小议大卫•科波菲尔传中的写作方法

摘要:《大卫•科波菲尔传》是由查尔斯•狄更斯创作完成的。该作品讲述了小人物大卫•科波菲尔一生的奋斗历程。小说表现了作者的艺术技巧。本文从人物刻画，情节安排，不同的幽默形式以及第一人称叙事手法的运用四个方面分析了作者在该作中所表现出的娴熟的写作技巧。通过分析，我们可以更好地欣赏这部作品并在今后提高我们的写作水平。

关键词：写作技巧；大卫•科波菲尔

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.”(侯维瑞李维屏,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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