The Analysis On When We Were Orphans From The Perspective Of Ethical Literary Criticism

When We Were Orphans is the fifth work of Japanese British writer Ishiguro Kazuo.The novel tells the story of a famous detective,Banks,of the British upper class.To untie the knot in his mind,he returned to his childhood home,Shanghai.He launched an investigation on the disappearance of his parents in the war and the memories.The method of ethical literary criticism put forward by Professor Nie Zhenzhao provides a useful perspective to interpret the tragic fate of main characters in the novel.This paper tries to explore ethical values contained in When We Were Orphans using ethical literary criticism,and provides experience and edification for the progress of human civilization.In ethical literary criticism,ethical choices are the theoretical basis.This article will analyze the protagonists’ ethical choices and ethical orders from the perspective of man and self,man and man as well as man and society.Based on the analysis of different motives behind choices,this paper explains the protagonists’ embarrassments when they are searching ethical identities.What happened to them is not a unique case.Besides,their tragic fates implied that during the war of the colonial era,the entire human race was as inescapable as Banks to endure pain and loneliness.The first chapter of the thesis introduces Ishiguro Kazuo and his literary achievements,as well as the current research on the novel When We Were Orphans at home and abroad.It also gives the innovation points of this paper and the theoretical introduction of ethical literary criticism.The second chapter analyzes the internal causes of the tragic fate of the characters in the novel from the perspective of man and himself.In addition,it explains the guiding role of ethical choice in human decision-making.The repression,camouflage,or betrayal of the characters in the novel can be regarded as the result of the ethical choice of human beings when they are thinking about themselves in different situations by analyzing the motives behind the choice.The alienation of husband and wife relationship analyzed in the chapter three is the reflection of human desire and ethical taboo.The fourth chapter analyzes the reasons for the deterioration of the relationship between man and society.In addition,this chapter also reveals social significance of the novel in disclosing the crime of British and Japanese imperialism.Based on the above analysis,this paper provides a specific enlightening reading for the development of the harmonious relationship between man and himself,man and man,man and society.In the paper,through the analysis of ethical connotations contained in When We Were Orphans,we find that Ishiguro advocates people to attach importance to the family,to establish a harmonious interpersonal relationship and to adhere to one’s own ethical identity.Through restoring the historic Shanghai in World War II,Ishiguro Kazuo wants to warn that people should remember history and learn from history.It is this sense of social responsibility of Ishiguro Kazuo that makes him an international writer.