Ethical Dilemmas And Salvation In Jodi Picoult’s Novels

Jodi Picoult is a contemporary best-selling writer in America. And each of her new works has become one of the top ten in the booklist of Washington Times and New York Times and Amazon Website since her first book published in 1992. And My Sister’s Keeper and Handle with Care are not only rated as one of the top ten in the booklist of the British Richard & Judy book club in 2004, awarded the prize of Margaret & Alexander Edward from American Library Association, but also shortlisted in the British Book Award in 2005 and nominated in IMPAC Dublin prize.Jodi Picoult is called a torturer of contemporary social ethical dilemmas since her novels often spur drastic discussion in America or even the whole world with profound and controversial moral topics. Jodi Picoult is really good at targeting hot issues, controversial subjects and sensitive topics through exquisite writing skills. Moral problems are often the focal point and the characters in her books are often trapped in ethical dilemma. However, Picoult does not discuss the problems directly, but to integrates them in the wonderful and moving spots by meticulous writing style so as to enable the protagonists in ethical dilemmas to face their problems, step out of moral predicament and finally get the road to salvation. My Sister’s Keeper and Handle with Care are composed of self-statement of each character, which makes the characters in these two books can be manifested from multi-perspectives and ingeniously embodies the ethical dilemmas and salvation involved in them. This thesis explores the plight the characters are involved from three perspectives such as interpersonal ethics, marital ethics and professional ethics in My Sister’s Keeper and Handle with Care. Then, it describes how they struggle to get out of these ethical dilemmas by redeeming themselves and their special efforts to be free from the predicament and achieve the salvation of soul.This thesis can be divided into five parts:The first chapter mainly introduces Jodi Picoult?s life and her representatives, My Sister’s Keeper and Handle with Care. In addition, the study of these two books both at home and abroad will also probe into in this part.The second chapter explores the main three ethics, interpersonal ethics, marital ethics and professional ethics, involved in My Sister’s Keeper and Handle with Care,The third chapter deeply analyzes ethical dilemmas and salvation in My Sister’s Keeper from the perspectives of interpersonal ethics, marital ethics and professional ethics.The fourth chapter probes into ethical dilemmas and salvation in Handle with Care from the perspectives of interpersonal ethics, marital ethics and professional ethics.The fifth chapter is a conclusion of this thesis. The main idea of this thesis will be restated in order to make the readers to rethink their own problems in human relationship, marriage and profession. Besides, the positive enlightenments for solving these practical problems will also be explored.