Abstract

Children’s literature plays an important role in literary word, conveying good qualities and showing beautiful world to children. In this dissertation, the author regards the famous children’s literature work The Adventures of Tom Sawyer as the research object, analyzing the figures in the novel and their characteristics. From a new respect (pragmatics), the reasons of their behaviors and utterance can be interpreted clearly. 

In order to dissect the work and figures profoundly, author adopts two significant theories of pragmatics--cooperative principle(Grice) and politeness principle(Leech) to analyze the utterance that runs counter to these two principle and their sub-maxims in the novel, exploring the reasons. Besides the author adopts the maxim centered method. That is, the meaning of each maxim is introduced and then some excerpts of violations from the novel are presented.

This study indicates that both adults and children flout CP and PP because of various reasons. And from the dialogues in the novel, the author also finds out that one dialogue may violate not only one maxim, which can help analyze the personalities of characters in the novel from different perspectives—maxims of CP and PP. This essay can help readers do understand the novel and the characters better from the analysis of pragmatic theories and dialogues in the novel—The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. 

Key Words：Cooperative Principle; Politeness Principle; The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1.-Introduction-1

1.1 Research Background-1

1.2 Purpose and Significance of the Study-1

1.3 Research Methodology-2

1.4 Organization of the Thesis-2

2.-Literature Review-4

2.1 Studies on The Adventures of Tom Sawyer-4

2.2 Studies on Pragmatics in Literature-4

2.2.1 Pragmatics-4

2.2.2 Pragmatics in Literature-5

3.-Theoretical Framework-7

3.1 Introduction-7

3.2 Cooperative Principle-7

3.3 Politeness Principle-8

4.-Analysis of Dialogues in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer-10

4.1 Analysis of Dialogues under the CP-10

4.1.1 Violation of the Quality Maxim-10

4.1.2 Violation of the Quantity Maxim-11

4.1.3 Violation of the Relevance Maxim-12

4.1.4 Violation of the Manner Maxim-13

4.2 Analysis of Dialogues under the PP-14

4.2.1 Violation of the Tact Maxim-14

4.2.2 Violation of the Generosity Maxim-15

4.2.3 Violation of the Approbation Maxim-15

4.2.4 Violation of the Modesty Maxim-16

4.2.5 Violation of the Agreement Maxim-17

4.2.6 Violation of the Sympathy Maxim-18

5. Conclusion-20

5.1 General Conclusion-20

5.2 Major Findings-20

5.3 Limitations and Further Suggestions-21

References-22