ABSTRACT

Friendship runs throughout the growth stage of the protagonist Tony and has a profound impact on it all the time, from the formation of the clique of four in the middle school period to the break of friendship in college, the maintenance of his friendship with his ex-wife, and to the loneliness from heart in later years of his life. So friendship is an important part of the novel. Also, friendship is the clue of the novel which promotes the development of events and emotions. This thesis will make a study of Julian Barnes’s The Sense of an Ending, with an aim to find out the performance of friendship and how it affects the protagonist’s life as well as the theme of the novel. 

Key words：The Sense of an Ending; Friendship; Love; Loneliness

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

1.1-Introduction to Julian Barnes and His Writings-1

1.2-Literature Review-4

1.3 Critical Inadequacy and Plan of the Thesis-6

Chapter Two FRIENDSHIP IN THE SENSE OF AN ENDING-8

2.1 Friendship at Middles School-8

2.2 Friendship at College-9

2.3 Friendship after Divorce-11

Chapter Three LOVE AND LONLINESS-13

3.1 The Breakup of Friendship-13

3.2 Loneliness and Friendship with Former Wife-14

3.3 Love and Friendship-15

Chapter Four CONCLUSION-18

WORKS CITED-20