A Contrastive Analysis Of Conceptual Metaphor Between Moment In Peking And Beloved

In1987, conceptual metaphor theory was first put forward by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, which in the book Metaphors We Live By. From the aspect of cognitive linguistics, they claim that metaphors are a way of thinking about things, which as a tool to understand one conception in terms of another conception. Having researched it in depth and meticulously for a lot of years, Lakoff and Johnson consider that conceptual metaphors can be classified into two categories:Primary Metaphors and Synthesis of metaphors. Primary Metaphors are from sensorimotor experience because human beings have common body organs, which represent similarities in using metaphors. Moreover, Synthesis of metaphors is basically combined with different cultures and believes, which represents differentiation in using metaphors. The reason for it is that human beings living in different environment receive different cultures, which leads to differences between their ways of thinking about things.On account of conceptual metaphor theory by Lakoff and Johnson, this paper is engaged in discussing conceptual metaphors in Moment in Peking and Beloved to analyze social cultural background and historical background in which produce such metaphors and its important role to interpret the topical subject. Through analyzing conceptual metaphors in two texts contrastively and systemically, similarities and differences have been shown between Moment in Peking and Beloved. Consequently, it is beneficial to uncover the difference of cognitive mechanism between Chinese and Western people. Based on cognitive linguistics to research the mapping process of metaphors in novels and its experience foundation, this paper has concluded respectively a large number of conceptual metaphors in Moment in Peking and Beloved from the aspects of the expressions of language and the structures of novels. The two aspects will be explained in following part:In terms of the expressions of language, the paper has analyzed contrastively "Name" metaphors,"Life" metaphors between Moment in Peking and Beloved on the perspectives of structural metaphors, ontological metaphors and orientational metaphors. Both of authors all express their emotions and ideas by means of names of main characters in their novels. Therefore, names in the novels bear some kinds of metaphorical meanings. For example, name stands for social level and life stands for a journey in both of two novels; these are the similarities in both of two novels. And the differences between them are:name stands for elders" expectation in Moment in Peking and name stands for freedom in Beloved.In terms of the structure of novels, the paper has proved that metaphors on the structures of two texts all stand for their main subjects respectively. Because two novels are narrations, arranging time line, structuring plots and setting titles in novels also bear some kinds of metaphorical meanings by authors. Although they have some commonalities, there are even a few of differences between them. Two authors apply two different ways to arrange time line and set up titles of each chapter in their novels, which makes an obvious contrastive phenomenon. Through researching in depth meticulously, it has been found that not only metaphorical meaning is very profound, but also it origins from the inveteracy cultural and historical background. It even shows the two authors’ own ingenuity.