The-Furnished-Room-小说分析

TheFurnishedRoomO.HenryI.Plot:AyoungmancametosomeplacelocatedinthenortheastofNewYorktofindherlover.Inthearea,mostofthepeoplewererestless.Theywerehomeless.Ontheotherhand,theyhadahundredhomes.Becausetheyflitedfromfurnishedroom.Finally,hefoundahoteltostayafterringingthebellatthetwelfthone.Thehousekeepertookadvantageofeveryopportunitiestomakemoney.Sheshowedhimaroomatthethirdfloor.Hewassotiredthathewantedtotakepossessionatonce.Hecountedoutthemoney.Whenshemovedaway,heput,forthethousandthtime,thequestionthathecarriedattheendofhistongue:”Doyouknowthegirl······Helistedhislover’sfeatures.Theanswerisno.Alwaysno.Itwasforfivemonthsthathehadbeenlookingforher.Somuchtimespentbydayinquestioningmanagers,agents,schoolsandchoruses;bynightamongtheaudiencesoftheatersfromall-starcastsdowntomusichallssolowthathedreadedtofindwhathemosthopedfor.Hewhohadlovedherbesthadtriedtofindher.Hewassurethatsinceherdisappearancefromhomethisgreat,water-girlcityheldhersomewhere,butitwaslikeamonstrousquicksand,shiftingitsparticlesconstantly,withnofoundation,itsuppergranulesoftodayburiedtomorrowinoozeandslime.Thenhelookedaroundtheroomonlytofindmuchcheapandoldfurnish.Thereweremanytracesofotherguests’occupation.Suddenly,somefamiliarsmellcameintohisnose.Herecognizedthatitwashers.”shehasbeeninthisroom”.Hecried.Soon,herummagedeverywheretofindmoreproofinthirdroombutinvain.Then,suddenly,asherestedthere,theroomwasfilledwiththestrong,sweetodorofmignonette.Itcameasuponasinglebuffetofwindwithsuchsurenessandfragranceandemphasisthatitalmostseemedalivingvisitant.Andthemancriedaloud:”what,dear?”asifhehadbeencalled,andsprangupandfacedabout.Therichodorclungtohimandwrappedhimaround.Hereachedouthisarmsforit,allhissensesforthetimeconfusedandcommingled.Thenhethoughtofthehousekeeper.Heaskedherwhohadbeeninthatroom.Butshehidhislover’ssuicide.Hishopedrainedhisfaith.Heturnedoutthelight,turnedthegasfullonagain,andlaidhimselfgratefullyuponthebed.Heendedhislifeintheroomasherloverdid.II.Pointofview:ThirdpersonpointofviewIII.Character:1.Theyoungman:Heisyoung,hassearchedforhissweetheartforfivemonths.Wecanseehisinsistence.Butheistired,notonlymomentarilytiredphysically,butspirituallyweary.Inthisstory,whenherested,hesmellsthescentofmignonettewhathissweethearthas.Butactually,thescentishisimagination.Andthelandladyalsotellshimthatthegirlhasnotbeenthisroom.Then,hesuicidesindespair.Itreflectshisbeautyofhumannaturetoinfatuation.2.Thelandlady:Sheconcealsthefactsthattheyoungman’ssweethearthasnotbeenthere,isdead.Sheliesinordertorentoutherroom.Herliemakestheyoungmansuicidesindespairandmaybethefactsavetheyoungman.So,alltheseshowsthatthelandladyisgreedyandselfish.IV.Setting:In1945,theshortstorywaspublished.Atthattime,Americansocietywasaffectedbythesecondworldwar.Thelowerclasscitizensarehomelessandinnocent.Theyarealwaysfooledbyfate.However,thepettybourgeoisaregreedy,selfish,cruelandmerciless.V.Style:O.Henryusesacoincidentalendingtothestory,whichshocksreadersandmakesreadersunexpected.Writerusesironytorevealhypocrisyandsubversionandsqueezingbetweenhuman.ThestoryshowsGothicstyle,gloomy,oddandhorrific.Ofcourse,maybethisisalittleexaggerated.Accordingtothefeelingoftheyoungmanonthecarpet,thecarpetwascomparedtovegetables,lichens,mossandorganism,whichwasmoreandmoreexaggeratedandabsurd,asiftheyoungmanwassteppedonalargegreenworm,disgustingandtiresome.VI.Theme:loveasdemonicVII.Symbol:Theroominitsdisorder,itssqualor,itsmustysmell,itsrubbishanddebrisofnamelesslives,reflectsthegreatcity.Hissweethearthasbeenlostreflectsallhumanityseemstobecomedegradedandbrutalized.Thesordidsurroundingsmeantotheheroandtheodorofmignonettemeanstohim.Itisn’tanobject,itisabstract,andnobodycanproveitsexistence.Althoughyoucansmellit,itcan’tbetouchedandseen.Afterthemanistoldthatthegirlhasnotbeenthereandafterhehasbeenunabletofindthesourceoftheodor,theroomitselfsupposedtobecomeasortofoverwhelmingsymbolforthefutilityofhiseffort.