On The Alienation Effect In Thornton Wilder’s Plays

Thornton Wilder is an outstanding American playwright and novelist. As the only writer who won the Pulitzer Prize twice for both his novel and his play so far. Thornton Wilder and his literature works have been the focus of the critics’attention. In the previous studies, scholars are more engaged in the study of the theme of his works from the perspective of philosophy. This thesis attempts to analyze the alienation effect and its dramatic significance in Wilder’s plays, intending to provide a new perspective, thus-to extend and enhance the appreciation of Wilder’s plays. Thornton Wilder’s three plays:Our Town, The Skin of Our Teeth, The Matchmaker are taken as the examples.The present thesis is divided into five parts. The first one serves as the introduction, in which the research of Wilder and his literature works abroad and at home is reviewed. Based on this, the perspective of this thesis is presented:analyzing the alienation effect in Thornton Wilder’s plays and its function in the appreciation of the plays within the theoretical framework of "alienation effect"Chapter One takes a close look at the alienation effect in the plot. In Our Town. Thornton Wilder creates innovatively the Stage Manager to promote and interrupt the flow of the plot to remind the audience they are watching a performance rather than the reality. The alienation effect is also in the non-Aristotle plot structure, which lacks the linear development of the plot and uses the monologue and parallel and repetition to disturb the audiences’ illusion, where the alienation effect lies. What’s more, all these contribute to audiences’ epiphany. Wilder’s audiences actually experience a spiritual journey with the development of the plot.The emphasis of Chapter Two is on the stage. On the stage, the alienation is reached mainly through the following three aspects:the special requirement for acting:direct address the audience. which constantly reminds the audience they are watching a performance:the simple stage design and pantomime. which strip off the charades of the play and explore the essence of the play and the reality to the audiences:the factious performance of all the collaborators on and off the stage, which gives the audience time to rethink the play, self and the society. Chapter Three dwells on the alienation in the characters. which consists of the following four kinds:the alienation between the actors and the characters:the alienation between the characters and the audience; the alienation between the audience and the actors: and the self-alienation of the characters. The theoretical base of this chapter is the famous "Street Scene". They keep a respectful and legitimate distance from each other. These pairs of relationships concerning the characters make the audience, who is alienated from the play, play a role further beyond that of the "bystander" in the "street scene"The last part is the conclusion. In this part. the devices used in Wilder’s plays to reach the alienation effect are summarized and the dramatic significance of it is analyzed. The alienation effect is not to hamper the appreciation of the literature works but to stimulate the audience to participate in and think critically about the human being itself and the society using their own intellect in order to get a more penetrating realization. Wilder’s inheritance and development of Brechtian alienation effect helps him to reveal the theme better and endow it with a lasting meaning. One conclusion can be done that Brechtian alienation effect makes Wilder’s plays successful and classic and Thornton Wilder a great playwright in the history. On the other hand. Wilder’s use and development makes Brechtian alienation effect more magical and lasting for a iong time.