Image and symbolism in Great Expectation

摘要

查爾斯.狄更斯，被譽為19世紀英國最偉大的批判現實主義作家之一，他也被稱為維多利亞時代最杰出的作家。他的作品生動而形象的描繪了英國資產階級的精神面貌，英國社會風氣的日益腐化等等。《遠大前程》是狄更斯后期一部非常有影響力的作品，這部作品對各種社會弊端進行了辛辣的批判，并對普通勞動人民身上所具有的美德進行了大力的贊揚。狄更斯在作品中運用了大量的隱喻來揭露社會現實，用霧，監獄，墳場，沼澤等意象象征社會的黑暗而與喬的鐵匠鋪這一象征光明的意象形成對比。小說通過對“光明”和“黑暗”這組意象的分析來強調普通大眾身上的可貴品質。

【關鍵詞】   狄更斯   遠大前程    意象   象征

Outline

Thesis statement: In Great Expectation, Dickens applies negative images to severely attack the evil and greed of bourgeoisie and the inhuman social system in Victorian Age. However, he chose positive things to embody kindness, integrity of populace. A set of inconsistent images composed a contrast to emphasize the valuable quality of ordinary people.

 

I. Introduction

Ⅱ.The description and emblem of gloomy images

1. Four scenes of fog-

A. The first scene of fog---a footstone to the whole novel

B. The second scene of fog---embody strongly gruesome atmosphere

C. The third scene of fog---preparation for the Great Expectation

D. The fourth scene of fog---the token of happiness

2. The image of prison— Satis House 

3. The image of grave yard and marsh—hotbed of evil.

III. The depiction and representation of positive images

1. Joe’s blacksmith---a mental asylum 

2. Beacon---symbol of road sign

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Ⅳ. The contrast of gloom images and active images reveal the darkness of society and the valuable quality of common people.

V. Conclusion 

Image and symbolism in Great Expectation

Abstract

Charles Dickens is one of the most outstanding critical realistic novelists of the 19th century, who is also considered as the most distinguished critical realism writer in Victorian Age. His works vividly describe the mind state of bourgeoisie in British and the gradually deteriorated social atmosphere etc. Great Expectation is one of the most prominent works in the late phase of Dickens’ creation, which spicily reveals the dark side of the capitalistic society and highly prizes the merits which lower-class people widely possess. In this novel, Dickens uses a sea of images to reveal the social reality. He makes a contrast through choosing some images such as prison, grave yard and marsh etc to symbolize the gloomy side of society while selecting Joe’s blacksmith to represent the bright side of society. The novel stresses valuable merits of common people through analyzing the images of “darkness” and “brightness”.

【Key words】   Dickens  Great Expectation  Images   Symbolism