The Breakthrough Of Antinomy

Based on Kant's Antinomy Theory, this thesis first proposes that the paradox between David Lodge's critical theory and literary creation is a kind of antinomic phenomenon and is embodied as the antinomic text tension in his fictions. Then the author of this thesis applies this proposition to Lodge's Small World: An Academic Romance to find a new perspective on the interpretation of this novel.As both a critic and a novelist, David Lodge's critical theory and literary creation have been presented alternately and nourished with each other for a long time. He is proficient in all kinds of literary theories and writing techniques and tries to establish a poetics of fiction through formalist criticism. In writing, Lodge blends ingenious plots with witty language and experimental skills by applying his research to the practice. Just like the title of one of his collected works, Lodge is"the Novelist at the Crossroads."However, when bridging the gap between his critical theory and literary creation, Lodge falls into the paradox between the formalistic criticism and realistic creation. On the one hand, being opposed to moral judgment in fiction criticism, Lodge centers his critique on language by revealing the features of fiction, language mode and style. On the other hand, Lodge's literary creation is firmly rooted in reality with reasonable plots and clear-cut themes. Although Lodge is skilled at dealing with all kinds of narrative techniques in his novels, all these methods are arranged clearly and orderly. It is obvious that Lodge's formalistic criticism and realistic writing runs in the opposite directions. The author of this thesis, accordingly, thinks that it is a kind of antinomic quandary.Kant's antinomy indicates a paradox between two equally rational but contradictory propositions. He points out that thinking is likely to fall into contradictions when it goes beyond possible experience, which is inevitable in rational thinking. Antinomy breaks the traditional way of thinking which only admits one side of a truth and encourages people to observe and think from different angles. Literary theory and creation, as a result of thinking, are no exception of antinomy. Thinking is too complicated and indefinite to be restricted by formalist and logical theories. Therefore, logic literary criticism falls into contradictions when trying to dominate the creating-in-itself. In Lodge's writing, the requirement to his own text is exactly the same to the requirement with which he is criticizing other novelists'texts. Lodge, in this way, may prove some consistent characteristics between his critical theory and creative writing, but fails to cover all the thoughts in texts. So there comes out the paradox which not only declares the widening gap between his literary theory and creative writing but also makes his texts a"blending"with exceptional charm.There are five chapters in this thesis: a general introduction, three main-body parts and a conclusion.Chapter One introduces Lodge's life and writing experience, and then points out the interpreting perspective and the content of this thesis after analyzing the status quo of Lodge studies and problems existent.Chapter Two begins with a summary of antinomy and literary tension and then proposes the theoretical proposition: the antinomic text tension. The paradox between Lodge's critical theory and literary creation and its related text tension is different from the literary tension which emphasizes the unity of oppositeness, because it presents a kind of irreconcilable conflict among literary elements. So the author of this thesis names it the antinomic text tension which indicates the confrontation of literary elements in texts.Chapter Three summarizes Lodge's critical theory of establishing a poetics of fiction through the close reading of New Criticism, metaphor-metonymy theory of Structuralism and Bakhtin's dialogic theory on the ground of his critical works. Lodge the critic is interested in formalistic criticism which gives priority to form and technique; while Lodge the writer is an heir of realist tradition which emphasizes content and ethics. Obviously, between form and content, aesthetics and ethics exists the conflict. When Lodge's rational critical theory encounters his irrationality in writing, the paradox and the antinomic text tension comes out naturally. Chapter Four takes Lodge's Small World: An Academic Romance as a case to explain its paradoxical contradiction between popular discourse and literary discourse, realistic style and experimental techniques, structuration and deconstruction, dramatic irony and serious concern. These paradoxes form the antinomic text tension as Lodge's critical theory has intruded his text creation.Chapter Five concludes the main standpoints of this thesis. The limitation of rational thinking is the immanent reason for the paradox between Lodge's critical theory and literary creation. In order to avoid unilateral judgment, we'd better interpret Lodge's works in different dimensions or to the opposite direction. The author of this thesis intends to provide a new perspective on interpreting multiple-discourse texts like Small World: An Academic Romance.