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What Lies Behind Repetition?

Posted on:2011-11-06Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:F R LiFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360305460438Subject:English Language and Literature
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
Dubliners is a short story collection of James Joyce, which presents, in a sense, an aspect of "dear dirty Dublin", an aspect of the city's paralysis:namely, moral, political or spiritual, and can be seen as a mirror of Dublin life. Abundant use of repetition is an outstanding feature of this book. According to J. Hillis Miller, repetition can be divided into three categories:on a small scale, there are repetitions of words, phrases, and metaphors; on large scale, there are repetitions of scenes and events. And finally, the motifs, themes, or plots may be duplicated from other works by the same author; other works by other authors, etc. In this thesis the following subject will be discussed: repetition as the narrative device not only creates outstanding stylistic features of the work but also creates rich meanings. Repetitions effectively constitute the cycle of narrative structure and unify the themes of the work, and it also reveals the recurrent relationship between Joyce's own life episodes and other works with Dubliners.This thesis consists of five chapters. The introduction includes a brief introduction to James Joyce and Dubliners, a general survey of the criticisms on Joyce and his works so far done, as well as my objectives of the research and theoretic perspective employed in the thesis.Chapter two analyzes the detailed patterns of repetition, the repetition of grammatical elements, images and use of epiphany. These repetitions not only strengthen narrative fascinations, but also help deepen the themes of this collection.Chapter three discusses firstly the seek-and-disillusion quest formula within each story and its repetitive use in the whole collection. The use of repetitions and the development of the theme of death help to form the circulated structure of Dubliners as a whole. While the circulated structure itself symbolizes the cycle of life and death, and makes the work as a whole being.Chapter four focuses on the three main themes that reflected by repetition device. They are the prison of routine, the desire foe escape and the intersection of life and death.The conclusion summarizes the thesis and discusses the connection between repetition with the narrative and themes of Dubliners, Joyce's own episodes of life and his other works.
Keywords/Search Tags:repetition, image, epiphany, narrative structure, theme, Dubliners
PDF Full Text Request
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