经贸园区道路工程项目可行性研究报告.doc

PAGE-22-summinguptheplot.Athemeisusuallystatedingeneralwords.Anothertrysoundslikethis:“Solitarypeopleneedaorderlyplacewheretheycandrinkwithdignity.”Thatisalittlebetter.WehaveindicatedthatHemingway’sstoryismorethanmerelyaboutanoldmanandtwowaiters.Werememberthatattheendthestoryisentirelyconfinedtotheolderwaiter’sthoughtsandperceptions.Howdoweunderstandhismediationon“nada,”nothingness,whichbearssomuchemphasis?Nogoodstatementofthethemeofthestorycanleaveitout.Thenwehavestillanothertry:“Solitarypeopleneedaplaceofrefugefromtheirterribleawarenessthattheirlife(orperhaps,humanlife)isessentiallymeaningless.”Neitherthisnoranyotherstatementofthestory’sthemeisunarguablyappropriate,butthestatementatleasttouchesoneprimaryideathatHemingwayseemstobedrivingat.Afterweread“AClean,Well-LightedPlace,”wefeelthatthereissuchatheme,aunifyingvision,eventhoughwecannotreduceittoatagandwemaystillvaryinouropinionabout,andstatementof,thetheme.Moralinferencesdrawnfrommoststories:Moralinferencesmaybedrawnfrommoststories,nodoubt,evenwhenanauthordoesnotintendhis/herstorytobereadthisway.In“AClean,Well-LightedPlace”,wefeelthatHemingwayisindirectlygivingusadviceforproperlyregardingandsympathizingthelonely,theuncertain,andtheold.Butobviouslythestorydoesnotsetforthalessonthatwearesupposedtoputintopractice.Wecansayforsurethat“AClean,Well-LightedPlace”containsseveralthemesandotherstatementscouldbemadetotakeinHemingway’sviewoflove,ofcommunicationbetweenpeople,ofdignity.Greatstories,likegreatsymphonies,frequentlyhavemorethanonetheme.WhenwesaythatthetitleofPrideandPrejudiceconveysthethemeofthenovelorthatUncleTom’sCabinandTheGrapesofWrathtreatthethemesofslaveryandmigratorylaborrespectively,thisistousethemeinalargerandmoreabstractsensethanitisinourdiscussionofHemingway’s“AClean,Well-LightedPlace.”InthislargersenseitisrelativelyeasytosaythatMarkTwain’sHuckleberryFinn,Updike’sA&P,andFaulkner’sBarnBurningconcernthethemeof“initiationintomaturity.”Suchgeneraldescriptionsofthemecanbeuseful,especiallyifwewantto