Abstract

Alice Munro is a remarkable writer in contemporary Canadian literature. This thesis aims to conduct a study on Alice Munro's representative short story “Runaway” with a pointcut of the theme. In this story, the heroine runs away from her present life for domestic or other reasons. She can't bear constraints and pressures in her present daily life anymore and chooses to run away from her present life and come to a new place to seek her ideal authentic life. However, she fails. She has no choice but to return to her former life circle again. The question to be answered in this thesis is that whether her escaping is behaving her resistance against family and society or pursuing a new choice and a new future and whether her returning is representing her submission to life and fate or not. This thesis aims at a comprehensive and deep interpretation of the theme of escaping and returning.

Key words: Alice Munro, Theme, Escape, Return

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要

Introduction-1

ChapterⅠ Escaping in Alice Munro’s Runaway-3

1.1 Escape from Family-3

1.2 Escape from Ambivalence-4

ChapterⅡ Returning in Alice Munro’s Runaway-6

2.1 Return to The Reality of Life-6

2.2 Return to The Starting Point-7

Conclusion-8

Works Cited-9