Daniel Martin As John Fowles' Reform Of Sartrean Existential Literary Theory

British novelist John Fowles' consideration about existentialism always constitutes the focus of Fowlesian studies at home and abroad.However,Daniel Martin as Fowles' most acknowledged existential novel has accepted little attention concerned,and previous studies on Daniel Martin mainly focus on Fowles' view on nature and whole sight,as well as the grand narrative adopted in the novel.It makes the novel become the outsider of Fowles' existential consideration.Therefore,trying to set out from Sartrean existential literary theory,taking the existential issue in Daniel Martin as the study object,this thesis aims to probe into the significance and value of the novel to Fowles' consideration on existential literary.The thesis consists of three parts: introduction,main body and conclusion.The introduction part includes research background,literature review,methodology,and research questions.Sartrean existential literary theory as the start point of the research and basic notions in Sartrean existentialism are mainly introduced in methodology.The main body is constituted in four chapters.Chapter 1 concentrates on the start point of the thesis,i.e.Sartrean existential literary theory and Fowles attitude and stand point to it.Hereby the chapter points out Sartrean existential literary theory is constructed on the dimensions namely subjectivity,situation and freedom;and Fowles criticizes the problem of unpracticalness and the obscurity of the border of reader's interpretations in Sartrean existential literary theory,and then expresses the willingness of reforming the theory.Chapter 2 concentrates on Daniel Martin as the reform of Sartrean existential literary theory on the dimension of subjectivity.The chapter tries to point out that Fowles attempts to realize the subjectivity of the writer,the reader and the protagonist separately in Daniel Martin,which means Fowles aims to reform Sartre's conditioned and incomplete subjectivity by the separation of the subjectivity of the writer,the reader and the protagonist.Chapter 3 concentrates on Daniel Martin as the reform of Sartrean existential literary theory on the dimension of situation.The chapter tries to point out that Daniel Martin presents Daniel's realization of self-identity and the recognition of situations in the situations of place,time and fellowman,which means that Fowles reforms Sartrean situation which is definitely defined by the consciousness of individual by the mutual effect between individual and situations.Chapter 4 concentrates on Daniel Martin as the reform of Sartrean existential literary theory on the dimension of freedom.The Chapter tries to point out that Fowles attempts to provide methods for the realization of freedom in the other,society and existence through Daniel Martin,which means Fowles reforms Sartrean absolute freedom which lacks the practicalness in reality by the relative freedom in situations.The thesis points out in the conclusion part that Daniel Martin is Fowles' novel-form reform of Sartrean existential literary theory which is unpractical and obscure in the border of reader's interpretations.Fowles insists the separation of the subjectivity of the writer and the reader through Daniel Martin,aims to overcome the passivity of the writer's subjectivity in Sartrean theory;makes Daniel Martin maintain validity by the agreement of the reader to overcome the obscurity of the border of reader's interpretaion.Through Daniel's self-realization,Fowles insists the mutual effect between individual and situations,to provide realistic basis to the realization of freedom;and provides practical methods to the realization of freedom in the other,society and existence,then realize the practical meaning of literature by changing reality.Through Daniel Martin,Fowles finally states his responds to the problem of unpracticalness and the obscurity of the border of meaning of Sartrean existential literary theory.