Theme-文学原理教程ppt课件

单击此处编辑母版标题样式,单击此处编辑母版文本样式,第二级,第三级,第四级,第五级,*,Theme,Theme,Definition,- The central idea or statement about life that unifies and controls the total work.,Definition,A theme may be stated or implied.,It is the perception about life or human nature that the writer wants to communicate.,Theme-文学原理教程ppt课件,Misconceptions about Theme,1. Each a novel has a theme / themes.,Misconceptions about Theme1.,Theme only exists in the novel that, seriously attempts to reflect life faithfully;, intends to reveal truth about life;, are based on ideas or theories of life.,Theme only exists in the novel,Eg: Novels of ratiocination (,推理,) / horror have no theme.,- They are aimed at entertaining the reader, not at improving his understanding of life.,Eg: Novels of ratiocination (推,2. The theme is largely what the novel is.,2. The theme is largely what t,The difference between Theme,& Novel:,Theme - An abstract idea,appealing solely to the,intellectual level of reading,Vitamins,Novel - A work of art,appealing to the emotional,level Vegetables,The difference between Theme,3. The theme is confused with a moral or lesson.,3. The theme is confused with,Moral / Lesson, the advice stated or implied in a parable / fable;, sth. of a rule by which one can regulate his behavior.,Eg: - Be kind to your neighbours.,- Honesty is the best policy.,Moral / Lesson,Theme,- More complicated as a novel is to enhance ones awareness of life rather than simply to tell him how to behave.,Theme,4. One novel has only one theme.,Some have several subthemes to the main theme.,Some are appreciated for their thematic ambiguity.,4. One novel has only one them,5. The theme is confused with the subject.,5. The theme is confused with,Subject - A matter / an affair,Theme - An idea,Subject - The topic on which,an author has chosen to,write.,Theme - Some statement,about or some opinion on,that topic.,Subject - A matter /,Eg: Love - Subject,Love is invincible. - Theme,War - Subject,War is useless. - Theme,Eg: Love - Subject,Theme - Particular to the,novel, though some are similar;,Subject - Universal.,Eg:,The Scarlet Letter,The Great Gatsby,Women in Love,Subject - Love,Theme - Different,Theme - Particular to,Five Requirements for Stating a Theme,A theme must be expressed in the form of a statement with a subject and a predicate.,Eg: “Love of ones country often inspires heroic self-sacrifice”.,Five Requirements for Stating,Pay attention to its convertibility to sentence form if a theme is stated in the phrase form.,Eg: “Futility of envy”,Envy is futile.,“Selfless maternal love”,Maternal love is selfless. ,Theme-文学原理教程ppt课件,2. Names of characters & places should not be mentioned.,- The theme is a generalization about life based on the novel, and the statement of theme should be true also of other people or life situations.,2. Names of characters & place,Eg:,Wuthering Heights,- Peoples psychology of,revenge,- Heathcliffs psychology of,revenge ,Eg: Wuthering Heights,3. Though a theme is a generalization, overgeneralization should be avoided.,3. Though a theme is a general, Since a theme is extracted from a particular novel / event, it may not be applicable to all situations.,Always / never / all / every,- be avoided,Some / sometimes / may,- be used, Since a theme is extracted f, When making a generalization, one should strictly keep to what is actually in the novel and not smuggle into it assumptions supplied from his past experience., When making a generalization,4. The theme must account for all the major details and must not be contradicted by any details in the novel.,4. The theme must account for,5. One should avoid reducing a theme to a clich or platitude since a theme is different form a moral or a lesson.,Eg: “Beauty is only skin-deep”. ,5. One should avoid reducing a,Some Theme,s,Justice prevails,.,Love conquers all,.,Society will always overwhelm the individual,.,Children often see more clearly than adults,.,Theres no place for the artist in the jungle,.,Some ThemesJustice prevails.,Where to Look for the Theme,1. How the novel is entitled.,- The central theme of the novel is sometimes present in the title.,Where to Look for the Theme1.,Eg:,Pride and Prejudice,- About,Darcys Pride,Elizabeth Bennets Prejudice,Eg: Pride and Prejudice,2. How the novelist shows his interest.,- If the novelist is interested in sth., he would allow more space to it, describing or narrating in great detail.,2. How the novelist shows his,3. How the novelist deals with a common subject.,- If the novelist treats the common subjects in an uncommon way, it shows that he is trying to convey sth. new or important in the novel.,3. How the novelist deals with,4. Important symbols.,- Symbols are loaded with important meanings. So if a symbol appears repeatedly or at important moments, it may point to the theme of the novel.,Eg:,The Scarlet Letter,- the letter “A”,4. Important symbols.,Analyzing Theme,1. Does the work have a theme? Is it stated or implied?,2. What generalization(s) / statement(s) about life / human experience does the work make?,Analyzing Theme1. Does the wor,3. What elements of the work contribute most heavily to the formulation of the theme?,4. Does the theme emerge organically and naturally, or does the author seem to force the theme upon the work?,3. What elements of the work c,5. What is the value / significance of the works theme? Is it topical or universal in its application?,5. What is the value / signifi,主题：,是故事的意义；,是作者对题材的某种评论，不论明示或暗示；,是作者在写作过程中，与读者在阅读过程中所发现的总意义；,也是人类欲使经验意义化的一种小说形式的反映。,主题：,A Rose for Emily,Death,1. Funeral of Emily;,2. Death of Emilys father;,3. Death of old lady Wyatt, Emilys great-aunt;,4. Corpse of Homer Barron,A Rose for EmilyDeath,The Decline of the Old South,1. At one time, the Grierson home was in one of the finest neighborhoods in Jefferson; by the time of Emilys death, “. . . garages and cotton gins had encroached and obliterated even the august names of that neighborhood.”,The Decline of the Old South,2. The reaction to the Yankee, Homer Barron:,- The younger generation finds it easier to accept Homer, while the older folks find his relationship with a woman born to old Southern gentility unacceptable.,2. The reaction to the Yankee,Community Vs. Isolation,- The odd relationship between the town of Jefferson and Emily.,Community Vs. Isolation,1. At her funeral, the narrator notes that Emily has been “. . .,a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town,.” However, Emily has very little to do with the townspeople during her life.,1. At her funeral, the narrato,2. Her father prevents her from dating anyone; after his death, Emily continues to isolate herself from the rest of the community for the better part of her life.,2. Her father prevents her fro,3. Although Emily is indifferent to the town, the town seems to be almost obsessed with her. The reaction Jefferson has to her relationship with Homer Barron exemplifies this obsession.,3. Although Emily is indiffere,4. These various reactions demonstrate an interesting conflict. Even though Emily views herself as separate from the community, the community still embraces her.,4. These various reactions dem,