Plot summary for American Beauty 1999

I'd like to keep my review rather to the point.Pros: 1. its theme - dream is a fascinating topic to say the least. There are a lot of unknowns in dreamworld.2. its plot - there are several sweet twists and unpredictable turns.3. its edgy drive - although you know what's coming next but still you feel jumpy about it.4. its fast storyline - the story moves fast from one scene to another, making the viewers feel like on a roller coaster ride. At times, it's hard to keep up, even at the second viewing.5. its sophistication - there is a lot of information to remember and digest. This is the very thing the modern moviegoers are after, I believe.6. its realism - okay, pun intended. The movie explains (or at least tries to) the ins and outs of what dream is about and how it functions, some of which are very familiar with and dear to us.Cons: 1. its poor character development - although the acting was convincing enough there was not enough of character development. I wonder how many people really felt connected to the main character(s) after watching the movie. Yes, the movie talks about emotional struggles but it was more of an action film, if you ask me.2. too many distractions - I found that the movie had more than enough characters than necessary. They may play some roles in the plot but they seemed more of distraction than anything else. I wish the movie was more focused.3. a bit preachy - I noticed that the characters would explain things about the dreamworld and then the exact things happen later in the movie. I'm afraid, Inception overused this trick.In conclusion, its theme is fascinating but its delivery is not without room for improvement.I highly recommend you to go and read Somewhere carnal over 40 winks, if you dig this kind offlicks.Cheers!What is the most resilient parasite? An Idea! Yes, Nolan has created something with his unbelievably, incredibly and god- gifted mind which will blow the minds of the audience away. The world premiere of the movie, directed by Hollywood's most inventive dreamers, was shown in London and has already got top notch reviews worldwide and has scored maximum points! Now the question arises what the movie has that it deserve all this?Dom Cobb(Di Caprio) is an extractor who is paid to invade the dreams of various business tycoons and steal their top secret ideas. Cobb robs forcefully the psyche with practiced skill, though he's increasingly haunted by the memory of his late wife, Mal (Marion Cotillard), who has a nasty habit of showing up in his subconscious and wreaking havoc on his missions. Cobb had been involved so much in his heist work that he had lost his love!But then, as fate had decided, a wealthy business man Saito( Ken Watanabe) hands over the responsibility of dissolving the empire of his business rival Robert Fischer Jr.(Cillian Murphy). But this time his job was not to steal the idea but to plant a new one: 'Inception'Then what happens is the classic heist movie tradition. To carry out the the task, Cobb's 'brainiac' specialists team up again with him, Arthur (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), his longtime organizer; Tom Hardy (Eames), a "forger" who can shapeshift at will; and Yusuf (Dileep Rao), a powerful sedative supplier.There is only one word to describe the cinematography, the set designs and the special effects, and that is Exceptional! You don't just watch the scenes happening, you feel them. The movie is a real thrill ride. The action scenes are well picturised and the music by Hans Zimmer is electronically haunting. Never, in the runtime of the movie, you will get a chance to move your eyes from the screen to any other object.Leonardo, who is still popularly known for Jack Dawson played by him in Titanic, should be relieved as his role as Dom Cobb will be remembered forever. His performance may or may not fetch him an Oscar but it will be his finest performance till date. The supporting cast too did an extraordinary work. Christopher Nolan, ah! what a man he is. His work is nothing less than a masterpiece and he deserves all the awards in the 'Best Director' category. If "Inception" is a metaphysical puzzle, it's also a metaphorical one: It's hard not to draw connections between Cobb's dream-weaving and Nolan's film making, intended to seduce us, mess with our heads and leave an ever-lasting impression.To conclude, I would just say before your life ends, do yourself a favor by experiencing this exceptionally lucid classic created by Nolan!Films about dreams and the subconscious are usually not very straightforward and almost always weird. "Inception" is no exception to that rule, but like its cinematic predecessors who have explored the contrast between and the questions of what is real and what is illusion (i.e. "The Matrix" (1999), "The Cell" (2000), "Abre Los Ojos" (1997) & its American remake "Vanilla Sky" (2001)), you really can't look away, nor should you."Inception" is an excellent and breathtaking movie that may be one of the only films released so far during the Summer of 2010 that lives up to its hype. It is a nearly perfect and highly original film that holds your attention until the credits roll. The less you know about this movie going in, the more you will be entranced by seeing it.Leonardo DiCaprio plays Dom Cobb, a world class criminal who, with the help of a team of sleep experts, works his way into people's subconscious and steals what people value most: ideas directly from their minds. In his last assignment to possibly clear his name, he is assigned not to steal an idea from someone, but to plant one inside that person's mind. The difficulty comes when certain people are trained to block their ideas from being taken.That plot summary only covers the basics of this pretty complicated story, but to describe every plot detail would take away the magic of this film you must see yourself to believe. DiCaprio is good in his role, but unlike many other films he has starred in, this is perhaps his only role where his character alone does not carry the weight of the movie on his shoulders or share it equally with one other co-star. Instead, this great ensemble cast teams together to make this movie work, just as their characters collaborate to pull off such a unique heist. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and Tom Hardy are especially good in their roles.The special effects in this film were also very good, which is amazing considering their simplicity compared to the "Matrix" movies. There are slow-motion shots, but no impossible kung fu fighting sequences. It's especially interesting when the film gets into the architecture of certain dreams, and impossible sequences are filmed in a way I've never seen other than in drawings.However, the special effects would mean nothing if the story wasn't good. For this reason, even something as simple as a spinning top holds your attention in a way you would never think it would when seeing it in this film. The credit here can be given to writer and directorChristopher Nolan, who has not made a bad film yet. There are many twists and turns in this film, but Nolan never loses his focus in the process of telling the story. If Nolan does not get nominated for Best Director and/or Best Original Screenplay next Oscar season, there is something terribly wrong with the Academy.That being said, there was still a lot about this film I still don't get, and may require multiple viewings to better understand. However, some of the best films I've seen are confusing at first. "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) is a film I've seen a couple of times, and still don't understand completely. It still has a major following, though, as I'm positive this movie will. It's an incredibly entertaining movie, but it also makes you think and continues to do so after you leave the theater.。

Toni Morrison and 《The Bluest Eye》I、Toni MorrisonToni Morrison (born Chloe Anthony Wofford on February 18, 1931), is a Nobel Prize-winning American author, editor, and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue, and richly detailed black characters; among the best known are her novels The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, and Beloved, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1988. In 2001 she was named one of the "30 Most Powerful Women in America" by Ladies' Home Journal.1、Early life and careerToni Morrison was born in Lorain, Ohio, the second of four children in a working-class family. As a child, Morrison read constantly; among her favorite authors were Jane Austen and Leo Tolstoy. Morrison's father, George Wofford, a welder by trade, told her numerous folktales of the black community (a method of storytelling that would later work its way into Morrison's writings).In 1949 Morrison entered Howard University to study English. While there she began going by the nickname of "Toni," which derives from her middle name, Anthony. Morrison received a B.A. in English from Howard in 1953, then earned a Master of Arts degree, also in English, from Cornell University in 1955, for which she wrote a thesis on suicide in the works of William Faulkner and Virginia Woolf. After graduation, Morrison became an English instructor at Texas Southern University inHouston, Texas (from 1955-57) then returned to Howard to teach English. She became a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.In 1958 she married Harold Morrison. They had two children, Harold and Slade, and divorced in 1964. After the divorce she moved to Syracuse, New York, where she worked as a textbook editor. Eighteen months later she went to work as an editor at the New York City headquarters of Random House.As an editor, Morrison played an important role in bringing African American literature into the mainstream. She edited books by such black authors as Toni Cade Bambara, Angela Davis and Gayl Jones.2、Writing careerMorrison began writing fiction as part of an informal group of poets and writers at Howard University who met to discuss their work. She went to one meeting with a short story about a black girl who longed to have blue eyes. The story later evolved into her first novel, The Bluest Eye (1970), which she wrote while raising two children and teaching at Howard. In 2000 it was chosen as a selection for Oprah's Book Club.In 1973 her novel Sula was nominated for the National Book Award. Her third novel, Song of Solomon (1977), brought her national attention. The book was a main selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club, the first novel by a black writer to be so chosen since Richard Wright's Native Son in 1940. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award.In 1988 Morrison's novel Beloved became a critical success. When the novel failed to win the National Book Award as well as the National Book Critics Circle Award, a number of writers protested the omission. Shortly afterward, it won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Beloved was adapted into the 1998 film of the same name starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover. Morrison later used Margaret Garner's life story again in an opera, Margaret Garner, with music by Richard Danielpour. In May 2006, The New York Times Book Review named Beloved the best American novel published in the previous twenty five years.In 1993 Morrison was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the first black woman to win it. Her citation reads: Toni Morrison, "who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality." Shortly afterwards, a fire destroyed her Rockland County, New York home. Although her novels typically concentrate on black women, Morrison does not identify her works as feminist. She has stated that she thinks "it's off-putting to some readers, who may feel that I'm involved in writing some kind of feminist tract. I don't subscribe to patriarchy, and I don't think it should be substituted with matriarchy. I think it's a question of equitable access, and opening doors to all sorts of things. In addition to her novels, Morrison has also co-written books for children with her youngest son, Slade Morrison, who works as a painter and musician.3、Later lifeMorrison taught English at two branches of the State University of New York. In 1984 she was appointed to an Albert Schweitzer chair at the University at Albany, The State University of New York. From 1989 until her retirement in 2006, Morrison heldthe Robert F. Goheen Chair in the Humanities at Princeton University.Though based in the Creative Writing Program, Morrison did not regularly offer writing workshops to students after the late 1990s, a fact that earned her some criticism. Rather, she has conceived and developed the prestigious Princeton Atelier, a program that brings together talented students with critically acclaimed, world-famous artists. Together the students and the artists produce works of art that are presented to the public after a semester of collaboration. In her position at Princeton, Morrison used her insights to encourage not merely new and emerging writers, but artists working to develop new forms of art through interdisciplinary play and cooperation. At its 1979 commencement ceremonies, Barnard College awarded her its highest honor, the Barnard Medal of Distinction. Oxford University awarded her an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in June 2005.In November 2006, Morrison visited the Louvre Museum in Paris as the second in its "Grand Invité" program to guest-curate a month-long series of events across the arts on the theme of "The Foreigner's Home."She currently holds a place on the editorial board of The Nation magazine.PoliticsMorrison caused a stir when she called Bill Clinton "the first Black President;" saying "Clinton displays almost every trope of blackness: single-parent household, born poor, working-class, saxophone-playing, McDonald's-and-junk-food-loving boy from Arkansas." This opinion was both adopted by Clinton supporters like the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and ridiculed by critics. It should be noted that, in the context of the 2008 Democratic Primary campaign, during which Clinton made some remarks that were construed as unsympathetic to African-Americans, Morrison revisited her statement. Morrison stated to Salon magazine: "People misunderstood that phrase. I was deploring the way in which President Clinton was being treated, vis-à-vis the sex scandal that was surrounding him. I said he was being treated like a black on the street, already guilty, already a perp. I have no idea what his real instincts are, in terms of race." However, in the 2008 presidential race, Morrison has endorsed Senator Barack Obama over Senator Hillary Clinton.II、The Bluest EyeThe Bluest Eye is 1970 novel by American author Nobel Prize recipient Toni Morrison. Morrison's first novel, which was written while Morrison taught at Howard University and was raising her two sons on her own, the story is about a year in the life of a young black girl in Lorain, Ohio named Pecola. It takes place against the backdrop of America's Midwest as well as the Great Depression. The Bluest Eye is told from five perspectives: Pecola's, her mother's, her father's, her friend Claudia's, and Soaphead Church's. Because of the controversial nature of the book, which deals with racism, incest, and child molestation, there have been numerous attempts to ban it from schools and libraries. In 2000, the novel became a selection for Oprah's Book Club.1、Plot summaryThe narrator advises the reader not to look at the "why" of the story but at the "how." The novel, with child sex, irresponsible adults, and corrupt society seeks to show the misery of black people living in a white society. When she indirectly refers to Pecola as "dirt" and to the Breedloves as animals, she is exposing the ills to which they are submitted. Soaphead Church's letter to God is a summary of the insanity of the world around him, as the novel could be for the author. The Bluest Eye is the story of eleven-year-old Pecola Breedlove--a black girl who is regarded “ugly” by everyone, including her parents--who prays for her eyes to turn blue: so that she will be beautiful, so that people will look at her, so that her world will be different. She is raped by her drunk father and get pregnant, later she gives birth to a stillborn（夭折的）child. Finally Pecola lose her mind and spend the rest of her life as a madwoman thinking she has the bluest eyes of the world…Pecola's parents' history is examined throughout the novel, showing who they are in three main parts: her father Cholly's background, her mother Pauline's past life, and the couple's conflicted marriage. Cholly was deserted by both his parents, and was rebuked when he tried to contact his father. His son seems to do the same thing later on, running away repeatedly.In the afterword, Morrison explains that she is attempting to humanize all the characters that attack Pecola or cause her to be the way she is; that it is not a matter where one person can be pointed out as being the cause of all this pain.Ideas of beauty, particularly those that relate to racial characteristics, are a majortheme in this book. The title refers to Pecola's wish that her eyes would turn blue. Claudia is given a white baby doll to play with and is constantly told how lovely it is. Insults to the appearance are often given in racial terms. A light-skinned schoolmate is favored by the teachers.There is a contrast between the world shown in the cinema, the one in which Pauline is a servant, the WASP society, and the existence the main characters live in. Most chapters' titles are extracts from a Dick and Jane reading book, presenting a happy white family. This family is contrasted with Pecola's existence.ThemeSource of the tragedy: black people accepted and internalized white values and developed self-contempt and self-hatred for themselves or other black people, making some of their own people victims and scapegoats .The impact of mainstream white culture upon black people, which make them victim of the circumstances.2、CharactersPecola Breedlove - The protagonist of the novel, a poor black girl who believes she is ugly because she and her community base their ideals of beauty on "whiteness". The title The Bluest Eye is based on Pecola's fervent wishes for beautiful blue eyes. She is rarely developed during the story, which is purposely done to underscore the actions of the other characters. Her insanity at the end of the novel is her only way to escape the world where she cannot be beautiful and to get those blue eyes she wanted to get since the beginning of the novel.Cholly Breedlove - Pecola's abusive father, an alcoholic man who rapes his daughter at the end of the novel. Rejected by his father and discarded by his mother as a four day old baby, Cholly was raised by his Great Aunt Jimmy. After she dies, Cholly runs away and pursues the life of a "free man", yet he is never able to escape his painful past, nor can he live with the mistakes of his present. Tragically, he rapes his daughter in a gesture of madness mingled with affection. He realizes he loves her, but the only way he can express it is to rape her.Pauline Breedlove - Pecola's mother. Mrs. Breedlove is married to Cholly and lives the self-righteous life of a martyr, enduring her drunk husband and raising her two awkward children as best she can. Mrs. Breedlove is a bit of an outcast herself with her shriveled foot and Southern background. Mrs. Breedlove lives the life of a lonely and isolated character who escapes into a world of dreams, hopes and fantasy that turns into the motion pictures she enjoys viewing.Sam Breedlove - Pecola's older brother. Sammy is Cholly and Mrs. Breedlove's one son. Sam's part in this novel is relatively low key. Like his sister Pecola, he is affected by the disharmony in their home and deals with his anger by running away from home.Claudia MacTeer - Much of the novel is told from the perspective of Claudia. She is the primary narrator in the book. Claudia is Pecola's friend and the younger sister of Frieda MacTeer. The MacTeer family serves as a foil for the Breedloves, and althoughboth families are poor, Mr. and Mrs. MacTeer are strict but loving parents towards their children - a sharp contrast to the dysfunctional home of the Breedloves.Frieda MacTeer - Claudia's older sister and close companion. The two MacTeer girls are often seen together and while most of the story is told through Claudia's eyes, her sister Frieda plays a large role in the novel.Henry Washington - a man who comes to live with the MacTeer family and is subsequently thrown out by Claudia's father when he inappropriately touches Frieda. Soaphead Church - a pedophile and mystic fortune teller who "grants" Pecola her wish for blue eyes. The character is somewhat based on Morrison's Jamaican ex-husband.Great Aunt Jimmy - Cholly's aunt who takes him in to raise after his parents abandon him. She dies when he is a young boy.Maureen Peal - A light-skinned, wealthy mulatto girl who is new at the local school. She accepts everyone else’s assumption that she is superior and is capable of both generosity and cruelty. She changes her attitude throughout the novel towards Pecola.3、AdaptationThe Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois commissioned Lydia R. Diamond to adapt the novel into a full-length stage production. The play was developed through the Steppenwolf for Young Adults and the New Plays Initiative where it received its world premiere in February, 2005. The play was reprised in Chicago at the Steppenwolf Theatre in October, 2006 by popular demand. The Bluest Eye received its off-Broadway premiere at the New Victory Theater in New York in November, 2006.The Bluest Eye written by African American writer Toni Morrison narrates a tragic story about a black girl who longs for a pair of blue eyes owned exclusively by white people. Strongly influenced by white dominated culture, many other black women are also lost in the myth of white beauty. However, in addition to the description of this negative impact, Morrison, in her novel, also explores effective approaches to demystify the myth of white beauty and maintain the real-self of the black people through the voice of a rebellious narrator.4、MotifsMotifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.The Dick-and-Jane NarrativeThe novel opens with a narrative from a Dick-and-Jane reading primer, a narrative that is distorted when Morrison runs its sentences and then its words together. The gap between the idealized, sanitized, upper-middle-class world of Dick and Jane (who we assume to be white, though we are never told so) and the often dark and ugly world of the novel is emphasized by the chapter headings excerpted from the primer. But Morrison does not mean for us to think that the Dick-and-Jane world is better—in fact, it is largely because the black characters have internalized white Dick-and-Jane values that they are unhappy. In this way, the Dick and Jane narrative and the novel provide ironic commentary on each other.The Seasons and NatureThe novel is divided into the four seasons, but it pointedly refuses to meet the expectations of these seasons. For example, spring, the traditional time of rebirth and renewal, reminds Claudia of being whipped with new switches, and it is the season when Pecola’s is raped. Pecola’s baby dies in autumn, the season of harvesting. Morrison uses natural cycles to underline the unnaturalness and misery of her characters’ ex periences. To some degree, she also questions the benevolence of nature, as when Claudia wonders whether “the earth itself might have been unyielding” to someone like Pecola.Whiteness and ColorIn the novel, whiteness is associated with beauty and cleanliness (particularly according to Geraldine and Mrs. Breedlove), but also with sterility. In contrast, color is associated with happiness, most clearly in the rainbow of yellow, green, and purple memories Pauline Breedlove sees when making love with Cholly. Morrison uses this imagery to emphasize the destructiveness of the black community’s privileging of whiteness and to suggest that vibrant color, rather than the pure absence of color, is a stronger image of happiness and freedom.Eyes and VisionPecola is obsessed with having blue eyes because she believes that this mark of conventional, white beauty will change the way that she is seen and therefore the way that she sees the world. There are continual references to other characters’ eyes as well—for example, Mr. Yacobowski’s hostility to Pecola resides in the blankness in his own eyes, as well as in his inability to see a black girl. This motif underlines the novel’s repeated concern for the difference between how we see and how we are seen, and the difference between superficial sight and true insight.Dirtiness and CleanlinessThe black characters in the novel who have internalized white, -middle-class values are obsessed with cleanliness. Geraldine and Mrs. Breedlove are excessively concerned with housecleaning—though Mrs. Breedlove cleans only the house of her white employers, as if the Breedlove apartment is beyond her help. This fixation on cleanliness extends into the women’s moral and emotional quests for purity, but the obsession with domestic and moral sanitation leads them to cruel coldness. In contrast, one mark of Claudia’s strength of character is her pleasure in her own dirt, a pleasure that represents self-confidence and a correct understanding of the nature of happiness.5、SymbolsSymbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.The HouseThe novel begins with a sentence from a Dick-and-Jane narrative: “Here is thehouse.” Homes not only indicate socioeconomic status in this novel,but they also symbolize the emotional situations and values of the characters who inhabit them. The Breedlove -apartment is miserable and decrepit, suffering from Mrs. Breedlove’s preference for her employer’s home over her own and symbolizing the misery of the Breedlove family. The MacTeer house is drafty and dark, but it is carefully tended by Mrs. MacTeer and, according to Claudia, filled with love, symbolizing that family’s comparative cohesion.Bluest Eye(s)To Pecola, blue eyes symbolize the beauty and happiness that she associates with the white, middle-class world. They also come to symbolize her own blindness, for she gains blue eyes only at the cost of her sanity. The “bluest” eye could also mean the saddest eye. Furthermore, eye puns on I, in t he sense that the novel’s title uses the singular form of the noun (instead of The Bluest Eyes) to express many of the characters’ sad isolation.The MarigoldsClaudia and Frieda associate marigolds with the safety and well-being of Pecola’s baby. Their ceremonial offering of money and the remaining unsold marigold seeds represents an honest sacrifice on their part. They believe that if the marigolds they have planted grow, then Pecola’s baby will be all right. More generally, marigolds represent the constant renewal of nature. In Pecola’s case, this cycle of renewal is perverted by her father’s rape of her.。

故事概括英语作文In the realm of English composition, crafting a story summary is an essential skill that allows readers to grasp theessence of a narrative without delving into the full text. A well-composed story summary encapsulates the plot, characters, and key themes in a concise and coherent manner.Begin by identifying the central elements of the story. These include:1. Setting: The time and place where the story unfolds. This could be a specific city, a historical era, or even a fantastical world.2. Characters: The main individuals involved in the plot. Briefly describe who they are and their roles within the story.3. Plot: The sequence of events that make up the story. This should include the inciting incident, the rising action, the climax, and the resolution.4. Theme: The underlying message or moral of the story. Thisis the insight that the author wants the reader to take away.When summarizing a story, follow these steps:- Start with an Introduction: Give a brief introduction tothe story, mentioning the title and the author.- Outline the Main Events: Provide a clear and concise overview of the story's plot. Focus on the major events and conflicts without going into excessive detail.- Highlight the Characters: Briefly describe the protagonist and any other significant characters. Explain their motivations and how they contribute to the story's development.- Convey the Theme: Discuss the main theme or themes of the story. Explain how the events and characters illustrate these themes.- End with a Conclusion: Summarize the story's impact and why it's significant. This could include the resolution of the plot and the final state of the characters.Remember to maintain an objective tone and avoid including personal opinions or interpretations. The goal is to provide a clear and unbiased summary that accurately reflects the original story. Additionally, ensure that your summary is written in the present tense, as you are describing events that are occurring within the context of the story's world.Here's an example of a story summary:Title: "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald"The Great Gatsby" is set in the Roaring Twenties, a periodof unprecedented economic prosperity in America, primarily in the opulent Long Island and New York City. The story follows the enigmatic Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man known for his extravagant parties, and his unrequited love for thebeautiful Daisy Buchanan.The plot revolves around Gatsby's attempts to win Daisy back from her husband, Tom Buchanan. The story explores themes of the American Dream, social class, and the moral decay associated with wealth. Through a series of events that include a fateful car accident and the revelation of Gatsby's criminal activities, Fitzgerald exposes the shallowness and emptiness of the upper class.The characters in "The Great Gatsby" are well-drawn and complex. Gatsby is a symbol of the ultimate self-made man, whose pursuit of wealth and social status is driven by his love for Daisy. Daisy, on the other hand, represents the idealized American beauty, but her character is also marked by her shallowness and moral ambiguity.In conclusion, "The Great Gatsby" is a poignant critique of the American society of the 1920s. It serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of materialism and the disillusionment that can come from the pursuit of an unattainable dream. The story's enduring popularity lies in its universal themes and its vivid portrayal of the human condition.。

欧亨利短篇小说述评学生姓名:指导教师:摘要:作为世界三大小说家之一，欧亨利与契诃夫和莫泊桑齐名。

他的作品因奇巧的艺术构思，出其不意的结尾而著称。

其中歌颂人性的小说是欧亨利文学创作的主流，并且许多作品已经成为了脍炙人口的名篇佳作。

同时也涌现了许多感人至深的经典人物。

表现了欧亨利对人性理想的执着追求。

本文主要分析了欧亨利的写作手法，包括精巧的情节设计，出人意料但符合逻辑的结局和幽默智慧的语言三方面，并在这基础上深刻探讨了欧亨利作品中表现出来的人性的善与恶。

关键词: 写作技巧；善；恶；人性A Brief Comment on O’ Henry’s Short StoriesUndergraduate:Supervisor:Abstract: O. Henry, one of the three most famous short-story writers in the world, enjoys equal status with Chekhov and Maupassant. Exquisite plot, wry humor and twist ending dominate his works. The main stream of his works is eulogy of humanity and his many classical works are notable. This thesis mainly analyses O. Henry’s writing style including technique plot making, surprising but logical ending and humorous and witty tone, then deeply analyses the human virtues and defects reflected in O. Henry’s works.Key Words: artistic styles; virtues; defects; human characterContents1. Introduction (1)2. Unique artistic style (1)2.1 Technique plot making (1)2.2 Surprising but logical ending (3)2.3 Humorous and witty tone (4)3. The humanity of character (4)4. Conclusion (7)Bibliography (9)Acknowledgment (10)1. IntroductionO. Henry, originally named William Sydney Porter, is a distinguished American storywriter. He wrote more than 300 short stories in his life. His stories are full of colorful characters. He creates an original, typically American democratic form of short stories with, at its best, a valuable critical awareness of life and society tellingly expressed through humor. Therefore, some critics c all him “the founder of American stories”. Being gifted with humor and a keen awareness of details, he objectively shows us what America looks like. All his stories putting together constitute a true panorama of American life.This thesis mainly emphasizes O. Henry’s unique artistic styles and the human characters. It includes two main aspects. Part one is on the unique artistic styles. O. Henry is a good plot maker, he shows readers the real life of American people by giving people a surprising but logical ending through a plausible plot making using humor and witty tone which gives readers a new open sight. Part two stresses on the human nature that contains the virtues and defects sides. In a capitalist society, the specific characters are the special society. O. Henry shows people clearly in his works.2. Unique artistic styleO. Henry's trademark is the surprising ending that each of his stories contains. He sets a story moving in one direction, and just when the reader is convinced of the general direction of the narrative, the story will be completely reversed. And if we look back to the total story, the ending seems logical and plausible. As a “plot-maker”, and designer of incident, he is an amazing genius. No one can do better than him to holds the reader in “suspense”. More than that, the reader scarcely knows that he is suspended until the very close of the story. Just as turns on the lights and the whole tale is revealed in its entirety. He uses this device of dramatic and humorous effect in the short story collection The Four Million which including “The Ransom of Red Chief ”, “The Gift of the Magi ”, and“The Cop and the Anthem”, “the Service of Love”, “The last Leaf.” He uses compact and vivid language to set a plot and portray the plot through humorous and witty tone.2.1 Technique plot makingThe short story is the one fundamental and self-contained genre in American prose fiction, and the stories of O. Henry certainly makes their appearances in consequence of the prolonged and incessant cult ivation of the genre. As a “plot maker”, he is an amazing genius. No one can better him in holding the reader in “suspense”. More than that, the reader scarcely knows that he is suspended, until atthe very close of the story. O. Henry deliberately designs the little tricks with words, for he is a master of language and not its slave.The typical feature of O. Hen ry’s stories is a twist of plot. His ultimate achievement is to create the twist ending by the plot making and compact structure. He arranges a story moving in one direction, and just when the reader is going to be convinced of the general direction of the narrative, which he takes for granted, the story is completely reversed.For example, in “The Ransom of Red Chief”, two kidnappers, Sam and Bill make off with the little son of a prominent man. According to the general expectation, readers m ay assume that they will either obtain the ransom from the boy’s father or kill the boy in the end. But the plot is totally different. The boy is such a nuisance that they agree to pay the boy’s father to take him back because they can’t stand him anymore. Although the plot far exceeds expectations, readers appreciate the cleverness of plot situation and ending a great deal while enjoying the delight of reading.In O. Henry’s works, the events of some short stories are arranged in the specific order which e xceed reader’s normal expectation to the arrangement of those events in his works, make the ending unpredictable and strange. O. Henry deliberately designs the little tricks with words, for he is a master of language and not its slave.The suspense in the story is usually employed in the plot. It is the seemingly insignificant characters that finally become the notable figures that rouse readers ponder. In “The Last Leaf”, Mr.Behrman who is only mentioned in only a short paragraph in the middle of the story to show who he is, and two paragraph tell the reader his rage about Sue ’s fully thought. The main theme of the story is that Sue takes the last fallen ivy leaf as the end of her life. Before they know the end, readers will no doubt ask some questions. Ho w does Sue’s illness? Why does the leaf stick against the wall? Does the leaf fall down? Does Sue die? Why does the author mention Mr.Behrman? The last paragraph reveals. All suspense dissolves. The leave is painted by Behrman, while Sue lives. But the old painter died in hopeless pain by Pneumonia, or rather, to rescue Sue. He has to withstand tough wind and heavy shower and the life-long masterpiece paid off by his life. When we find the plausibility of ending in the previous passage, when Mr. Pneumonia wais called in, the Johsey scarcely moves, only looking through the small Dutch windowpanes at the blank side of the next brick house, the “blank side” of brick later provides the location for Mr.Behrman’s masterpiece, the description of Mr.Behrman. He is p ast 60 and has a Micheal Angeo’s Moses beard curling down from the head of a satyr along the body of an imp. “Micheal Angeo’s Moses” leaves readers an impression of artistic potential. “Imp” can explain why he was so weak to fight against disease.The comp act structure is O. Henry’s outstanding writing technique. Events in the story are closely connected as chains of rings, which make readers eagerly interested in the ending of the story. As soon as the high light of the reverse of plots, the story ends wit hout any redundant explanations. In “The Last Leaf”, the description of Mr.Behrman, the true hero, only takes up 500 words in more than 5000 words. Meanwhile, the story dismisses a part, rousing us readers a great deal of imagination: How can old man, above 60 years old stand on the ladder, drawing a leaf on the wall in the dreadfully storming night, while his “shoes and clothing were wet t hrough and icy cold.”?Therefore, the main stream of O. Henry’s works is easily perceived: the suspense in addition to wry humor ending is his main rhetoric method.2.2 Surprising but logical endingThe ending of an article has long been considered as a conclusion or just a summary of the whole passage. However, O. Henry illustrates a new way, the so-called twist ending or sometimes the O. Henry’s ending. It means that at the end of an article the mental status or the fate of the character has changed greatly. But the whole passage is suddenly endowed with a great charm because of the ending. The author has your nerves all a quiver until the last sentence. The surprise comes quickly and the story is finished. O. Henry is such a master of the unexpected ending that one must admire his skills.In the story The Cop and the Anthem, Soapy, a homeless tramp, deciding to be sent to the prison on the Island which he called his winter quarter against the rigor and the hunger, attempted to practice several illegal activities for the purpose of “wooing capture”;(O, Henry 2004: 09) but the cop, who stood nearby when Soapy was trying to attract his attention by his anti-law behavior, paid no special attention to Soapy every time, even “seemed to regard him as a king who could do no wrong”. (O, Henry 2004: 09) Developing up here, the story must give the reader the conclusion that Soapy had to go back disappointedly to his home—a park bench. On his way, the sweet music of anthem from the church played by the organist and the beautiful moonlight scenery “wrought a sudden and wonderful change in his soul”, (O, Henry 2004: 10) he made up his mind to “pull himself out of the mire”(O, Henry 2004: 10)and “make a man of himself again”. (O, Henry 2004: 10) Moving like this, the plot is not completely understandable at once. When the reader is puzzled about the use and meaning of growing plot, and just while Soapy was planning his tomorrow’s action for being “somebody in the world”, (O, Henry 2004: 11) an unforeseen plot, and just while abruptly: he was arrested because a policeman thought him doubtful, and the next day he was sentence to “three months on the Island”. (O, Henry 2004: 11) The story stops here suddenly in spite of the reader’s not immediate understanding. But after a moment of consideration, the reader’s surprise turns into admiration for hisastonishing contrivance of tricky ending which reveals rigorously the real facts of reversal between truth and falsehood in capitalist society which confuses right and wrong.2.3 Humorous and witty toneO. Henry, a great designer, is skillful enough to dye some color of pink in a tragedy, or kind of sadness in comedy. O. Henry’s stories are humorous encyclopedia of American life. This means that this work is full of various humors, sometimes even with exaggeration. It fully discloses the essence of American society: the weak are the prey of the strong, which is regarded as the law of the jungle universally. Right and wrong are confused, good and evil are disordered; Materialism and individualism dominate people’s mind. This writing technique makes his work enjoy the fame of “Smile with Tears”.The humorous paragraph describes the congested conditions of a room where the hero and heroin live in the “The Service of Love”, the story tells of an earnest young pair of art students, the Lattabees, who prop up each other’s courage when their funds run out by pretending to have lucked into a steady income from their professional skill in painting and music. But it turns out that Delia’s service has been ironing shirts in a laundry while Joe has been firing the furnace in the same building. Readers are not surprised to find out how precious their genuine love for each other is. Monetarily they were poor, but they are mentally wealthy. We may laugh with tears after finishing reading the story. O. Henry carries an abundant good humor with hum and sees the bright and amusing side of things. O. Henry is not the comic wit that explodes the reader into a huge guffaw of laughter and vanishes. His humor and twist ending are of that deep quality that smiles at life itself and mingles our amusement with our tears.Such examples can be found throughout the story. These sentences seem to be talked about very casually to make the story appear to be a comedy. But meanwhile, we can also feel the sadness and helplessness of the hero Soapy. Readers are seduced by humor language and stories plots step by step, but finally cannot help laughing, but with pitiful tears.3. The humanity of characterAmong O. Henry’s short stories, the eternal theme proves to be the humanity. Whether simple or complex, the mystery of human motives controlled by human nature is exposed. There are good and evil elements in human nature, for the two are often mixed with each other more or less. When the good elements in human nature occupy the predominant portion, man will carry forward his virtues such as kindness, generosity, hospitality, self-sacrifice for love and friendship, helping others without asking for rewards. While the evil things defeat the good in human nature, man willdisplay such human defects as being gluttonous and lazy, rapacious, officious, vain arrogant, cowardly, impetuous etc. The human motives become more and more mysterious and various. When tempted, good man would do evil things; when moved by noble-minded people or touching things, the demon will forsake darkness for light and turn over a new leaf in his life. In O. Henry's world, established figures become boobs and rich men become dunces, while rogues become heroes and down-and-outers become gentlemen.3.1 The human virtuesHuman being has many virtues from ancient times to the present. They are kind, brave, honest, hard working, polite, thrifty, generous, hospital and so on. Some people still pay a great deal in order to maintain these virtues, they sacrifice their own happiness even their life for lofty love and friendship; they help others without asking for rewards and regard it as a pleasure; they give up their own treasure and chance to others etc. Such people bring love and fine things to the world; they are the ones who endow the world with light and hope. O. Henry has a great understanding of the trials of the lower class, and he frequently pictures the lives of ordinary people of early twentieth century America with warm and sympathetic colors. These characters are frequently the overlooked: the struggling shops girl, the unsuccessful artist, and the impoverished. Even Theodore Roosevelt said: “It was O. Henry who started me on my cam paign for office girls.” There is no denying that the narratives of humanity by O. Henry have everlasting influence. Although they are poor, le ading the life “made up of sobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles pre dominating”,they still think, “If a home is happy i t cannot fit too close.”Most of O. Henry’s stories show that the humble little insignificant people of New York are just as admirable and their lives are as worthy of attention and interest and, as he implies, as respectable as the members of the Four Hundred.Take “The Gift of the Magi” as an example, we will find the ingenuity of O. Henry’s unexpected endings. From that condensation of the charm of human virtues the love-sacrificial theme is shown. It is about a young couple that is short of money but desperately wants to buy each other Christmas gifts. Unknown to Jim, Della sells her most valuable possession, her beautiful hair, in order to buy platinum as the chain for Jim's watch; unknown to Della, Jim sells his most valuable possession, his watch, to buy jeweled combs for Della's hair. The author arranges the entire plot just to get the readers to wait, to cause suspense, the pleasurable excitement and anticipation of the outcome. From the beginning, the readers keep guessing what Jim and Della will buy for each other, and the coincidence of their gift is the great suspense the author put in his article. And then he gives the answer to the question. Here is the ending: “Here I have lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of two foolish children ina flat who most unwisely scarified for each other the greatest treasures of their house. But in the last word to the wise of these days let it be said tha t of all who give gifts.” (O, Henry 2004: 35) However, the story end comes when Jim reveals that he has sold his watch to buy Dalla her present, from where the poor couple’s love is show. Therefore, O. Henry ends the story artfully, and with deft touches he elicits the reader’s admiration and sympathy for his young couple shows love for each other more than compensates for their lack of money and material possessions. Though confronted with cruel reality and dull daily routine, Della and Jim can never change their eagerness toward love. To them the most valuable material possession is so slight and insignificant before the spiritual possession of love romance. That is sparkling with fragrant charm.There is another story about sacrifi cial theme entitled “The Last Leaf”, a warm and tragic tale describing how a dying artist proves as resilient as the last leaf on the wall outside. Sue, a poor painter, attacked by Pneumonia, wanted to turn loose her hold on everything, and go sailing down, just like one of those poor tires leave. But after beating rain and fierce gusts of wind, an ivy leaf still stands against the brick wall, which gives her the hope of living, mak ing her realize that: “It is a sin to want to die”. The ending reveals that Mr. Behrman, a kind old artist dies at previous night by pneumonia, painting the leave on an outdoor vine in the storming night ----in his effort to restore Sue’s will to live. Though the touching ending makes us absorbed in sadness, the readers can still find gleams of hope and desire out of despair. It not only enlightens the girl’s courage for better life but also moves every reader to tears. Those glittering human virtues however counterpoint to the capitalist industrial bourgeoisies’ human defeats, telling us that life is supreme and thus upgrading the theme.By and large, through the portrayal the panorama of a throng of people either of upper class or lower class, O. Henry’s eulogize the specious and precious human virtues.3.2 The human defectsOn the other hand, human beings have many defects, too. They benefit themselves at the expense of others. In order to make money they never show mercy and sympathy to the poor. They realize their own aims by hook or by crook. Their evil deeds make the world vicious. By exposing the human defects and the dark side of the world, O. Henry wants to awaken people’s conscience and their deepest desire for all good things, so that people can make their efforts to save and clean the whole world. Some people love money than anything else. In “Mammon and the Archer”, Anthony Fuckwell, a retired manufacturer and proprietor of Rockwall’ Soap, has the greatest esteem for the value of money. “I bet my money on money every time, I’ve been through the encyclopedia down to Y loo king for something you can’t buy with it, andI expect to have to take to the appendix next week, I’m for money against the field. Tell me something money won’t buy. ” (O, Henry 2004: 113) His son wants to ask for a girl’s hand but there is too little time left. Surprisingly, a fortunately traffic tie-up offers enough time for the son. But the ending discloses that it is the father who makes the accident in order to help his son to win the girl’s heart. The theme of the story come out: confronted with the Mammon even Archer has to be bent his head down. To Anthony and his peers, the only thing worthy of their thought is money. With the ironic rhetoric method, O. Henry ends the story with a fat boy without any clothes on shooting arrow around with a bow. That is pictured Cupid, in a new, unexpected way, thus bringing readers a new sense to the topic “Mammon and the Archer”. This usage of the twist ending adds artistic effect to the person’s character described.In a capitalist society, many people even do evil things against their conscience, so as to earn money. In “The Furnished Room”, the housekeeper, Mrs. Purdy, cheats a young man who is seeking his lover, in order to let him rent the room. Then the young man commits suicide out of despair. At the end, after the young man dies, we find the man’s lover commit suicide at the same rented room. Mrs.Purdy talks about it with another housekeeper in an indifferent tone as if it were only a trifle that could be the topic for gossip over dinner. The society is so doomed by an atmosphere of gloom and indifference that it makes people treat others or even friends without sympathy, equaling to committing murder.In “The Romance of a Busy Broker”, the businessman Maxwell is so crazy about his golden eternal business- make big money against the clock. More than that he even forgets he has married or not. And in a tumult of a preparation out of his work, he asks his wife to marry again. Those twist ending exploses the whole theme of the article. Are the readers to deride the broker or to show sympathy for the broker’s tender wife?The author uses pungent rhetoric methods not only to show us the humanity vividly, but also to enhance the theme: the gluttonous and cruel side of those bourgeoisies.4. ConclusionO. Henry focuses on the poverty-stricken life and spiritual depression of common people. He takes great sympathy on them, with dissatisfaction with the greediness of the rich and the noble. O. Henry is adept at seizing and grasping the typical scenes in life, in which each episode of the life of the characters that had been in dilemma and confronted fatal decision was presented. Through this, he not only chiefly portrays the hero’s mentality but also fully reveals the inner contradiction of life. Finally, the human virtues and defects emerge from the twist ending. That notonly arouses readers ponder about the humanity but also earns O. Henry’s story fame of “smile with tears”. Henry not only widens the experience of his readers, he also restates the verities that exist wherever people continue to strive for truth and beauty in life. The humanity reflected from the twist ending makes his stories at their best an influence for the furthering of those ideals that still tend to command the allegiance of civilized men. O. Henry is the “founder of American stories”. His works are like a mirror of American society at that time. A multiple of reflections are rippling through the years passing by. The plots in O. Henry’s works appear to be nothing special at first glance. Nevertheless, read those to the ending and you will find something unusual out of what seems to be too ordinary. His works are full of depth in portraying an unfathomable humanity of character.In a nutshell, O. Henry’s artistic charms will everlast and be vie wed as a perpetual encyclopedia of American life.Bibliography[1] Medrick, Fred. An introduction to American literature[M]. Henan University Press,1985[2] Hudson, Long. O Henry The Man and His Work[C]. New York:Russell and Russell,1969[3] O, Henry, Heart of the West[M]. New York: McClure, 1907[4] O, Henry, The Four Million[M]. New York: Dobleday, Doran and Company. 1906 P68[5] O, Henry, 欧亨利短篇小说[M].青海：青海出版社，2004[6] 李国宁. 欧亨利式结尾的艺术魅力[M]. 北京：清华大学出版社，2003[7] 李遇溪. 外国文学名著赏析词典[M]. 杭州：浙江文艺出版社，1988[8] 欧亨利. 四百万[M]. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1988[9] 荣四才. 欧亨利与欧亨利奖[J]. 外国文学. 1993(6):34-35[10] 吴伟仁. 美国文学史及选读[M]. 北京：外语教学与研究出版社，1990[11] 魏春艺. 欧亨利小说人性世界面面观[J]. 丹东师专学报，2003，P28[12] 赵书颖. “含泪的笑”与“含笑的泪”浅析欧·亨利的主题[J].黑龙江教育学院学报, 2004〈3〉. P66[13] 赵丽，黄春妮. 欧亨利作品导读[M]. 武汉: 武汉大学出版社 2003 P3AcknowledgmentAt the point of finishing this paper, I’d like to express my sincere thanks to all those who have given me hands in the course of my writing this paper. First of all, I'd like to take this opportunity to show my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Ms. Wang Xiaoyun, who has given me so much useful advices on my writing, and has tried her best to improve my paper. Secondly, I’d like to express my gratitude to my classmates who offered me references and information on time. Last but not least, I’d like to thank those leaders, teachers and working staff in Mianyang Normal University and especially those in the School of Foreign Languages. Without their help, it would be much harder for me to finish my study this paper.。

American Beauty（美国丽人）(Drama/Comedy) ( 1998)?2000 by Raymond WeschlerMajor CharactersLester (‘Les? Burnhan...........Kevin SpaceyAn unhappy and frustrated advertising executive whose wife nolonger cares about him, and whose daughter almost hates him.Carolyn Burnham..................Annette BenningLester’s unhappy wife, who is a struggling real estate agent.Jane (‘Janie? Burnham...........Thora BirchLester and Carol’s 16 year old daughter who is a typically frustrated and insecure teenager, who strongly dislikes both of her parents.Angela Hays.......................Mena SuvariJane’s very pretty friend who wants to be a fashion model, whois interested in Lester even though that makes Jane very angry.Ricky Fitts.......................Wes BentleyA gentle but somewhat strange teenager who movesin next door to the Burnhams, who likes Jane very much.Colonel Frank Fitts...............Chris CooperRicky’s extremely conservative father, a member of the UnitedStates marines, who strongly dislikes drugs and homosexuals.Barbara Fitts.....................Allison JanneryRicky’s quiet and gentle mother, and Frank’s wife.Buddy Kane........................Peter GallagherThe top real estate agent in the neighborhood where theBurnhams live, who decides to have an affair with Carolyn.Jim Olmeyer.......................Scott BakulaA gay neighbor of the Burnhams who is an attorney.Jim Berkeley………………………………?.Sam RobardsJim Olmeyer’s partner, who is an anesthesiologist.。

American Beauty BackgroundBrief Introduction: American Beauty is a 1999 American drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan Ball. The film has been described by academics as a satire of American middle class notions of beauty and personal satisfaction; analysis has focused on the film's explorations of romantic and paternal love, sexuality, beauty, materialism, self-liberation, and redemption.Rose: A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. They form a group of plants that can be erect shrubs, climbing or trailing with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles.There are over 100 species. Flowers vary in size and shape and are usually large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows and reds.Most species are native to Asia, with smaller numbers native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Species, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and often are fragrant.·Roses have been long used as symbols in a number of societies. Roses are ancient symbols of love and beauty.ellows and reds.Background:The film American Beauty revealed many common butserious social problems in America.Basically, those problems can be classified into three groups: the problems teenagers meet with , the problems the middleaged met with, and common problems met by all ages.In the film, teenage girl Jane lived in an unhappy family, which may reflects realities in many American families: parents are busy with career, spending little time with their children; even when the family is together for dinner, the atmosphere is strange and uncomfortable.The film put a great emphasis on problems the middle-aged come across nowadays. The first is marriage. Marriage problem is a serious issue in American, as we can tell from the soaring divorcing rate.The second is the great competition and the heavy pressure it brings in work.Finally, there are common problems shared by people from all ages. One of the prominent problems is homosexuality.Homosexual issue is an intensive debate in America recently. Some people support homosexual marriage, saying that it is human right to pursue what he loves. Others counter by saying that homosexual is mental illness and shouldn’t be accepted.Author--Alan Ball•Alan E. Ball is an American writer, director, and producer for television, film, and theatre.•He is particularly notable for writing American Beauty, True Blood and for creating Six Feet Under, work which earned him an Academy Award, anEmmy, and awards from the Writers, Directors, and Producers Guilds.•Ball is gay and has been called "a strong voice for the LGBT(lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender)community"ProductionIn 1997, Alan Ball resolved to move into the film industry afterseveral frustrating years writing for the television sitcoms GraceUnder Fire and Cybill. Ball pitched three ideas to Cannava: twoconventional romantic comedies and American Beauty, which he had originally conceived as a play in the early 1990s.Ball pitched threeideas to Cannava: two conventional romantic comedies and American Beauty, which he had originally conceived as a play in the early 1990s.Despite the story's lack of an easily marketable concept, Cannava selected American Beauty because he felt it was the one Ball had the most passion for. While developing the script, Ball created another television sitcom, Oh, Grow Up. He channeled his anger and frustration at having to accede to network demands on that show—and during his tenures on Grace Under Fire and Cybill—into writing American Beauty.Ball was partly inspired by two encounters he had in the early 1990s. In about 1991–1992, Ball saw a plastic bag blowing in the wind outside the World Trade Center. He watched the bag for ten minutes, saying later that it provoked an "unexpected emotional response".Ball based Lester's story on aspects of his own life. Lester's re-examination of his life parallels feelings Ball had in his mid-30s; like Lester, Ball put aside his passions to work in jobs he hated for people he did not respect. Scenes in Ricky's household reflect Ball's ownchildhood experiences. Ball suspected his father was homosexual and used the idea to create Col. Fitts, a man who "gave up his chance to be himself". Ball said the script's mix of comedy and drama was not intentional, but that it came unconsciously from his own outlook on life.Theme•Beauty:The “beauty” in the film refer not only to the beautiful girl Angela, but also the red rose. It is not hard for us to see asheet of red rose around Angele during the whole movie. It seems like a scene that beautiful flowers serve as a foil to beauty. In fact, the red rose entrusts the hope of Lester Burnham that he want to achieve beauty because his life is not perfect to satisfied him. The relationship between him and his wife also embarrassed him. Sohe expect the changes and beauty into his life.To Ricky, beauty means that he sees beauty in the minutiae ofeveryday life, videoing as much as he can for fear of missing it. Heshows Jane what he considers the most beautiful thing he has filmed: a plastic bag, tossing in the wind in front of a wall. He says capturing the moment was when he realized that there was "an entire life behind things"; he feels that sometimes there's so much beauty in the world he felt like he can't take it ... and his heart was going to cave in. He is a man who has courage to pursue the beauty.On the cusp of having sex with Angela, Lester returned to himself after she admitted her virginity. Suddenly confronted with a child, he began to treat her as his daughter; in doing so Lester saw himself, Angela and his family "for the poor and fragile but wondrous creatures they are". He looked at a picture of his family in happier times, and died having had an epiphany that infuses him with "wonder, joy, and soul-shaking gratitude"—he has finally seen the world as it is. Finally, Ricky saw the beauty from Lester’s eyes, and so do we.•Imprisonment:Lester‘s existence is established through his gray, nondescript(不伦不类的) workplace and characterless clothing. He masturbates in the confines of his shower. Both of his workplace and the shower represent an imprisonment. In the other hand, his wife Carolyn was a succeed woman and took control of the whole family. He couldn’t against, even couldn’t show his disagreement to her. In a word, he lived in a very depressive life. All these looked like imprisonment for him.•Redemption: When his sexual reawakening through meeting Angela, a turning point appeared. He took a job at a fast-foodoutlet instead of working in the former company . Although someone such as his wife couldn’t understand him. He also began to pay attention to his physical appearance and do many exercises. And when Lester is caught masturbating by Carolyn, his angry retort about their lack of intimacy. This is the first time he says aloud what he thinks about her.His final turning point came when he and Angela almost had sex. After she confesses her virginity, he no longer regarded her as a sex object. He thought of his own daughter and his family. When he saw one of his family photos, he smiles. And when he was sheet, he felt very happy, because he “saw” his wife, his daughter and his former happy life. At the end, Lester thought he had got the redemption.Puberty crisis: There’re three teenagers in the movie Angele, Jane, Ricky. The three youngsters are also the representations of all American teenagers. Puberty is a transitional stage to adult and also is a time when sexual consciousness is growing. So it is a sensitive stage in a life time. Puberty often has the features as Curious and one-side vanity, Sexual impulse, Inferiority and they can not tell what is right and what is wrong.Jane, a typical teenager, angry insecure, confused, unconfident who think herself not pretty.Angele, a kid with good appearance, proud and refuse to be ordinary.Ricky, a handsome, sensitive, slightly neurotic(神经过敏的)boy who is a DV youth with the artist temperament.•Midlife crisis: A midlife crisis is experienced by many people during the midlife transition when they realize that life may be more than halfway over, so does Lester. When he came to realize his own mortality and how much time is left in his life, he becamemore and more unconfident and unsatisfied about his work andfamily life. The he began to have courage to give up his job and fell in love with his daughter’s friend. However, it’s lucky of him to return to himself finally.Conflicts•LesterHe thought that everything was bad in his world. However, his behaviour was negative. This had nothing to do with his life.•Between Carolyn and LesterCarolyn thought that her career was the most important thing in her life. She didn’t pay much attent ion to their marriage life. But, Lester had no achievement in his work. So she thought his life was failing. Gradually, Lester became tired of this and tried to revolt. Their conflicts arose.•JaneJane lacked the love of her parents. She was always expecting her parents’ attention. However, she failed. Finally, she hated her parents and even hoped that her father died.•Between Ricky and his fatherWhen his father found that he had touched his plate, his father was so angry and beat his son severely. His father was US Marine Corps before. So, he thought that he needed structure and discipline, because there were rules in life. However, he liked doing what he loved.•Between Jane and AngelaAngela enjoyed when those boys stared at her. She thought that there’s nothing worse in life than being ordinary. While Jane said that it was vomit.When Jane’s parents went home, Jane asked her to go. But Angela refused, she wanted to see Lester. Jane said that her father was embarrassing, while Angela thought he was sexy.PerformanceActors & ActressesLester Kevin Spacey(凯文·史派西)Carolyn Annette Bening(安妮特·贝宁)Jane Thora Birch(索拉·伯奇)Angela Mena Suvari(米娜·苏瓦丽)Ricky Fitts Wes Bentley(韦斯·本特利)Colonel Fitts Chris Cooper(克里斯·库柏)Kevin Spacey•He was born in New Jersey, July 26, 1959 and grew up in California.•He is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer.•He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television.•He gained critical acclaim in the early 1990s, culminating in his first Academy Award for The Usual Suspects (Best Supporting Actor), followed by a Best Actor Academy Award win for American Beauty(1999)•His other starring roles in Hollywood include Seven,L.A. Confidential, Pay It Forward, K-PAX, and Superman Returns in a career which has earned him severa l Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.•Since 2003, he has been artistic director of the Old Vic theatre in London. He recently starred in the Netflix series House of Cards.AwardsStarring in Seven as John Doe:MTV Movie Award for Best VillainNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting ActorSociety of Texas Film Critics Award for Best Supporting ActorStarring in The Usual Suspects as Roger 'Verbal' KintAcademy Award for Best Supporting ActorNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting ActorNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor –Motion pictureNominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for OutstandingPerformance by a Male Actor in a Supporting RoleStarring in American Beauty as Lester BurnhamAcademy Award for Best ActorBAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleNominated — Empire Award for Best ActorNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaNominated — Satellite Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Starring in The Shipping News as QuoyleNominated — BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading RoleNominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture DramaAnnette Bening•Annette Bening (born May 29, 1958) is an American actress. Bening is a four-time Oscar nominee for her roles in The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia, and The Kids Are All Right, winning Golden Globe Awards for the latter two films.Thora Birch•Thora Birch (born March 11, 1982)is an American actress.•Her breakthrough role came in 1999 with the Academy Award winning film, American Beauty. Her performance was well received by both critics and audiences and brought Birch to international recognition.•She later played the lead role in Ghost World (2001) for which she receiveda Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musicalor Comedy.Mena Suvari•Mena Alexandra Suvari (born February 13, 1979) is an American actress, fashion designer, and model.•She achieved international fame for her roles in the 1999 films American Beauty as Angela Hayes (for which she was nominated for a BAFTA Award), and as Heather in American Pie (1999).Wes Bentley•Wes Bentley(born September 4, 1978)is an American film actor known for his roles of Ricky Fitts in American Beauty(1999) and Seneca Crane in TheHunger Games(2012).DirectorDirector ---Sam Mendes(萨姆·门德斯)•Sam Mendes is an English stage and film director.•He is best known for directing American Beauty(1999), which earned him the Academy and Golden Globe Award for Best Director, the crime film Road to Perdition (2002), and the James Bond movie Skyfall (2012).•In 2000, Mendes was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for "services to drama" and in the same year was awarded the Shakespeare Prize by the Alfred Toepfer Foundation inHamburg, Germany.•In 2005 he received a lifetime achievement award from the Directors Guild of Great Britain.Academic Awards•BEST PICTURE: American Beauty•BEST DIRECTOR: Sam Mendes•BEST ACTOR: Kevin Spacey•BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Alan Ball•BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Conrad L.HallSongs•Dead Already•Arose•Power Of Denial•Lunch W-The King•Mental Boy•Mr.Smarty-Man•Root Beer•American Beauty•Bloodless Freak•Choking The Bishop• Weirdest Home Videos• Structure & Discipline• Spartanette• Angela Undress• Marine• Walk Home• Blood Red• Any Other Name• Still DeadDead AlreadyTime wears awayAll the pleasures of the dayAll the treasures you could holdDays turn to sandLosing strength in every handThey can't hold you anymoreAlready dead to me now'Coz it feels like I'm watching something dieLove looks awayIn the harsh light of the dayOn the edge of nothing moreDays fade to blackIn the light of what they lackNothing's measured by what it needsAlready dead to me now'Coz it feels like I'm watching something dying?Questions1. Q：Why Colonel Frank shoot Lester?A: As we all know, Colonel is a Nazi who is conversational andlook down on faggots. But actually he is also a gay in potential.When he got the wrong idea about Lester, he kissed Lester. But he was refused. To conclude, in one side, he couldn’t accept the truth that he is a faggot; In the other side, he felt shame that Lesterrefused him and knew he is a gay. So, he shoot Lester.2.Q: why did Lester quit having sex with Angela when Angela saidthis was her first time?A : Although Lester was totally obsessed with Angela and hedesired to have sex with her for a long time, he still quitted havingsex with her when Angela claimed herself a virgin. At that moment, he suddenly returned to himself and realized that what is themost important part in his life. The girl Angela remained him of his daughter Jane, and he found that his daughter, his family is themost important. At the end of the movie, Lester gently held thephoto of his happy family, stared at the three people on it, andsunk into the memory of the past with a smile ,which is the most touching part of this film.3.Q: What is rose petals in this film represents?Answer: Obviously, the rose petals are clearly associated with Angela --Lester’s fantasy of Angela. It had 3 symbolic values:A: passionate love . Angela associated with rose petals was a savor of Lester, she gave him the hope of beauty and conducted his changes and pursuit of beauty.B: a beauty that is dangerous in some way compromised.C: the beauty of youth is always short-lived.This meaning also hints Lester’s death. Not long after he had realized what was real beauty in life, he dead…Expressions•trade in 交换•blackmail him for … 勒索他…•My heart is just going to cave in. 我的心差一点就要崩溃•Are you on dope again? 你又在吸毒吗？•Can’t just go around doing whatever you feel like.你不能爱怎样就怎样•You need structure. 你要懂规矩•·What a lame-o. 他逊毙了。

全文分为作者个人简介和正文两个部分：作者个人简介：Hello everyone, I am an author dedicated to creating and sharing high-quality document templates. In this era of information overload, accurate and efficient communication has become especially important. I firmly believe that good communication can build bridges between people, playing an indispensable role in academia, career, and daily life. Therefore, I decided to invest my knowledge and skills into creating valuable documents to help people find inspiration and direction when needed.正文：作品梗概英语作文有时间顺序汤姆索亚历险记全文共3篇示例，供读者参考篇1The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain - A Plot SummaryMark Twain's classic novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a beloved tale that follows the mischievous escapades of ayoung boy named Tom Sawyer. Set in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, the story takes readers on an exciting journey through Tom's world, filled with adventure, friendship, and valuable life lessons.The novel opens by introducing us to Tom, a crafty and rebellious young lad who lives with his Aunt Polly. Despite his aunt's best efforts to instill discipline, Tom often finds himself getting into trouble, preferring to play hooky from school and engage in various shenanigans. His antics frequently land him in Aunt Polly's scolding crosshairs, but Tom's charm and wit usually save him from severe punishment.One of the most memorable episodes in the book occurs when Tom tricks his friends into whitewashing a fence for him. With his cunning persuasion, he manages to convince them that this tedious chore is, in fact, a coveted privilege, and they end up doing the work for him. This early scene sets the tone for Tom's clever and manipulative nature.As the story progresses, Tom's adventures take a more serious turn when he witnesses a grave incident in the graveyard. While there with his friend Huckleberry Finn, they inadvertently stumble upon an act of murder committed by the sinister InjunJoe. Terrified, the boys swear to keep this secret, fearing for their lives.The novel then follows Tom's infatuation with Becky Thatcher, a new girl in town who captivates his heart. Their innocent romance blossoms amidst the backdrop of Tom's ongoing escapades, which often involve his loyal friend Huck Finn and other colorful characters from the town.One of the most thrilling episodes occurs when Tom and Becky get lost in the caves beneath the town. Their harrowing experience in the dark, winding passages creates a sense of suspense and peril, as they struggle to find their way out while facing the threat of Injun Joe, who is also trapped in the caves.Throughout their adventures, Tom and Huck encounter various challenges and moral dilemmas, forcing them to confront their own beliefs and values. They witness instances of racism, violence, and injustice, which shape their understanding of the world around them.As the story reaches its climax, Tom and Huck's knowledge of Injun Joe's crime becomes crucial in unraveling a larger mystery. Their bravery and determination lead to a dramatic confrontation with the villain, ultimately bringing justice to the town.In the end, Tom emerges as a matured and more responsible young man, having learned valuable lessons about friendship, courage, and the consequences of one's actions. The novel concludes with a sense of hope and growth, as Tom embraces the prospect of embarking on new adventures in the future.The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a timeless tale that captures the essence of childhood curiosity, mischief, and the pursuit of adventure. Twain's vivid storytelling and richly drawn characters have enchanted readers for generations, making this novel a true classic of American literature.篇2The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: A Chronological Plot SummaryTom Sawyer is a classic novel by the renowned American author Mark Twain, published in 1876. Set in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri, it follows the mischievous exploits and adventures of the young protagonist, Tom Sawyer. In this essay, I will provide a chronological summary of the novel's captivating plot.The story begins with Tom Sawyer, a young boy known for his penchant for trouble and aversion to school and work. Helives with his Aunt Polly, who struggles to keep him in line. In the opening scene, Tom is punished for his misbehavior and forced to whitewash a fence, a task he cleverly manipulates his friends into completing for him by convincing them it's an enjoyable privilege.Tom's adventures truly kick into high gear when he witnesses a shocking event in the graveyard one night. He and his friend Huckleberry Finn, a homeless boy, stumble upon Injun Joe, a menacing villain, brutally murdering Dr. Robinson. Terrified, the boys swear never to reveal what they've seen. This secret haunts them throughout the novel and sets the stage for future drama.Tom's romantic interest soon blossoms for Becky Thatcher, a new girl in town. Their relationship is tested when Tom gets into a fight with a boy named Alfred over her affections. Despite their quarrels, Tom's feelings for Becky remain strong, adding a heartwarming undertone to his adventures.One of the novel's most famous episodes occurs when Tom and Huck decide to become pirates and run away from home. They camp on an island in the Mississippi River, only to learn that they have been presumed dead back in town. Attending their own funeral service from hiding, they witness the grief of theirloved ones and ultimately decide to reveal themselves, much to the town's shock and relief.The plot thickens when Tom and Huck find a stash of gold coins buried by the infamous Injun Joe. Their discovery leads them on a perilous journey into an ancient cave system, where they encounter Injun Joe once again. In a climactic confrontation, Injun Joe tries to attack them but ultimately meets his demise when he becomes trapped in the cave.Throughout these adventures, Tom's mischievous spirit and quick thinking often get him into and out of trouble. He navigates schoolyard scuffles, pranks on his aunt and cousin Sid, and even a brief stint as the leader of a robber band in the woods.As the novel reaches its conclusion, Tom's testimony helps clear the name of Muff Potter, an innocent man wrongly accused of Dr. Robinson's murder. Tom's bravery and honesty are rewarded when he and Huck reveal the location of the buried treasure, securing their financial futures.The story ends on a heartwarming note, with Tom and Huck enjoying the fruits of their adventures and looking forward to more escapades ahead. Tom remains a rambunctious yetgood-natured boy, forever etched in the memories of readers as a symbol of childhood freedom and imagination.Through this chronological summary, we can appreciate the rich tapestry of Tom Sawyer's adventures, which weave together elements of excitement, humor, and coming-of-age lessons. Twain's masterful storytelling and vivid depictions of small-town life in 19th-century America have cemented this novel as a timeless classic, beloved by generations of readers.篇3The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Plot SummaryThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain is a classic novel about a mischievous young boy named Tom living in the fictional town of St. Petersburg, Missouri. The story follows Tom's adventures and mishaps, all told with Twain's trademark wit and wisdom. Here's a summary of the plot in chronological order:The Novel Begins (Chapters 1-4)The book starts by introducing us to Tom Sawyer, an orphan who lives with his Aunt Polly and half-brother Sid. Tom is a crafty and adventurous kid who is always getting into trouble. In theopening scene, Tom cons his way out of whitewashing a fence by tricking other boys into doing the work for him.This sets the tone for Tom's mischievous nature throughout the book. We also meet Tom's crush, the lovely Becky Thatcher, and his friend Huckleberry Finn, the son of the town drunkard. Tom gets in hot water for dirtying his clothes in a fight and is made to whitewash the fence as punishment by Aunt Polly.The Famous Fence Painting Scene (Chapters 2)This is one of the most iconic scenes, where the clever Tom cons the local boys into paying him for the "privilege" of whitewashing Aunt Polly's fence. I always found this scene hilarious and a testament to Tom's ingenuity and persuasive skills, even as a young boy.Meeting Becky and Getting "Engaged" (Chapters 8-9)Tom's infatuation with the new girl Becky Thatcher leads to a series of funny interactions. First, he gets in trouble at school for getting puppy love notes from her. Then in a hilarious misunderstanding, he agrees to get "engaged" by trading things like a brass door knob in the belief it's a grown-up ritual.The Graveyard Scene (Chapters 9-10)In a spooky night scene, Tom and his friends get trapped in the local graveyard and witness real-life body grave robbers or "body snatchers." They're terrified but end up getting proof the vagrants are actually murderers, not just grave robbers. This dark encounter sets up future events.Getting Lost in the Cave (Chapters 16-17)During a picnic outing, Tom and Becky wander off and get lost in the eerie McDougal's Cave. They struggle to find their way out while their friends search frantically for days. You really feel their fear, hunger and desperation as this suspenseful sequence unfolds.The Climax: Injun Joe's Demise (Chapters 28-35)The grave robbers from earlier turn out to be the terrifying Injun Joe and his partner. After overhearing that Tom knows they're murderers, they trap him and Becky in the cave seeking revenge. Tom and Becky barely escape and seal them inside accidentally. We later learn Injun Joe starved to death, putting an end to the villain's schemes.Uncovering the Hidden Treasure (Chapters 33-35)Due to clues from Injun Joe's rantings, Tom finds an incredible buried treasure. He becomes wealthy overnight, finallyable to quit his drudgery and have all the adventure his heart desires. The new riches allow him and Huck to explore and have hijinks free from want.The Conclusion (Chapters 35)At the very end, Tom gets a taste of the married life he dreamed about through his "engagement" mishap. The reality proves starkly different from his romantic childhood ideas, giving the book a funny but reflective close. Tom accepts his adventurous spirit isn't meant for conventional adult life quite yet.Overall, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a literary classic for good reason. It blends humor with adventure, societal commentary with childhood whimsy. Tom may sometimes seem a brat, but you can't help rooting for the mischievous underdog who overcomes menacing villains through his pluck. The vivid cast, exciting plot, and Twain's incomparable storytelling make this a must-read American novel.。

美国丽人 American Beauty 英文影评Nothing beats death for establishing a detached, omniscient point of view, and from the very beginning of Sam Mendes's haunting and accomplished debut feature (and one of the year's first significant films), it's made clear that its hero, middle-aged, middle-class lost soul Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is a goner. Lester's flashback voiceover narration has the sardonic serenity of the beyond, an anarchistic wisdom as he observes himself jerking off in the shower ("This will be the highlight of my day), spies on wife Carolyn (a strident and fragile Annette Bening) tending the title roses ("See how her clogs match the handles of her pruning shears? It's not a coincidence."), or looks in on sullen and unhappy daughter Jane (Thora Birch, with soulful, accusing eyes) surfing the Internet for breast augmentation sites ("I'd tell her things get better, but I don't want to lie"). His secret? "In less than a year, I'll be dead. . . . But in a sense, I'm dead already."Who actually kills Lester is a mystery. Is it Jane, who's shown on video saying her dad is a "lame-o" who should be put out of his misery? Carolyn, who takes out her frustrations at the shooting range? Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper), the new neighbor with the militant right-wing views and the extensive firearms collection? In the end, it makes no difference.As for Lester's spiritual death, it's one of the most common themes in American literature and film, and Mendes and first-time writer Alan Ball deserve credit for bringing this hollow man to life. Mostly, though, it's Spacey's movie, as his impeccable timing, coy superciliousness and rueful knowingness provide the tone and tension that illuminate it. Like the gimpy loser he played in The Usual Suspect, his Lester starts out unimpressively, embarrassing himself in front of his wife and daughter both in social settings and at the dinner table. But Spacey's diabolical smile suggests that his days as suburban doormat adrift in a '90s updating of John Cheever's white-collar wasteland (the film is reminiscent of that writer's "The Country Husband") will not be for long.His rebirth begins at a high-school basketball game where he and Carolyn, in a misconceived attempt to be better parents, watch Jane run through a new dance routine with the cheerleading squad. His patient gaze changes to ardor as the camera singles out the nubile features of Angela (vivid newcomer Mena Suvari), whose insinuating smile seems meant just for him. Mendes, however, overplays the moment: a spotlight shines on Angela, everyone else in the gym disappears, and she opens her blouse to unleash a cascade of rose petals, the hallmark of Lester's fantasy sequences, and one of the film's less compelling metaphors for beauty.Mendes is more restrained in Lester's second epiphany, when at a shindig for Carolyn's real-estate job he slips out back with Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley, like a laconic Christian Slater with spooky presence), the colonel's son, who's catering the affair. Tiny figures framed by a blank wall and the asphalt of a parking lot, the two get loopy and hilarious on the dope that is the real source of Ricky's income. "I think you're become my new personal hero," says Lester when Ricky quits and tells his intruding boss to get lost.In effect Ricky becomes the film's hero, too, since he embodies the youth, idealism, and poetry that Lester abandoned along with his dream of owning a 1970 Firebird. Ricky also embodies much of the visual sense that distinguishes the style of this director (who's known for his striking stage productions of Cabaret and The Blue Room). Oppressed by his fascist dad (one of the film's few stereotypes that fails to transcend itself), Ricky buys video equipment with his dope money and shoots random moments of morbid beauty, such as a dead bird, a whirling plastic bag in a leaf-littered alley, and Lester's bruised-petal daughter. It's the beginning of a courtship between Ricky and Jane, and the interplay of self-conscious imagery, voyeurism, and desire recalls Steven Soderbergh's sex, lies and videotape and Krzysztof Kieslowski's A Short Film About Love.Lester, meanwhile, pumps iron while stoned to get buff for Angela, extorts a year's severance pay from his soul-destroying job, and is mostly amused when his wife has an affair with Buddy Kane (a graying Peter Gallagher, looking like a monstrous fusion of George Hamilton and Michael Dukakis), the real-estate king. The details of the dead man's ultimate fate are a bit of a letdown, but as he posthumously notes, it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world, and in that regard, this near-masterpiece is true to its title.。

河北师范大学硕士学位论文《杀死一只知更鸟》中的哥特式特征姓名：杨西申请学位级别：硕士专业：英语语言文学指导教师：段晓英20100401摘要美国当代女作家哈珀・李以她二十世纪六十年代出版的小说《杀死一只知更鸟》而著称。

她的长篇小说《杀死一只知更鸟》自发表以来，一直受到读者的欢迎和喜爱。

在这本小说中，哈珀・李通过叙述小主人公司各特从天真到成熟的一段成长历程，围绕主题事件即黑人汤姆的审判案件，展现了当时的社会背景，抨击了社会的阴暗面，诸如：社会等级，种族歧视以及人性的罪恶面，但同时让读者对人性的善良，正义坚定信心。

本文主要就《杀死一只知更鸟》的哥特式手法进行分析。

在《杀死一只知更鸟》中，哈珀・李将哥特式特色应用于整部小说，更彰显其艺术魅力。

哥特式小说的故事多发生于过去，背景多为废墟，荒野及古堡，在神秘，阴森，恐怖，充满悬念的气氛笼罩下，上演着充满暴力，复仇，乱伦，鬼怪出没以及其它超自然现象的故事。

作为一种重要的写作手法，美国许多不同流派的作家都大量的使用了哥特手法进行文学创作，尤其是在美国的南方文学中，哥特手法倍受南方作家的青睐，并得到了继承和进一步的发展，其中的领军人物不乏大家，例如，福克纳，麦卡勒，奥康纳以及莫里森等等。

哥特式小说对美国文学产生既深刻又广泛的影响，成为众多美国作家青睐和采用的创作手法。

在小说《杀死一只知更鸟》中，哈珀・李成功的将哥特手法渗透到作品创作中，彰显作品与众不同的艺术魅力，展现了作者高超的创作技巧。

在分析了哈珀・李的《杀死一只知更鸟》的哥特式写作特征方面，本文主要是从哥特式母题，哥特式场景描写，哥特式情节以及哥特式人物塑造四方面出发来展示作者如何娴熟的运用哥特手法进行人物刻画，烘托气氛，深化主题。

作者不仅借助哥特式恐怖来展现由于种族主义和社会等级所带来的可怕影响和后果，而且通过哥特式手法将人性的善与恶冲突淋漓尽致的表现出来。

本文从母题，场景，人物以及情节方面分析《杀死一只知更鸟》中神秘，暴力，超自然等哥特式特征。