英语论文网

s struggle. He said: “this time I could barely move, my stomach was knotted and my kidneys ached. (Ellison 2005: 145)” Could is a weak modal auxiliary. It shows that the narrator lost his anger and courage again. Then he said: “I would leave in the morning. (Ellison 2005: 151)” Finally, the narrator chose to leave. The choice he made was hopeless, which was proved by the modal auxiliary would. He tried to fight, but he failed. In this respect, the narratoly. 3.3 Textual Function of the First Person Narration in Invisible Man Theme-rheme structure and cohesion are two sub-systems of the textual function. By analyzing these two systems, the functions of the first person narration in Invisible Man can be seen obviously. 3.3.1 Theme-Rheme Progression In general, theme brings the known information and rheme brings the unknown information. By analyzing theme-rheme progression of every clause in a text, the general idea of the text can be seen easily. For example: I (T)/ was fighting automatically when suddenly I noticed that one after another of the boys was leaving the ring (R). I (T)/ was surprised (R), filled with panic, as though (T)/ I had been left alone with unknown danger (R). Then I (T)/ understood (R). The boys (T)/ had arranged it among themselves (R). It (T)/ was the custom for the two men left in the ring to slug it out for the winner’s prize (R). I (T)/ discovered this too late (R). When (T)/ the bell sounded two men in tuxedoes leaped into the ring and removed the blindfold (R). I (T)/ found myself facing Tatlock, the biggest of the gang (R). I (T)/ felt sick at my stomach (R). Hardly (T)/ had the bell stopped ringing in my ears then it clanged again and I saw him moving swiftly toward me (R). Thinking (T)/of nothing else to do I hit him smash on the nose (R). He (T)/ kept coming, bringing the rank sharp violence of stale sweat (R). His face (T)/ was a black blank of a face (R), only (T)/ his eyes alive—with hate of me and aglow with a feverish terror from what had happened to us all (R). I (T)/ became anxious (R). I (T)/ wanted to deliver my speech and he came at me as though he meant to beat it out of me (R). I (T)/smashed him again and again, taking his blows as they cam (R). Then (T)/ on a sudden impulse I struck him lightly and as we clinched (R), I (T)/ whispered (R), “Fake like I knocked you out, you can have the prize (Ellison 2005: 24). In this paragraph, the narrator describes the situation when he was forced to fight with some blacks in a party. He begins with “I”. Then he tells readers his feeling. “The boys” are other participants. “It” explains the custom. “When” gives the time. Then “I” again to tell readers what he found and how he felt. “Hardly” strengthens the feeling of the narrator. “Thinking” expresses the mental activity of the narrator. Then the topic changed from “I” to “He”. There is another man appearing in this fight. “His face” and “only” show the condition of the man, Tatlock. Next, all themes are “I” which reflect the reaction of the fight with Tatlock. We can draw a diagram which shows the whole process of this event: I → I→ As though → Then I → The boys → It → I → When → I → I → hardly → Thinking → he → his face → only → I → I → I → then → I The structure of this paragraph is clear in this diagram. Most of the themes in this paragraph are “I”. It means that it is the narrator that undergoes this event. Because of the first person narration, readers can see both the narrator’s physic