On The Theme Of Death In The Story Of Stone

The study of The Story of Stone in China has been going on for more than two centuries. Now the study presents a magnificent sight. This unprecedented novel, written by Cao Xueqin for his whole life, peaks in Chinese literature and holds a variety of indefinite charms. In the novel, there are many images which make the novel filled with the horrible atmosphere of death. Many characters living in the mortal world have no choice but to bring their fates to an end by choosing death. The thought on death in the novel exposes the unbearable weight over human life. This article is focused on the theme of death to interpret the inescapable doom of human beings, which is expressed in the novel through the individual choice of death. This article consists of such three parts as the introduction, body and conclusion.The introduction is focused on the previous study on the theme of death in the novel, the significance of this topic and the studying methods. The further discussion is made on the definition and differentiation of certain terms used in the article.In chapter one, it is based on the description of death in the novel. In the perspectives of death incidents and death subject, a general list is made of the survey of the individual deaths and of the expressions and attitudes of main characters facing death. But the stress is laid on the suicidal methods.In chapter two, it is focused on the images in the novel, such as falling flowers, flowing water, etc. These images reveal the atmosphere of death in the roundabout way. Dream image, most important, is greatly applied, because it has closer ties with death.In chapter three, it mainly deals with the death awareness. The awakening of death awareness is usually hidden behind the death images. This chapter is divided into two sections. In section one, the discussion is made on the awakening of self-consciousness and the discovery of death; the former is the primary condition of the latter, and the discovery of death is well-revealed in the perspective of such two external reasons as the death of others and the change of nature. In section two, the study is made on the consciousness of tragedy in life, which is a necessity of the development of death awareness. Because of the tragedy, this novel composes a melancholy touching song. In chapter four, the discussion is made on the ultimate escape from death. In the perspective of Jia Baoyu's renunciation of his family to live as a monk, and on the basis of Wang Guowei's discussion on the reasons for and the means of escaping from death in his Comments on The Story of Stone, we can find whether Jia Baoyu's renunciation of his family is an appropriate and satisfying approach ever found in the inescapable fate of human beings.The conclusion is made of the significance of the death theme in The Story of Stone.