A Narratological Study Of The Unconsoled

Kazuo Ishiguro,a Japanese-born British writer,is one of the most prestigious and influential novelists in the contemporary society.The Unconsoled,his fourth novel,is the most difficult one due to its unique and innovative writing style.With the aid of Gerard Genette‘s theories and some related narratological notions,this thesis tries to explore the narrative techniques employed in The Unconsoled for readers to have a better understanding of the characters in the novel;meanwhile,the important motif of the novel—the survival predicament of the modern humanity is highlighted from the narratological angle as well.This thesis is composed of five parts:The introduction part includes a brief introduction to Kazuo Ishiguro and The Unconsoled,and a literature review of its criticism at home and abroad,followed by a brief introduction to the narratological terms that will be used in this thesis.Chapter one draws on the narrative time to analyze order,duration and frequency of the novel in order to give a full depiction to the bitterness of the protagonist Ryder and other characters and their estranged relationships in the past and present.Chapter two is a study of the narrative focalization of the novel to show the characters‘ hardships and sufferings encountered in the process of their seeking for consolation from different perspectives.Chapter three focuses on the variable narrative discourses in the novel to deeply reveal the real living circumstances of different characters.The final part is the conclusion.Through a narratological study of The Unconsoled,Ishiguro‘s unique narrative techniques are analyzed in the novel;more importantly,behind the seemingly absurd and preposterous narrative,the novel reflects Ishiguro‘s deep concern about the real survival predicament of modern humanity.