英语原创毕业论文解读凯瑟琳曼斯菲尔德《苍蝇》中的老板形象

河南科技学院本科毕业论文 Analysis of the Boss inKatherine Mansfields The Fly 解读凯瑟琳曼斯菲尔德苍蝇中的老板形象 论文作者姓名： 所 在 院 系： 外国语学院 所 学 专 业： 英语 导师姓名职称： 论文完成时间： Analysis of the Boss inKatherine Mansfields The Fly Li Henan Institute of Science and TechnologyMay, 2015 ContentsAcknowledgmentsiAbstract in EnglishiiAbstract in ChineseiiiI. Introduction1II. Background information12.1 Introduction to The Fly12.1.1 Plot overview of The Fly22.1.2 Analysis of the creation background of The Fly32.2 The theme of Katherine Mansfields later period works3III. Character analysis of the boss according to itstext43.1 Analysis of the bosss behavior based oninterpersonal relationship43.2 Psychological studyof the boss through his ideological activity53.3 Complexity exploration of the boss by his contradictory action6IV. The relations between the boss and The Fly84.1 The symbolical meaning of the fly and the boss84.1.1 The symbolical meaning of the boss84.1.2 The symbolical meaning of the fly84.2 The destiny of the boss and the fly9V. Conclusion9Bibliography11AcknowledgmentsI own my greatest thanks to all those who helped me during the writing of this thesis. Firstly, I offer my sincerest gratitude to my dear supervisor Wu Haixia, who has supported me throughout my thesis with her patience and knowledge. Without her constant encouragement, staunch support and invaluable guidance and suggestions, my thesis could not have appeared in the present form.Secondly, my special thanks also go to all my teachers who have taught me in the past four valuable university years. Without their help and guidance, I can not master so much knowledge. I am also indebted to Henan Institute of Science and Technology for offering considerable library resources.Finally, my thanks would go to my beloved family and friends for their understanding and encouragement through the duration of my studies.AbstractIn The Fly, Katherine Mansfield, a representative figure in the development of western short stories, successfully describes a boss, who is haunted for six years by the death of his son. Because of her family background, Katherine Mansfield has had no choice but has long suffered from the war and death, and her real life has made great contribution to the creation of her works. The character of the boss in the story The Fly is represented through all kinds of details. This thesis is based on the background of the theme in Katherine Mansfields later period works, and the similarity between the boss and the author. It explores the bosss character mainly from three aspects: behavior, mentality as well as interpersonal relationships, then analyses the symbolical meaning of the fly and its relation with the boss.Key words: The Fly; the boss; Katherine Mansfield; symbol摘 要著名短篇小说家凯瑟琳曼斯菲尔德塑在其作品苍蝇中塑造了一个在儿子战死后备受折磨的老板形象。由于家庭的原因作者对战争、死亡极具敏感性，她将其现实中的感触述诸于作品当中。在作品苍蝇中老板的形象通过各项细致的描写展现出来。该篇文章基于对凯瑟琳晚年作品的主题的了解，对作者与主人公共同点的概括，从三个方面对老板的形象进行研究：行为、人际关系以及心理；并探究苍蝇的象征意义以及其与老板形象的关系。摘要：苍蝇； 凯瑟琳曼斯菲尔德；老板；象征 iiiI. IntroductionKatherine Mansfield (1888-1923)，a short story novelist in New Zealand, is one of the famous writers with original writing style in the English literature of the 20th century. After moving to England at age 19, she obtained her reputation with the story collectionBliss(1920). And she reached the height of her powers in the collectionThe Garden Party(1922). Her last five years were suffered by tuberculosis, of which she died at age 34. Katherine Mansfield is one of symbolic figures in the second development period of western short-stories. She was part of a new dawn in English literature with T S Eliot, James Joyce and Virginia Woolf; and she was associated with the intelligent group of writers who made the London of the period the center of the literary world.Katherines short stories were of great significance in English to be written without a conventional plot. Supplanting the strictly organized plots of her predecessors in the style (Edgar Allen Poe, Rudyard Kipling, H G Wells), Katherine Mansfield focused on one moment, a crisis or a turning point, rather than on a series of events. The plot is secondary to mood and characters. Her exquisite stories, which focus on psychological conflicts, are written in a characteristic prose style with poetic elements. Katherines stories point us beyond words to a relationship with life that is profound and essential. She motivates us to open our eyes. In her short and brilliant life she shared those superior works with all of us. This paper particularly studies the protagonist in Katherines work The Fly, which was written when Mansfield was under medical treatment in Europe. She wrote it with sensitive observation and profound ponderation from daily life. It is expected that this research will provide further insights into the protagonist in her work. He was defined by Katherine through his response and attitudes to people, objects, and to life in three successive situations. Only through a close analysis of the story may we see the disposition of the boss.II. Background information2.1 Introduction to The FlyThe Fly is a short story written in 1922 by Katherine Mansfield; at that time, she was undergoing X-ray treatment for tuberculosis. On 18 March 1922, it was first published in The Nation and Athenaeum and then it appeared in The Doves Nest and Other Stories. Mansfield died in 1923, less than a year following the storys publication. She would never witness the extremely critical and popular interest in The Fly. In 1945, The Fly began to receive serious critical treatment for its symbolic meanings and thematic concerns behind this simply tale. And later, an essay written by F. W. Bateson and B. Shahevitch remarked on Mansfields use of realism to make the setting of the story lifelike. The Fly continues to enjoy a reputation as one of Katherines most significance stories; and it is regarded as a wonderful example in short story forms that describe a complexity character.2.1.1 Plot overview of the short story- The FlyThe story begins with Woodifield, a retired man, making his weekly visit to the office where he worked before suffering a stroke. On Tuesday afternoonsthe only day of the week, Woodifields wife and girls allow him out of the house to visit his old boss. The boss, five years older, is still strong. He is stout and fit, a totally contrast to his enfeebled former employee. Woodifield admires the bosss good health and conditions; and the boss also enjoys showing Woodifield his redecorated office. The boss recommends, as he has done for several weeks. He points to the new furniture, new carpet, and new electric heating (with an old photo of a handsome young man, whom we learn is his deceased son).Woodifield notices that the boss does not say anything about the photograph. When the boss offers him some fine whisky, Woodifield says he cannot recall something that he wanted to tell the boss. The boss feels Woodifield is definitely “on his last pins.” After they enjoy their drinks, Woodifield suddenly recalls what he has meant to tell the boss. He talks about a recent visit that his two daughters made to his sons grave, referring that they had happened to see the bosss sons grave as well. As the girls reported, all the gravesites were well cared for, and they were in a glorious place, with broad paths and flowers growing around. Visibly, the boss is upset and senseless after Woodifield speaks out the details. And the boss says he has never been there since his only child died. Shortly, the boss shows Woodifield out.After Woodifield leaves, the boss stares blankly for a time, then informs his clerk that he does not want to be disturbed for a half hour. The sudden reference to his dead son extremely perturbed him. The boss covers his face with his hands and expects to weep, however he is surprised to find that he cannot. During the pasted six years he merely thought of his boy, lying unchanged and impeccable in his uniform. In the first months and years after his sons death, he believed that the passing of time would make no difference in the intensity of his emotion. He would never get through it. He does not understand what is wrong and why he is unable to weep? This was his only son. The one he had worked for, the one was to have taken over his business, the one everyone loved. Life would be meaningless without his son. He looks at the boys photograph, his mindwandering. At that moment, he notices a fly has struggling to get out of the inkpot on his desk. The boss helps the fly out of the inkpot with his pen and wanders how it dries itself. Watching the fly cleaning itself, the boss assumes that the fly must be glad knowing it has narrowly escaped death. Then an idea comes to the bosss mind, he drops a blot of ink on the fly. The fly seems astounded, but finally begins to clean itself again. The boss admires the creatures courage, and continues dropping ink on it. He is relieved when the fly dries itself continuously. Then the boss drops one more blot of ink on the fly, but after a third ink drop, the fly does not move. In the end, the fly is weak and dies. The boss throws the dead fly into the waste-paper, and he suddenly feels wretched and frightened. Then he tries to recall what it was he had been thinking about before the fly died and cannot.2.1.2 Analysis of the creation background of The FlyThe Fly was first published in The Nation and Athenaeum on 18 March 1922 and then it appeared in The Doves Nest and Other Stories. As the eruption of World War I (1914-1918), Mansfield lost many friends and her only brother. Her view of life was changed by her brother Leslies death, and it was a cruel destiny that could not be avoided. She wrote in memory of Leslie as follows, “Brother. I think I have known for a long time that life was over for me, but I never realized it or acknowledged it until my brother died The present and the future mean nothing to me.”(C. K. Stead, 1977) Six years later, the story was finished and it contains the authors feelings towards fate and war. 2.2 The theme of Katherine Mansfields later period worksDisillusion, loneliness and death are the three main pessimistic themes in Katherine Mansfields later period works. As Wang Suying mentioned in her thesis, “As Katherine Mansfields short life was accompanied with loneliness and death, it is inevitable these ups and downs of life experiences will affect her writing. Therefore many of her works explore the theme of loneliness and death.” (王素英，2007) She expresses the truth and cruelty of life through apparently ordinary affairs, which made her stories real and life-like. Themes too are general: the questioning of traditional roles of men and women in society, the conflict between idealism and reality, love and disillusionment, beauty and ugliness, joy and suffering and the inevitability of these paradoxes; “Compared with some traditional novelist who pay attention to the fame of great heroes, Katherine Mansfield focuses on the lives of ordinary people in daily life. Its exquisite detail description exactly reveals the inner world of characters.”(肖冲，2012) In Mansfield novels, the details and trivial of daily life are woven into the marvelous articles, which deserve reading and studying.III. Character analysis of the boss according to itstext3.1 Analysis of the bosss behavior based oninterpersonal relationshipThe boss is introduced by a conversation with his friend old Woodifield. At the beginning of work, we realize the boss is “stout” and “rosy”, while Woodifield is old, retired, faint. Though the boss is elder, he is still strong and in full command of the business affairs. The Boss has done well for himself, and he is proud of the latest redecoration of his office. The office with new carpet, new furniture, electric heating gives him solid satisfaction.Old Mr. Woodifield, who suffered from the stroke, is allowed to go out once a week, spending a wonderful time with his friend. He looks admiringly at the bosss newly furnished office, smoking a cigar and enjoying all the conditions around him. Compared with Woodifield, the boss feels fit, “rolling in his office chair”. He points old Woodifield “bright carpet”; “the massive bookcase and the table with legs like twisted treacle”; “the five transparent, pearly sausages glowing so softly in the tilted copper pan”. His behavior shows great self-satisfaction at the comfortable and successful life. For the visit of Woodifield, the boss is complacently showing off, but still enjoying making Woodifield happy for a moment. Acutely, when Woodifield forgets something he means to tell the boss, the latter feels sympathy for him and shares the whisky with his friend. At this moment, the boss is clearly pleased as he mentions the whisky came “from the cellars at Windsor Castle”. For Woodifield, the whisky does its job well-“it warmed him, it crept into his chill old brain-he remembered”. Here the boss gives his friend some new life, compared with the ladies at home, but pay less attention to his health. The tone is light and almost comic in the early point of The Fly. As the disarming atmosphere of cordiality in which we make his acquaintance, This bossin spite of his descriptive labelcannot be taken very tragically. After being warmed up, the old Woodifield recalls what he would like to tell his boss. He says, “I thought youd like to know. The girls were in Belgium last week having a look at poor Reggies grave, and they happened to come across your boys. Theyre quite near each other, it seems.”(Katherine Mansfield, 1981) From the words, we can discover that Woodifield has accepted the death of his son and could talk freely about it. His stroke, his retirement, and time make him accept death as something natural. After he knows the boss has never visited the grave of his son, he changes the topic. His mind jumps to the things he extremely disapproves-the dislike of Belgians who charged his daughter a high price at hotel. The contrast in characters is clear. However, the boss, whose mood has been disturbed, makes no reply but a quiver in his eyelid showing that he has heard. He avoids listening and sees him out. It seems the death of his son causes a deep wound in the bosss heart,From this part, we may find that the hero is unnamed in this short story. “Katherine Mansfield cannot, of course, altogether which a common noun becomes a proper noun, but she does her best to keep in the readers mind the more general significance of the word.”(F. W. Bateson and B. Sharhevitch, 1962); every time we read it, the general somewhat repugnant idea of the term is again appears in our consciousness, even after it has almost become a proper name. This implies that the boss is-a father.3.2 Psychological studyof the boss through his ideological activityAfter Woodifield leaves, the boss cannot do anything for a while. He changes from a successful boss into an old lonely man-“sitting at his desk staring at nothing”; only son who died in the war comes into his mind. The son was described in the text as follows: Ever since his birth the boss had worked at building up this business for him; it had no other meaning if it was not for the boy. Life itself had come to have no other meaning And that promise had been so near being fulfilled. The boy had been in office learning the ropes for a year before war. (Katherine Mansfield, 1981)This sentences hints that the fathers dream to entrust his business to his son almost comes true. His son had been loved by the office staff and he was not spoilt. The business, he had worked for all his life, was built up for his son. Without his son, everything is meaningless. He has prepared to sweep, however there are no drops of tear flow. It is six years since he lost his son. He had believed that the time would never change his sorrow. He had thought himself far more hurt by his sons death than others. Nevertheless, his sorrow has been conquered both by time and by its very nature. What he remembers of is nothing personal with his son but the facts that stress how firmly his boy had been tried to be a boss. He was proud of his son not for any inner quality, but for his trained son makes him satisfied. He reveals in his own vanity and pride- “And what congratulations he had received as the boys father!” Never in the bosss memory does the son appear as a free individual loved for what he is. The boss believes his unique love for his only son, therefore he is confused and impatient for his unable to sweep.That old Woodifields mention of grave reminded the boss about his sons death. He is told that his son is one of the remains of thousands and ten thousands who lined the Belgium cemetery. On hearing that, the boss is shocked, “It was exactly as though the earth had opened and he had seen the boy lying there with Woodifields girls staring down at him.” (Katherine Mansfield, 1981) Indeed he always thought of his son as “lying unchanged, unblemished in his uniform, asleep for ever”. The “grave look” of his son makes him unpleasant; he refuses to look at it-“the expression was unnatural. It was cold, even stern-looking”. He would prefer the “boyish look” of his son who behaves perfect before going to the war. He was scared by the sudden vision of time on his sons corpse; and he is shocked by his sons changed expression by life. He has to acknowledge the operation of time on his own grief. He groaned, “My son!”For the boss, his son was a hopeful and bright star, however he died in the war. Falling from hope to