探究斯蒂芬·克莱恩诗集中的三类意象-以《黑骑者》为例学位论文

AbstractThisthesisaimstostudythethreeimagesinthepoetryofStephenCraneandmakesadeeperunderstandingoftheartisticcharmofhispoetry.Duringhisshortlife,Cranecomposedmanyoutstandingworks,suchasRedBadgeofCourage,TheOpenBoatandsoon.Mostoftheresearchesbothathomeandabroadaremainlyabouthisliteratures,whiletherearefewstudiesfocusingonartisticachievementsandstylesofpoetry.Crane’spoetryisquiteinnovativeandfantasticnotonlyincontentbutalsoinform.Hispoetryisanimportantpartofhisshortbutbrilliantliteraturecareer.Thethemesofpoetrypresentastrongnaturalismaswellashisnovel.What’smore,thosepoemsgivepeopleafreshfeeling,andmostareendowedwithmuchphilosophy.Craneoftenpaysgreatattentiontothefunctionofimagesinthepoetry,andtheconstructionoftheimageisoftenconcrete,clear,whichisbasicallyspreadonadominantimage.Cranelikessomeonewhowithascalpel,isbeingcalmanddeep.Hedoesnotperformthesurgeryonourbody.Instead,hemakesaninterrogationonoursoul.Inordertoappreciateandjudgetheliterarygeniusinacomprehensiveandsystematic,objectiveandimpartialway,thisthesiswilltakethepoetryanthologyTheBlackRidersandOtherLinesforexampletosummarizethreeimagestoreflectthenaturalismandphilosophyofCrane.KeyWords:StephenCrane;poetry;naturalism;image摘要本论文旨在研究斯蒂芬·克莱恩诗歌作品中的意象特点，深刻了解其诗歌作品的艺术魅力。在诗人短暂的一生中，创作了许多优秀的小说作品，如《红色英勇勋章》、《海上扁舟》等，且国内外研究大多是研究其小说作品，但对于其诗作、诗风和诗歌艺术成就方面的研究著述却难得一见。而克莱恩的诗歌无论在内容还是在形式上，都颇有创新和别出心裁之处。克莱恩的诗歌创作是他短暂而辉煌的文学生涯的一个重要组成部分，与他的小说一样，他的诗歌主题上也呈现出强烈的自然主义色彩。诗歌给人以清新的感觉，并大多都赋有深刻的哲理。克莱恩的诗作十分注重意象的作用，而且，意象的构建往往比较具体、明晰，基本上都是一首诗围绕一个主导意象展开。作者宛如一个拿着手术刀的医师，冷静而深刻，只不过他没有在我们肌体上施行手术，而是在我们的心灵深处对我们作了一次解剖，对我们的灵魂进行了一次审问。为了我们能全面、系统和客观、公正地去研读和评判这位文坛奇才，本论文以诗集《黑骑者》为例，提炼出三种意象，集中反映诗人诗作中的自然主义思想和哲学思想。关键词：斯蒂芬·克莱恩；诗歌；自然主义；意象ContentsAbstract i摘要 ii1.Introduction 11.1BackgroundinformationofStephenCraneandhisworks 11.2BackgroundofNaturalismperiod 11.3Imagery 22.LiteratureReview 32.1Thepreviousstudiesonthewritingtechniques 32.1.1Naturalism 32.1.2Symbolism 32.2Thepreviousstudiesonthelanguagefeaturesandstyle 42.3Thepreviousstudiesonthemes 43.ThreeImagesinCrane’sPoetry 53.1Imageone:themaninanattempttocommunicatewithnature 53.2Imagetwo:theheart-eaterinthedesert 73.3Imagethree:themaninseekingvirtueandtruth 84.Conclusion 11Acknowledgements 131.Introduction1.1BackgroundinformationofStephenCraneandhisworksStephenCrane(1871-1900)wasanAmericannovelist,shortstorywriter,poetandjournalist.Prolificthroughouthisshortlife,hewrotenotableworksintheRealisttraditionaswellasearlyexamplesofAmericanNaturalism.In1895hepublishedhisfirstbookofpoems,TheBlackRiders,whichwasacollectionofshort,caustic,free-verseparablesoftheabsurdityofthehumancondition.ThesameyearsawthepublicationofTheRedBadgeofCourage,arealisticstudyofthemindofaninexperiencedsoldiertrappedinthefuryandturmoilofbattle.ThenovelbroughtCraneinternationalacclaim.Remarkableashisfictionwas,Cranehimselfseemedtopreferpoetryasamediumofexpressionofhisvisionoflife,aswecanseefromaquotationfromhisletter:“IsupposeIoughttobethankfulto‘theRedBadge’,butIammuchfonderofmylittlebookofpoemsTheBlackRiders.Thereason,perhaps,isthatitwasamoreambitiouseffort.MyaimwastocomprehendinitthethoughtsIhavehadaboutlifeingeneral,while‘TheRedBadge’isamereepisodeinlife,amplification.”Laterheworkedasacorrespondent.In1899,asecondvolumeoffree-verse,WarIsKind,anironicalwork,waspublished.AyearlaterhediedoftuberculosisinaGermansanitariumattheageoftwenty-nine.TheBlackRidersandWarisKind,wasunconventionalforthetimeinthatitwaswritteninfreeversewithoutrhyme,meter,oreventitlesforindividualworks.Theyaretypicallyshortinlengthandalthoughseveralpoems,suchas"Donotweep,maiden,forwariskind",usestanzasandrefrains,mostdonot.Asaleadingnaturalist,StephenCraneundoubtedlyheldanegativeviewtowardtheworldandhebelievedthatman’sfateiscontrolledbytwoelements—heredityandenvironment.Hewasrecognizedbymoderncriticsasoneofthemostinnovativewritersofhisgeneration.Moreover,itshouldbepointedoutthathisunusualtalentforcreatingstrikingimagesinfluencedlaterImagistpoets,andhewasoftenseenasanimportantprecursorofthatschoolofmodernpoetry.1.2BackgroundofNaturalismperiodCrane’spoetryisanimportantcomponentofhisliteraturecareerwhichisshortbutbrilliant.Therefore,wecandiscoverthestrongnaturalismideasinhispoetry.NaturalismwasaliterarytrenddevelopedoutofrealismandprevailedinEuropeanliteratureinthesecondhalfofthe19thcentury.Itwasanextremeformofrealismandwasatermmoreproperlyappliedtoart.Itwasdirectlyshownafterthedisappointingperformanceofdisillusionandevendespair,orwasperformanceasapessimisticideathathumanswerepowerlessinfrontofthenature.Meanwhile,humanswerethevassalsofnaturalforcesandthesocialforceswithoutanyfreedomormoralchoices.Natureshowsquietlyandignoringwithacertainkindofobjectiveattitudetohumansufferingwhiledoesn'tlikepeoplewhohavethoughts,feelingsandwisdom.What’smore,thenaturalistwritersfocusedontheimageofthehumblelifeoftheanimal’sdescription,emphasizingthathumanbiologicalinstinctshouldbefullyexpressedinthoseworks.Crane’spersonalexperienceslethimhaveadirectfeelingabouthumanandinhumaneworld.That’swhyhispoetrycanshowanexpressionaboutnaturalismwithtime,withworldandwithhumans.1.3ImageryImageryistherepresentationinpoetryofsensoryexperience.Inotherwords,Imageryisadevicebywhichpoetsappealtooursenses.(LongMaozhong,2005:408)Sightandsoundareonlytwoofthesenses.Thepoetmayappealtoanyofoursenses:touch,taste,smell,bodilysensation,andetc.Imageryisawordorsequenceofwordsthatsuggestasensoryexperience.GuoZhanyanandZhangWenjuan(2010)citethepoetryTheBlackRidersandOtherLinesasaninstancetoanalyzealargenumberofcolorwords.Forexample,theredseriesincludered,crimson,pink,lurid;andblackserieslikeblack,dark,gray,blue,lividandwhitecolor.Thefunctionofthosewordsistosymbolizethepsychologicalchangesofthecharacters.2.LiteratureReviewDuringhisshortlife,StephenCranecomposedmanyoutstandingworks,suchasRedBadgeofCourage,TheOpenBoatandsoon.Mostoftheresearchesbothathomeandabroadmainlystudyhisliteratures.Aliteraturereviewisgivenhere.ThosedomesticresearchesstudyonCrane’sworkswhicharepresentedintheformofdissertation.Theymainlyfocusonthewritingtechniques,languagefeaturesandstylesandthemes.2.1Thepreviousstudiesonthewritingtechniques2.1.1NaturalismMostoftheresearchersmentionthat“ThemaininfluenceoftheformationofnaturalismwasDarwin’sbiologicaltheories”.Thenaturalist’svisionoftheestateofmantendedtobesubjectiveandwasveryoftensomber.EmileZola,themasterofnaturalism,proposedtheideaofnaturalismandwritingtechniquesofit.TheRedBadgeofCourageisthemostpowerfulworkandmostlyfavoredbyscholars.Theystudythisworkatthepointofnaturalismstartingfromtwoaspects:oneistheimpactofnaturalenvironmentonhumanbeingsandtheotheristhedecisivefunctionofgenetic.Bothofthemcanreflectthemeaningofnaturalism.InTheRedBadgeofCourage,researchersconcludethathumansurvivealoneintheuniverseandliveahelplesspredicamentthroughCrane’sdescribingofnatureinfluenceonhumanspiritandattitude.Theotherviewpointisthehumangeneticdecisiveroletohumanactivities,whichshowsthattheworldischaoticandviolent.ZhouKairong(2008)holdstheviewthattherearerelationshipsbetweenindifferentenvironmentandfearofthehero.Itshowsthatthereisaconflictbetweenhuman’soutsideworldandtheirinnerworld,reflectinghowpowerlesshumanareandhowcruelandmeaninglessofwar.TangGengjin(2008)usessomeofCrane’spoemstoexposethenaturalismfeatureinhislines.Forexample,TangGengjinanalysesthepoems“Iwalkedinadesert”and“Amansaidtotheuniverse”toshowthatGodandtheuniverseholdanindifferentattitudetohuman,whichaccordwiththethemeofnaturalism.2.1.2SymbolismSymbolismisanotherimportantwritingtechniqueofCrane’sworkssothatscholarshavedoneagreatamountofresearchesonit.SunHonghong(2001)pointsoutthat“symbolsareimpliedbyspecificthingssuchasanimals,plants,sound,color,etc.”Thesymbolismcanbesummarizedasthefollowing:(1)Animalsymbolism.Therearemorethan80animalsmentionedinhisnovelwhichcanbedividedintotwocategories.Firstoneispoultrylike“pigs,sheep,rats,snake”,whiletheotheronecalledimaginaryanimalssuchas“monster,dragon,serpentandsoon”.Bothofthemsymbolizethebrutalityofwar.(2)Colorimagery.GuoZhanyanandZhangWenjuan(2010)citethepoetryTheBlackRidersandOtherLinesasaninstancetoanalyzealargenumberofcolorwords.Forexample,theredseriesincludered,crimson,pink,lurid;andblackserieslikeblack,dark,gray,blue,lividandwhitecolor.Thefunctionofthosewordsistosymbolizethepsychologicalchangesofthecharacters.(3)Climatesymbolism.Itiseasytoshowhowconfusedtheherofeelsaboutthefuturethroughcoldweatherandfog.(4)Anonymity.ManyrolesinCrane’sworksevendon'thavearealnameandtheyallindicatepoor,tinyandweakwhathumanbeingsare.(5)Absurdity.What’smore,inthemaster’sthesisofLiWendi,sheexplorestheabsurdityinStephenCrane’spoetryandconcludesthreeabsurdimagesfromit.LialsopresentstheideaofCranewhichtowardstothosethreeabsurdimages,whichcanshowman’svariousabsurdrelationshipswithGod,theuniverseandthesociety.2.2ThepreviousstudiesonthelanguagefeaturesandstyleCrane’ssyntaxisdirectandsimple.Yetitisnotboring,becausehiswritingisextremelyintense.Withhisemphasisonfeeling,“hetriedtoworkthatfeelingintothereader,andthiskeepsthesimplesyntaxfrombecomingtooboring.”(WuDingbai,1998:91)CaiXinxing(2009)alsomentionstheironicrhetoricusesinthework.2.3ThepreviousstudiesonthemesTherearemanyresearchersstudyinghisworksfromdifferentaspects.ThroughoutCrane’snovelsandpoetry,thecharactersstruggletopreservetheirmanhoodthoughtheyaresmallandpowerless.LiuHui(2007)concludesthattheheroinTheRedBadgeofCourageistheunityoftheheroandcoward.Shealsopointsoutthatthecharacterisarealman,wholearnsthatthemeasureofone’smanhoodliesmoreinthecomplexwayswhereonefaceswithhismistakesandresponsibilitiesthaninhisconductonthebattlefield.However,anotherscholarYanCancan(2011)analyzestheshortstoryTheOpenBoatinadualisticperspective.Itisbetweentheuniverse’sdisregardingforhumanlifeandthecourageofpursuing.3.ThreeImagesinCrane’sPoetryInCrane’stime,theworldwasfullofuncertainties.Thedevelopmentofsciencechangedthevalueandviewoftraditionalworldandhadanintenseeffectonthewayofthinking.TheprevalenceofNaturalismbroughtinanegativeattitudetowardslifeasmanwasthwartedinhisillusionofhimselfassuperiortoanimalsonearth.Man’sinstinctwastogetbackwhatwasfamiliartohimandtrytofigureoutthemeaningoflife.Cranehimselfdeclinedtocallthempoems,referringtothemonlyas‘lines’.Heoncestatedthathisoverallpoeticaimwas“togivemyideasoflifeasawhole,sofarasIknowit”.Thepoeticstylewasunconventionalforthetimeinthatitwaswrittenwithoutrhyme,meter,oreventitlesforindividualworks.Theyaretypicallyshortinlengthandalthoughseveralpoemsusestanzasandrefrains,mostdonot.Cranealsodifferedfromhispeersandpoetsoflatergenerationsinthathisworkcontainsallegory,dialecticandnarrativesituations.Thisvolumeoffreeverseforeshadowedtheworkoftheimagistpoetswithitsconcise,vividimages.Cranewrote“anintellectualpoetryratherthanapoetrythatevokesfeeling,apoetrythatstimulatesthemindratherthanarousestheheart”.(RuthMiller)ThroughthefollowinganalysisofimageswecanlearnthemanifestationofthethemesthatCranewantstoconvey.3.1Imageone:themaninanattempttocommunicatewithnatureUnderthewholebackgroundofNaturalism,weshouldpayattentiontothreeaspectsofCrane’spoetry.Oneisthatthewildernesswhichisreleasedbytheworks.Infact,thiskindofancientandwildatmospheresymbolizestheindifferentnatureandthespiritualoppressionofpeoplebytheinfluenceonit.WenowstudyandanalysehispoemcollectedinWarIsKind.Amansaidtotheuniverse:“Sir,Iexist!”“However,”repliedtheuniverse,“ThefacthasnotcreatedinmeAsenseofobligation.”(TangGenjin,2008citedinPerkins,1981:811)ThisisoneofthemostfamousworksofCrane.Thoughthereareonlyfivelines,agalvanicandpowerfuleffectcanbefeltwhenwereadit.Wecancatchthemaininformationthattheuniverseisregardedasthehighestandmostpowerfuloneamongmanandhelooksdownonman.Sofocusingonthe“universe”inthepoemisthedominationofhumanfate.Therefore,theimageofhumanisveryinferiorwhenitiscomparedwiththe“universe”.Asamatteroffact,whatmancandomaybejusttolookupattheskyandsigh.Certainly,therereallyexistsan“I”.For“I”,itmeanseverything;butfor“universe”,itmeansnothingbecause“universe”meansforever.Thefirsttwolinesshowaman’sdesiretobevaluedandthedesiretoseekforandidentifytheworld.However,therestofthepoem‘“However”,repliedtheuniverse,/“Thefacthasnotcreatedinme/asenseofobligation””setsasharpcontrastwiththeformerpartintone—universeisindifferent.Universerepliesthatthefactofman’sexistencedoesnotcreateanyobligationwithinhim.Inotherwords,youareyourself.Thefactthatyouaretherehasnothingtodowithme.Manshouldtakecareofhimselfandmindhisownbusiness.Asenseoflonelinessprevailsthroughoutthepoem.Manisalone.Heshouldnotexpectanyhelpfromanybodyelse.Cranepickedtheobjects“I”and“universe”andgavethemsymbolicmeaning.Heretheroleisanonymous,whoindicatespoor,tinyandweak.Theanonymousheroisinferiorbycomparingwiththepowerfuluniversewhichisnotlimitedbyspaceandtime.Cranetriedtoexpressthepowerofenvironmentandheredityonhumanbeingsandtoshowthestatethathumanlackofrationandtheabsurditybetweenmananduniverse.“I”triestobeamemberof“universe”butheholdsanindifferentattitudeon“I”.Inpoem42,Craneexpressesthesamekindofattempt.42.Iwalkedinadesert,AndIcried,“Ah,God,takemefromthisplace!”Avoicesaid,“Itisnodesert.”Icried,“Well,but—Thesand,theheat,thevacanthorizon.”Avoicesaid,“Itisnodesert.”Thistime,“I”wantstocommunicatewith“God”butnot“universe”.Desert,thesharpandshockingimage,notonlyreferstotheharshandbadphysicalenvironment,butalsoaworldthatiscoldandcool.Inthepoem,“Thesand,theheat,thevacanthorizon”setsanextremelydifficultworlduponus.Soherewecanseesomesimilaritiesbetweennaturalismandexistentialism.Existentialprotagonistsareoftenlonely,anxietyriddencharacterswhoaretryingtomakesenseoftheirlivesorwhoaretryingtoretaintheircourageinspiteofthefactthattheuniversecaresnothingforthosethingwecallbeautifulorgood.Inthepoem,“I”perhapswantstobesuccessfulinsomefieldbutstillsuffersthedifficulties,therefore,theonlything“I”candoistocrywithinadisappointingheart.Twotimesoftheanswer“Itisnodesert”makeafinaldecisionfor“I”letting“I”knowthatthepowerofnatureissostronganddetermined.Withtheanalysisofthetwopoems,wecanclearlyfindthatCraneactuallyshowshisunconventionalstance,butalsovoiceshissympatheticandunflinchingcallforcourage,integrity,andgenerosityinthefaceofauniverseinwhichhumanbeingsaretinyandweak.(WuDingbai,1998)3.2Imagetwo:theheart-eaterinthedesertThesecondimageinCrane’spoetryisinhumanityoftheworld.Intheeyesofthepoet,theworldsometimesisassociatedwithspookybestialcharacteristicsandanimaltendencyshowedinpoem3,whichiscalledabsurdact.3.InthedesertIsawacreature,naked,bestial,Who,squattingupontheground,Heldhisheartinhishands,Andateofit.Isaid,“Isitgood,friend?”“Itisbitter—bitter,”heanswered;“ButIlikeit“Becauseitisbitter,“Andbecauseitismyheart.”Thepoemdescribesaconversationbetweenaman“I”andacreature“he”squattinguponthegroundinthedesertandeatinghisownheart.Wemaybepuzzledbythecreature’sanswertothenarrator’squestions,butifweexamineitcarefully,wemaycometorealizethatitisactuallyaveryphilosophicalone.Cranecreatesanimage—aheart-eaterwhoishalfmanhalfanimal,toexpresstheinhumanity.Firstly,Cranenamesitas“creature”insteadof“human”.Secondly,heusesthreewordstodescribeit:“creature,naked,bestial.”Insomecases,thecreaturehereisnothumanbutahumanoidanimalorthing.Helivesinaworldwithoutclothesandanyprotectionorsecurity.Helosessuchsenseofsecuritylivingindisappointingandhomelessworld,justlikelivinginthedesert.Butwecanclearlyfindthatonlyundersuchcircumstancecanthebehaviorofhumanbereal.Thereisalsothedesertimagewhichsetsthestagewherethecreatureperformshisabsurdact.Desert,thesharpandshockingimage,onceagainreferstotheharshphysicalenvironmentandacoolworld.Thirdly,thecreatureis“licking”hisheartbutnot“eating”hisheart.Wecangetthedeepermeaningofabsurdityactfrompsychologicalaspect.Lickingheartisanactionwhichnotonlydoesharmtoman’sbodybutalsoisaresistanceofthereality.“Anaturalismwriterholdsthepointofviewthatthenatureofhumanoriginallymixeswithgoodandeviltwosides.TheGoodwillbetotallyrecognizedafterrevealEvil”.(ZhouJin,2002)Thereismuchdescriptionaboutbestialityinhumanityandthingsbeconcealed.Sweetfeelinginfactisaself-deception,becausethiskindofself-deceptioncanmakeonefeelmoresubjectivelysuccessful,andbuildupahappyimageononeselftowardothers.Onlybitteristhefeelingthatcanmakehumanstayawakeandrememberwhatisrealintheworld.Thereismuchmorebitternessthansweetnessinthisworld.Businessandmessisakindofbitternessandalsoanxiety,whicharefilledwithhumanhearts.Everyonewantstogetridofthembymakingeveryeffort.Automatically,thiskindofbitternessbecomesthedrivingforceofpeoplepursuinglifeandhappiness.Onceascientisthadsaid,“Bitteristhebasictasteofthisworld”,andthat’stherationaldefinitionofbitterness.WhileCranesaidinthepoem,“Becauseitisbitter,andbecauseitismyheart”,whichistheperceptualadmission.JustasanotherAmericannaturalismwriter,TheodoreDreiser,saidintheSisterCarrie,anordinarymanisjust“aloneoftossing,thoughtlesssea.”(Dreiser,2009:12)Alsoinhispoem54,Craneexpressesthebittertasteoflifefromanotherside.54.“Itwaswrongtodothis,”saidtheangel.“Youshouldlivelikeaflower,“Holdingmalicelikeapuppy,“Wagingwarlikealambkin.”“Notso,”quoththemanWhohadnofearofspirits;“Itisonlywrongforangels“Whocanliveliketheflowers,“Holdingmalicelikethepuppy,“Wagingwarlikethelambkin.”Cranedoesn’tshowhisopiniondirectlybutindirectlythroughtheconversationwhichisbetweenthemanandtheangel.Theheart-eaterinthedesertinpoem3givesustheinhumaneimageandtellsusthathumanshouldtrytheirbesttopursuethehappinessnomatterwhathappens.Bitternessorsweetispartoflife.Whatwecandoisnottoavoidthebitternessinsteadtoharvestthesweetbuttofacewithallkindsofdifficultiesandtoprotectourdreamsandconsistentlychasethedreams.Asweknow,“angel”isanattendantormessengerofGod,whoassociateswithadjectivesvirtuousandkind.Angelcanbringhappinessandlovetohumansothatpeoplewanttogotoheavenaftertheirdeaths.However,themaninthepoemwho“hadnofearofspirits”saysthathewon’tfollowwhattheangelsaid.Asaman,hecanfightforhimselfandmakeeveryefforttochasehisdreambutnottoliveaspeacefullyasangel.3.3Imagethree:themaninseekingvirtueandtruthInthispart,weshouldpayattentiontothespiritofthemanwhowantstopursuevirtueandtruth.Ontheonehand,themancan’tmakehimselftrustthereality.Ontheotherhand,hewantstomakeagreatefforttoseekforthespiritonwhichcansupporthimtolive.Inpoem30,thiskindofparadoxisshowedstrongly.30.SupposingthatIshouldhavethecourageToletaredswordofvirtuePlungeintomyheart,LettingtotheweedsofthegroundMysinfulblood,Whatcanyouofferme?Agardenedcastle?Aflowerykingdom？What?Ahope?Thenhencewithyourredswordofvirtue.Here,Craneexpresseshisdisappointmentinvirtueinpoem30.“I”inthepoemwantstoattainthevirtueandthencomesthevividimage“aredswordofvirtue”.Thecolorredsymbolizesman’sdesireforaspiritualplaceandalsorelatestothehumanbloodmeaningthattheonewhowantstoobtainvirtueshouldsacrificehimself.What’smore,themanisveryterrifiedtosacrificehimselftoexchangethevirtue.Butthefollowingthreequestions“Whatcanyouofferme?/Agardenedcastle?/Aflowerykingdom?”continuouslyshowtheman’ssuspiciontowardsthespiritualplacehedesires,forcastleandkingdomarethethingsmaterialandexternal.“What?Ahope?”suggeststhatthemancan’taccepttheanswerandtheword“what”strengthenshissuspicion.“Ahope”negatestheprevioussuggestionsofaspiritualplace.Thelastlineconfirmsthedisappointmentaboutvirtue.Themanwouldratherseekthevirtuehedesiresthanpursuitthe“redswordofvirtue”.Crane,inthepoem47and4,presentshisideasabouttheauthenticityoftheworldbyseekingthetruthbetweenmanand“I”.47.“ThinkasIthink,”saidaman,“Oryouareabominablywicked;“Youareatoad.”AndafterIhadthoughtofit,Isaid,“Iwill,then,beatoad.”Theshort,directanswercarriesmoreweightthanman’sthreat,andCrane’ssincerityconveysamorepowerfulmessagewhencontrastedtotheman’sarrogance.Wecanseetheman’sanswerisnotoutofemotionbutwithrationalchoice.Themantold“I”that“thinkasIthink”,ifjustnot,“oryouareabominablywicked.”Onthesurface,themanwantsmetopursuewhatisinmymind.Infact,themansymbolizestheauthority,whichcannoteasilybeoverturned.Toacertainextent,themanrequiresorevencommandsmetofollowhisthoughtsandobeyhisdecision.Sothemansaidthat“youareatoad”ifIdidn’tchoosetofollowmyheart.Here,Craneusestheimage“toad”tosymbolizethosepeoplewhofollowsuitwithouttheirownthought.Toadisasmallcold-bloodedanimalthathasaroughskinandlivesbothonlandandinwater,isanyfroglikeamphibianofthefamilyBufonidae,meaningarepulsiveordetestableperson.DoIreallyhavenothoughtormind?Cranewrites,“AndafterIhadthoughtofit”,obviouslyIdonotmakethedecisionoutofemotionbutwithrationalchoice.“Iwill,then,beatoad”suggeststhatIwouldratherfollowmyheartbeatoadthanfollowtheman’sadvise.Comparedwiththeman,mydecisionismadebythinking.Craneconveysthismessagethroughanironicconversationbetweenthetwopeopleandthepoemendsinhisscornanddisappointmentabouttruth.HereisanotherexamplealsoexpressingCane’sdisappointmentabouttruth.4.Yes,Ihaveathousandtongues,Andnineandninety-ninelie.Thoughastrivetousetheone,Itwillmakenomelodyatmywill,Butisdeadinmymouth.“Tongue”inthepoemisavividimage.Tongueisanorganinthemouthandusesintasting,lickingandswallowing,andinmanforspeech.Inthepoem,“Ihaveathousandtongues”iswritingtechniqueofhyperbole.ItseemsthatIhavemanytongues,soIhaverighttospeak.OnceIwanttospeakbyusingonetongueleaving“nineandninety-nine”lying.Itmea