| Characters in Naipaul’s works mostly have these kinds of survival characteristics: no matter in society of the former colonies or western, they are always in the state of anxiety and indisposition. Then in order to get rid of this situation, they will go back and forth between the "the former colony" and "the west". Taking a deeper look at the experiences of these characters, we will find their special survival situation is caused by their ethical choices. So, this paper mainly analyses the special situation of characters in Naipaul’s A Bend in the River and Half a Life from the perspectives of ethical literary theory. I define their situation as "suspension" and "drifting".In this paper, Chapter One discuses the special living state of characters in Naipaul’s two works. These characters represented by Salim and Willie Chandran who grew up in the traditional ethnic community of the former colonies and accepted western colonial education are influenced by these two different ethics, which results in their indisposition and pain both in the society of the former colonies and the west. That is "suspension". In order to get rid of this situation, they constantly hover between the former colonies and the west which forms "drifting".Chapter Two analyses the ethical cause of characters’special situation. Ethical choice is the vital factor. Individuals like Salim and Willie Chandran who are influenced by tradition of the former colonies and the west at the same time always confront two moral options——"being the former colonial one" and "being the western one" which forms their selection dilemma. The reason why these two moral options form a moral paradox is that they lie in postcolonial context which is special ethical context. So, ethical context is also one of most important causes. Besides, the ethical identity affects people’s living condition. In the process of choosing, the identity is being constructed. No matter which one of the two identities is strengthened, it will influence individuals’ choice in turn.Chapter Three explores the value and significance generated in these kinds of special living state. Actually, their state reflects the pursuit of self-knowledge. For the characters in works, self-exploration means the pursuit of personal dignity; For Naipaul, this state influences the formation of his literature conception and creation of new literary tradition. |
