欧亨利小说的结构艺术特色

《欧亨利小说的结构艺术特色》由会员上传分享，免费在线阅读，更多相关内容在教育资源-天天文库。

苏州大学本科生毕业论文苏州大学应用技术学院2008级学士学位论文AStudyofStructuralArtInO.Henry’sShortStories简析欧亨利短篇小说中的结构艺术专业：08英语学号：0816420053姓名：周俊导师：房红梅2011.12.10 苏州大学本科生毕业论文Acknowledgements 苏州大学本科生毕业论文摘要欧·亨利是美国最著名的短篇小说家之一，曾被评论界誉为美国现代短篇小说之父。他善于戏剧性的设计情节，做好铺垫，最后在结尾处让人物命运陡然逆转，从而形成独特的艺术魅力。近些年来有不少关于欧·亨利小说的探索研究，但多关是于欧·亨利小说语言的幽默和小说的结尾，这样不免过于片面。本次论文主要通过概述了美国短篇小说的一些特色，与前人对于欧亨利小说结构内容编排的研究。再通过分别列举欧亨利著名小说中的经典片段研究欧亨利小说中的独树一帜的开头与小说那些出人意料的戏剧性结尾，还有欧亨利小说中从头至尾的双线结构艺术。主要通过这三方面的论述欧亨利小说的结构特色。关键词：欧·亨利；结构艺术；双线索16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文AbstractO．Henry,oneofthemostfamousshortstorywritersintheworld,hasbeenknownasthefatherofthemodernAmericanshortstories.Heisgoodatdesigningplottheatrically,laysdowntheforeshadowing,andfinallyshowstheunexpectedendingswhichmakethereaderssuddenlyseethelight,joyaftersorrow.ProcessingnovelendingisO．Henry'smostcreativecontribution,thuscausehimtoenjoythegreatreputationinAmericanandintheworldhistoryofliterature.O．Henryisauniqueartistofshortstories.Inrecentyears,therearemanyresearchesaboutO．Henry'sshortstories,butmostofthemarebasedonthehumorlanguageandtheendingsofhisworks.Butitistooone-sided.ThisthesismainlyanalyzethefictionstructureartofO．Henry.Thethesisisdividedinto6chapters.ThefirstchapterisanintroductionofO.Henry.Thesecondpartistheliteraturereview.ThethirdchapterisananalysisofthediversifiedopeningsofO．Henry'sworks:openingwithdescription;openingwithcomment;openingwithallusion.Thefourthpartisabouttheunexpectedendings,alsofromthreeaspects:happyending;ridiculousending;sorrowfulending.Thefifthpartisthedual-cluestructure.Thesixthpartisthetwocluescrossedmorethantwiceandtwocluescrossedonce.Thefinalchapteristheconclusion.KeyWords:diversifiedopenings;unexpectedendings;dual-clue16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文ContentChapter1Introduction11.1SignificanceoftheStudy11.2StructureoftheThesis1Chapter2LiteratureReview32.1TheOverviewofShortStories32.2ThePlotinO.Henry’sNovels4Chapter3TheDiversifiedOpenings63.1OpeningwithDescription63.2OpeningwithComment73.3OpeningwithAllusion8Chapter4TheUnexpectedEndings94.1TheHappyEnding94.2TheRidiculousEnding104.3TheSorrowfulEnding10Chapter5TheDual-clueStructure125.1TheTwoCluesCrossedMorethanTwice125.2TheTwoCluesCrossedOnce13Chapter6Conclusion14Appendix1516 苏州大学本科生毕业论文Chapter1Introduction1.1SignificanceoftheStudyO．Henry,oneofthemostfamousshortstorywritersintheworld,enjoystheequalstatuswithChekhovandMaupassant.HeisknownasthefatherofAmericancontemporaryshortstories.Somecriticsarenotsoenthusiasticabouthisworks,butthepubliclovethemverymuch.O．HenryisaprolificAmericanshortstorywriter,amasterofsurpriseendings.ProcessingnovelendingisO．Henry'smostcreativecontribution,whichmadehimenjoythegreatreputationinAmericanhistoryofliterature.ManycriticsinAmericaandothercountriescommentonO．Henryandhisworkrespectfully.Peoplespeakhighlyoftheingeniousarrangementofhisworks,thetypicalcharactersandplots,andthecriticalimplicationsofhisworks.Criticsoftenregardhimasawriterwhoputsmoraljudgmentandsocialcriticismintohisuniquestylewithhumor,satire,burlesqueandobviouscomicinclination.TherearemanycommentsonO.Henryandhisworks.OpinionsonO．Henry'sworksfromtheaspectsoftheme,tone,objectofvision,andplottothatoflanguageandstylewereallfound.ThecommentonvariousaspectsofO．Henry'sworksarequiteessentialandnecessaryforustounderstandthewriterandhisworks.Likehisendings,O．Henry'sopeningsareveryoutstanding.O．Henry'sshortstorieshavediversifiedopenings.InO．Henry'sworks,theopeningsandendingsaremainlythefollowingtypes,openingwithdescription,openingwithcomment,openingwithallusionandsurpriseendings,ridiculousendingsandsorrowfulendings.Thedual-cluestructureisalsoaninterestingelementinO.Henry’sworks.BystudyingsomemostfamousstoriesofO.Henry’s,thethesisattempttoprovideanewandmoreobjectiveinterpretationofO.Henryandexplorehisuniquewritingstyle.1.2StructureoftheThesisThethesisconsistsof6chapters.ThefirstchaptermakesageneralintroductiontoO.Henry,pointsoutthenecessityforthestudy,andfurtherclarifiestheaimsandsignificanceandstructureofthethesis.Chapter2presentstheoverviewofAmericanshortstoriesandsomeother’sstudyofO.Henry’sworks.Chapter3ismainlyabouttheanalysisoftheO.Henry’sdiversifiedOpenings.16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文InChapter4,IwillstudytheOHenry’suniqueendings,whichwilldivideinto3parts.Thedual-cluestructureanalysisisinChapter5.Thefinalchaptergivestheconclusionofthethesis.16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文Chapter2LiteratureReview2.1TheOverviewofShortStoriesAuthorssuchasCharlesDickens,KurtVonnegut,Jr.,NathanielHawthorne,VirginiaWoolf,DinoBuzzati,RudyardKipling,WilliamFaulkner,F.ScottFitzgerald,JamesJoyce,FranzKafka,P.G.Wodehouse,H.P.LovecraftandErnestHemingwaywerehighlyaccomplishedwritersofbothshortstoriesandnovels.Shortstorieshavetheirfaceinoralstory-tellingtraditionsandtheproseanecdote,aswiftlysketchedsituationthatquicklycomestoitspoint.Withtheriseofthecomparativelyrealisticnovel,theshortstoryevolvedasaminiatureversion,withsomeofitsfirstperfectlyindependentexamplesinthetalesofE.T.A.Hoffmann.Other19th-centurywriterswellknownfortheirshortstoriesincludeNikolaiGogol,GuydeMaupassant.Someauthorsareknownalmostentirelyfortheirshortstories,eitherbychoiceorbycriticalregard(short-storywritingisthoughtofasachallengingart).AnexampleisJorgeLuisBorges,whowonAmericanfamewithTheGardenofForkingPaths,publishedintheAugust1948ElleryQueen'sMysteryMagazine.AnotherexampleisO.Henry,forwhomtheO.HenryAwardisnamed.AmericanexamplesincludeFlanneryO’Connor,JohnCheever,andRaymondCarver.Theartofstorytellingisdoubtlesslyolderthanrecordofcivilization.Eventheso-calledmodernshortstory,whichwasthelatestofthemajorliterarytypestoevolve,hasanancientlineage.Perhapstheoldestandmostdirectancestoroftheshortstoryistheanecdoteandillustrativestory,straighttothepoint.Theancientparableandfable,starklybriefnarrativeusedtoenforcesomemoralorspiritualtruth,anticipatetheseverebrevityandunityofsomeshortstorieswrittentoday.Shortstoriestendtobelesscomplexthannovels.Usuallyashortstoryfocusesononeincident;hasasingleplot,asinglesetting,andasmallnumberofcharacters;andcoversashortperiodoftime.Inlongerformsoffiction,storiestendtocontaincertaincoreelementsofdramaticstructure:exposition(theintroductionofsetting,situationandmaincharacters);complication(theeventthatintroducestheconflict);risingaction,crisis(thedecisivemomentfortheprotagonistandhiscommitmenttoacourseofaction);climax(thepointofhighestinterestintermsoftheconflictandthepointwiththemostaction);resolution;andmoral.Becauseoftheirlength,shortstoriesmayormaynotfollowthispattern.Somedonotfollowpatternsatall.Forexample,modernshortstoriesonlyoccasionallyhaveanexposition.More16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文typical,though,isanabruptbeginning,withthestorystartinginthemiddleoftheaction.Aswithlongerstories,plotsofshortstoriesalsohaveaclimax,crisis,orturningpoint.However,theendingsofmanyshortstoriesareabruptandopenandmayormaynothaveamoralorpracticallesson.Aswithanyartforms,theexactcharacteristicsofashortstorywillvarybycreator.Whenshortstoriesintendtoconveyaspecificethicalormoralperspective,theyfallintoamorespecificsub-categorycalledParables.Thisspecifickindofshortstoryhasbeenusedbyspiritualandreligiousleadersworldwidetoinspire,enlighten,andeducatetheirfollowers.2.2ThePlotinO.Henry’sNovelsThetypicalfeatureofO.Henry'sstoriesisatwistofplotwhichturnsonanironicorcoincidentalcircumstance.Hisultimateachievementwastocreateanewkindofshortstorywithanovelending-"surprisingending”,or"twistending",whichwinshimagreatfame.TherealcharmofO.Henry’stalesliesinhisreversalofthenarrative.Hewouldarrangeastorymovinginonedirection.Andjustwhenreaderwasgoingtobeconvincedofthegeneraldirectionofthenarrativewhichhetookforgranted,thestorywouldbecompletelyreversed.Withrespecttothetheoryofprosefiction,thecentralformalistdistinctionisthatbetweenthestoryandtheplot,AnauthorisSidtotransformtherawmaterialofastoryintoaliteraryplotbytheuseofavarietyofdevicesthatviolatesequenceanddeformanddefamiliarizethestoryelements;theeffectistoforegroundanarrativemediumanddevicesthemselves,andinthiswaytodisruptwhathadbeenpeople'sstandardresponsestothesubjectmatter.Usuallyinaliterarywork,thetemporalorderofsuccessionoftheeventsinthestoryandthepseudo-temporalorderoftheirarrangementinthenarrativeisdifferentaccordingtoauthor'sintentionwhentheypresentoneworktothepublic.ToTzvetanTodorov,aFrenchnarratologist,therelationbetweenthetimeofthestoryandthetimeofthediscourseissubtle.Furthermore,thereistemporaldistortions;infidelitiestothechronologicalorderofevents;relationshipsoflinking,alternation,orembeddingamongthedifferentlinesofactionthatmakeupthestorywithaestheticvalue(Forster,1974:85-88).Inordertounderstandlatersectionsofanynarrative,readersmustconnecttheircontentwiththatoftheearliersections,therebyestablishingreflexivereferenceonthelevelofevents,characterfeatures,etc.EspeciallyinO.Henry'sworks,theeventsofsomeshortstoriesarearrangedinthe16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文specificorderofoccurrencebydistortingthenaturalorderinwhichtheyoccurredwhichexceedreader'snormalexpectationtothearrangementofthoseeventsinhiswork,thenexerttheeffectofdefamiliarizationtomakehisworksnewandstrange.(张秀娟2007;3)16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文Chapter3TheDiversifiedOpeningsO．Henry’sshortstoriesstartwithvaryingopenings.Mostofhisstoriesdonotbeginimmediatelywithanaction,butthereadersaresuppliedwithabackgroundofbothtimeandplace,andthen,theheroisintroduced.O．Henryisgoodatforeshadowingintheopeningofthestory.InO．Henry'sworks,thevaryingopeningsaremainlythefollowingtypes: 3.1OpeningwithDescriptionUsually,O．Henrybeginsthestorywithsomedescriptivesentencestointroducetheenvironmentordescribethedressandpersonaladornmentofthecharacter,givingreadersaverydistinctsenseofbeingledonlygraduallyintothestory.Forexample,TheCountandtheWeddingGustbeginsasfollows:OneeveningwhenAndyDonovanwenttodinnerathissecondboarding-house,Mrs.Scottintroducedhimtoanewboarder,ayounglady,MissConway.MissConwaywassmallandunobtrusive.Sheworeaplain,snuffy-browndress,andbestowedherinterest,whichseemedlanguid,uponherplate.Sheliftedherdifferenteyelidsandshotoneperspicuous,judicialglanceatMr.Donovan,politelymurmuredhisname,andreturnedtohermutton.Mr.Donovanbowedwiththegraceandbeamingsmile…O.Henry.SelectedStories.WordsworthEditionsLtd,1977.p.184Herethewriterdrawsthereaders'wholeattentiontothetwopeopleintheapartment.O．Henryusesalotofwordstodescribetheactress’sappearance.Thereadersweresuppliedwithsomanydetails,forexample,theactress’sclothing,figure,eventheactiondetails.Theactorwasdescribedinthesameway,evenwiththefacialexpressions.Inageneralway,thedescriptivesentenceswereusedtoexpressfeelings,renderatmosphereandfoilcharacters.InO．Henry'sTheCountandtheWeddingGust,theopeningwasaseriousofdescriptivesentences.Thisseriesofdetaildescriptionweredesignedtoleavethereadersanimpressionthatboththeactorandtheactressaregoodmannered,andbothofthembelongtotheupperclassinsociety。Actually,inthebeginning,thedescriptionaboutMissConwayisaprediction.Theladyisinblack,andsheistooyoungtobeawidow.Thequestionswillcametothereaders,andtheywillgoonreadingthestoryeagerly.ThatisthesagacityofO．Henry.16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文3.2OpeningwithCommentDuringtheeighteenthandnineteenthcenturies,O．Henry'sopeningswerepopular.Manyofhisshortstoriesopenwithcomment,forexample,inO．Henry'sAnUnfinishedStory：WenolongergroanandheapashesuponourheadswhentheflamesofTophetarementioned.For,eventhepreachershavebeguntotellusthatGodisradium,oretherorsomescientificcompound,andthattheworstwewickedonesmayexpectisachemicalreaction.Thisisapleasinghypothesis;buttherelingersyetsomeoftheold,goodlyterroroforthodoxy.Ibid.,p.60　　Here,thewriterstartsthestorywithacommentwithapointofviewaboutreligion.Then,theauthorshowedthedreamabout"lamentedbar-of-judgmenttheory".Butafterreadingthewholepassage,thereaderswillrealizetheCapitalistslivedextravagantlife,theirincomeandworkers'incomesformedastrikingcontrast.Thecapitalistisverycrueltotheworkers.Inthestory,inthe"lamentedbar-of-judgmenttheory”,thecapitalistsshouldbepunished.Thereisanotherexampleofopeningwithcomment.Thestoryisopenedwithcommentontheworkitself.SpringtimeàlaCartebeginsjustlikethat:Never,neverbeginastorythiswaywhenyouwriteone.Noopeningcouldpossiblybeworse.Itisunimaginative,flat,dryandlikelytoconsistofmerewind.Butinthisinstanceitisallowable.Forthefollowingparagraph,whichshouldhaveinauguratedthenarrative,istoowildlyextravagantandpreposteroustobeflauntedinthefaceofthereaderwithoutpreparation.Ibid.,p.51　　Here,theauthor'sdialoguewithhisimaginaryreadersisonlyoneofmanywaysinwhichO．Henryforegroundsthegapbetweenartandlifethatconventionalrealismseekstoconceal.Thiskindofbeginningisanexpressionoftheauthor'sorthenarrator'sfeelings,ideas,alsothethoughtswhichcontainthephilosophicalideas.Sometimesreaderswilladmitthatkindofopening,becauseitisverylikelytoleadthereaderstothedeepheartoftheauthor.Itisneverthelesstruethatmanygreatauthorshaveuseditanduseditwell.O．Henryissuchaone.3.3OpeningwithAllusion　　Thedistinguishfeatureofthebeginningwithallusionliesinthatbeforethecharacterappearsinthestory,thenarratorcomesonthestagetopresentsomeotherstorieswhichwillbealludedtoin16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文thisone.Bytellingtheallusion,thenarratorwillforebodetheending,offerhintsofthepersonalityofcharacter,symbolizethethemeordrawananalogybetweenthetow.Suchbeginningislikeanactor'sopeningtoadramaorfilm,whichcanarousethereaders'curiosityandenthusiasm.Moreover,theallusionadoptedoftencontainscertainknowledgederivedfromfamousworkswhichareinformativeandinstructive,thusbroadeningthereaders'horizon.Forexample,thebeginningofTheEnchantedProfileTherearefewCaliphesses.WomenareSchehherazadesbybirth,predilection,instinct,andarrangementofthevocalcords.Thethousandandonestoresarebeingtoldeverydaybyhundredsofthousandsofvizier'sdaughterstotheirrespectivesultans.Butthebowstringwillgetsomeof'emyetiftheydon'twatchout.Iheardastory,though,ofoneladyCaliph.ItisnotpreciselyanArabianNightsstory,becauseitbringsinCinderella,whoflourishedherdishraginanotherepochandcountry.So,ifyoudonotmindthemixeddates(whichseemtogiveitanEasternFlavor,afterall),wewillgetalong.Ibid.,p.530InTheEnchantedProfile,beforetellingthethingshereallywantstopresent,O．HenryreferstoCaliphwhowillbealludedlaterinthestorytocontrastwiththeheroine,Mrs.MaggieBrown,whowasgreedy.Ifreaderswanttoknowhowonearththetwoarealike,theywillgoonreadingthestoryeagerly.Byalluding,O．Henryholdsthereaders'interestfreely.16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文Chapter4TheUnexpectedEndingsOntheotherhand,endingsareimportanttoo,especiallyforshort-storywriters.O．Henryobviouslydevotedspecialcaretohis“unexpectedending".Manyofhisunexpectedendingshavebeenconceivedwithdeliberatecare,acertainuniqueorsingleeffecttobewroughtout,andthenheinventedsuchincidents,afterthathecombinedsucheventswhichmaybestaidhiminestablishinghispreconceivedeffectandachieveit.4.1TheHappyEndingInO．Henry'sshortstories,strictwordswereusedquiteoften,butinthestoryAServiceofLove,heusedalotofwordstospeakhighlyofthecharacter.Theauthortellsabeautifullovestorywhichhasahappyending.ThestoryhasanunexpectedendinglikeotherstorieswrittenbyO．Henry,butthisoneendedwithhappiness.“Icouldn'tgetanypupils,sheconfessed.”AndIcouldn'tbeartohaveyougiveupyourlessons;andIgotaplaceironingshirtsinthatbigTwenty-fourthStreetlaundry.…""MypurchaserfromPeoria,"saidJoe,"andGeneralPinckneyarebothcreationsofthesameart-butyouwouldn'tcalliteitherpaintingormusic”Andtheybothlaughed,andJoebegan:"Whenonelovesone'sArtnoserviceseems-"ButDeliastoppedhimwithherhandonhislips.“No,"shesaid-"justwhenoneloves"Ibid.,p.21　　InAServiceofLove,O．HenrysanghighpraiseforthepurelovebetweenJoeandDelia,theybothsacrificedtheirowntimeandchanceinordertoearnenoughmoneytosupporttheirspouse:Deliaworkedinalaundry,andJoehadbeenfiringtheengineinthatlaundryfortwoweeks.TheycheatedeachothersothatoneofthemcanwintheopportunitytorealizehisorherdreamonArt.UntilonedayDelia'shandburnedwithasmoothing-irondidtheyfindreality.O．Henryspeakshighlyoftheirself-sacrificeoutoflove,insteadofshowingthisopinionwithhisownmouth;hesmartlypresentsthisideathroughhischaracter'sspeech.16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文4.2TheRidiculousEndingSomeofO．Henry'sshortstoriesfinishedwitharidiculousending.Thereaderscouldnotcontrolthemselvestoexclaimoverevenlaughtotears.Theauthorwasgoodatholdingthereaders'emotion;readerscannotfindanyinsinuationintheopening.Thedescriptionabouttheplotorthecharacterwouldmakethereadersthinkthatthestoryhewasreadingisunimaginative,flat,anddry.Butintheend,thewriterwillshowthesurprisesuddenly,itisreallyaninterestingthing.ThestoryFromtheCabby'sSeatisaverygoodexampletoshowthis:"Afare,sargeant,"hecontinued,withagrin,"thatIwanttointhroducetoye.It'smewifethatImarriedatouldmanWalsh'sthisavening.Andadivilofatimewehad,'tisthrue.Shakehandswidth'sargeant,Norah,andwe'llbeofftohome."BeforesteppingintothecabNorahsighedprofoundly."I'vehadsuchanicetime,Jerry,"saidshe.Ibid.,p.56ThenarratortellsreaderastoryaboutacabbynamedJerryO'Donovan,whowassodrunkafterhisweddingcelebrationthathesenthisnewly-marriedwifetothepolicestationbecauseheonlyregardedherasacustomerwhocan'tpayforthefare.Thisisreallyaridiculousending.Thecabbysenttohisnewly-marriedwifetothepolice.ButinO．Henry'sstory,ithappened.4.3TheSorrowfulEndingO．Henry'sstorieshavemanykindsofendings.Someendingsareneitherhappynorridiculous,theyaresorrowfulendings.ThemostrepresentativestoryisthefamousTheGiftoftheMagi.…andhereIhavelamelyrelatedtoyoutheuneventfulchronicleoftwofoolishchildreninaflatwhomostunwiselysacrificedforeachotherthegreatesttreasuresoftheirhouse.Butinalastwordtothewiseofthesedaysletitbesaidthatofallwhogivegiftsthesetwowerethewisest.Ofallwhogiveandreceivegifts,suchastheyarethewisest.Everywheretheyarewisest.Theyarethemagi.Ibid.,p.1Reference[1]Hawthorn,J.1994.AGlossaryOfContemporaryLiteraryTheory[A].NewYork:EdwardArnold,adivisionofHodderHeadlineGroup.[2]O．Henry.1997.SelectedStories[M],American:WordsworthEditionsLtd.[3]O．Henry.1979.CollectedStoriesofO.Henry[M].NewYork:AvenelBooks.[4]O．Henry.1906.TheFourMillion[M].NewYork:McClure,Phillips.[5]O．Henry.1907.TheTrimmedLamp[M].NewYork:McClure,Phillips.[6]常耀信，2008，《美国文学简史》[M]，天津：南开大学出版社。[7]李琪，2009，《欧·亨利，麦琪的礼物》[M]，安徽：时代出版传媒股份有限公司。[8]阮温凌，1997，《走进迷宫——欧·亨利的艺术世界》[M]，北京：中国社会科学出版社。[9]王永年.，2003，《欧·亨利，欧·亨利短篇小说选》[M]，北京：人民文学出版社。[10]张经浩，2009，《欧·亨利，欧·亨利短篇小说精选》[M]，北京：中国对外翻译出版公司。文献综述　　Inordertogiveherhusbandanexquisitewatchchain,DellasoldherbeautifulhairthoughhishusbandJameslovedit.JamesrealizedthatDellahadworshippedlongforthesetofcombs,side16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文andback,inBroadwaywindow;healsosoldhisvaluablewatchinheritingfromhisgrandparents.Della’shairandJames’goldwatcharethemostpreciouspropertyintheirpoorfamily.Inordertoexpressesthedeepsincerelovetothespouse,bothofthemhadlostthetwopreciousattheChristmasEve.Happinessinatwinklinghadpaidtheexpensiveprice,butfollowingisthedeeppain.afterconsideringthetruelife,O．Henryhadscreenedthemainplotcarefully,madethisordinarythemebrightagain,goldwatchandbeautifulhairarethegreatwealthforthepoorfamilythatgain20dollarperweek,thisregretbroughtastringentfeeling,causedeachreader’shearttotremble.TheGiftoftheMagitoldthetruemeaningoflove.O.Henrywasgoodatusingfewwordstomakethesketchandbuildatmosphere,thenthereaderwillbelostinthearticle,tastingandponderingthecharacter'sdestiny.Thegloomyatmospherewhichwasbuiltbyonedollarandeighty-sevencentsthroughthewholenovel,evenwhenthecouplessawgifts,itstillcontainedalittlepain.ThisisthesorrowfulendingofO.Henry.16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文Chapter5TheDual-clueStructureInO．Henry’sworks,twocluescanbefoundineverypieceofhisworks.Thetwocluesaresidebyside;itisanecessarytechniqueoftheauthortoexpresshisideas.Inthistechniqueofwriting,thebeautyismorebeautifulandtheuglyisuglier,thepoorpeoplegetmoresympathy.5.1TheTwoCluesCrossedMorethanTwiceTheusageofthedual-cluecanbedividedintotwokinds;thefirstoneisthetwocluescrossedmorethantwice.Forexample,inTheCopandtheAntbem,Soapy'stryingtogotothejailisthelightclue,thepolicemandon'tarresthimisthedarkclue.Thetwocluesappearedseventimes.Inthefirstsixtimes,Soapywantedtobeimprisoned;hetriedandtried,butneversucceeded.Attheseventhtrying,hedidn'twanttogotothejailanymore,buthecannotsucceedyet.Everytimehisactionisridiculous,buteverytimetheactionmakethereadersfeelitispossible.BecausethepeoplewholivedinNewYorkdounderstandthatitseemedridiculous,butitisthefact.ThepoliceinNewYorkarejustlikethecharacterinO.Henry’sstory.Asthesecondintersection,theauthordesigneditlikethat:Soapywantedtogotothejail,sohebroketheglassintentionally.Whenthepoliceaskedwhodidit,heanswered:“Don’tyoufigureoutthatImighthavesomethingtodowithit?”Withoutsarcasm,butfriendly,asonegreetsgoodfortune.Butthepolicemanrefusedtoaccepthim,evenasaclue.SoSoapyfailedagain.Thisplotisridiculous,alsocredible.Thesameastheseventhintersection,Soapywasreadytoturnoveranewlife,hewantstobe“somebodyintheworld”,buttheresultsisheissentencedthreemonths.SuchabsurdthinghappenedintheUnitedStatesfromtimetotime.Sopeoplehaveenoughreasontobelievethatitisindeedpossible.Thisistheexplanationofthewrongfullysicksociety?Heretheauthorarrangedtheseventimescollision,tellingpeoplethishappeningwasnotaccidental.Sothetwoclues'intersectionisexpressionalneeds.Itisawritingtechnique,nottheauthor’sdeliberatelyarrange.16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文5.2TheTwoCluesCrossedOnceThesecondusageofthetwocluesisthat:thelightandshadecluesonlycrossedonce.InTheLastLeaf,theauthordescribedSueandJohnsydidnotknoweachotherbefore,andbothofthemlivedapoorlife.ButwhenJohnsywasill,Suespendsalotoftimetostaywithher,lookingafterandcomfortingher.Andcalltheambulanceforherwhensheiscriticallyill.Thisisthelightclues.ThehighlightsaretheoldpainterBehrman’spaintingonthewallintheStormynight.ItwasBehrmanthatdrawsthelastleafonthewallforJohnsy.Thisisthedarkclue.Whenthetwocluesrunintotogether,theauthorachievedtheclimaxofthestory.SoO．Henry’spenjuststoppedthere,likeahighspeedrunningsportscar,stoppedsuddenly.Butthereaders’mindcannotstop,leavingthereadersendlessaftertasteanddeepthinkingofit.WhatmakestheverysickJohnsybacktolife?Itwasnotthetreatmentfromthedoctor,notSue’sgoodcare,buttheoldBehrman’smasterpiece,thelastleafonthewall.Thecrossingofthetwocluesshowingtheoldartist’slife’swork---therealleavesfallingdown,Behrmanpainteditonthewall.Theleavessymbolizethepoorartists’friendship.Theauthorusessuchtactics,enthusiasticallypraisedthefriendship,andsuggeststhatinthebadenvironment,thefriendshipmaybecomepeople’sreasontoliveandbecomethehuman’s“lastleaf”.Similarly,inTheGiftoftheMagi,Dellasoldherhairtobuythewatchchain,whileJimsoldhiswatchchaintobuyDellacombs,thesetwocluesalsorunintocrossintheend.Thoughitisanembarrassingending,butaslongastheylovedeachother,theirlifewillneverbegray.Inthiskindofstructure,theauthorreachedhisgoal,bothshowinghishumorwritingskillandleavingthereadersameaningfulandthoughtfulending.InTheGiftoftheMagi,thatMagisoldherbeautifulhairtobuyherhusbandthewatchchainisthelightclue.Herhusbandsoldhiswatchchaintobuyherthehaircombsisthedarkclue.InTheLastLeaf,Johnsy’shopelessnessforlifewasthelightclue,theoldBneumonia,inthestormynight,drawthelastleafonthewallforJohnsyisthedarkclue.Whenthetwocluescrossed,author’sintentiontoachievethenecessarymeansofhumoriscompleted.Throughthetwoclues’intersection,theauthormakesthestorymoreinteresting;alsoreachhisuniquewritingskill.16 苏州大学本科生毕业论文Chapter6ConclusionO.Henryhashadagreatinfluenceonagenerationofwritersattemptingtoseethingsclearlyandwritethesurprisingendingsmartly.MostofO.Henry'sstoriesaresetinhisowntime,theearlyyearsofthe20thcentury.O.Henry'sshortstorieshaveaveryimportantpositioninAmericanliterature.Hisreadersarefromallaroundtheworld.Hehasshowntohissuccessorshowtousematerialsfordisciplinedartisticeffect.Asameticulouscraftsman,O.Henryisararecreativeartistwithauniquevision.O.Henryhasallthegiftsofthesupremetelleroftales,tragedyaswellasfunny,ofcomedyandofromance,ofdomesticandthemystery-taleofcommonlife,andhasadelicateskillinstoriesofthesupernatural.InO.Henry'sworks,heshowsreadersthecapitalist,thebroker,theunderpaidclerk,theunderpaidshop-girl,theactor,themasherandsoon.InO.Henry'sstories,hecreatedmorethan200characterswithspeakingparts,representingmorethan40distincttypesdrawnfromtowns,villagesandopenrangecountry.O.Henrywasfamousforhissurpriseendings.Healsohasspecialtechniqueindesigningtheopeningsandthedual-cluestructure.O.Henryalwayslaydowntheforeshadowingintheopeningofastory.Theforeshadowingcouldbeadescription,acommentorallusion.Nomatterwhatkindofopeninghechooses,hewilldesignitcarefully;readerscouldnotrealizetheforeshadowinguntiltheyfinishedthestory.ThatiswhyO.Henry'sreadersfeelsurpriseafterreadinghisworks.ThekindsofopeningsandendingsinO.Henry'sworkswerecombinedwiththedual-cluestructure.Thedual-cluestructuremadetheplotsmorecoherent.O.Henry'splotsandhischaractersarehumorousinconceptionandintreatment,sothestrikingtraitofhimasastylistishumor.Thetechniqueofdefamiliarizationrevealedthroughplot,pointofviewandlanguagestrengthenstheinnatequalitiesofO.Henry'sworks.Therecurrentthemes,openingandendinganalyzedfromtheperspectiveofstructuralismallcontributetothesuccessofthewholestructure.Inconclusion,O.Henry'sshortstorieshadsomanyhighlights.O.Henryrepresentsaheritage.Appendix16