Recollection,Pursuit And Self-redemption

Jeanette Winterson(1959-),one of the prestigious contemporary British writers,is known for her rich themes and profound language.Lighthousekeeping is a novel set in Salts,a desolate and remote seaside town in Scotland,which tells the stories of the orphan Silver and a lighthouse keeper Pew.This thesis starts from the nonlinear narration,and takes the literary space theory as the support and reference system.Starting from the perspective of space theory,this thesis take a close examination of the novel from three levels of physical space,psychological space and social space,aiming to interpret this novel under the framework of the literary space theory,so as to make an in-depth analysis and interpretation of the novel.The thesis is divided into the following parts: The introduction part briefly introduces the author's life and main works,surveys the critical reception of her works both in Britain and in China and offers the methodology and significance of the thesis.Chapter One provides the theoretical basis for closer reading and briefly introduces the origin and development of space theory and its spatial turn and application in literary criticism.Chapter Two focuses and analyzes “memory” from the perspective of physical space.Winterson's personal growth is similar to Silver's experience,and the inheritance and promotion of the intertextuality is a continuation and inheritance of Virginia Woolf.Chapter Three lays emphasis on psycho-spatial analysis with the stories to reflect the confusion,struggle and pursuit of the protagonists.Chapter Four combines dynamic and fragmented narration,focusing on the universal problems existing in social space,and exploring love,loss and self-redemption.The thesis tries to discover and convey the theme through the interpretation of the loss and struggling process of human nature in order to better understand the connotation of the novel.The conclusion part summarizes the whole text and draws the conclusion.From the perspective of literary space theory,Winterson's discontinuous narration and labyrinthine narrative structure enhance the readability and rhythm of the novel,help readers understand Lighthousekeeping better,and inspire readers' unremittingexploration and persistent pursuit for love.With the enhancement and rich humanistic and cultural experience perceived in this novel,we will explore and think more broadly and deeply in literary space theory.