導(dǎo)語(yǔ)：小議大衛(wèi)•科波菲爾傳中的寫作方法一文來(lái)源于網(wǎng)友上傳，不代表本站觀點(diǎn)，若需要原創(chuàng)文章可咨詢客服老師，歡迎參考。

摘要:《大衛(wèi)•科波菲爾傳》是由查爾斯•狄更斯創(chuàng)作完成的。該作品講述了小人物大衛(wèi)•科波菲爾一生的奮斗歷程。小說(shuō)表現(xiàn)了作者的藝術(shù)技巧。本文從人物刻畫，情節(jié)安排，不同的幽默形式以及第一人稱敘事手法的運(yùn)用四個(gè)方面分析了作者在該作中所表現(xiàn)出的嫻熟的寫作技巧。通過(guò)分析，我們可以更好地欣賞這部作品并在今后提高我們的寫作水平。

關(guān)鍵詞：寫作技巧；大衛(wèi)•科波菲爾

Introduction

CharlesDickensisthemostprolificandinfluentialnovelistinVictorianPeriod.Duringhiswholelife,Hecreated14novelsandnumerousessays,shortstoriesetc.

Amongallthefamousworks,ThePersonalHistoryofDavidCopperfieldfinallyestablishedhisstatusasaliterarymasterintheworld.Afteritspublication,the

authoroncecommentedinpublic:“Ihaveinmyheartofheartsafavoritechild.AndhisnameisDavidCopperfield.”Eversince,thisbookhasalwaysbeenthebest

sellerandaffectedonegenerationafteranotherpositively.However,thegreatsuccessofthisnovelisbynomeansamatterofaccident;itshouldbemainlyascribed

tothematurityoftheauthor’swritingskills.Inthisnovel,theauthor’stechniquescanbeembodiedinfouraspects:thedesignofdistinctivecharacters,the

arrangementofplot,thedifferentapproachestoachievinghumorandtheadoptionofthefirst-personpointofview.

Thestorytalksaboutthestrivingexperiencesofcommonpeople.Theleadingcharacter,DavidCopperfield,hasadifficultchildhoodandcomplicatedromance.Six

monthsbeforehewasborn,hisfatherdied.Whenhewasnine,hismothergotremarried.Unluckily,hisstepfatherwasahypocriteandoftentorturedhismotherand

him.Afterhismotherdied,hisstepfathersenthimfarawaytobeachildlaborer.Withoutotherchoices,hehadtorunoffandseekhelpfromhisfather''''saunt─Miss

Betsey.Fortunately,shewaswillingtotakehiminandsendhimtoreceivefurthereducation.Duringthistime,hecametoknowMrWickfieldandhisdaughterAgnes.

Afterhisgraduation,hisauntarrangedhimtodopracticeinMrSpenlow’slawyerfirm.Verysoon,hemethisdaughterDora,fellinlovewithherandevenmade

engagementwithherinsecret.Thereafter,MissBetseywentbankruptandMrWickfieldlosthiscontroloverhisfirmasaresultofUriah’stricks.However,

retributionwasquickanddecisive.Finally,Uriah’strickswereexposedandhisill-gottenmoneywasalsoreclaimedbyMissBetsey.

Intheend,DoradiedofillnessshortlyafterhermarriagewithDavid.Havingexperiencedsomuch,DavidbecameawarethatitwasAgneswhocouldreallybringhim

happiness.Sohegainedhistruehappinessbymarryingher.Whenthestorywasclosetotheend,heachievedgreatsuccessasafamouswriterinEngland.

Likeotherclassics,ThePersonalHistoryofDavidCopperfield,alsoconsumedtheauthoragreatdealofmentalwork.Beforegettingdowntowritingthisnovel,hehad

spentmanyyearslookingforinspirations.Intheprocessofcreatingthenovel,Dickensexertsseveralskillstomakeitappealing.Thus,fromthismasterpiecewecan

appreciatetheauthor’sskillfulnessinmorethanoneway.

I.Thedesignofthedistinctivecharacters

Inthisnovel,Dickensportraysalargenumberofcharacters,untiltoday,manyofwhicharestillfreshinpeople’sminds.MissBetsey,MrMicawberandUriahHeep

arethemosttypicalonesamongthecrowd.Tocreatethoseclassicfigures,theauthoremployscertainarttomakethemunforgettableinappearanceandpersonality.

“Whendescribingthelooksofthecharacters,Dickensmakesuseofsymbolisminaningeniousway,sofromeachpersonwecanfindacentraltheme.”(周春天,2003:16)

Therefore,thereadersareabletomemorizethemmoreeasily.

MrMicawberisanamusingfigure.Theauthordescribeshislooksinthisway:“…buthehadanimposingshirt-collaron.Hecarriedajauntysortofastick,witha

largepairofrustytasselstoit;andaquizzing-glasshungoutsidehiscoat…”(Dickens,1994:126)AlltheseimagesshowthatMrMicawbermustbeagentlemanof

upper-class.However,atthesametime,hisclothesareshabbyandtheglasseshewearsareonlyusedforornament.Besides,heisoftenindebt.Bysuchasharp

contrast,acaricatureleapsintothereaders’mindsinwhichMrMicawbermanagestobedecentalthoughheisnotatall.

MissBetseyisalsoasuccessfullydesignedcharacter.Sheis“aladywithahandkerchieftiedoverhercap,andapairofgardeningglovesonherhands,wearinga

gardeningpocketlikeatollman’sapronandcarryingagreatknife.”(ibid:154)Innineteenthcentury,femalesofEnglandwereallproperlydressedandtriedtobe

fairladies.Thus,theappearanceofMissBetseyseemstobealientohercontemporaries.Thus,thefunctionsofthesesymbolicdescriptionsaremadeclear,too.

UriahHeepisoneofscuminthisnovel.Thus,whilecreatinghisimagesforthefirsttime,theauthoraddssomefeaturestohimdeliberately.“…Whohadhardlyany

eyebrows,andeyesofared-brown;sounshelteredandunshaded,thatIrememberwonderinghowhewenttosleep.Hewashigh-shoulderedandbony…andhadalong,lank,

skeletonhand…”(ibid:178)Here,theauthoruses“redeyes”tostandforjealousyand“along,lank,skeletonhand”tobesymbolicofcrueltyandsheergreed.

“Whendescribingthepersonality,theauthorexertsexaggerationtomagnifyeverycharacter’sfeature”.(周春天,2003:16)ThereasonwhyMrMicawberimpressesusso

muchisnotonlybecauseofhisappearancebutalsoofhischaracter.MrMicawberisfeaturedbyoptimismandvanity.Wheneverhegetsintodebt,helooksanxiousand

evenlaysarazoronhisneckasiftocommitsuicide.Butassoonasthecreditorleaves,hewillpolishhisshoesandremainexcitedagain,dancingandlaughing.

Throughtheexaggeration,hisoptimismandvanityarefullyexhibited.MissBetseyisanothereccentric.ThenightwhenDavidistobeborn,sheappearssuddenlyand

judgeswhetherthebabyisagirl.Whenthedoctortellsherthatthebabyisaboy,shefeelssoangrythatshethrowsabeltontothedoctor’sheadanddisappears,

neverreturning.Fromalltheseexaggerateddetails,anoddandlovelywomancomesintobeing.

Besidesthefiguresmentionedabove,Dickensalsoworksoutotherdistinctivecharactersinthisbook.Allofthemareuniqueandcanenrichthecontentofthenovel.

II.Thearrangementoftheplot

Theplotofthisnovelisverycomplicatedbutfarfromdisordered.Intermsofarrangementoftheplot,Dickensshowsanincomparableskillhere.“Thestorymainly

developsaroundtwoclues:howUriahcarriesouthistricksstepbystep;howEmilyisseducedandthendesertedbySteerforth,bothofwhicharethemain-plotsof

thisnovel.”(侯維瑞李維屏,2005:290)

Uriahisoneoffewevilsamongthecompany.HetakesadvantageofMrWickfield’sdeclininghealthandtrusttocheatinhisbusinessandrisetothepartnerofhis

lawyerfirm.Whenhismaskisfinallyremoved,wefeeltheresultisreasonableandnaturalbecausetheauthorhasdesignedsomedetailsinformerchapterstoleave

signsaboutUriah’sbid.Asthisfigureturnsupforthefirsttime,thedescriptionabouthislooksandmannerhassuggestedheisunpleasantandoily.Later,in

ordertocontinuetheconversation,DavidsaysperhapsonedayUriahwillbecomeMrMickfiekld’spartnerinbusiness.Tohissurprise,Uriahrespondssostrongly:

＂Oh,no,MasterCopperfield,”returnedUriah,shakinghishead,“Iammuchtoohumbleforthat!”

Hecertainlydidlookuncommonlylikethecarvedfaceonthebeamoutsidemywindow,ashesat,inhishumanity,eyeingmesideways,withhismouthwidened,

andthecreasesinhischeeks.(Dickens,1994:191)

Fromthisdescription,itisnotdifficultforustofeelsomethingstrange.

Similarly,theelopementofEmilyandSteerforthisalsouncoveredinapropermanner.Longbeforetheymeeteachother,Dickenshasmadeahintabouttheir

unnaturalrelations.ThesecondtimeDavidgoestoMrPeggoty’shouse,hetellsthemtheheroicdeedsabouthisbestfriend―Steerforth.Atthismoment,theauthor

stressesthefacialchangesofEmily.“LittleEmily’sface,whichwasbentforwardoverthetable,listeningwiththedeepestattention,herbreathheld,herblue

eyessparklinglikejewels,andthecolourmantlinginhercheeks.”(ibid:114)Inafewwords,Emily’semotionaldevelopmentappearsbeforethereader’seyes.

Thereafter,beforeSteerforthcarriesouthisplan,hesaystoDavid:“Ifanythingshouldeverseparateus,youmustthinkofmeatmybest,e!Letus

makethatbargain.”(ibid:355)Here,hisunusualutterancealsoforecasttheelopement.

Inthisnovel,Dickensalsoarrangessomesub-plotswhichareequallylogicalandwell-designed,suchastheinevitabilityoftragiclovebetweenDavidandDora.

Inchapter35,Davidtellshisromancetohisaunt.ThenMissBetseysays,“Andsoyouthinkyouwereformedforoneanother,andaretogothroughaparty-supper-table

kindoflife,liketwoprettypiecesofconfectionery,doyou,Trot?’’(ibid:411)Attheendoftheconversation,shekeepsrepeating“blind,blind,blind”.From

MissBetsey’sattitudetowardsthefutureofthisyoungcouple,wecandetectapessimisticatmospherebetweenlinesbyourselves.

Undoubtedly,theskillfuldesignofplotisessentialforthesuccessofanyworks.Inthisclassic,frombeginningtotheend,theauthordoesnottellreaders

allthefactsdirectlybutleavessomecluesattimesandletthemguessandjudgeintheirownminds.Thus,readerscanreaditwithmoreattentionandinterest.

III.Differentapproachestoachievinghumor

Dickens’novelisfamousforapeculiarhumorousstyle,whichcanmakereaderslaughingtearfully.Inthismasterpiece,heusesdifferentapproachestoachieving

humor.

Firstly,headoptsironytocondemnevilsandsimultaneouslymakesthelanguagereadfunny.Oneofthesocialrealitieshecriticizesistheeducationalsystem.In

chapter5,DavidissenttoSalemHouse.Theheadmasterisadevil.Healwaystortureshisstudentswithsticksandwhips.Heistheleastlearnedbutmostferocious

teacherintheschool.Thestudentstherearedisobedient.WhattheyareinterestedinisonlySteerforthandhearsayofteachers.Throughthesarcasm,theauthor

attackstheVictorianeducationontheonehandandamusesreadersontheotherhand.

Secondly,hecreatesmanycomicalscenes,whichisalsoaneffectivewaytoachievehumor.Amongthem,thescenethatMissBetseydrivesdonkeysoffherlawndeserves

tobementioned.Inchapter13,afterDavidmakeshimselfknowntohisaunt,hetellsherhismiserableexperiences.Wheneverhetellsthemostpainfulpartandnearly

burstsintotears,thedonkeywillbreakinthegarden.Thushisauntwillrushtodriveitoffandhehastostopforthemoment.Onetime,Davidistobefeededsoup

byhisaunt.Themomentheopenshismouth,hisauntsuddenlythrowsthespoonawayandrushesouttofightwiththedonkey.Thistime,heissoembarrassedthathe

doesnotknowwhethertolaughorcry.

Lastly,Dickensmakesuseofexaggerationtoachievethehumorouseffect.Obviously,inreallife,wecanneverfindsuchcharacterslikeMrMicawber,MissBetsey,Mr

Dicketc,becauseallofthemhavebeenprocessedbytheauthor.Asaresult,theycanproduceacomiceffectandmakereaderslaughfromtimetotime.

LikethemajorityofDickens’sworks,thisbookalsoaimstocriticizetheevilphenomenainsocietyofthattime.However,byusingthosemethodsabove,theauthor

makestheserioussubjectrevealedinquitearelaxingwaysothathisreaderscangaintheenjoymentandthemorallessonsatthesametime.

IV.Theadoptionofthefirst-personpointofview

Artisticangleisasimportantforpaintersasfornovelists.Itcandecidethewholeschemetocomposethework.Asaresult,priortocreatingthenovel,Dickens

onceconsidereditoverandoveragain.HisliteraryadviseraswellasclosefriendForstersuggestedthatheadoptthefirst-personpointofviewtotaketheheroas

thenarratingbody.Dickensfollowedhisadvicealthoughhenevertrieditbefore.Lateron,hischoicewasprovedtobequiterightforitguaranteedthefinal

successofthebook.

Generallyspeaking,itisnotconvenienttousethefirst-personpointofviewinarathercomplicatedandlongnovelinthatthenarratoris“I”andwriterscannot

recounttheeventshappeningwhen“I”amabsent.Whatismore,theinnerworldofcharactersisalsohardtodescribe.However,Dickenscanexceedallthoselimits

cleverly.HedoesnotintendtoimitateDanielDefore’swritingpatterninTheLifeandSurprisingAdventuresofRobinsonCrusoeforthismodecanonlywritedownthe

hero’sexperiencesandpsychologicalmovements.Instead,“hecombinesthenarrator’sstorywiththatofothercharactersharmoniouslyinthetoneof‘I’.Thus,he

makesupanentitywiththecenterof‘I’andletthefiguresappearingroups.Throughoutthestory,‘I’isalwayspresent,whichisquitedramatic.”(申家仁,

1990:30)

Toapplythisvisualanglecanreceiveseveralbenefits.First,thisviewpointcanconnecttheauthorwiththenarratorofthenovelcloselysothattheauthor’s

inspirationsandmemoriescanpouroutcontinuously.Itenableshimtowritedownwhathesawandheardatwillandthenhaveaheart-to-hearttalkwithreaders.

Second,touse“I”tojoinallthecluescannarrowthedifferencebetweennarrator’sspeakingstyleandothercharacters’.Inthisway,thenarratingtone

peculiartotheleadingrolecanbringtheworkadistinctivelanguagefeature.Third,onthepartofreaders,theyareboundtofindthesimilaritiesbetweentheir

fatesandcharacters’.Consequently,theyfindtheyhavebecomeoneofthecharacterswhentheynearlyfinishthebook.

Conclusion

ThePersonalHistoryofDavidCopperfieldisconsideredtobethemostpopularnovelinEnglishlanguage.Therefore,itsartisticachievementscanneverbesummarized

merelyfromthoseaspectsmentionedabove.However,throughtheanalysis,wecanappreciatethisimmortalworkbetterandimproveourwritingabilitiesinthefuture.

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