Interdisciplinary Studies of Literature (“ISL”) is a peer-reviewed journal sponsored by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of World Literature (Zhejiang University) and published by Knowledge Hub Publishing Company (Hong Kong) in collaboration with the International Conference for Ethical Literary Criticism. With a strategic focus on literary, ethical, historical and interdisciplinary approaches, ISL encourages dialogues between literature and other disciplines of humanities, aiming to establish an international platform for scholars to exchange their innovative views that stimulate critical interdisciplinary discussions. ISL publishes four issues each year in both Chinese and English.
Stupeur et tremblements is one of the most important novels of the
Belgian female writer Amélie Nothomb. The work centers on the cultural conflict
between the Belgiqn girl Amélie and her Japanese colleagues, and tells the story
of Amélie’s setbacks while working in Japan. Amélie, a Belgian girl, has been
influenced by Japanese culture since she was a child, so she yearns for a Japanese
identity. She chooses to return to Japan at adult age. However, some of the Japanese
colleagues she met were indifferent and hypocritical, the rejection of Amélie shows
that they do not recognize Amélie’s Japanese identity. As a result, Amélie fell into
an ethical predicament and had to flee Japan and return to Belgium, re-examining
her Belgian identity. Amélie Nothomb emphasized the importance of ethics in the
process of value reconstruction in Stupeur et tremblements expressing her own and
Amélie’s negative attitude towards ethnocentralism.
A large area of the neural system will be activated by the information
of something new, but it will be greatly lessened in the process of habituation,
leaving the task to a small number of specific neurals, which can even function automatically, without much consciousness and effort. Habituation is the one of
the preconditions of the dynamic core hypothesis, which supposes that only one
power-consuming self-conscious mental activity, however it changes, is allowed
for one moment, with a lot of automatic unconsciousness. Habituation can help
to save mental power, but it can also make the neural system senseless to the
objects, therefore estrangement theory is raised to renew the experience of feeling.
Estrangement can be neurally explained by dynamic core hypothesis. In literary
works, some important unconsciousness is often raised to the level of consciousness,
and the dynamic core is changed, in order to produce the effect of estrangement.
This effect can also be acquired by the contrast achieved by swiftly changing the
dynamic core of one character or by putting together the dynamic cores of different
characters. The estrangement effect can also be discussed from the perspective of
heterosynaptic facilitation. Sensitization is the first form, which supposes that strong
stimulus in one neural circuit can lead to the strengthening of the stimulus in other
circuits. The shocking stimulus, esp. suspension, is often used by writers, to make
readers sensitive to every detail to get the estrangement effect. Conditional function,
which assumes that the strong stimulus in one neural circuit can strengthen the
stimulus in another by repeating successively, is the second form of heterosynaptic
facilitation. Metaphor, personification, symbolization, contrast etc. are all based
upon conditional function, and scientific fantasy, utopian, fable etc. are based
upon extended conditional function, which are both the results of heterosynaptic
facilitation. Estrangement is often regarded as the formal art, and yet, the change of
form can also lead to the differences of content observed. Even without the change
of form, the new content can also produce the impression of estrangement, although
the room for this kind of strangeness is limited.
Ethical Literary Criticism of English Literature uses the theory of ethical
literary criticism and the new theory of ethical literary criticism after coupling with
various other theories to carry out the criticism practice of English literary texts
from the 16th century to the 20th century through solid close reading. It excavates
the evolution of British ethical thought and plays a role in moral teaching, which
have made original contributions to the blooming of English literature and literary
theories’ teaching and research. It has important academic value and practical
significance.
William Baker’s Pinter’s World: Relationships, Obsessions, and Artistic
Endeavors published in 2018 is the latest research on Harold Pinter. By exploring
rare and primary sources,including diaries, letters, memoirs, interviews, etc.,
Professor Baker innovatively expounds the creative experiences, sources, criticism
and influences of Pinter’s poetry, dramas, screen scripts, public lectures, which
forms new paradigm of overall research and new methodology of inter-textual study
on Pinter’s writings. Baker’s Pinter’s World and his other four works manifest a
unique way of criticism on Pinter. Accordingly, it is vital for Pinter enthusiasts and
professional scholars as an invaluable reference.
The Realism movement of 19th century Western literature is a significant
literary phenomenon with far-reaching influence on global literary history. In
the context of Chinese literature and culture, it holds a preeminent position due
to its depth and extent. Nevertheless, the meaning and reception of Realism has
been a subject of considerable controversy, complexity, and variation. Professor
Jiang Chengyong’s latest publication, Research on Western Literary Trends in
the 19th Century Vol.2: Realism, adopts an innovative academic perspective and
employs cutting-edge ideas and methods to undertake a thorough examination and
interpretation of this literary trend. The book aims to uncover the original features
of Realism and put forward a set of innovative perspectives that substantially enrich and expand the existing body of research in this field in China.
