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As one of the most turbulent times, the 20thcentury has “witnessedunprecedented changes in human history” (Hu 110). It is no doubt that social changeswill exert profound impacts on writers and novelists’ works. Furthermore, to a largedegree, it is those changes and events that lead to the alienation of the whole society.Bowen expresses her anxiety over social transition through representing humanalienation and social alienation, which has been discussed in the previous chapters.Thus, it is important and necessary to find out reasons for Bowen’s anxiety whichpermeates her novels. And this thesis argues that the prevalent separations in her times,the social and cultural changes as well as her life experience contribute to Bowen’sanxiety over social transition.

Certainly writers and their works are inevitably influenced by the social changesand events. The different forms of alienation manifested in Bowen’s novels are thereflections of the alienated world.

First of all, various kinds of “separations” were commonplace not only in 20thcentury Britain but also in other Western countries. Before the First World War, the world was divided into two opposing camps: Triple Alliance versus Triple Entente.“Germany, a newly-emerged imperial power, Austria and Italy formed the TripleAlliance, asking for the redivision of the world” (Fussell, xi). The contradictionsbetween the imperialist countries grew into such great tension that it soon led to theoutbreak of World War I, a war for a reshufflement of interests among the imperialistpowers. When the war ended, both sides had suffered immense losses. And the worldwas carved up by the imperialist countries. “The German Empire collapsed whileBritain, a victor, had spent all her wealth and became very much weakened” (Liu 372).Besides, the world was characterized by a large number of significant and substantialchanges in politics and society: Irish independence, increasing criticism of imperialpolicy, the rise of capitalism, fascism and the experience of two World Wars. In aword, the whole world fell apart. And the widespread separations exerted a deepimpact on the observant and insightful artist Elizabeth Bowen.

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CONCLUSION

Praised as “Jane Austen in the 20thcentury,” Elizabeth Bowen is as sensitive asAusten, especially in offering cultural critiques of various kinds. Her novels are full ofsubtlety and wit. It is evident that most interpretations of Bowen’s novels contain thecritical strategies of feminism, psychological analysis, and identity investigation.However, labeling The Death of the Heart, The Last September, The Heat of the Dayonly as feminist writings, psychological novels, or novels about Irishness is apredetermining way to judge Bowen’s works imprudently.

This thesis has taken “alienation” as a point of entry to interpret ElizabethBowen’s anxiety over 本论文由英语论文网提供整理，提供论文代写，英语论文代写，代写论文，代写英语论文，代写留学生论文，代写英文论文，留学生论文代写相关核心关键词搜索。