南开大学外国语学院美国文学课件TheJiltingofGrannyWeatherall

TheJiltingofGrannyWeatherallKatherineAnnePorter(15May1890–18September1980)wasaPulitzerPrize-winningAmericanjournalist,essayist,shortstorywriter,novelist,andpoliticalactivist.Sheisknownforherpenetratinginsight;herworksdealwithdarkthemessuchasbetrayal,deathandtheoriginofhumanevil.Thesettingfor'TheJiltingofGrannyWeatherallisthebedroomwhereGrannyWeatherallisdying,thoughmostoftheactionoccursinGranny'shead.Toldasastream-of-consciousnessmonologue,itisthestoryofthelastdayintheeighty-year-oldwoman'slife.Inherfinalhourswithhersurvivingchildrenaroundherbed,GrannyWeatherallreconsidersherlifeandpondersherimpendingdeath.Almostagainstherwill,herthoughtsreturntoanincidentthatoccurredmorethansixtyyearsearlier:ShewasleftstandingaloneatthealtarwhenherfianceGeorgejiltedher.Georgeleftheratthewedding,withthecakeandguests,andGrannyneverletgoofthememory.Thismemoryiswhatdominatesherthoughtsasshenearsdeath.AttheendofthestoryassheasksGodforasignanddoesn'tgetone,shefeelsthatnowGodhasjiltedher.Sheblowsoutthelight,andherlifeandthestoryareover.PortergraduallyrevealsthedetailsofthejiltingthroughGrannyWeatherall'sfragmentedrecollections.InGrannyWeatherall'ssemi-consciousstate,thepastmingleswiththepresentandpeopleandobjectstakeonnewformsandidentities.streamofconsciousnessInliterarycriticism,streamofconsciousnessisanarrativemodethatseekstoportrayanindividual'spointofviewbygivingthewrittenequivalentofthecharacter'sthoughtprocesses,eitherinalooseinteriormonologue,orinconnectiontohisorheractions.Stream-of-consciousnesswritingisusuallyregardedasaspecialformofinteriormonologueandischaracterizedbyassociative(andattimesdissociative)leapsinsyntaxandpunctuationthatcanmaketheprosedifficulttofollow,tracingacharacter'sfragmentarythoughtsandsensoryfeelings.Streamofconsciousnessandinteriormonologuearedistinguishedfromdramaticmonologue,wherethespeakerisaddressinganaudienceorathirdperson,andisusedchieflyinpoetryordrama.Instreamofconsciousness,thespeaker'sthoughtprocessesaremoreoftendepictedasoverheardinthemind(oraddressedtooneself)andisprimarilyafictionaldevice.ThetermwasfirstintroducedtothefieldofliterarystudiesfromthatofpsychologybyphilosopherandpsychologistWilliamJames,brotheroftheinfluentialwriterHenryJames.HenryJames(1843—1916)MajorWorks:TheAmerican(1877)DaisyMiller(1879)ThePortraitofaLady(1881)TheTurnoftheScrew(1898)TheWingoftheDove(1902)TheAmbassadors(1903)TheGoldenBowl(1904)TheArtofFiction(1884)