A Study Of Historical Narration In The Buried Giant

Kazuo Ishiguro is a writer with an international vision.His novel The Buried Giant contains a strong sense of history and a reference to historical narration,which reflects his attitude towards historical issues and his concern to contemporary peace problems.In this thesis,the author uses the theory of new historicism to study this novel from the perspective of historical narration.This paper mainly researches The Buried Giant from three aspects,the perspective choices of historical descriptions,features of different characters’ historical narrations,and historical narrative intentions.Through the analysis,it is concluded that Kazuo Ishiguro turns narrative perspective to ordinary people.Due to the “mist”,human brain function,physiology,psychology,personal morality,and social environment,the historical narrations of ordinary individuals present a certain degree of subjectivity.The diversity of micro narrative perspectives makes history show multiple features,which can bridge the singleness of macro records and make people closer to the truth of history.It is known that the mainstream ideology controls people’s thinking and restricts people’s narration of history.As a subverter of mainstream ideology and utterance power,the character Wistan in the novel reveals the historical truth,restores people’s memory,and conveys Kazuo Ishiguro’s appeal of overturning mainstream ideology,the challenge to the false history and the pursuit of historical truth.Kazuo Ishiguro’s pursuit of authentic historical narratives conveys the author’s attitude towards the buried history.Permanent peace cannot be achieved by covering up the historical truth.Only by facing the historical truth and making the perpetrator admit his crimes and repent to the victim can the potential crisis between the two countries be resolved,and real peace be realized.Ishiguro uses the allegorical story to express his literary,ethical reflection on issues left over from history,his academic,moral pursuit of historical truth and the peace of humankind,which highlights his concern for the destiny of humanity.This novel provides a new interpretation angle and thinking space for contemporary people to solve historical problems,reflecting literary works’ real value and significance.