英文原版小说看不下去？手把手教你读

 　　Many types of fiction give us great reading pleasure:

　　小说分成许多种类型，阅读它们能让我们感到极大的愉悦：

　　Novels and short stories can be historic, westerns, science fiction, thrillers¹, romance, horror, etc. The following can provide a framework for discussing these in book clubs and for writing book reports.

　　小说包括长篇小说和短篇小说，可分为历史小说，西部小说，科幻小说，惊悚小说，爱情小说，恐怖小说等类型。下面介绍的阅读方法能为你提供一种方法论，让你在读书俱乐部讨论作品或者撰写读书报告的时候有法可依。

　　An author creates a person to tell the story, and this person is the narrator.

　　作者通过创造一个形象来讲述故事，这个形象就是叙述者。

　　The narrator delivers the point of view of the story.

　　叙述者阐发故事蕴含的思想内涵。

　　Multiple narrators of the story can also present multiple points of view.

　　多个叙述者叙述的故事能呈现多种不同的思想内涵。

　　A first person narrator

　　第一角度叙述

　　Uses the pronoun "I" to tell the story, and can be either a major or minor² character.

　　用第一人称“我”来讲述故事，叙述者可以是主要角色，也可以是次要角色。

　　It may be easier for a reader to relate to a story told in a first person account.

　　用第一人称讲述的故事更容易将读者带入其中。

　　A subjective³ narrator is generally unreliable.

　　一个主观的叙述者往往是不可靠的。

　　Because he/she is in the story and can only speak to his/her experience within it.

　　因为他/她自身也是故事的一部分，只能以自己的经验视域讲述故事。

　　A second person narrator

　　第二角度叙述

　　Uses the pronoun "you" and is not used very often since it makes the reader a participant in the story (and you, as reader, may be reluctant to be in the action!).

　　用“你”这一人称来讲述故事。这种手法并不常用，因为如此一来，读者也参与了故事（作为读者，你可能并不愿意参与故事的情节发展）。

　　A third person narrator

　　第三角度叙述

　　Uses the pronoun "he" or "she" and does not take part in the story and describes or interprets thoughts, feelings, motivations, of the characters. Details such as setting, scenes, and what was said is stronger with an objective observer.

　　用代词“他”或者“她”叙述故事，并不参与故事的情节发展。客观视角的叙述者是故事的观察者，对所有角色的思想，感受，动机。在客观叙述视角下，故事的情节背景，场景氛围能表现的更加清晰。

　　An omniscient⁴ (omniscient = all knowing) narrator has access to all the actions and thoughts within fiction.

　　全知全能的叙述者知道故事中所有角色的行为和思想。

　　A limited narrator has a restricted view of events, and doesn't "know" the whole story.

　　限制视角的叙述者看待事件的视域收到限制，不能全局洞知整个故事。

　　Questions:

　　问题：

　　How much does the narrator know?

　　叙述者对故事了解到何种程度？

　　Does he or she know everything, including the thoughts, feelings, motivations, etc. or present just limited information? Do you (the reader) know more?

　　他是否洞知一切，包括所有角色的思想，感受，动机？抑或只是呈现有限的信息？作为读者，你是否比叙述者更了解故事？

　　Time?

　　时间？

　　Do events take place "now" (verbs in the present tense)?

　　故事是“此刻”发生的吗？（动词时态为现在时)

　　Or in the past (verbs are in the past tense)?

　　还是“过去”发生的呢？

　　Are past recollections fresh, or distant, and maybe hazy⁵?

　　对过去的回忆是清晰一如昨日，还是遥远模糊，或是渺远不可辨认？

　　Is the narrator a participant in, or a witness to, the action?

　　叙述者是故事情节的参与者，还是故事情节的见证者？

　　Is the story second-hand⁶, related "as told to" the narrator?

　　故事是否是叙述者转述的，即叙述者“听说”的？

　　Think of yourself telling someone something that happened:

　　设想你自己正在向别人诉说这个故事：

　　How much of the event do you know, and how does that affect the story?

　　你对故事了解到何种程度？你对故事的了解对故事的发展有何影响？

　　Why is the story being told, and why now?

　　为什么人们要诉说这个故事？为何是在此刻诉说？

　　What is the motivation?

　　人们讲述故事的动机为何？

　　Character types in fiction

　　故事中的形象类型

　　Characters are the people of a story, or the opposing forces.

　　所谓形象，即故事中的人物，或故事矛盾的主体。

　　A protagonist⁷ or hero/heroine is the central character of the story.

　　主人公是故事的中心形象。

　　An antagonist⁸ is the counterpart to the protagonist.

　　反派主角即主角的对立角色。

　　Tension between the protagonist and antagonist creates the story.

　　故事的主体是主角和反派主角之间的矛盾冲突构建的。

　　Speech, thoughts, actions, appearance, desires, and relationships reveal characters, and each undergoes development and/or change as the story unfolds.

　　小说中的形象是通过他们的话语，思想，行动，外貌，渴望和关系建构的。随着故事展开，每个角色都会成长或者蜕变。

1 thrillers   

n.紧张刺激的故事( thriller的名词复数 )；戏剧；令人感到兴奋的事；（电影）惊悚片

参考例句：

• He has written seven thrillers, and clearly enjoys intellectual pursuits. 他已经写了7本惊悚小说，显然很喜欢这样的智力活动。 来自辞典例句
• Most Americans prefer to read fast-moving adventure stories that we call "thrillers". 大部分美国人喜欢看我们称之为"惊险小说"的情节多变的冒险故事。 来自辞典例句

2 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

3 subjective   

a.主观(上)的，个人的

参考例句：

• The way they interpreted their past was highly subjective. 他们解释其过去的方式太主观。
• A literary critic should not be too subjective in his approach. 文学评论家的看法不应太主观。

4 omniscient   

adj.无所不知的；博识的

参考例句：

• He's nervous when trying to potray himself as omniscient.当他试图把自己描绘得无所不知时，内心其实很紧张。
• Christians believe that God is omniscient.基督教徒相信上帝是无所不知的。

5 hazy   

adj.有薄雾的，朦胧的；不肯定的，模糊的

参考例句：

• We couldn't see far because it was so hazy.雾气蒙蒙妨碍了我们的视线。
• I have a hazy memory of those early years.对那些早先的岁月我有着朦胧的记忆。

6 second-hand   

adj.用过的，旧的，二手的

参考例句：

• I got this book by chance at a second-hand bookshop.我赶巧在一家旧书店里买到这本书。
• They will put all these second-hand goods up for sale.他们将把这些旧货全部公开出售。

7 protagonist   

n.(思想观念的)倡导者；主角，主人公

参考例句：

• The protagonist reforms in the end and avoids his proper punishment.戏剧主角最后改过自新并避免了他应受的惩罚。
• He is the model for the protagonist in the play.剧本中的主人公就是以他为模特儿创作的！

8 antagonist   

n.敌人，对抗者，对手

参考例句：

• His antagonist in the debate was quicker than he.在辩论中他的对手比他反应快。
• The thing is to know the nature of your antagonist.要紧的是要了解你的对手的特性。