Memory Identity And Responsibility-the Exercise Of Memory In Julian Barnes’ The Sense Of An Ending

Julian Barnes, one of the most important British contemporary novelists,published The Sense of an Ending in2011. The novel won the Man Booker Prize inthe same year and has been widely recognized by critics to be one of Barnes’ mostskillful works. However, since the novel, short as it is, is complicated, thecomprehensive study on this novel is far from enough in China and abroad. Thus, thisthesis intends to analyze The Sense of an Ending, probing into the exercise of memoryof the protagonist Tony Webster. Through a close analysis of how he manipulates hismemories and why he does so, the thesis points out that there is close connectionbetween one’s memory construction and his identity construction.The thesis is composed of five chapters. The first chapter includes theintroduction to Julian Barnes and his works, researches on Julian Barnes home andabroad, and the framework of the thesis. Chapter Two gives a thorough analysis aboutthe protagonist Tony’s memory construction about others. It is thoroughly discussedhow Tony distorts others’ images through various methods. Chapter Three putsforward Tony’s memory construction about himself. Tony remembers himself as aninnocent victim, sets himself as a forgiver, constructs himself as a faithful friend, andforgets his role as a jealous avenger. The fourth chapter focuses on Tony’senlightenment and remorse. Tony finds his role is not as innocent as he hasremembered. It is not only shame or guilt Tony is now feeling, but something rare inhis life: the strong sense of remorse. In the last chapter, which is the conclusion, thethesis points out that memory is not just about what to remember and what to forget.In fact, memory construction is relevant to one’s identity construction and one’sethical responsibility.