds his opinion about the orientation of literature is aiming at the production of meanings.Chapter Three explores the intertextual relationship between David Lodge's literary texts and the social texts. This part points out that David Lodge's novels are drawn from the problems of modern society. In the modern society, the figures of scholars, the attitude of violent revolution, and the aging problem of the society emerged fiercely. The relationship between David Lodge's literary texts and social texts is actually dialogic. The repetition of themes in his novels shows his concern over those social problemsIn the part of Conclusion, the author of the thesis points out that there lies intertextual relationship between his literary texts and theoretical texts, between his literary texts and the social texts. What the thesis wants to emphasize is that the intertextuality does not only lie among the novels, but also in the literary texts and theoretical texts and literary texts and social texts. This thesis provides the researcher with a broader horizon to view the literary texts, the theoretical texts and the social texts.