The Defamiliarized Modern Absurd Hero

As soon as Kazuo Ishiguro appeared in literary arena in the1980s, the Japanese-born British attracted great attention. His When We Were Orphans was nominated for the Booker Prize of2000, telling the story of Christopher Banks, a celebrated British detective, attempting to stop the Second World War and to rescue his missing parents but in vain.Most critics paid attention to its themes of detective, Japaneseness, pessimism and post-colonialism, which was contrary to author’s original intention. Ishiguro was presenting in his works a positive universal theme that mirrored the common value and living experience of modern men. To conform to Ishiguro’s original intention, the thesis adopts Albert Camus’ philosophy of the absurd and the concept of "absurd hero" as new approach, and conducts a detailed study of Banks’absurdity, revolt, and happiness. Living in the absurd, he never gave up the revolt against his destiny and the world; he was a modern absurd hero of happiness. The re-interpretation of the novel not only discovers the profound optimism in it, but also helps in spreading his positive idea about life and the world.The thesis consists of five parts. Chapter1introduces research object, traditional criticism and thesis creative study. Chapter2explains Albert Camus’philosophical thought on the absurd, revolt and happiness, and his concept of "absurd hero". It further discusses the nature of the absurd hero with Sisyphus and Don Quixote as examples. Chapter3borrows the idea of "defamiliarization" to make a comparison among Banks, Sisyphus and Don Quixote, illustrates that Banks was a defamiliarized modern absurd hero, and points out Banks’modern significance. Chapter4elaborates the absurdity, revolt and happiness of Banks. Banks’ absurdity did not induce his failure. The revolt endows his life with value, meaning and happiness. Christopher Banks was a modern absurd hero. Chapter5summarizes the thesis and recapitulates Banks’positive influence on modern society as an absurd hero, looking forward to more extensive research into the optimism in When We Were Orphans.