Ethical Dilemma In Ian McEwan's Sweet Tooth

As one of the most famous contemporary British writers,Ian Mc Ewan(1948-)is controversial for his early works focused on violence,death and sexual deviance.His later works have turned the claustrophobic world of sexual and social aberrations to broadened concerns which openly engage in complex ethical,social and historical issues in public spheres.However,what remains constant in his works is Mc Ewan's sensibility and obsession with the ethical issues.At present,Mc Ewan's Sweet Tooth has been studied primarily in its spy theme and narrative structure.The ethical dilemma is still a relatively unexplored domain.Thus,this research is valuable.The thesis regards Mc Ewan's Sweet Tooth as the object of study.Under the perspective of literary ethics,the thesis is devoted to the investigation into characters' ethical dilemma in the Sweet Tooth,which is caused by conflicts of emotion and ethics.It attempt to identify and evaluate ethical dilemma in the novel,probing into how to make the ethical selection between emotion and ethics,which embodies the writer's reflection on ethical consciousness and selection.The paper explores the ethical dilemma of Tony and Lucy and thinks their ethical choices between egoism and altruism,counterculture and tradition which embody the conflicts between emotion and responsibility.According to the ethical literary criticism,it emphasizes on analyzing characters' ethical dilemma based on the ethical environment.In the 1970 s of Britain,it prevails the second wave of feminism,the awakening of feminism affects the construction of female identities.Therefore,the confusion of ethical identities leads to Serena and her mother's ethical dilemmas.The thesis points out that people should use the power of empathy and conform to their rational will to make right ethical selection for their ethical dilemmas.The paper explores the correct approaches of ethical selection through evaluating the ethical dilemma in the novel,which are references for people to make ethical selection.