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女性在文学中的形象荆棘鸟的角色探讨女性在文学中的形象：荆棘鸟的角色探讨荆棘鸟，是美国作家哈珀·李的小说《杀死一只知更鸟》中的重要角色，也是女性形象在文学中的一个典型代表。
本文将从荆棘鸟的性格、命运以及象征意义三个方面，探讨女性在文学中的形象。
荆棘鸟作为小说中的关键人物之一，其性格深深吸引着读者。
她是一个聪明、独立，有着自己见解的女孩。
她勇于追求真理和正义，对世界保持着一种无限的好奇心。
尽管身处种族歧视严重的南方小镇，她却毫不退缩，用自己的方式坚持自己的信念。
荆棘鸟的性格塑造了一个坚强、担当和独立的女性形象，使她成为许多读者的榜样。
荆棘鸟的命运也是女性在文学中形象的重要组成部分。
小说中，她目睹了种族歧视、冤枉与不公的现实，在追求正义的过程中，她不仅遭受了他人的误解与指责，甚至遭遇到了生命的威胁。
尽管如此，荆棘鸟并没有因此而放弃，她坚定地走自己的路，用心去理解他人，用自己的行动来证明自己的价值。
荆棘鸟的命运展现了女性在不公平的社会环境中的坚韧和勇气，同时也反映了她们在艰辛中追求自由与平等的渴望。
除了个体命运的探讨，荆棘鸟还象征着女性在文学中的一种特定意义。
她作为女性主义思想的象征，在小说中扮演着重要的角色。
她引导读者思考和质疑传统的性别观念，探讨女性在这个男性主导的社会中的地位与价值。
通过荆棘鸟这一角色的塑造，李揭示了女性在追求自由和平等的过程中所遭受到的压迫与限制，引发了对性别平等的探讨与思考。
荆棘鸟的形象象征着女性自强不息、追求真正自由的力量，具有深远的社会意义。
总结而言，荆棘鸟作为女性在文学中的形象，通过其性格塑造、命运描写以及象征意义，展现了女性的坚韧、勇敢和对自由的追求。
她的形象为我们揭示了女性在塑造现实和打破陈规中的重要作用。
她鼓舞和激励着无数读者，让我们更加关注和尊重女性在社会中的地位和权益。
在未来的文学作品中，我们期待能够看到更多具有鲜活、多维的女性形象的描绘，为我们开拓着更广阔的文学空间。
《荆棘鸟》中的菲奥娜的人物特征摘要：菲奥娜是《荆棘鸟》中的第一代女性，在爱情与婚姻面前她是勇敢的，但是她也为此付出了沉重的代价。
本文将通过对菲奥娜人物形象特征的分析，来正确的认识她女性意识的觉醒。
关键词：荆棘鸟；菲奥娜；女性；反抗特征《荆棘鸟》是澳大利亚女作家科林•麦卡洛的一部著名小说，这部小说于1977年出版问世，得到了读者与学界的好评，甚至被认为是与《飘》可以相媲美的文学作品。
《荆棘鸟》的一经问世，便迅速成为美国的十大畅销书，深得读者的喜爱，而作家科林•麦卡洛也由此而家喻户晓。
在这部小说中，麦卡洛通过故事的发展与变迁，将几位人物的形象特征淋漓尽致的表现了出来。
以下，本文将通过对《荆棘鸟》故事以及人物形象的分析，将菲奥娜的人物特征揭示出来，希望能对菲奥娜有一个正确的诠释。
一、《荆棘鸟》简介《荆棘鸟》这部小说，以梅吉为线索，对澳大利亚牧场半个多世纪的发展变迁都表现了出来，作者并对故事中的形形色色的人物进行了深入的刻画，这是小说的一大创作特色。
麦卡洛在这部小说中成功的将三代女性的鲜明时代性表现了出来，她们分别是祖母菲奥娜、母亲梅吉以及女儿朱丝婷。
这三位女性她们性格各异、背景与所受文化也大不相同，但有一点是相通的，她们都有着强烈的反抗精神，对于自己向往的人生与爱情，她们都奋不顾身的进行反抗，不惜与传统文化与道德相违背。
但是她们也因为自己追寻梦想的勇敢，而最终付出了沉重的代价。
小说以《荆棘鸟》为名，是缘于一个关于荆棘鸟的传说。
传说有一种鸟，这种鸟它的身体是很矮小的，它与荆棘树好像是不可分开的一样，它从离开鸟巢的那天起，它就开始对荆棘树的寻找之旅。
当它如愿以偿的找到这棵树时，就停止寻找。
找到了荆棘树，鸟就把把自己的身体扎进行树上最长、最尖的再棘刺上，这个过程必然是十分痛苦的，但是这种形为却是它心甘情愿去做的，因而它虽然流着血、忍受着巨痛，它仍旧放声歌唱的。
它的歌声是婉转动听的，尽管在它奄奄一息之时，它仍旧用自己的生命在歌唱着，因为它的一生仅有这一次歌唱。
《荆棘鸟》：女性的独立与命运的抗争简介《荆棘鸟》是法国作家朱利安·德·普罗斯佩尔于1958年出版的一部小说，被誉为20世纪最伟大的小说之一。
这部小说以其深入刻画女性形象、对传统社会观念进行批判和现实主义风格而广受赞誉。
女性形象描绘《荆棘鸟》通过主人公艾蒂安娜（Jeanne）和他人物周围的女性形象展现了不同类型的女性独立和命运的抗争。
在一个男权主导的社会中，女性面临来自家庭、爱情和社会期望等方面的种种压力和限制。
艾蒂安娜（Jeanne）艾蒂安娜是小说中的主角，她生长在一个贫困家庭中。
她渴望摆脱贫困和束缚，追求自己的梦想和幸福。
经过坚持不懈地努力，她成功地成为一名歌手，并在艺术事业中找到了自我实现和独立。
马尔蒂尔德（Mathilde）马尔蒂尔德是艾蒂安娜的母亲，她代表了无尽的牺牲和付出。
为了供养家庭，她放弃了自己的梦想和个人发展，并将全部心血倾注在孩子身上。
虽然她的付出得到了认同和尊重，但也透露出女性在传统社会中面临的压力与困境。
其他女性形象小说中还塑造了一些其他女性形象，如贵族夫人、未婚妈妈和家庭主妇等。
每个女性角色都有自己独特的选择和抉择，在不同的背景下呈现出对命运抗争的不同方式。
对传统社会观念的批判《荆棘鸟》通过对传统社会观念的揭示和批判，呼吁人们重新思考男女关系、婚姻制度以及女性地位等问题。
小说中展现了爱情、家庭责任和个人价值之间错综复杂的关系，并引起读者对社会规范与个体自由之间冲突的思考。
现实主义风格《荆棘鸟》以其细腻而真实的描写风格，使人们对每个角色和情节产生共鸣。
小说中逼真的生活画面展现了女性在当时社会中所经历的困境和挣扎，使读者能够深入体验到她们独立与命运的抗争。
综上所述，朱利安·德·普罗斯佩尔的《荆棘鸟》通过刻画女性形象、批判传统观念和运用现实主义手法，深入探讨了女性在独立与命运抗争中所面临的问题。
这部作品不仅为读者提供了见识和反思的机会，也对我们理解和关注当代社会中女性权益问题具有重要启示意义。
精神生态视角下《荆棘鸟》中的梅吉悲剧性分析《荆棘鸟》是澳大利亚作家科林·麦卡洛所著的一部优秀小说，其以精神生态视角揭示了梅吉这一角色的悲剧性。
梅吉是小说中的主要人物之一，她的命运充满了悲剧性的元素。
通过精神生态视角的分析，《荆棘鸟》中梅吉的悲剧性得以更加深刻地剖析和阐释。
梅吉的家庭背景决定了她的悲剧性。
梅吉是一个典型的“问题家庭”中的孩子，她的父母在她很小的时候就离婚了，她被迫去和她的祖母一起生活。
这种不幸的家庭环境让梅吉从小就缺乏了母爱和父爱，她内心的孤独和不安全感开始从小埋下了心理阴影。
梅吉对于家庭的渴望和向往，以及对于关爱的渴求成为了她内心最深处的悲剧。
精神生态视角下，梅吉的家庭背景可以说是她悲剧性的开端，也是她心灵深处伤痛的根源。
梅吉的人际关系中存在着悲剧性的因素。
在小说中，梅吉与自己的父亲以及同性恋伴侣本森之间的复杂关系成为了她内心挣扎和痛苦的焦点。
梅吉渴望得到父亲的关爱，但却又无法得到满足。
她与本森之间的感情更是错综复杂，她对于本森的依赖和深爱成为了她最终堕入悲剧的原因之一。
精神生态视角下，梅吉的人际关系中的矛盾和冲突成为了她悲剧性的重要构成部分。
梅吉的内心世界中存在着悲剧性的诉求。
小说中，梅吉的性取向和身份认同成为了她内心世界中最大的矛盾和痛苦。
她面对自己的性取向和家庭的压力时陷入了内心的挣扎和混乱。
她的内心世界中暗藏着对于爱情和自我的追求，但却又受到了周围环境的压抑和限制。
梅吉试图用各种方式来寻求心灵的解脱和自我认同，但最终却陷入了悲剧的深渊。
精神生态视角下，梅吉的内心世界成为了她悲剧性的核心所在，也是她最终走向悲剧的重要原因。
梅吉的社会环境和文化背景中存在着悲剧性的元素。
小说中，梅吉所处的时代是一个对于同性恋和异性恋问题都持保守态度的年代，她所处的社会环境和文化背景成为了她悲剧的外部原因。
社会对于她的压抑和歧视，使得她在寻求自我认同和追求爱情时面临着无法跨越的障碍，最终导致了她的悲剧结局。
荆棘鸟女性命运与独立精神荆棘鸟：女性命运与独立精神荆棘鸟，是一种栖息于热带地区的鸟类，身披尖锐的刺羽，不畏艰辛，独立自主。
与之相对应的是，荆棘鸟女性，她们的命运也充满了荆棘，但内心中却蕴藏着独立坚韧的精神。
一、荆棘鸟女性的命运荆棘鸟女性，生活在一个男权社会中，面临着诸多不公。
传统观念束缚下，她们被视为弱者，受到种种限制和压迫。
她们往往被迫守着家务，为家庭和社会付出大量劳动，而自身的价值却被忽略。
她们的教育机会有限，事业上往往被阻挠和限制，难以发展自己的潜力。
然而，荆棘鸟女性并未被命运所打倒，她们以积极的态度面对挑战，展现出了独立精神。
二、荆棘鸟女性的独立精神1. 追求知识和教育荆棘鸟女性深知知识改变命运的重要性，于是她们积极追求知识和教育。
她们努力提升自己的文化素养，通过读书、学习等方式来拓宽眼界，丰富自己的内涵。
荆棘鸟女性逐渐认识到，只有通过不断学习，才能更好地抵抗来自命运的摧残，实现个人的自由和独立。
2. 追求事业和自我价值荆棘鸟女性不满足于仅在家庭中发挥作用，她们自主选择追求事业，努力打破传统的性别角色应有之界限。
她们通过勤劳和努力，一步步走上事业的高峰，展现出在职场上与男性一样优秀的实力。
荆棘鸟女性通过自我价值的实现，展现了独立精神，表达了需要自由发展的愿望。
3. 追求自我解放和自主选择荆棘鸟女性拥有强烈的独立精神，勇敢地面对和解放自己。
她们要求平等的待遇和权益，主动选择自己的命运道路。
荆棘鸟女性不再被传统束缚，勇敢地表达意见和追求自己的权益，为自己争取应有的尊重和平等待遇。
三、荆棘鸟女性的启示荆棘鸟女性的命运与独立精神给我们一些启示。
首先，女性需要勇敢坚定地追求知识。
只有通过知识的积累，才能更好地抵抗外界的压力，实现自由独立。
其次，女性需要追求事业和自我价值的实现。
只有在事业上取得成功，女性才能真正做到独立自主。
最后，女性需要勇敢面对和解放自己。
女性应当敢于坚持自己的诉求，争取平等的权益和尊重。
《荆棘鸟》中菲奥娜的人物形象简析摘要：<荆棘鸟)是当代澳大刺亚著名的家世小说，在国际上享有盛名。
作家考琳．麦卡洛在书中讲述了克利里家族三代人的命运沉浮．也刺画了四位形象鲜明的女性人物．反映了女性的成长与发展。
本文从女性主义的角度出发．对克利里家族第一代女性人物的代表菲奥娜·克利里进行了剖析．揭示了她身上体现出的早期女性意识的萌芽和觉醒。
文中指出．菲奥娜从少女时代开始就不顾世俗的眼光．勇敢地追求真爱．这是对压抑人性的父权制度进行的斗争。
表明了菲奥娜女性意识的萌芽。
然而菲奥娜的身上仍存在着局限，她把自己的悲剧归咎于命运。
归咎于自己的错误。
并且最终屈服于命运。
她始终是一个矛盾的个体．没有实现真正意义上的觉醒。
关键词：荆棘鸟；菲奥娜；女性意识《荆棘鸟》是澳大利亚著名女作家考琳·麦卡洛的代表作，有“澳大利亚的《飘》”之称。
它是一部气势宏伟的家世小说．以爱情和命运为主题。
讲述了从新西兰移居澳大利亚的克利里家族三代人的人生经历和情感历程。
麦卡洛用极其细腻的笔触和富有特色的叙事结构成功地刻画了克利里家三代人中的四位个性鲜明的女性形象．展现了一个家族动人的故事。
从女性主义的角度来看，<荆棘鸟>用女性主义的话语讲述了克利里家族四位女性的故事．讲述了她们从懵懂到觉醒再到成长的艰辛历程．因而也可以说是一部女性主义的伟大作品。
菲奥娜．克利里是克利里家族第一代的家长．是一个勤劳能干的家庭主妇，外表美丽而又沉默寡言。
“她是一个略矮于中等个子的非常端庄、相当漂亮．然而却面无笑容、神情严肃的女人。
她身段优美，尽管下身已经怀过六个孩子，但纤细的腰肢还没有变粗。
”噬就是麦卡洛在菲出场时的、描写。
由此不难看出．菲是一个仪表端庄并且很有教养的女子。
事实上。
菲生于阿姆斯特朗家族——一个“纯正的英国教会出身的老世家”．一个在新西兰地位“首屈一指”的家族。
然而。
就是这样一位出身显赫的贵族小姐，却嫁给了一个穷牧工帕迪．克利里．婚后一直过着清贫而拮据的生活。
荆棘鸟女性自由与独立的追求与坚守灿烂的阳光洒在大地上，温暖而明媚。
在茂密的树林中，一只漂亮的荆棘鸟翩翩起舞。
它的翅膀展开，轻盈地滑翔在蓝天之上，散发着自由和独立的气息。
荆棘鸟，这个美丽而神秘的生物，象征着女性对自由与独立的追求与坚守。
荆棘鸟女性自由与独立的追求与坚守，体现在她们对于真理和自由的渴望。
她们勇于探索，敢于挑战，不甘于平庸的生活。
在披荆斩棘的路途中，她们靠着坚守内心的信念和勇气，以毅力和智慧层层攀登，实现了自己心中的梦想和追求。
荆棘鸟女性自由与独立的追求与坚守，也表现在她们面对困难和挫折时的不屈不挠。
她们从不被压抑住、泯灭和束缚住，而是勇敢地迎接挑战，坚守自己的理念，用智慧和勇气打破束缚，展翅高飞。
正如荆棘鸟，在荒芜的荆棘丛中奋力穿行，毅然向前，她们展示了女性追求自由和独立的坚毅品质。
荆棘鸟女性自由与独立的追求与坚守，也体现在她们对待事业与家庭的平衡。
她们相信，自由与独立不仅仅意味着事业上的成功，更意味着在家庭中扮演者各自角色的坚守。
她们用聪慧的头脑和坚定的意志，使得自己的家庭和事业兼顾与发展。
在不断挑战与平衡的过程中，她们以独自的力量和能力做到了自由和独立的完美结合。
荆棘鸟女性自由与独立的追求与坚守，无疑给社会带来了积极的影响。
她们在自由与独立的追求中展示了勇气和智慧，成为了他人的楷模与榜样。
她们的生命故事和奋斗经历，激励着更多女性勇敢地坚守自己的内心信念，追求自由与独立的人生。
荆棘鸟女性自由与独立的追求与坚守，既是一种心灵的寄托，更是女性力量的象征。
她们用自己的智慧与行动，追求自己内心真正渴望的生活。
她们坚守自己的理念，散发自由与独立的光芒，为世界注入了更多的勇气与希望。
在茫茫人海中，每个女性都是一个独立的荆棘鸟，她们有自己的追求，有自己的坚守。
无论面对怎样的困难和挑战，她们都能以自己的勇敢和智慧战胜一切。
让我们向这支荆棘鸟女性致敬，向她们坚守追求自由与独立的精神致敬，为自由与独立的世界共同努力！。
精神生态视角下《荆棘鸟》中的梅吉悲剧性分析【摘要】《荆棘鸟》是一部以精神生态视角为主题的小说，通过主人公梅吉的悲剧经历展现了个体与环境之间的矛盾和冲突。
本文从梅吉的人物性格、家庭背景、与环境的关系、命运和悲剧性等角度展开分析，揭示了梅吉的内心世界和所处环境之间的紧张关系。
梅吉的自卑、孤独和固执导致了她的悲剧命运，而她与家庭、社会和时间等环境的矛盾也加剧了她的痛苦和绝望。
最终，梅吉的悲剧性成为小说的核心，反映了个体在社会现实和精神压力下的无助和绝望，引发人们对人性和精神世界的思考。
【关键词】梅吉、荆棘鸟、精神生态、悲剧性、人物性格、家庭背景、环境关系、命运、分析、结论。
1. 引言1.1 引言《荆棘鸟》是澳大利亚著名作家科琳·麦卡洛克的代表作之一，以梅吉这一形象深深触动了读者的心灵。
在精神生态视角下，揭示了梅吉所处的家庭环境、社会环境对她的影响，以及她在这种环境下所展现出的悲剧性。
梅吉的人物形象展示了一种特殊的精神状态，她内心的痛苦和挣扎令人唏嘘不已。
通过对梅吉这一角色的深入分析，我们可以更好地理解她的心路历程，以及她所经历的悲剧性命运。
在本文中，将从梅吉的人物性格、家庭背景、与环境的关系、命运以及悲剧性等方面展开分析，以期更全面地呈现出梅吉这一复杂而令人难忘的人物形象。
结束。
2. 正文2.1 梅吉的人物性格分析梅吉是《荆棘鸟》中的主要人物之一，她的人物性格极具复杂性和矛盾性。
从小受到各种规矩束缚的她，在父母的期望和社会的传统观念下，培养出一种既叛逆又顺从、既敏感又坚强的性格特征。
她内心深处渴望自由和真爱，却又受困于物质和权力的纷扰，导致她的性格内心扭曲。
梅吉虽然表面看似坚强和果断，但实际上内心十分脆弱和孤独，她对自己的身份和命运感到迷茫和无助。
梅吉的性格中还有着对爱的渴望和对世界的怀疑，她一直在寻找着自己的归属和存在意义。
她与周围环境的不匹配使她形成了独特的性格特征，既执着又敏感，既冷漠又充满温情。
《荆棘鸟》中的女性形象1、菲奥娜—无声的荆棘鸟。
菲奥娜是克利里家族中最早将刺扎入胸膛的荆棘鸟，在追求荆棘的道路上，她曾也为之奋斗过、追求过，为属于自己的幸福争取过、反抗过，但她的斗争是短暂的，她最终还是向命运妥协了，做了一只无声的荆棘鸟，默默的度过一生。
菲奥娜在年轻的时候爱上了有妇之夫帕克哈，这对于菲奥娜来说从一开始就是一种错误的选择。
就如同她晚年时对女儿说的，“不管是惊人还是平凡寻常，反正我是不幸的女人。
不管是因为这个还是因为那个，反正从我遇上帕克哈的那天起，我就开始了不幸。
基本上是我的错。
我爱他，但是，他对我所做的对其他女人来说是决不会发生的。
”（P473）可见，菲奥娜自己也认识到了自己的错误，但她却不为之后悔。
她确定地说：“我爱他。
”她和那个已婚帕克哈发生了关系，并生下了他们的爱情结晶弗兰克，而那个男的最终却抛弃了她。
在克利里这个大家族中，发生这样辱没门风的事是绝不允许的。
父亲为了维护家庭荣誉，他急迫将菲奥娜赶出了家门，他买通贫困的剪羊毛工帕迪，连面未见就让帕迪赶快把女儿娶走。
她未去考虑女儿是否幸福，是否愿意，只是像扫除彗星一样将女儿扫出家门。
但幸运的是，菲奥娜遇到了一个好男人。
帕迪虽然是以利益关系和菲奥娜结婚的，但他却一生真心喜欢这菲奥娜。
他没有因为菲奥娜得失贞而嫌弃她，也没有因为她未婚先孕而对她另眼相看。
他尽其所能的去爱她，让她过得幸福。
然而这种爱却不是相互的，他爱着她，她却对他从来没有付出爱。
在这个家庭中，她只是尽着一个妻子、母亲的责任，勤劳的操持着家。
除了弗兰克之外，她没有去爱任何人。
她每天面无表情、神情严肃，“从不喜欢随便多说话。
谁也不知道她脑子里究竟在想些什么。
”甚至和她生活了大半辈子的帕迪也不知她每天在想些什么。
菲奥娜后来说到，“我一心扑在了弗兰克身上，忽视了帕迪，他是我能碰上的最好的人！只是我没有明白罢了。
我总是一个劲得把他和帕克哈进行对比。
哦，我感激他，除了发现他是好人之外，没有别的办法……”（P473）直到帕迪死后，菲奥娜才恍然大悟，在她的一生中最爱她的人其实就是离她最近的那个人—帕迪，是帕迪在她最困难的时候收容了她，并给予了她“家”。
XX大学本科生毕业论文(设计)题目: The Analysis of Female Characters inThe Thorn Birds荆棘鸟中女性人物分析学号:姓名:院(系):专业:完成时间:指导老师:ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have given me much help in my pursuit of the bachelor’s degree and in my thesis writing.First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor Mrs. Li, who has offered me her insightful comments and enlightening suggestions in the whole course of my thesis writing. Without her patient instructions, I could hardly have completed my thesis.Second, I wish to express my sincere thanks to professors and teachers at the Department of English, who have instructed and helped me a lot in my English learning. I also owe my sincere gratitude to my roommates and my fellow classmates who gave me their help and times in listening to me and helping me work out my problems in these four years.Last but not least, my thanks would go to my beloved family for their understanding and support which have relieved me of a lot of anxieties and tensions that have accompanied my studies all through these years.摘要《荆棘鸟》为澳大利亚著名女作家考琳·麦卡洛所作，它于1977年问世后便在全球范围内引起极大的轰动，被誉为澳大利亚的《飘》。
在澳大利亚独特的文化背景中，该书以爱情和命运的主题，展现了克里利家族三代女性的坎坷的人生经历与丰富而复杂情感历程。
本文首先对这部小说和作者及荆棘鸟的含义做了介绍，然后对小说中四位女性：玛丽·卡森、菲奥娜、梅吉及朱丝婷的人生历程进行剖析，探讨她们不懈地追求各自的爱情和对传统女性命运勇敢反抗的精神，以及在特定的时代中女性自我意识的觉醒。
由此通过分析得出结论：女性只有树立正确的爱情观，勇于追求爱，挑战命运，坚持不懈，才能获得幸福，实现自我价值。
关键词:荆棘鸟;女性角色;爱情观;命运;自我意识ABSTRACTThe Thorn Birds written by Australian famous woman writer Colleen McCullough has caused tremendous sensation throughout the world since it was published in1977 and is called Australian Gone with the Wind. Based on the unique background of Australian culture, the novel unfolds life experiences and emotional journey of the females of three generations in the Cleary family. First，this thesis includs a brief introduction to the writer, the novel and the symbolism of the thorn and the thorn birds. Afterwards it makes a deep analysis of the life course of the four female characters of three generations- Mary Carson, Fiona, Meggie, Justin, and explores the spirit of their untiring pursuit for love and brave resistance of traditional female fate, as well as the awakening of female’s self-consciousness in a certain period. A conclusion is drawn that women can gain happiness and realize self-value, as long as they establish correct love views and are brave enough to pursue love and challenge the destinies.Key words: The Thorn Birds; Women images; Love view; Self-consciousnessCONTENTSAcknowledgements (i)Abstract in Chinese (ii)Abstract in English (ii)1. Introduction (1)1.1 Introduction to the novel (1)1.2 Introduction to the author and her works (1)2. Analysis of major characters in the novel (2)2.1 Fiona— silenced, constraining, obedient (2)2.1.1Fiona’s Subversive Love for Pakeha (2)2.1.2 Fiona’s Submits to the Fate (2)2.2 Mary Carson—subversive, scheming, unsympathetic (3)2.2.1 Mary Carson’s crazy and selfish love for Ralph (3)2.2.2 Mary Carson’s Fight against the Fate (4)2.3 Meggie— brave, persistent, stubborn (4)2.3.1 Meggie’s forbidden love for Ralph (5)2.3.2 Meggie’s resistance to Catholism and fate (5)2.4 Justine— rebellious, independent, passionate (6)2.4.1 Justine’s harmonious love with Rainer (6)3. The causes of their different fate (7)3.1 The causes of Mary Carson, Fiona and Meggie’s tragic fate (7)3.2 The rea sons of Justine’s success in resisting fate (7)4. Conclusion (8)Bibliography (9)The Analysis of Female Characters in The Thorn Birds1. Introduction1.1 Introduction to the novelThe Thorn Birds is a saga novel about three generations of an Australian family—-the Clearys from 1915 to 1965, and is also a beautiful love story that takes place in the outback of Australia with a tale of a strong bond that turns into the strongest love. Hate, pain, love, and happiness all involved in this beautiful tale of Meggie Cleary and Ralph de Bricassart.The epic begins with "Meggie" Cleary, a four-year-old girl living in New Zealand in the early 1920s. Meggie lives together with her father Paddy, an Irish farm laborer, and Fee, her harassed but aristocratic mother, and three elder brothers in New Zealand. The large, poor family lived a hard life until one day when Paddy’s sister, Mary Carson, one of the richest women in Australia, who lives on an enormous sheep station called Drogheda mail a letter in which she promises to offer Paddy a job on her estate. Paddy accepts the invitation with delight. Then the whole family moves to the Drogheda.Here Meggie meets Ralph de Bricassart, a good friend of Mary Carson, picked up the Clearys from the station. He is a young, intelligence. and ambitious priest who as punishment for insulting a bishop, has been relegated to a remote parish in the town of Gillanbone, near Drogheda. Then Ralph and the family become good friends, while he and the ten-year-old Cleary daughter Meggie become very close. Ralph takes Meggie to school at the convent next to the church he works at and gives her a pretty room in the rectory so that she can stay with him. Gradually, Meggie grows up to be a stunning young lady and falls in love with the handsome and considerate priest. Ralph loves Meggie, too. However, he is far too self-absorbed and ambitious to show some humanity and admit his love to Meggie, so he is torn between his love for Meggie, his love for God and his ambition to rise in the Catholic hierarchy.The Thorn Birds composes a melancholy and miserable but also solemn and stirring symphony by four characters (the Cleary women: Mary Carson, Fiona, her daughter, Meggie, and Me ggie’s daughter, Justine) who are very brave to fight against their fate and social custom for their faith. The enchantment of this book first lies in its subject—love and destiny, and its symbol—the thorn bird. It shows profoundly the impermanence and the weird twist of the fate. By describing the Clearys’ penetrative, frustrating love journey, the author tries to show a truth that the true love and the beauty should be attained with incredible pain and unimaginable cost. This thesis will discuss the differences among the three women and analyze the women spirits toward their love and fate.1.2 Introduction to the author and her worksColleen McCullough was born on June 1st, 1937, in a Catholic family in Wellington, New South Wales, Australia and married Ric Robinson, on April 13, 1984. She graduated from University of Sydney and University of South Wales, B.S.(With honors)and got her M.S. from Institute of Child Health of London University. From 1958 to 1963, she was a founder of andworker at the Department of Neurophysiology at the Royal North Shore Hospital of Sydney. And then from 1967 to 1977 she worked at Yale University, School of Internal Medicine,in New Haven, CT, associate in research neurology department. Since 1976, she has also worked as a tea cher, a library worker, a bus driver in Australia’s Outback, and in journalism.His working experiences constitute the major background of several of her fictions. McCullough has strong interests in reading since she was a little girl and she was said to b e “the only bookish person in an athletic family”. The books she read covered from romances to science fictions that helped her to get very well prepared for her later literary career.Nowadays she is well-known for her fictions .She is the author of several extraordinary novels such as : Tim(1974), An Indecent Obsession(1982), A Creed for the Third Millennium(1985), Fortunes Favorites(1993), Caesar’s Women(1995), The Song of Troy(1998), Morgan’s Run(2000), The October Horse(2002), The Touch(2003), and Antony and Cleopatra(2007). The books she read covered from romances to science fictions that helped her to get very well prepared for her later literary career. Besides novels, she also writes prose, biography, and even melodrama. As far as her writing of fiction is concerned, she writes a variety of sorts of fiction, consisting of historical novel, love story, so on and so forth, and above all, the worldwide bestseller, saga novel—The Thorn Birds, soon after its publication, it became an international bestseller in over 20 languages. Time Magazine equals it to The God Father, Love Story and seven other stories, all of which are famed as modern ten classics. Musical, films and TV series adapted from it also have everlasting charm to the audience.Colleen McCullough is familiar with Australia. In The Thorn Birds she gives a vivid description of it. The picturesque settings of the story enable readers to enjoy the unique Australia scenery. With this novel, readers can visit the far corners of the Australia outback and feel the love and yearning that Meggie and Ralph experienced.2. Analysis of major characters in the novel2.1 Fiona— silenced, constraining, obedientAs the first generation of Clearys, Fiona is a very beautiful, graceful but taciturn lady from a noble family. However, her fate is an undoubted tragic because she falls in love with an impossible man-Pakeha. But she forced to marry someone unknown because of family’s reputation. After marriage, she resigns herself to the unfair fate and regards it as predestinate. She pained for retrospection and could not step out of the circle of waiting for someone in nowhere. As a woman, her value is stipulated by the patriarchal society.2.1.1Fiona’s Subversive Love for PakehaFiona lives in the 19th century, and she is graceful lady and the only daughter in a noble family of Newlands. In such a traditional family, her fate has already been determined since she has no independent position or economic incomes. She has no freedom to choose her own life, what she can do is to follow her father’s idea-a trip to the old country, a debut at court, the right husband. However, her father’s plan goes broke because Fee falls in love with Pakeha, apolitician who has already got married. In The Thorn Bird s, Fiona’s love fo r Pakeha is described in the following way: “I love that man! Perhaps it was the call of our blood, I don’t know. He was handsome, a big man with a mop of black hair and the most brilliant, laughing black eyes. He was everything Paddy wasn’t cultured, soph isticated, very charming. I loved him to the point of madness. And I thought I’d never love anyone else”. (P243, 18) After the marriage, she becomes indifference to anyone or anything, all her enthusiasm is put on her first son, Frank. The child stole from her beloved man and becomes her spiritual existence. When Frank left home, Padddy ever said to Father Ralph: “I’ve always known she loved Frank more than the rest of us put together, she must love his father” (p256,8). In the rest of Fee’s life, she never has forgotten Pakeha.In a patriarchal society, only a good marriage can prove women’s existence in the world, and reflect their value in society. It is an unbearable thing for women to strive for their love on their own will, as women are subordinated to men. As a result, when Fiona gives birth to Pakeha’s son, she was thrown away by her family and Pakeha.2.1.2 Fiona’s Submits to the FateIt is said that women are blind before love. To Fiona, it is true. At the age of sixteen, Fee falls in love with Pakeha who has already got married and much older than her. Fee thinks he will divorce for her, but Pakeha is an important politician, who has a big influence on that area, if he choose fee, he has to give up career and fame. Finally the man chooses his career and leaves Fee .Fee is brave in the times when virginity was regarded as women’s greatest treasure. After pregnancy, she is immediately abandoned by her family and force to marry Paddy-a man from underclass for the family reputation. When facing all theses situation, she never tried to struggle with her fate.After marriage, in others eyes, Fee is a perfect wife. She is beautiful, hard-working and submissive. In her mind “The house was women’s work. No male member of the family was to put his hand to a fe male task”. To be a housewife, she has submitted to the rule imposed upon women and think female is inferior to male. On the other hand, she becomes indifferent to anyone or anything except the eldest son-Frank. She always follows her husband’s idea withou t a word and never shows her true feelings and emotions. After Frank’s leaving, “There had not a flicker of emotion in those soft grey eyes, not hardening nor accusation, hate or sorrow”,(P98,13 ) as if she had simply been waiting for the blow to fall like a condemned dog for the killing bullet, knowing her fate and powerless to avoid it.” Although she loves Frank more than others all together, she accepts his leaving with quietness. She resigns herself to the unfair fate and don’t want to revolt it. Just l ike she once said: “I can never be free, and I don’t want to be free.”(P289, 14) No matter to man or to fate, she has become a totally obedient woman.2.2 Mary Carson—subversive, scheming, unsympatheticIn The Thorn Birds, Mary Carson is another women character who is embodied with female subjectivity. She is a very sophisticated character. From a man’s point of view in a patriarchy society, she is a devil. But from a feminist’s point of view, she is a respectable rebel, anunfortunate woman. When first appeared in the novel, Marry Carson was already 65 years old. A lady at such an age was supposed to be kind, tolerant and sometimes slow in thinking. But she was harsh and very quick-witted. People around her hate her; calling her “a bid spider”, meanwhile, they admired her as she was so capable of scheming. She chose to marry a man she doesn’t love in order to make a fortune, but she fell in love with a priest in her sixties and left all her property to him, to the church. Her action and choice were very subversive.2.2.1 Mary Carson’s crazy and selfish love for RalphMary Carson takes possession of a large amount of property and lives in Drogheda, a great pasture. She has been a widow for so many years, but she refuses to marry again. She was not born into money or is not so charming, but besides her genius, the great effort makes her lead a fruitful life. When she meets Ralph, she was at her sixties, but she crazily falls in love with this remarkable appearance. Once Mary realized he love for Ralph, she began to take actions. She provided Ralph with all the luxurious living conditions and created a lot of time for their togethering. She even frankly told Ralph: “I have loved you. God, how much! Do you think my years automatically preclude it? Well, Father de Bricassart, let me tell you something. Inside this stupid body, I’m still young, I still feel, I still want, I still dream…” (P324, 7) What Mary Carson said and what she did break the stereotype that women have always been passive when facing love. A kind of both vigorous and valuable female consciousness was expressed. But the female consciousness shown in Mary’s personality brought her no happiness of love. On the contrary, after refused by Ralph, she turned her love into envy and revenge. The love between Meggie and Ralph made Mary extremely envious that she even wanted to kill Ralph for his not wanting her. Finally, Mary came up with an idea. She left two wills, one to her lawyer and the other to Ralph. According the two wills, all her wealth would be left to her brother or Ralph. Mary left a letter to Ralph, letting him make a decision and choose between his love for Meggie and the money.In her love for Ralph, Mary found a way of action and self-expression, and her scheme of putting Ralph into a dilemma proved to be effective. However instead of bring her satisfaction and happiness, her false expression of female consciousness ended her life in envy and misery.2.2.2 Mary Carson’s Fight against the FateMary was from a very common family of Ireland. When she was a young girl, she was aware of the social reality she faced: A woman who wants to select a good husband must have enough background or breeding in Ireland. This was accepted by most women of that age. But Mary tried to break this fetter. She belie ved that “the greater the scope for action, the greater the potential for fulfillment”. This principle was proved to be true in her marriage and career as she successfully married a rich man and possessed her career through activities. In order to acquire the equal position as men, Mary neither showed any mercy to people nor showed any weakness of her. Her success was at the cost of sacrificing her emotion of the individual as a woman. Although she becomes the richest woman in Australia, she was unhappy. She paid the price for what she had got: living lonely for the rest of her life.2.3 Meggie— brave, persistent, stubbornMeggie is the second female of Cleary and the core of the story. In describing this character, the author uses the third-person point o f view, In Ralph’s eyes, “Meggie is the sweetest, the most adorable little girl he had ever seen; hair of a color which defied description, not red and not gold, a perfect fusion of both…” (P88, 3). In the story, since her childhood, Meggie appears to be p ersistent and vulnerable. Meggie doesn’t have a happy childhood and has suffered countless miseries in the growth. She was obedient to that male-centered society and never thought of resistance of the mode of life and her fate. Just as Ralph had ever said, she was not a rebel. All her life she would obey, move within the boundaries of her female fate.” On the first day she goes to school, she is caned by Sister Agatha, but she chooses to endure all those punishments. When her mother gave birth to more babies she gave up schooling to help her mother with the housework without any complaints.In the early stage of Meggie’s life, it seemed that there was an absence of subjectivity of femaleness. But from a feminist perspective, we can still find some hints which indicate the existence of her female consciousness. One is her playing with the doll, a present she got at her fourth birthday. She played with the doll, talked to her and sang for her, by doing so, she finds a subjective affirmation of herself. Another one was her not yielding to the teacher’s power in the school. Through these activities, Meggie was in fact trying to identify her statues as a female. They were demonstrations of Meggie’s female consciousness.2.3.1 Meggie’s forbidden love for RalphMeggie met Ralph when she was ten years old. This changed her life. A neglected girl for the first time gained attention and affection from outside her family. It was nn the platform of the Gillanbone railway station, Ralph falls in love with Meggie at the first sight. Meggie lived a peaceful life under Ralph’s protection and tender care. In her eyes, Ralph was someone she could depend on. When Hal died, he came. When she experienced her first menstruation and was afraid of dying of cancer, he came.Mary Carso n’s birthday party was a transition point of Meggie’s feeling for Ralph. That year, Meggie was seventeen. She felt her love—the love a woman for a man—for Ralph, and she frankly expressed her love. However Ralph is a priest who cannot get married.After Ralph accepts inheritance and leaves her. Meggie married Luke just because he looks like Ralph. In the love affairs with Ralph, Meggie’s subjectivity and desire as a woman were shown to the greatest extent, and she resist everything that prohibited her love with Ralph, including the Church. From time to time, she attracted Ralph to come close to her. When her father and brother died, when she gave birth to luck’s daughter, when she went to Matlock Island on her own, he was always beside her. Finally, on Matlock Island, Ralph became her man.2.3.2 Meggie’s resistance to Catholism and fateThough God show no sympathy to Meggie, compared with her mother, when facing love, she is more bravely. When Father Ralph leaves her the first time, she doesn’t complain or t hink to struggle with her fate, and she chooses to marry Luke, a man looks like Ralph. After marriage, during the days in Mueller, Meggie has the opportunity to read books which has greatly changedher life attitudes and helps her to grow up. When Ralph leaving her again after the birth of Justine, she begins to understand it is the Church and God that prevent her from having Ralph. She begins to hate the church, because it treats her like a sin if she loves Ralph. But she hasn’t given up, or yield to destiny. Since then, Meggie grows up from a little girl to a real woman who fights against God for love. As a result, she has a son with Ralph. She gets something that God can never have. As she said, “...I’ve got the part of him which carries on from generatio n to generation. Through me he’ll continue to live…And that son will have sons, and they will have sons …I’ll beat God yet. I’ve loved Ralph since I was ten years old, and I suppose I’ll be love him if I live to be a hundred” (P336, 12). However, when Dane grows up, he decided to become a priest, Meggie feels so desperately. What’s more, after Dane’s death by drowning, Meggie has yielded to destiny. She begins to feel hopeless about her love and fate. She is aware of that there was never a woman born who could beat God. What she stole she has to give back.So, Meggie is a resolute woman, just like a thorn birds, when the sharp thorn penetrates into the breast, she still songs while bearing huge pain. Her love experience is a process of self-reflection, which is from helplessness to suffering and from examining herself painfully to betraying her husband. At the same time, she has struggled bravely towards the religion. In the end, she finally made Ralph understand a truth that their choice leads to their bitterness in the whole life.2.4 Justin— rebellious, independent, passionateJustine, the third generation of these women, is full of rebellious since she was born. When she is a little girl, she is quite different from other children. She is persistent and never wants to be hugged or kissed, even be made to laugh. “…Justine didn’t seem to need a mother; since she was convinced she was right about everything …” (P409, 6). She has her own way of doing things and ways of thinking. She is always trying to be the master of herself. She wants to be actress. “Where else can I scream and yell and howl but on the stage? I’m not allowed to do any of those here, or at school, or any where! I like screaming and yelling and howling…” (P500, 9).In a word, this profession can give her a chance to display her personality fully. So she persuaded her mother to agree because she had already passed the entrance examination. In order to realize her dream, she left her family. To a girl, virginity is very important especially in that age, but she loses her virginity to a man only for the simple reason that she need to experience a variety of emotional experiences in order to be a good actress. From the above perspective, “She is actually an inborn anti-traditional woman.” She is so b rave that nothing can hold her back.2.4.1 Justine’s harmonious love with RainerJustine was successful in career. She becomes a famous actress in Europe, but to love and marriage, she held an attitude of doubt and resistance. She doesn’t want to belong t o anyone, she only belongs to herself. However, not a girl can avoid love .When Justine met Rainer-a Politician. She attracted by him and felt happy with him. At the beginning, she regards him as her close friend, and with goes on, when she realized that Rainer has loved her and herself has fell in love with him gradually, she felt frighten more than joyful and even regarded this as “the lose thedearest friend. Betrayal” her pride forces her not to change their friendship into love. She wants his love, at the same time; she fears that she will lose her love finally.When facing love, Justine is not a brave girl, but thanks for Rainer who gives enough patience and respect to Justine. He told her: “Justine, this is not something to play with, nor someone to play with. There’s plenty of time. You have every reason to know I can be patient.” After Dane’s death, she would sacrifice her happiness and career to compensate her love to the gone Dane, and wrote a letter to Rainer to tell him that between marriage and nothing, she has elected nothing. Rainer didn’t give up her, instead, he flew to Drogheda and had a serious talk with her mother—Meggie. He said: “I came to see you because Justine needs to take up the threads of her life again—not a Drogheda” (P646, 11). He knows Justine more than Justine herself. What’s more, he knows what Justine wants and he can give the thing, the life she wants. The most important thing is that he loves Justine and has enough patience to wait for her.However, in the depth of her heart, she is crying for love. When she meets Rainer whom she loves, at the same time, she doesn’t have the courage to put her whole heart on that man. And Dane’s death gives her a heavy blow, she treats Dane’s death as her own fault and even loses her life confidence, her sadness even exceeds her mother.3. The causes of their different fateThe Thorn Birds focuses on the life experience of the four Cleary women and the attitude they face life. In the story, we can find that the four women resist to principles of the patriarchal society and show their female consciousness in different ways. The four female images are full of era atmosphere.3.1 The causes of Mary Carson, Fiona and Meggie’s tragic fateIn the early stage of Australian patriarchal society, people are very traditional. The natural environment of Australia was very hard. It was the men who fought against the rough environment outside home. Women were left in the house to do the housework. Men were the head of the family and they wanted their women to be tender and obedient. They are defined as “angels of the house” and are expected to do the domestic work and meet the need of the 19th century. As a result, women’s interests are subordinated to the interests of men. They do not have the rights and privileges that men own. Women cannot find a position in the society. Their future are decided by men, especially their marriage. They are “property” of men.This situation changed in the end of 19th century when the first wave of Women’s Liberation M ovement took place in the western countries. Women’s self-consciousness was awakened and gradually developed. As a result, growing up in the end of the 19th century, Mary Carson and Fiona are educated. They have self –consciousness. Thus Mary Carson strives for an equal position in her marriage and career all her life. Fiona and Meggie conceive the idea to pursue true love all their life. However, at that time, Australia was a new country with only about 120 years of history. In this young country, as most of its settlers came from the Great Britain, its political system and its standards of morality were derived from the British model.The military, industry, technology, political office and finance-in short, every branch of power in the scope of the society is entirely in the male hands. What's more the religion, one of the most influential powers of the society determines the subordinate status of women in Christianity, for only men are the representative of God. Without independent economic source and equal social status, women can never get freedom. Finally suppressed by the conventional social customs, Mary Carson, Fiona and Meggie’s fighting for true love and happy marriage are doomed to fail.3.2 The reasons of Justine’s success in resisting fateJu stine, the third generation in the 1930’s and 1940’s, is a successful example. After the Second World War, the world entered a new ear. Women in the western countries including Australia began to realize their equal rights in politics, economy and education. They appeal for the elimination of the inequality in these fields. Thereupon, the second wave of the Women’s Right Movement soon spread in the western countries. Women called for more education. Even housewives went out of their homes to continue a higher education. The higher levels of education for women increased the risk of doubts for marriage and marriage breakdown. Justine breaks the barrier between women and society. Justine chooses her career on her own will and lives an independent life by finding her position outside the family. She finds her true love and possesses an equal position in her marriage. In this generation, the female consciousness gradually gets mature. Justine’s success in marriage and career gives people hope and confidence and it encourages all the women under the oppression of the patriarchal society to rise for equal rights and self-fulfillment. Justine’s experience indicates that only when a woman actively participates in expensive social activities and has an independent economic position and a define self-consciousness can she finally obtain an independent social position and real freedom and equality.4. ConclusionThere is a Greek saying that it’s a sin against the gods to love something beyond all reason. When someone loves so, the gods becomes jealous, and strike the object down in the very fullness of its flower, and make her suffer all the time. It’s profane to love too much, but women always choose to set their whole mind and heart on love. So they are always injured severely. As a result, the love story of women in Clearys family ended with tragedy except that of Justine whose independent personality keeps her holding a rational love view in love journey. The result of Justine’s romantic love reveals: In the new times, as long as a woman keeps the independence of economy and dignity, realizes themselves in more space except family, she can get the equal respectable love and social status.To sum up,everyone has a thorn in his breast. If the thorn in one’s thorn is wort h pursuing, you should persist all the way and make every effort to be the master of your own fate. Try to be active and confident in the face of misery and doomed destiny and life will reward you. After being a thorn bird in your own life and singing your sweet songs to the top of your voice, you will never be defeated by fate.。
