Multiple Inscribing "The Other":A Study Of Victoria Hislop’s Novels

Victoria Hislop(1959-)is a famous contemporary British writer whose works focus on the pain of plague,war and sexism experienced by Mediterranean countries,and the survival of the "The Other" in the context of special times.Through the analysis of Hislop’s five novels,this thesis attempts to discover the multiple themes and inner meanings of the "The Other" writing in the work.The paper is mainly divided into four parts,the introduction part mainly clarifies the significance and research value of topic selection,sorts out the research status at home and abroad,and clarifies the research ideas.Chapters 1 to 3 analyze "The Other" in the context of leprosy,"The Other" in the context of war and the gender "The Other" formed by patriarchal discourse and its resistance from the perspectives of leprosy,war and gender,respectively,and explore the deep meaning behind the writing of "The Other".The first chapter analyzes the isolation and mutual assistance between people in the context of leprosy from the perspectives of "how ordinary people view ’The Other’" and "how ’The Other’ sees themselves".Spinalonga Island,a leprosy quarantine in the thirties,was often stigmatized for its contagious and dangerous nature,and Hislop’s Island portrays Irene and Giorgis and two doctors as ideal figures who care and respect lepers.The quarantine island is like a utopian society,where isolated patients face difficulties bravely and optimistically,and strive to realize their own life value.With the help of leprosy,the work explores how to view diseases and plagues,how to view the isolated "The Other",and how to face the difficulties of life.Chapter 2 focuses on the trauma of war and ethical choices in the context of war.The wars in the novel can be divided into wars caused by ideological differences and wars caused by racial exclusion.Through the analysis of the survival of the "The Other" in the context of the struggle for power in the work,it shows the inner trauma and family trauma they have experienced.In addition to ideological differences,the war in the novel often stems from racial exclusion,and fanatical racism and nationalists see The Other ethnic groups as "The Other",resulting in numerous family tragedies as well as nation-state tragedies.The work shows personal trauma and national tragedy,and aims to explore human identity and oppose racism and nationalism.Chapter 3 focuses on the survival dilemma of the gender "The Other" under patriarchy.Women are often given two extremely different images: "angel" and "slut".The work portrays different types of women,highlighting the situation in which women are first subjected to the "male gaze" to being restrained,dominated,and finally imprisoned.Hislop stands in the position of female "The Other" who suffers from gender discrimination,showing their survival dilemma and showing the ways in which women’s self-awareness awakens and resists.Through the depiction and concern of ordinary people under disease,war and sexism,Hislop’s works are intended to arouse modern people’s attention to "The Other" and reflect on plague,war,racial discrimination,and sexism,with humanistic practical concerns.