论简奥斯丁叙事策略的改变

OntheChangesofJaneAusten’sNarrativeStrategiesAbstract:JaneAusten,asoneofthegreatestfemalenovelistsinthenineteenthcenturyofEnglishliterature,depictedthemiddleclassprovinciallifeinEnglandwithdelicatetouch.Herbooks,suchasEmma,PrideandPrejudice,remainwidely-readandhavebeensuccessfullyadaptedfortelevisionandcinema.TheearlystudyonJaneAustenwasmainlyfocusedinthesocialmeaningofhernovels.However,sincethe20thcentury,moreandmorepeoplestudythewritingartofJaneAustenare.ThisessayanalyzesthechangesofJaneAusten’snarrativestrategiesnotonlyintheaspectsofnarrativevoiceandnarrativeperspective,butalsointheaspectsofnarrativemodeandnarrativemethod.Besides,italsotriestoexplainthereasonswhyJaneAustenchangedhernarrativestrategies.Inconclusion,thesuccessofhernovelsinliteraturehistorymainlyattributedtothechangesofhernarrativestrategies.KeyWords:narrativeperspective;narrativevoice;narrativemode;narrativestyle论简·奥斯丁叙事策略的改变摘要：作为19世纪英国文学史上最杰出的女作家之一，简•奥斯丁用她细致入微的笔触描写了英国中等阶级的生活。她的作品，诸如《爱玛》、《傲慢与偏见》，一直深受读者欢迎，并被成功地改编成电视和电影。早期人们对奥斯丁作品的研究主要在于探求其小说的社会文化意义。自20世纪以来，人们更多地开始关注于奥斯丁小说的创作艺术。本论文主要从叙事视角、叙事声音、叙事模式、叙事手法这四个方面来分析奥斯丁小说叙事策略的变化，并探讨了导致这种变化的原因。总之，简•奥斯丁叙事策略的改变是她作品经久不衰的一个重要原因。关键词：视角；叙事声音；叙事模式；叙事方法

CONTENTSIntroduction 11.Background 11.1JaneAusten’sPersonalLifeandEducation 11.1.1JaneAusten’sPersonalLife 11.1.2JaneAusten’sEducation 21.2JaneAusten’sLiteraryLife 21.2.1JaneAusten’sPrincipleWorks 21.2.2JaneAusten’sLiteraryAchievement 42.TheChangesofJaneAusten’sNarrativeStrategies 52.1TheChangeofNarrativePerspective 52.1.1TheNarrativePerspectiveinJaneAusten’sEarlyWorks 52.1.2TheNarrativePerspectiveinJaneAusten’sLaterWorks 62.2TheChangeofNarrativeVoice 72.2.1TheNarrativeVoiceinJaneAusten’sFirstNovel 72.2.2TheNarrativeVoiceinJaneAusten’sLaterFourNovels 72.2.3TheNarrativeVoiceinJaneAusten’sLastNovel 82.3TheChangeofNarrativeMode 92.3.1TheNarrativeModeinJaneAusten’sEarlyFiveNovels 92.3.2TheNarrativeModeinJaneAusten’sLastNovel 92.4TheChangeofNarrativeStyle 102.4.1TheNarrativeStyleinJaneAusten’sEarlyFiveNovels 102.4.2TheNarrativeStyleinJaneAusten’sLastNovel 113.TheReasonsoftheChangeofJaneAusten’sNarrativeStrategies 123.1TheSocialReasons 123.1.1TheStatusofWomeninJaneAusten’sDay 123.1.2TheSituationofWomenWritersinJaneAusten’sDay 133.2ThePersonalReasons 133.2.1TheFateofJaneAusten’sNovels 133.2.2TheLoveLifeofJaneAusten 144.Conclusion 15Bibliography 18IntroductionJaneAusten,agreatEnglishnovelist,focusedonmiddle-classprovinciallifewithhumorandunderstanding.Herbooks,suchasEmma,SenseandSensibility,andPrideandPrejudice,remainwidely-readandhavebeensuccessfullyadaptedfortelevisionandcinema.TherearemanyacademicresearchbooksonthestudyofJaneAustenabroad.ThesebooksaremainlymemoirsorcollectionsofpapersofAusten.Forexample,MaggieLanepublishedAusten’sworld(1996);HelenLefroywroteJaneAusten;DeirdreLeFayepublishedJaneAustenAFamilyRecord(2021);KathrynSutherlandeditedAMemoirofJaneAustenandOtherFamilyRecollections(2021).Besides,inDavidLodge’sTheArtofFiction,theauthordiscussedthewritingartinAusten’snovels.Recentdecades,researchesonJaneAustenhaveevenevadedChinaandalotofpapersonAustenhaveappearedinsomeimportantjournals.ThisthesisanalyzesthechangesofJaneAusten’snarrativestrategiesinfouraspects.Thatis:narrativevoice,narrativeperspective,narrativemodeandnarrativemethod.Besides,italsotriestoexplainthereasonswhyJaneAustenchangedhernarrativestrategies.1.BackgroundTheknowledgeofJaneAusten’sbackgroundisobviouslyhelpfulforreaderstounderstandhernovels.ThischapterwillgiveabriefintroductionofJaneAusten’spersonallifeandeducationaswellasherliterarylife.1.1JaneAusten’sPersonalLifeandEducationItissaidJaneAustentransformedthestuffofherpeacefullifeintheHampshirecountrysideintosixnovelsthatareamongstthemostpopularintheEnglishlanguage.Atfirst,weshouldlearnmoreaboutherpersonallife.1.1.1JaneAusten’sPersonalLifeJaneAustenwasbornon16December1775atSteventon,asmallvillageinsouthernEngland.Herfatherwasrectorofthatparish.JaneAustenhadsixbrothersandaneldersister,Cassandra.Austenlivedapleasantlifeinherhometownuntilshewastwenty-fivewhenherfatherretired.ThefamilymovedtoBath.Afterthedeathofherfatherin1805,shelivedwithhermotherandsisterinSouthamptonforashorttime.Finally,in1809,thefamilymovedtoapleasantcottageinthevillageofChawton.In1817,JaneAustendiedofillnessinWinchesterandwasburiedinWinchesterAbbey.1.1.2JaneAusten’sEducationJaneAustenwaseducatedatschoolwithhersisterCassandrafortwoyearsandacquiredtheremainderofhereducationbyreadingbooksathome,largelyguidedbyherfatherandherbrothersJamesandHenry.TheAustenswerezealousreadersandtheyoftenwenttosomeprivatelendinglibraries.Asaresult,Janereceivedabroadereducationthanmanywomenofhertime.1.2JaneAusten’sLiteraryLifeAustenstartedtowriteforfamilyamusementwhenshewasachild.Herearliestknownwritingsdatedfromabout1787.Generally,JaneAusten’sliterarycareercanbedividedintotwoperiods.Theearlyperiodencompassingthejuvenilia,aswellasSenseandSensibility,PrideandPrejudice,andNorthangerAbbeywhilethelaterperiodincludingEmma，MansfieldPark,andPersuasion.Theyareseparatedbyanintermissionofeightyears.1.2.1JaneAusten’sPrincipleWorksTheprincipleworksofJaneAustenaresixcompletenovels,notcountingsomeofherearlyefforts,suchasLadySusanandthefragmentTheWatsons,andthelastunfinishedworkSandition.Themainsubjectsofhernovelsaremoneyandmarriage.Shefocusedonthelifeofyounggirlsingentryclassfamilieswithkeenobservation.InallofAusten’snovels,herheroinesareultimatelymarried.NorthangerAbbeyNorthangerAbbeywasthefirstofJaneAusten’snovelstobecompletedforpublication,thoughshehadpreviouslymadeastartonSenseandSensibilityandPrideandPrejudice.AccordingtoCassandraAusten’sMemorandum,Susan(asitwasfirstcalled)waswrittenabouttheyearsbetween1798and1799.Itwasrevisedforthepressin1803,butunfortunatelyremainsformanyyearsinapublishinghouse.Thenovelwasfurtherrevisedandpublishedposthumouslyin1818.Itisafinesatiricalnovel,makingsportofthepopularGothicnovelofterror,butitdoesnotrankamonghermajorworksuntilrecentdecades.SenseandSensibilitySenseandSensibilitywasJaneAusten’sfirstpublishednovel.Thefirstdraftoftheworkwaswrittenin1795underthetitle“ElinorandMarianne”.Accordingtosomesources,theformofthenovelwaswritteninletters.In1797AustenrewrotethenovelandtitleditSenseandSensibility.Afteryearsofpolishing,itwasfinallypublishedin1811.ThenoveldescribedacontrastbetweentheDashwoodsisters’characters.ItisbelievedthatthetitleofthisbookdescribeshowElinorandMariannefindabalancebetweensenseandsensibilityinlifeandlove.PrideandPrejudicePrideandPrejudiceisthemostfamousofJaneAusten’snovelsandoneofthefirst“romanticcomedies”inthehistoryofthenovel.Austenbegantowritetheearlyversionofthestoryandtitled“FirstImpressions”in1796,whenshewas21yearsoldandhadcompleteditthenextyear.TheworkwasrewrittenandfirstpublishedunderthetitlePrideandPrejudiceon28January1813.ThebookwenttothreeprintingsduringAusten’slifetime.PrideandPrejudicedescribedtheclashbetweenElisabethBennet,thedaughterofacountrygentleman,andFitzwilliamDarcy,aricharistocraticlandowner.Theirrelationshipstartsfromdislikebutatlasttheyfallinloveandarehappilyunited.MansfieldIn1811JaneAustenbeganMansfieldEmmaInJanuary1814,shortlybeforeMansfieldParkwaspublished,Austenbegananewnovel,Emma.AustencompleteditinMarchofthenextyearandpublisheditin1816.EmmawaswrittenincomictoneandtoldthestoryofEmmaWoodhouse,whofindsherdestinyinmarriage.DuringthestoryEmma,asnobbishyoungwomandevelopsintosomeonecapableoffeelingandlove.ThereismuchevidencetosupportthecontentionofsomecriticsthatEmmaisAusten’smostbrilliantnovel.ThesaturationofanarrowhumansituationwiththeauthorPersuasionPersuasion,begunin1815andpublishedposthumously,togetherwithNorthangerAbbey,isJaneAusten’slastcompletenovelandisperhapsmostdirectlyexpressiveofherfeelingsaboutherownlife.Thetitlerefertotheheroine,AnneElliotaswellasseveralothercharacters,whofindthemselvesbeingpersuadedorrefusingtobepersuaded.ThepredominanttoneofPersuasion,however,isnotsatiricalbutromantic.Itis,intheend,themostbeautifullovestorythatJaneAusteneverwrote.1.2.2JaneAusten’sLiteraryAchievementAlthoughJaneAusten’snovelswerewidelyread,herworkswerepublishedanonymouslyandbroughtheronlyafewpositivereviewsduringherlifetime.SirWalterScotthighly-praisedJaneAusteninhisjournalofMarch14,1826:“ThatyoungladyhadatalentfordescribingtheinvolvementsandfeelingsandcharactersofordinarylifewhichistomethemostwonderfulIhaveevermetwith.”(Scott,1826)GeorgeHenryLewes,afamousPhilosopherandliterarycriticalsoadmiredJaneAustenverymuch.Heexpressedhisopinioninoneofhislettersthatonemust“learntoacknowledgeherasoneofthegreatestartists,ofthegreatestpaintersofhumancharacter,andoneofthewriterswiththenicestsenseofmeanstoanendthateverlived”.Twocenturieslater,JaneAustenisnowconsideredasoneofthegreatestnovelistinEnglishLiterature.InTheCommonReaderbyVirginiaWoolf,WoolfcalledAusten“themostperfectartistamongwomen”.MoreandmorescholarsrankherwithShakespeare.Herworks,inthemeantime,areadmiredbymanyscholarsandstillbroughthergrowingfame.2.TheChangesofJaneAusten’sNarrativeStrategiesJaneAusten’sworksgiveagoodpictureofcountrylifeinEnglandtwohundredyearsago.Herskillednarrativestrategiesarousedmanypeople’sconcern.However,JaneAustendidnotadoptthesamenarrativestrategiesinallofherworks.Inthischapter,wewillanalyzethechangesofJaneAusten’snarrativestrategiesinfouraspects.Thatis:narrativevoice,narrativeperspective,narrativemodeandnarrativemethod.2.1TheChangeofNarrativePerspectiveJaneAustenadoptedthethird-personnarrativeinallofhersixnovels.Inherearlynovels,thereisanomniscientnarrator,thatistosay,anarratorwhoseemsall-seeingorall-knowingabouttheeventsofthestory.ThenJaneAustengraduallyadjustedthepointofviewandadoptedthelimitedthird-personnarrativeperspective.Comparingwiththeearlynovels,JaneAustenadoptedthelimitedthird-personnarrativeveryearlyinthetextofherlaterworks.2.1.1TheNarrativePerspectiveinJaneAusten’sEarlyWorksTakeSenseandSensibilityasanexample.Whenreadingthefirstfewchapters,readerscanimmediatelyfindanarratorwhoisnarratingthestorylikeagodstandingoutsidetheworldofthework.Throughtheeyeofthisnarrator,readersseecharactersandeventsclearly.Withthedevelopmentoftheplot,especiallyfromthechapter11,theworldofthenovelbegantobeviewedthroughElinor’spointofview.Forinstance,afterthecanceloftheintendedexcursiontoWhitwell,peopleorderedsomecarriagestodriveaboutthecountry.ThenMarianneandWilloughby“wereoutofsight”.Insteadoftellingreaderswhereandhowtheyspendthemorningimmediately,forsomereason,thenarratoronlymakementionoftheirclaimthat“theyhadkeptinthelanes,whiletheotherswentonthedowns”.NotuntilMrs.Jenningstoldothersthefactatdinner,werethereaders“informedthattheyhadgonetoAllenham,andspentaconsiderabletimethereinwalkingaboutthegardenandgoingalloverthehouse.”(Chapter13,SenseandSensibility)AccordingtoOxfordConciseDictionaryofLiteraryTerms:Theomniscientnarratorhasafullknowledgeofthestory’seventsandofthemotivesandunspokenthoughtsofthevariouscharacters.Heorshewillalsobecapableofdescribingeventshappeningsimultaneouslyindifferentplaces—acapacitynotnormallyavailabletothelimited“pointofview”offirst-personnarratives.(p156)Inthatcase,wemaywonderwhythenarratorholdsthefactatfirstsincesheknowseverything.This,inmyopinion,couldbeexplainedbythefollowingtwoaspects.Ontheonehand,Austenwantedtokeeptheplotinastateofsuspenseassuchkindofnarrativestrategycouldmaketheplotmoreattractive.Ontheother,AustenintendedtomaketheheroineElinorbeafocalizer,throughwhoseeyestheworldisobserved.Therefore,AustenhadtoconcealthetruthbecauseElinorwasnotpresentanddidnotseewhathadhappenedatthattime.Inthefollowingchapters,alongwiththeestablishmentoftheheroine’scommandingposition,JaneAustengraduallyadjustedthepointofview.ThenthewholestoryisalmostobservedthroughElinor’seyes.2.1.2TheNarrativePerspectiveinJaneAusten’sLaterWorksInJaneAusten’slaterworks,however,itseemsthatthenarrativeperspectivemakesalittledifferent.TakeEmmaasanexample:EmmaWoodhouse,handsome,clever,andrich,withacomfortablehomeandhappydisposition,seemedtounitesomeofthebestblessingsofexistence;andhadlivednearlytwenty-oneyearsintheworldwithverylittletodistressorvexher.(Chapter1,Emma)Here,JaneAustenintroducedEmmaWoodhouseattheverystartofthisnovel.ItiseasyforreaderstoconfirmthatEmmaistheheroineofthisnovel.NomatterEmmaisatpresentornot,shealwaysoccupiesacommandingposition.AllthestorieshappenedaroundEmma.Throughhereyes,readersseecharactersofeverydescription:HarrietSmith,averyprettybutunsophisticatedyounggirl;JaneFairfax,averybeautiful,clever,andelegantwoman,withthebestofmanners;Mr.FrankChurchill,anamiableyoungmanandsoon.Therefore,Austeneliminatedthebarriersbetweenthenarratorandthereadersandbroughtthereadersintotheworldofworksfromthestart.Inthisperiodoftime,JaneAustenadoptedthelimitedthird-personnarrativeveryearlyinherworks.Itisevidentthatshehadmuchconfidenceintheuseofthisnarrativeperspective.2.2TheChangeofNarrativeVoice“Voiceinnarrationisaquestionofwhoitiswe‘hear’doingthenarrating.”InJaneAusten’sfirstnovel,shemadecommentsopenlyinanauthorialnarrativevoice.Thenshechangedhernarrativevoiceandchoseanindirectandimplicitnarrativevoiceinherlaterfournovels.Finally,sheattemptedtoregainthefemaleauthorshipinherlastnovel.2.2.1TheNarrativeVoiceinJaneAusten’sFirstNovelInherfirstnovelNorthangerAbbey,JaneAustentriedtoseekforfemaleauthorship.Fromthefirstchapterofhisnovelthenarratorbegantomakecommentsonissuessuchaswomenandnovelsopenlyinanauthorialvoice.Forinstance,shemanifestedanexplicitattitudetocriticizethebiasagainstnovelists:“Althoughourproductionshaveaffordedmoreextensiveandunaffectedpleasurethanthoseofanyotherliterarycorporationintheworld,nospeciesofcompositionhasbeensomuchdecried.Frompride,ignorance,orfashion,ourfoesarealmostasmanyasourreaders.”(Chapter5,NorthangerAbbey)2.2.2TheNarrativeVoiceinJaneAusten’sLaterFourNovelsSenseandSensibility,however,showsasuppressionofauthorialvoice.InthebookFictionsofAuthority:WomenWritersandNarrativeVoice,SusanSniaderLanserpointedoutthatSenseandSensibility“…avoidsovertauthorialityalmostentirely:thenarratordoesnotusethefirstperson,almostnevertakesanexplicitstance,andsaysvirtuallynothingabouteithergenderorliterature.Norwillanysubsequentnovelcallattention,inthewaythatNorthangerAbbeydoes,toitsnarrativevoice.Whilethepresenceofthenarrative‘I’isnotinitselfsignificant,thereisasignificantcontrasttoNorthangerAbbeyinthefactthatthereisonlyoneuseofthe‘I’inPrideandPrejudice,SenseandSensibility,andPersuasionrespectively,noneinEmma,andabriefflurrylateinMansfieldPark.ExceptinSenseandSensibility,alltheseinstancesofauthorial“I”arelocatedinthefinalchaptersofthenovels.”(Lanser1992:72)Inthoselaternovels,thesekindofsharpcriticismswerealmostmadebycharactersthroughsometrivialtalks.Lookatthefollowingexamples.InPrideandPrejudice,Mrs.BennetyelledatMr.Bennetthat“Idothinkitisthehardestthingintheworldthatyourestateshouldbeentailedawayfromyourownchildren”andthen“railbitterlyagainstthecrueltyofsettlinganestateawayfromafamilyoffivedaughters,infavourofamanwhomnobodycaredanythingabout”.(Chapter13,PrideandPrejudice)“Withallduerespecttosuchofthepresentcompanyaschancetobemarried,”saidMaryCrawford,acharacterinMansfieldPark,tohersisterMrs.Grant,“thereisnotoneinahundredofeithersexwhoisnottakeninwhentheymarry.”(Chapter5,MansfieldIfAustenhadcontinuedthenarrativevoiceadoptedinthefirstnovel,alltheseopinionswouldbevoicedbyanall-knowingnarratoropenly,ratherthanbestatedinthedirectspeechoffemalefigureswhowere“foolish,misguided,ormorallyambiguous”(Lanser1992:76).2.2.3TheNarrativeVoiceinJaneAusten’sLastNovelAfterhadwrittenfivenovels,inPersuasion,AustenattemptedtoregaintheauthorialitywhichhaddisappearedafterNorthangerAbbey’sfailure.Thewholestoryisnarratedbyanon-ironizedtoneofvoice.Therefore,thenarrativevoiceisgivenmoreauthority.Inaddition,Austencreatedacompletelyreliablecharacter,AnneElliot,astheheroineofthisnovel.Here,throughthediscourseofthesecharacters,JaneAustenmadehernarratorreturntosomecontroversialissues，suchasissuesonwriters(ScottandByron)andwriting(poetryandprose)aswellasissuesongenderandauthority.Forexample,neartheendofPersuasion,inadiscussionwithCaptainHarville,AnneElliotclearlypointedouttheliteraryadvantagesofmen:“Menhavehadeveryadvantageofusintellingtheirownstory.Educationhasbeentheirsinsomuchhigheradegree;thepenhasbeenintheirhands.”(Chapter23,Persuasion)ReaderswouldagreewithwhatAnnesaidinvoluntaryforthischaracterareauthoritative.Asaresult,Austen“buildsupabridgeofsympathybetweenthereaderandtheheroinesothattheycouldpossiblyreachanagreementandsharethevaluejudgment,whichstrengthensthefemaleauthorialvoice.”2.3TheChangeofNarrativeModeCinderellaiswidelyknownasanoldfamousfairytaleinthewesternworld.Asamatteroffact,JaneAustenadoptedthenarrativemodeinCinderellainallofhersixnovels.Accordingtothemodeofthistale,JaneAustencreatedaseriesoffemalefigureswithmanyvirtues.LikeCinderellainthefairytale,theheroinesofherworksarenotonlybeautifulbutalsokind-hearted.Ontheotherhand,theyhadtofaceallkindsoffrustrationsinlifeormarriage.Finally,accordingtothisnarrativemode,the“happyending”isalwaystogetherwithapleasingwedding.MostoftheheroineschangetonoblewomenaftertheygetmarriedwithanoblemanasCinderelladid.2.3.1TheNarrativeModeinJaneAusten’sEarlyFiveNovelsIntraditionalCinderella’snarrativemode,menarealwaysregardedastheguardiansoffemale.Therefore,theheroinesstandlowersocialpositionsandneedtobeprotectedbytheheroes.InJaneAusten’searlynovels,theheroinesareeitherhavingalowerpositionthantheheroesorhavingsomeshortcomingswhichledthesefemalefiguresmeetalotofhardshipsintheirwaytopursuinghappiness.Ontheotherhand,theheroeshavethespiritualsuperiorityandplaytheroleof“idealgentlemanandtutor”andhelptheheroinestoperfectthemselves.Theheroineswouldnothavehadhappinesswereitnotfortheguidanceofthosemenfigures.Forexample,CatherineMorland,theheroineofNorthangerAbbey,whohadreadtoomanyGothicnovels,mademanymistakesofapplyingGothicnovelstoreallifesituations.Besides,owningtolackofexperience,CatherinewasdeceivedbyhernewfriendIsabella,aself-servingyoungwoman.Eventually,Catherinegraduallybegantobesingle-mindedandproperlymatureindividuallyunderthehelpoftheheroofNorthangerAbbey,HenryTilney.2.3.2TheNarrativeModeinJaneAusten’sLastNovelHowever,inPersuasion,Austenbrokewiththistradition,andtriedtochangetheroleofherfemalefiguresinhernovel.Theheroine,AnneElliotismorematurethanthehero.JustlookatanaccidenthappenedinChapter12.InLyme,Louisaundergoneaconcussioninafallcausedbyherownimpulsivebehavior.Hercompanions,includingCaptainWentworth,stoodarounddumbstruckwhenonlookerscriedthatLouisawasdead.Theheroine,AnneElliot,inthiscriticalmoment,administeredfirstaidandsummonedassistancewithself-possession.Inthisnovel,undertheinfluenceofAnne,CaptainWentworth“hadlearnttodistinguishbetweenthesteadinessofprincipleandtheobstinacyofself-will,betweenthedaringsofheedlessnessandtheresolutionofacollectedmind.”(Chapter23,Persuasion)Here,itisnottheherobuttheheroinewhoperfectedtheother.2.4TheChangeofNarrativeStyleAsweallknow,JaneAusten’sartistryisapparentintheinventionoftheminorcharacters.Oneofhermostcrucialtoolsisdialogue.Herworks,sotospeak,arevariouskindsofdialogues.Exceptcharacterization,dialogueisalsobestowedbyAustenwithotherfunctions,suchashidingclues,describingsettings,andsoon.Whenwearereadingherearlyfivenovels,weoftenfeellikelisteningtowittyandfascinatingdialogues.AlthoughtherearestillmanywittydialoguesinPersuasion,descriptions,especiallyemotionaldescriptionsareusedtocreatethecharacterstoagreatextent.2.4.1TheNarrativeStyleinJaneAusten’sEarlyFiveNovelsInSenseandSensibility,LucytoldElinorthesecretthattheformerandEdwardFerrarshadbeenengagedforfouryears.ItseemsthatLucytrustedElinorverymuchandtreatedherasanoldacquaintance.ButfromherhypocriticalandaffectedtoneinconversationwithElinor,herrealintentionsstuckoutamile.Infact,LucywantedtoirritateElinorforknowingthelatterwasonclosetermwithEdward.HerartificialsadnessdisguisedaninnergaietywhenshedisclosedherengagementtoElinor.Bythisway,JaneAustenportrayedthecharacterofLucy:adeceitfulandselfishfiguresuccessfully.Furthermore,asoneofAusten’smostpopularnovel,PrideandPrejudicesalsocouldbeagoodillustration.FromtheexcellentdialoguesinPrideandPrejudices,wecanunderstandthecharactersoffigureseasily:theintelligenceofElizabeth,thesarcasticwitanddryhumorofMr.Bennet,thefatuityandboorishnessofMrs.BennetaswellasthesuperciliousnessandperemptorinessofLadyCatherine.ThesedialoguesthrowlightonthementalitiesofthefiguresinJaneAusten’sworks.WecansaywithoutexaggerationthatJaneAustencreatedhernovelsbymeansofdialoguesasaplaywrightdid.2.4.2TheNarrativeStyleinJaneAusten’sLastNovelAsamatteroffact,inherlastnovel,Austenweakenedthemethodofcreatingcharactersbyusingalotofdialogues.MoreandmoreemotionaldescriptionscouldbefoundinPersuasion.Inthefollowingpassage,AustenmanifestedthecomplicatedemotionsofAnneinarainyday:thoughdesiroustobegone,shecouldnotquittheMansionHouse,orlookanadieutotheCottage,withitsblack,drippingandcomfortlessveranda,orevennoticethroughthemistyglassesthelasthumbletenementsofthevillage,withoutasaddenedheart.SceneshadpassedinUppercrosswhichmadeitprecious.Itstoodtherecordofmanysensationsofpain,oncesevere,butnowsoftened;andofsomeinstancesofrelentingfeeling,somebreathingsoffriendshipandreconciliation,whichcouldneverbelookedforagain,andwhichcouldneverceasetobedear.Sheleftitallbehindher,allbuttherecollectionthatsuchthingshadbeen.(Chapter13,Persuasion)Here,tobemoreexact,therainydayiscloserelatedtothefeelingoftheheroine.Inaddition,itisseldomtofindthedelicatedescriptionofnatureinJaneAusten’sothernovels.Persuasion,however,isanexceptio