Analysing Fiction - Question and extract

虚构小说分析--问题和摘要

The extracts your exam questions are based on might be longer than the one here but you should still be able to write a close analysis. First of all, have a read, and see what ideas you can come up with. Remember to link each point to a quotation or example.

你的考试题目所依据的摘录可能比这里的长，但你仍然应该能够写出仔细的分析。首先，阅读一下，看看你能想出什么想法。记住要把每个观点与引文或例子联系起来。

Question

How does the writer use language to create interest for the reader in this opening to The Picture of Dorian Gray? (10 marks)

在《多里安-格雷的画像》的这个开头中，作者是如何使用语言为读者创造兴趣的？(10分)

Extract

The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.

From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flamelike as theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness and motion. The sullen murmur of the bees shouldering their way through the long unmown grass, or circling with monotonous insistence round the dusty gilt horns of the straggling woodbine, seemed to make the stillness more oppressive. The dim roar of London was like the bourdon note of a distant organ.

The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde

Analysing Fiction - Sample answer – version one

虚构小说分析 - 回答一

The writer uses the senses to interest the reader. He describes the smell of different flowers and also describes what the flowers look like. A character is mentioned, and his name makes the reader think he might be rich. The character is lying down and smoking. The windows are described as open and huge and the curtains are made of silk. The descriptions make the setting seem very appealing, it feels like this character has lots of luxury. The room is a studio, so maybe it is a painters room with a garden outside with lots of flowers.

作者利用感官来激发读者的兴趣。他描述了不同花朵的气味，还描述了花朵的样子。提到了一个人物，他的名字让读者觉得他可能很有钱。这个人物躺着抽烟。窗户被描述成敞开的、巨大的，窗帘是用丝绸做的。这些描写使环境看起来非常吸引人，感觉这个人物有很多奢侈品。这个房间是一个工作室，所以可能是一个画家的房间，外面有一个花园，有很多花。

The writer also mentions things from Japan and Tokyo, which might make the reader intrigued as it sounds exciting. There are some unusual words that might make the reader think the setting is in the past. There are some well chosen adjectives and verbs that really create a picture in the mind of the reader. These words paint a picture for the reader. There is a very long sentence in the second paragraph, followed by two shorter sentences. This helps the description flow better. There are some examples of alliteration and words connected to movement. This makes the writing more effective and interests the reader.

作者还提到了日本和东京的东西，这可能使读者感到好奇，因为这听起来很刺激。有一些不寻常的词，可能会让读者认为背景是在过去。有一些精心选择的形容词和动词，确实在读者的脑海中创造了一幅画面。这些词为读者描绘了一幅画面。第二段中有一个很长的句子，后面是两个较短的句子。这有助于描述更加流畅。有一些典故的例子和与运动有关的词语。这使写作更加有效，并让读者感兴趣。

Feedback - basic

反馈 - 初级

• It focuses on WHAT is happening, rather than HOW the writer is creating interest.

• 它的重点是发生了什么，而不是作者如何创造兴趣。

• There are no direct quotations to support the points, and the points themselves are not developed.

• 没有直接的引文来支持观点，而且观点本身也没有得到进一步阐述。

• Phrases like ‘helps the description flow better. There are some examples of alliteration’ is too vague: evidence is needed and the effects need to be explained.

• 诸如 "帮助描述更流畅。有一些典故的例子 "太模糊了：需要证据，需要解释出所产生的效果。

Analysing Fiction - Sample answer – version two

虚构小说分析 - 回答二

The character’s title of ‘Lord’ suggests high status and the descriptions of the character’s setting reinforce the feel of decadence and wealth. Wilde uses the senses to create interest for the reader, for example “rich odour” and “heavy scent”. The choice of the adjectives “rich” and “heavy” might suggest that the smell of the flowers is over-powering. This is then contrasted with the word “delicate”. The descriptions create an overall impression of luxury and wealth. The references to “Persian...Toyko…Japanese…” give the opening an exotic feel, which intrigues the reader.

这个人物的头衔 "勋爵 "暗示了他的崇高地位，对人物环境的描述加强了颓废和财富的感觉。王尔德利用感官来为读者创造兴趣，例如 "丰富的气味 "和 "沉重的气味"。选择 "丰富的 "和 "沉重的 "这两个形容词可能暗示花的气味过于浓烈。然后与 "精致 "这个词形成对比。这些描述给人以豪华和财富的总体印象。对 "波斯......东京......日本...... "的提及使文章的开头具有异国情调，使读者感到好奇。

The simile choice of the ‘beauty so flamelike’ also leaves the reader with an impression of something fleeting. The very long sentence is the second paragraph also links to the feeling of being over powered with luxury and has the effect of layering lots of rich images. The description of the setting seems to imply the character is bored, which could interest the reader further. For example, the references to ‘bear the burden’ and ‘stillness more oppressive’.

选择 "如此美丽 "的比喻，也给读者留下了一种转瞬即逝的印象。第二段中的长句子也与奢侈的感觉相联系，并有分层的丰富图像的效果。对环境的描述似乎暗示了这个人物很无聊，这可能会引起读者的兴趣。例如，提到 "承受负担 "和 "静止更压抑"。

Feedback - improving

反馈 - 有待改进

• Using the name of the author shows an awareness of the fact there is a writer behind the text.

• 使用作者的名字表明对文本背后有一个作者的事实的认识。

• The points are supported with short quotations which are embedded into the sentences.

• 用简短的引语来支持这些观点，这些引语被嵌入到句子中。

• The point about the senses is developed, with details about the choice of adjectives and their effect.

• 关于感官的观点得到了发展，详细说明了形容词的选择及其效果。

• The answer then goes on to further explain the effects of other language choices (like the simile) and links them to explain the effect on the reader.

• 然后，答案进一步解释了其他语言选择（如比喻）的效果，并将其与解释对读者的影响联系起来。