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1、TheSemioticSquareintheCopandtheAnthemTheCopandtheAnthemisoneofthebeststoriesaboutthecrisisofhumannature,writtenbyO.Henry(W.B.Zhao67).O.Henryisagreatmasteroftheartoffictionandhisworkaimedatsoothinginjuredminorpersonintheworld,areknownas“smilingwithtears”,or“humorousEncyclopediaonpe
2、ople’slife”intheUnitedStatesathistime(Q.G.Wang151).ThroughtellingastoryaboutSoapywhoisapoor,unemployedandhomelessoutcastwhocommitsallkindsofcrimesintestinallyinordertogetintotheprisoninanisland,whichisanidealplaceforhimtolivein,theCopandtheAnthemcondemnstheinjusticeofthesocietytow
3、ardtheunderprivileged,revealingthestrongcontrastbetweenthematerialandspiritualcivilizationaswellaspoliticalcivilization(W.Y.Wang234).TheliteraturereviewaddressestheanalysisofcharactersintheCopandtheAnthem.2.1.ThecharacterofSoapySoapy,astreetloafer,jobless,homelessandpenniless,live
4、dinextremepovertyandmisery.AccordingtoW.Y.Wang,Soapyisnotadevil;hehaspositiveaspectsofhischaracter.Insteadofcommittingaseriouscrimesuchasmurderorrobbery,hechosetoeatwithoutpayingformoney,damagetheshowwindow,molestthewoman,disturbthepublicsecurityandstealatinyunimportantthinglikean
5、umbrella,whichisnotaseriouscrimebutenoughtosatisfyhisdesirefortheisland.However,insuchabadcircumstance,Soapydidnotloseallhisrespect(Q.S.WangandF.Wang194).ToSoapy,“lawismorebenignthanphilanthropy”(Henry78),so“itisbettertobeaguestofthelaw”(Henry78).ThisisSoapy’sessentialunderstandin
6、goftheso-calledcharityaffairs:amentalandsoulinsulttopeopleofnosocialprotectionincharity’sname(Q.S.WangandF.Wang194).Inaddition,Soapyalsohasapositiveattitudetowardhislife(Q.G.Wang153).InSoapy’seyes,“Adeadleaf...JackFrost’scardand...thenorthwind,themaleservantofalloutdoors...”(Henry
7、77).WecannotonlyseethepovertyandcomedownofSoapy,butalsoalittlepositiveattitudetowardthehardlylife.Zhang,however,claimedthatSoapyisaloaferwhocanearnhisownlivingbutrefusetodoso.Hecannotthreatentothesocialorderandsocialsecurity,butpeoplelikehimwilldamagethegeneralmoodofthesociety.And
8、hethinksthatitisreligionthatcanso