从《百万英镑》看马克吐温式的幽默（毕业论文）.doc

密级 NANCHANG UNIVERSITY 学学 士士 学学 位位 论论 文文 THESIS OF BACHELOR 2007 2011 年 题 目 从 百万英镑 看马克吐温式的幽默 英文题目 Analysis of Mark Twain s Humor from A Million Pound 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Contents Contents Abstract I Introduction II Chapter 1 the Work 1 1 1 History Background 1 1 2 About the Author 2 1 3 Profile 4 1 4 Theme 5 Chapter 2 Mark Twain s Humor 7 2 1 General Introduction of Mark Twain s Humor 7 2 2 Techniques 8 2 3 Style 9 Chapter 3 Humor Reflected in His Work 11 3 1 Humor from Characters 11 3 1 1 Henry Adam 11 3 1 2 Clothes Shop Assistants and the Boss 11 3 2 Humor from Language Art 12 3 3 Humor from Plots 14 Chapter 4 Humor s Usage and Significance 16 4 1 Humor s Usage 16 4 2 Humor s Significance 17 Conclusion 18 References 19 Acknowledgements 20 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Abstract I Abstract Samuel L Clemens better known as Mark Twain remains one of the world s widely known authors He is a famous American novelist and satirist The characters in his novels vary from common people to politicians and principal citizens In order to meet their selfish ends they invented stories and slung mud at others As a writer humorist and speaker he was quick minded and contributed a lot to America s literature development His works are humorous funny and witty and fully expose American capitalist society s demerits and discriminations etc His works have a deep subject and writing techniques His humor is the outstanding heritage of American literature field and is loved by a large amount of people over the world This thesis tries to help readers to get a deeper understanding about the author himself and his works through analyzing and appreciating his work A Million Pound Moreover by analyzing the attitude towards the protagonist and reviewing the social environment deeply social function and significance of Mark Twain and his works will be reflected so that we may enjoy the artistic gleam of his humor In addition this thesis illustrates Mark Twain s profound concern and raging criticism about the evil of the capitalist society Key Words Humor Mark Twain Style Significance 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Introduction II Introduction This thesis illustrates Mark Twain s work A Million Pound It displays a rough outlook of then time and then society system By analyzing the technique and performing style of humor we can penetrate the most inner crystallization of the work and taste then society s reality From the author s background we can understand his sufferings and his miracle life The humor in the work displays his sophisticated talent and particular style This paper helps readers from every aspect to experience his unique humor and study humor s usage and significance Mark Twain s humor art is not only established in particular culture background but also on the basis of America s frontier life Therefore it looks solid deep stable and vivid His humor is the mirror of humor s inner quality and reflects the gleaming truth His humor laughs at capitalists hypocrisy and evil At the same time it sympathizes people of the low class and holds a kind beautiful hope to society expresses the ideal of social equality free democracy Mark Twain s humor has profound social meanings So it has valuable and far reaching significance And his humor is so novel that it is the complexity of inheritance and innovation His humor not only possesses main outer feature laughing of humor but also contains inner quality of traditional humor profoundness and long lasting philosophical connotations and self identification The art achievement of Mark Twain s humor is excellent and prominent 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Chapter 1 1 Chapter 1 the Work 1 1 History Background At the beginning of Mark Twain s literature creation American bourgeois developed very fast and it looked so prosperous but at the same time democracy and freedom of the bourgeoisie and the defects inherent in capitalist exposed too He realized the social reality under the prosperous appearance and he began to study some further social problems His writing style is bitter irony and a satirical style He is a remarkable representative of American realistic literature in the 19th century Then time was American free competition capitalism with the deep realization to the American society he convey his resentment to the society through the lines of his works Mark Twain experienced from free competition capitalism to monopoly capitalism He had his own particular art style and he made a great contribution to develop the American literature to the world s standard He fully deserved to be called father of American literature In times of Mark Twain s primary writing career it was just after American civil war in 19th century mid term this was the critical point which has milestone significance The 1861 1865 American civil war was end up with the success of North s industrial bourgeois it cleared the obstacles for the development of the American s capitalist and American s political economic and cultural aspects went through a stable developing gold period the States United economy flourished ever day society made progress continuously and people were deeply inspired So the American real status of this period was very good Mark Twain lived in a time when American society developed and changed fast At the end of 19c the mode of politics life moral which were familiar to people changed drastically The economy miracle brought hope and also left much puzzle To Americans this was a time which was abundant with opportunities but also was very puzzling Mark Twain s realistic works had deep perception and critical spirit making the time s ever changing leaked into his works After American civil war the population flourished cities extended in a high speed industry technology and education developed quickly Although Mark Twain s work A Million Pound was enveloped with irony it is a comedy which mainly contained funny humor And at that time the government presented most part of collection land to the evil businessmen who operated railway mineral mountains etc a large quantity of benefits was in the hands of speculation companies and 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Chapter 1 2 speculators Besides the capitalists occupied a large amount of mineral mountains and abundant resources Ever concentrating fortune and deeply monopolized fields made the American s economy deformed it mainly embodied in the ever frequent finance crisis and the larger and larger scale Since 1857 US broke out the 1873 1893 1900 1907 large scale economic crisis continually The economic depression and the gap between the rich and the poor deepen the rank s conflict Workers and farmers set up trade union and association to strengthen their class advantages The famous association had worker class s National Labor Union and labor knight regiment The labor regiment was the first biggest American workers association in worker s history Before 1878 year compelled by the ruling class s high tension policy it took secret mode It admitted women workers black people and farmers to take part in organization education and cooperation lift worker s welfare and be against strikes conflict These evil phenomena of American reality were just the target of Mark Twain s critical composition Confronted with such a disappointed and frustrated American realistic dilemma Mark Twain a responsible and conscious writer was inevitably involved with the battle of defending the country s image and people s rights this was the object reason of the critics While macroscopically Mark Twain s critics was dependent on American s reality itself Evidently in speak of reasons and effects if Mark Twain s critics was effects then the American reality itself was the cause this was the most exact and straight answer To some extent American reality and Mark Twain s critics were legal reflection A Million Pound took humor and irony as tool reflected the real life vividly and lashed society s blemish Mark Twain s humor and irony sneer at vulgarity hypocrisy money worship etc 1 2 About the Author Mark Twain is a famous US writer a representative critical writer for realistic literature of the late half nineteenth century Mark Twain has created lots of realistic works which launched a severe criticism on US reality of the late half nineteenth century Since long Mark Twain s literature contributions has drawn much concern whereas much less concern and remarks by researchers from domestic and abroad is on the historic value among his literary works as well as his personal behaviors of the 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Chapter 1 3 time The reasons of Mark Twain s criticism can t avoid mentioning his sufferings Mark Twain s life was full of ups and downs anchorless life the dream which makes big fortune broke up every time and relatives frequent unfortunate To Mark Twain who was a writer this kind of personal experience under American realistic context undoubtedly can lead to mind s change and evolution this would stimulate Mark Twain to be unsatisfied with American reality to some extent and was the subject triggering factor of his criticism Mark Twain lost father when he was young his family was as poor as a mouse making his childhood dream broken he had to drop off from school and be a printing apprentice in a weekly newspaper tasted the sorrow and warmth of society He worked hard but the welfare was very awful then his elder brother bought the newspaper and let him work there continually but was very strict to him and even didn t give salary to him he was tired from the poor apprentice life However working in Mississippi River as a sailor was a very agreeable memory it was the unforgettable time in Mark Twain s life Mark Twain worked on river for about four years these four years made him change his attitude towards himself He was being a somebody at first time while during the four years he made contact with every kind of people and they were his works spectacular prototype just as he said I recognized and was familiar with all kinds of people they stepped into my works afterwards However the best time didn t last long because the breakup of American civil war Mississippi River closed steamboats traffic Mark Twain had to give up this profession and took part in civil war s south army he left army due to his intolerance to kill people Then he worked as a secretary followed with his elder brother and bred an idea to be a rich person he came to mineral mountain to tap mineral and harvested nothing unexpectedly During this time Mark Twain started his writing life and took a job as a journalist he wrote a series of ironic works After paying a large amount of industriousness and obtaining fame Mark Twain got to east coast from set up his own publishing company However it was broken because of poor management leaving a heavy debt and had to pay back the debt through making speeches around the world His dramatic profession life and frequently changed post made him can make contact with all kinds of people from every class see different faces every time familiar with people s living environment and realistic status of every class and experience the low class s sufferings and appeals Mark Twain s 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Chapter 1 4 criticism attaches great importance to his personality He was a kind hearted man His kindness is just like his mother When he saw a wounded bird which hit by a pistol falling down on the ground his inner heart was very sad The pity bird lay on the ground like a wound child During American civil war Mark Twain was intolerant to kill people himself so he left army Mark Twain was an honest person Although he was not an outstanding businessman he still adhered to the honest principle When his publishing house was broken in his nephew s hand the debt was amount to 66 he steadfastly took out his personal money from his writing to compensate the debt Mark Twain s honest also embodied in the last few years before he died he bequeathed a real Mark Twain a real American to the next generation through his biography writer dictation He said that he talked to people from tomb I really talk to people from tomb Because I had gone when this book was published I determined to talk to people from tomb rather than speak by myself is that I can freely speak Mark Twain could make such an honest word when he was at the dusk of his life this was undoubtedly an honest writer s soul gleam and noble quality Mark Twain was a picnicker he hated wars especially the aggressive imperialist war Mark Twain wrote down American s hypocrisy cruelty and barbarian behaviors in the aggressive wars and put forward his own opinion of the war He pointed out that all the people should get out of these inhumane battles Mark Twain s good quality in front of the American s realistic corruption and darkness would naturally bear strong counter feelings these kinds of feelings accumulated in the writer s heart and eventually broke up he criticize American s reality through his just pen And in 1909 Mark Twain caught a heart attack and died in his Connecticut apartment in the next year In view of his whole life the journalist career cultivated his observation and loyal work ethic made him be a sober realist As a traveler Mark Twain was good at displaying an extraordinary world and natural scenery to stimulate readers imagination As a westerner Mark Twain saw people s venture spirit when pursuing fortune saw how the violence and nature control people s destiny and witness the puzzle from frustrated ambitious and disillusion 1 3 Profile 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Chapter 1 5 The story happened in last century s England A millionaire brother made a bet on a million pound check to see whether this check would bring people boundless fortune or just only an ordinary paper Quickly Adam who was from America came into the brother s vision This person s boat was wrecked because of hitting the coral reef he arrived in England successfully by working on boat He was broken and starved at present this kind of poor guy was the best choice So Adam was invited to Millionaire s The brother gave Adam the million pound check and promised that he can spend it in any way within a month But he had to return the check to them after a month then he would have a chance to get any job he wanted to Adam received the promise in confusion Whatever Adam did he would be laughed at for his rugged clothes for example go shopping or go dining However when he took out this check people not only licked his boots even saved the related expense because he was a millionaire in their eyes and no one can find the changes for the million pound check at all Then in no time the local newspaper published a news about an American millionaire who dressed strangely came to England Adam was the focus of the polite society suddenly no matter the duke or the rich businessmen took pride in making friends with Adam the young ladies even were jealous to each other in order to attract Adam s attention Adam was the celebrity in England While soon Adam was in dilemma First he owned more and more debt then the hotel s server played a joke with him and hid the million pound check suddenly the share market fell rapidly rumor said that he was a liar and the debtor was crowded in the hotel After the one month deadline Adam returned the check to the brother relaxed But Adam didn t accept the job they provided because he had gone through ups and downs he was tired from pursuit of money Although he lost the money he harvested a lot 1 4 Theme Mark Twain finished lots of literature works in his life In his works of literature he laughed at satirized and criticized the power of money the hypocritical morality corrupted politics etc It is full of Mark Twain s humor he criticized and satirized the social hideousness bitterly Mark Twain detailed the social hideousness with his particular humor It is full of relaxation optimism and humorous style Mark Twain 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Chapter 1 6 developed a new milestone in novels for American people he is a real great Native American In A Million Pound a million pound check which can not spend was worshiped by millions of people Mark Twain exposed capitalist s money worship through satire and negative opinions of those irrational phenomena It displayed money s poisonous to people s soul and lashed the western middle class people s hypocrisy greed folly and absurdity These strong feelings were soaked with traditional humor it can prevail steady pursuit and hope A Million Pound has traditional humor also is fueled into ironic reality making people deep in thought strengthening the criticism and attractiveness Mark Twain s writing intention is to analyze money cult and soul s deformity in money society By reading the book we can see how vivid the author describes the money pursuit phenomena and contemporary money talk evil mentality in capitalist society The million pound check made Adam get fortune but at the same time it also made him degenerated as a speculative liar from a clear and honest man The book described money as the respect standard of capitalist society it manipulate people s destiny and is the root of evil morality The hidden thought is very profound It just like knife gun and dagger penetrates the capitalist society s heart makes people alarmed sober and startled Mark Twain s anger and acclaim under his pen point at the exposure of American ruling class hypocrisy He liked to be close to life to find the stories that had the most satirical meaning He wanted the reader could think it over after laughing thus humor would be more realistic 南昌大学共青学院毕业设计 论文 Chapter 2 7 Chapter 2 Mark Twain s Humor 2 1 General Introduction of Mark Twain s Humor Humor is a special branch of comedy which is characterized by relaxing laughter Mark Twain is a humorist his humor is particular and he likes to be close to life always chooses the most ironic things to animated exaggeration making people be deep in thought after laughing enriching humor with rich reality his works often display a strict nar