An Analysis Of The Theme Of Initiation In Ferryman From The Perspective Of Initiation Stories

Claire McFall,an English narrator and teacher,was born in Scotland in 1982.Her first novel Ferryman makes her one of the most influential writers in England today.Most scholars use the symbolism perspective and perspectives of Marxism to interpret this novel,but few have analyzed from the perspective of Initiation Stories.As a typical literary genre,Initiation Stories focus on protagonist’s growth process from innocence to maturity.On the theoretical basis of Initiation Stories,this thesis attempts to explore how the protagonists Dylan and Tristan grow from innocence to maturity under the guidance of their spiritual mentor during their growth process.The thesis can be divided into three parts.Part One is Introduction.It briefly introduces Claire Mcfall and her work Ferryman,literature review on this novel,research questions as well as the thesis structure.It also analyzes Ferryman as an Initiation Story on the basis of Initiation Story theory.Part Two is the main body of this thesis which analyzes Dylan and Tristan‘s growth process from their psychological changes.It is divided into three chapters.Chapter 1 explores the identity crisis and growth confusions of Dylan and Tristan respectively.Chapter 2 focuses on the influence of the positive mentors during the protagonists‘ growth.Chapter 3 concentrates on the initiation of Dylan and Tristan,revealing how they transform from innocence to maturity.It also analyzes the growth and symbolism of Dylan and Tristan.Conclusion summarizes the above content and reiterates the point of view of the thesis.This thesis explores the protagonist Dylan’s awakening of self-consciousness and the process of spiritual growth,revealing the author’s deep concern for the growth of teenagers in the UK,praising the resistance of teenagers from the single-parent families to reality.They actively understand themselves,understand society in the unremitting pursuit and gain the courage and wisdom of their growth.In the meanwhile,this study finds that Tristan‘s self-awakening and growth has profound symbolic meaning and is a reference for professional teachers in the modern society who also encounter the problem of self-esteem and self-actualization.Only by recognizing the importance of self-esteem can they gain their growth and achieve the development of the self by helping students‘ growth.It not only provides a new perspective for the interpretation of this work,but also enriches the scope of the theory of Initiation Stories.