On The Postmodern Narrative Techniques In Toni Morrison’s God Help The Child

Toni Morrison,an African American woman writer,is an outstanding contemporary postmodernist novelist.Morrison’s success can not be separated from her superb postmodern narrative art.In her newest work God Help the Child,Morrison also skillfully uses postmodern narrative techniques.In view of the fact that the breadth and depth of the current researches on God Help the Child are obviously insufficient,the thesis attempts to analyze the postmodern narrative techniques used in the novel from the perspective of postmodern narrative: fragmentation,multiple narrative points of view and indeterminacy.Through the present study,three conclusions come as follows:(1)The fragmentation in the novel is expressed as the fragmentation between chapters and the fragmentation in the same chapter,which can not only set suspense and encourage readers to participate in the construction of the novel,but also better fit the theme and help to shape the image of the characters in the novel;(2)The use of multiple narrative points of view can describe the story more comprehensively and present events from different points of view,which can help to shape the characters’ images and tap their inner thoughts,and the alternate narration of the first person and third person breaks the coherence of the novel and reveals the fictionality of the novel,the complexity of reality and many social issues;(3)The indeterminacy in the novel is expressed as the uncertainty of characters and open ending,which leaves enough imagination space for readers,attracts readers’ attention,and urges readers to participate in the construction of the story with a positive and creative attitude.From the perspective of postmodern narrative,the thesis analyses and illustrates the specific application and significance of three postmodern narrative techniques in God Help the Child: fragmentation,multiple narrative points of view and indeterminacy,so that readers can have a deeper understanding of Morrison’s newest work and postmodern narrative techniques.