Henry_James_简介

Ambiguity in Henry James’ Paste

作者：LUO Wan-ru

来源：《校园英语》 2020年第28期

文/LUO Wan-ru

【Abstract】 Henry James employs blanks to build ambiguity in the short story

“Paste”, at least through two ways: posing gaps in the narrative and using the

suspended meaning of the dash. One key point to resolve ambiguities in his works is

to understand characters’ moral qualities, so that the readers can enjoy the

beauty of his works.

【Key words】“Paste”1; ambiguity 2; Henry James 3

【作者简介】LUO Wan-ru, Hunan Judicial Police Vocational College.

1. Preface

Paste, published in 1909 in James’ Novel and Tales, is mainly about how the

three main characters, Arthur Prime, Charlotte Prime and Mrs. Guy, dealt with a

necklace, which had belonged to Arthur’s stepmother from her pre-martial career as

an actress. The first-time readers may be not sure whether the necklace is real or

THE ART OF FICTION by Henry James

[Published in Longman's Magazine 4 (September 1884), and reprinted in Partial

Portraits (Macmillan, 1888); paragraphing and capitalization follow the Library of

America edition.]

I SHOULD not have affixed so comprehensive a title to these few remarks,

necessarily wanting in any completeness, upon a subject the full consideration of

which would carry us far, did I not seem to discover a pretext for my temerity in the

interesting pamphlet lately published under this name by Mr. Walter Besant. Mr.

Besant's lecture at the Royal Institution--the original form of his pamphlet--appears to

indicate that many persons are interested in the art of fiction and are not indifferent to

such remarks as those who practise it may attempt to make about it. I am therefore

anxious not to lose the benefit of this favourable association, and to edge in a few

[henry,james的英文简介] henry james

Henry James (Henry James, April 15, 1843 - February 28, 1916), the 19th

century, the United States following Hawthorne, Melville after the greatest

novelist, but also the history of the United States and the world literature

writer. James's main works are novels, in addition to writing many literary

reviews, travels, biographies and scripts. His novels often write about the

intercourse between Americans and Europeans; how adult sins affect and destroy

pure, intelligent children; the contradiction between material and spiritual;

the loneliness of the artist, the life of the writer and the artist. There are

novels: "an American", "a portrait of a woman", "pigeon", "envoys" and "gold

bowl" and so on. His creation has had a tremendous impact on the rise of

modernism and postmodernism in the twentieth century.

The Portrait of a Lady--- Henry James

The Portrait of a Lady is a novel about the failure fate of a

Lady whose dream did not come true. It is about the contrast

between wish and failure, the hope and disillusion. The main

character Isabel Archer, a young, clever, quick , decent and

charming American girl, across the Ocean of Atlantic escorted by

her aunt who wanted to present Isabel a noble, classy and old

English world. Her aunt thought she was the kind of clever girls

who just need hope and opportunity.

Isabel is that kind of girl full of imagination as well as

longing for knowledge. Her intimate friend Miss Stackpole is a

correspondence of the Interview, a modern type of woman, who

had great influence on Isabel. No sooner Isabel came to England

than an English noble man Lord Warburton and another rich