Pursuit Of Freedom Behind The Mystery

John Fowles, who has been labeled as a "postmodernist" writer, is an important and influential novelist in contemporary Britain, and his masterpiece The French Lieutenant's Woman upon its publication have been acclaimed by the critics. The enchanting mystery pervading the novel, wins the popularity with readers all over the world. Claimed by the novelist himself and reviewed by many critics as an existentialist, John Fowles attaches much importance to freedom. It seems difficult to approach him without touching the theme of freedom. This thesis tends to explore the mystery and freedom reflected in John Fowles's novel The French Lieutenant's Woman.The thesis falls into five parts.Chapter One serves as introduction to illustrate the current situation of this novel's studies both at home and abroad. It then involves how and why the title is pinned down, and what kind of literary theory might be employed to approach this novel.Chapter Two gives a brief introduction to John Fowls and the novel. The sketch of his life and his philosophical thoughts are presented as the background information for the later elaboration's sake. The thematic concerns and summary of this novel are also summed up in this part.Chapter Three deals with mystery and mystification in The French Lieutenant's Woman. The novel is filled with mystery and uncertainty, and established Sarah, the central figure of this novel as an embodiment of mystery. This can be attributed to Fowles's essential point of view towards human existence: he believes that human existence contains genuine mystery. Fowles's fictional works are not intended to present a final solution to any essential mystery concerning human existence and freedom. On the contrary, they become places where the protagonists have had their self tested and tried, mystified and demystified, their identities lost and to be found. The very fact of mystery in the novel allows for an evocation of the unknown and a continued existential quest for freedom. Because Sarah is represented through a triple layering of voices, including Charles', the male narrator's and John Fowles's voice, while Sarah's point of view is conspicuously absent, her identity and selfhood remain mysteriousness. Behind this mystery, is Sarah's never-ending pursuit of freedom, which makes her represrent the image of "New Woman" who quest for independence and freedom in the Victorian Age. It is just the mystery of Sarah that evokes Charles awakening, and sets him on the road to pursue freedom.Chapter Four deals with three kinds of freedom Fowles represents in this novel: social, existential, and narrative. Analysis lies on how, and to what extent, the two main characters Sarah and Charles have achieved the three kinds of freedom. Social freedom is the opportunity to choose among alternative social realities or support groups, which confirm and strengthen one's identity. It is a way of choosing identity. Existentialism, in Fowles's thinking, is primarily a response to social and political pressures on the individual to conform. There is some overlap between social and existential freedom in the sense that both give the individual the opportunity to choose, but existentialism necessitates a choice independent of any sustaining community. Narrative freedom, the freedom of fictional characters from their writers in the written world, is a precondition...