The Reading of Plot Development in The Tell-Tale Heart From the Perspective of Defamiliarization_英语论文

摘要

爱伦·坡是美国文学史上最伟大的浪漫主义作家之一。他认为一部好作品应该给读者带来一种美的感受。美学的目的是“心灵的兴奋感”。在他所作的其中一篇最好的短篇恐怖小说《泄密的心》中，我们可以发现这种论点的运用。本论文将以俄罗斯形式主义者维克托·什克洛夫斯基的陌生化理论作为基础，从陌生化的角度对《泄密的心》中的情节进展进行分析和解读，分析了小说情节进展的合理性和不可预见性，揭示了“恶有恶报”的道理；并进一步探讨小说的艺术特征和深层次的主题意蕴和文学价值——即爱伦·坡通过利用陌生化手法向读者传达一种其特有的恐怖美。

关键词：爱伦·坡  《泄密的心》  陌生化  情节进展  合理性和不可预见性

Abstract

Allan Poe is one of the best Romantic writers of American literature. He pointed out that a good work should produce a feeling of beauty in the reader. Beauty aims at “an elevating excitement of the soul”. It can be found in one of his best short horror fictions The Tell-Tale Heart. Based on Russian Formalist Viktor Shklovsky’s Theory of Defamiliarization, this paper particularly makes a detailed analysis of plots development of The Tell-Tale Heart to present how Defamiliarization is successfully applied in writing, analyzing the reasonableness and unexpectedness of plot developing the plot and disclosing “evil is rewarded with evil”, thus with a purpose to explore the artistic characteristics, deep thematic implications and literary value of the novel, that is, to express the specific beauty of horror from the perspective of Defamiliarization by Allan Poe.

Key words: Allan Poe  The Tell-Tale Heart  Defamiliarization  plot development  reasonableness and unexpectedness

Contents

Chapter One  Introduction 1

1.1 A Brief Introduction to Edgar Allan Poe 1

1.2 A Brief Introduction to The Tell-Tale Heart 2

1.3 Purpose of the Thesis 3

1.4 Structure of the Thesis 4

Chapter Two  Literature Review 5

2.1  Previous Studies on The Tell-Tale Heart 5

2.1.1 Previous Studies on The Tell-Tale Heart Abroad 5

2.1.2 Previous Studies on The Tell-Tale Heart at Home 5

2.2  Previous Studies on Theory of Defamiliarization 6

2.2.1 Previous Studies on Defamiliarization Theory Abroad 6

2.2.2 Previous Studies on Defamiliarization Theory at Home 6

2.3  Summary 7

Chapter Three  Theoretical Framework 8

3.1  Definition of Defamiliarization and its Developments 8

3.2  The Purpose of Using Defamiliarization 8

Chapter Four  Defamiliarization Analysis of Plot Development in The

Tell-Tale Heart 10

4.1  An Over-view of the Defamiliarization in The Tell-Tale Heart 10

4.2  The Beginning Analysis of Plot Development 10

4.2.1 “I” 10

4.2.2 The Old Man 13

4.3  Criminal Process Analysis of Plot Development 14

4.3.1 Psychological Description 15

4.3.2 Thinking Characteristics 16

4.3.3 Murder Method 18

4.3.4 Location Defamiliarization 19

4.4  The Ending Analysis of Plot Development 20

4.4.1 Hide Body 21

4.4.2 Voice in Mind 21

4.4.3 Confession 23

4.5  Summary 23

Chapter Five  Conclusion 25

5.1  Major Findings 25

5.2  Limitations and Suggestions for Future Study 25

Bibliography

Acknowledgments