The present essay undertakes a structuralist analysis of Kazuo Ishiguro's novel Never Let Me Go, drawing upon the actantial analysis of plot developed by A. J. Greimas, as developed by Louis Hébert. My central claim is that the plot revolves around the protagonist's contradictory desire to find love with her childhood friend Tommy, while at the same time retaining her friendship with another childhood friend, Ruth. The essay suggests that this contradiction contributes to the complex plot where the characters' actantial functions shift frequently. Furthermore, the essay makes a distinction between two different perspectives, namely Kathy's as protagonist, and Kathy's as narrator. This distinction elucidates how narration in Never Let Me Go affects the plot.

ABSTRACT From early the 20th century, luo hua sheng (¸¨µØ¥Í) has contributed a lot to the development of modern Chinese literature: fiction, essays, poetry, plays, fairy tales, and literary translations. He wrote a total of more than 400,000 words of literary creation. If one is to compare his literary work to those of his era and to other modern writers, although his works is limited in terms of quantity, he was able to intertwine realism and philosophy in his writings that have created a deep impact to his readers. This writings have vividly narrated and reflected his views, pursuits and literary concepts. Most of critics emphasizes that xu di shan (³\¦a¤s) creative works are distinctively unique, whirlwind romance, characters well developed, well constructed prose, and have perfectly intertwine the Southern China's and other Indochina slices of life. This would encompass their thinking, outlooks and religious views. Xu di shan (³\¦a¤s) and his other May Fourth Movement (¤­¥|¹B°Ê) era writer focused on short stories, however, his works stands out with his great pursuit in trying to find a new way of expression and in developing new aesthetic standards. His writings can be classified as bold and straight-forward as he developed a unique way of narrating the lines without being too detailed that made his audience easily misunderstood the whole scenario and get derailed with the whole story. This study focuses on the essence of literary development to include but not limited to: topic classification, analysis of novel structures, binary oppositions, actantial model. This paper made a thorough review of Xu's life experiences and literary accomplishments. Specifically, the writer have look into his writing styles and concept development in analyzing his works. In conclusion, the writer have identified that Xu's work can be classified into: ideals and realism; mortality and destiny; power distance and struggles; joys and sorrows of romance. This study aims to better understand the underlying thoughts in Xu's work as to its significance, interpretations and deeper meanings.

Thematic interrelation is an underdeveloped field of inquiry in Lukan studies. The design and elegance of Lukan theology begs for guided investigation into a possible system of organisation that governs history and theology, that is, narrative and theme. Based on the Greimasian Actantial Model, morpho–syntactical structural–critical analysis of Luke and Acts reveals that the covenant concept in its operative aspect of service functions as an organising principle, structuring the narratives and facilitating thematic interrelation. A survey of representative Lukan research consisting of five methodologically determined approaches shows a commonality regarding Lukan purpose. These all share the “plan of God” as a fundamental concept, thus intimating its plausibility as a common organisational principle in the text. This observation encourages further analysis of Lukan narrative and meta–narrative as relevant subject matter. Investigation into the purpose and goals of Ancient Jewish and Ancient Greek literature suggests that the concepts of piety/holiness and justness combined with a notion of divine order and expectation demonstrates organisational capacity. Under the terms and conditions of the Old Covenant three non–exclusive themes/concepts hold organisational functionality and ability to facilitate thematic interrelation: Exodus typology, the covenant concept and the eschaton idea. Exodus typology connects narrative with theme, developing Israel’s story. The covenant idea frames stories using parallelism and gives the meta–story progression. The eschaton idea presents the Day of YHWH as an organisational principle guiding the story of judgment to restoration. It is observed that the covenant concept is the most prevalent of these themes/ideas. Assuming the conceptual unity of Luke and Acts and adopting a morpho–syntactical structuralist approach, it was observed that the covenant concept in its operative aspect of service occurred as Helper at ten places, determining the development and structure of the meta–narrative. According to the Greimasian Actantial Model, Israel failed to fulfil its covenant–based mandate to serve God and shine God’s light of mercy to the nations. Jesus, Israel’s new Helper, becomes the Subject and by his covenant–based ministry, characterised as the greatest service, resolves the problem that prevents Israel from carrying out its divine mandate and sets the stage for its fulfilment. In Jesus Israel is given new leaders, an ethical platform of discipleship and the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul as the epitomised and exemplary witness and servant of Jesus fulfils what Israel could not. He is vindicated in righteousness and shares in the Isaianic ministry of Jesus, to bear witness to leaders and to shine God’s light to the nations. Paul is unhindered in this ministry. Additionally, in thematic–critical terms, the key placement of the covenant concept in its operative aspect of service at plot–defining junctures features its catalytic dynamic as a “template” concept advancing the re–conceptualising of themes and providing a platform for meaningful relation. The evidence thus suggests that the covenant concept in its operative aspect structures the conjoined narratives of Luke and Acts. It also provides a basis for relation between the divine and humans in the context of the history of God’s salvation, linking history and theology, and makes possible a discernible means to thematic interrelation. / Thesis (Ph.D. (New Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Thematic interrelation is an underdeveloped field of inquiry in Lukan studies. The design and elegance of Lukan theology begs for guided investigation into a possible system of organisation that governs history and theology, that is, narrative and theme. Based on the Greimasian Actantial Model, morpho–syntactical structural–critical analysis of Luke and Acts reveals that the covenant concept in its operative aspect of service functions as an organising principle, structuring the narratives and facilitating thematic interrelation. A survey of representative Lukan research consisting of five methodologically determined approaches shows a commonality regarding Lukan purpose. These all share the “plan of God” as a fundamental concept, thus intimating its plausibility as a common organisational principle in the text. This observation encourages further analysis of Lukan narrative and meta–narrative as relevant subject matter. Investigation into the purpose and goals of Ancient Jewish and Ancient Greek literature suggests that the concepts of piety/holiness and justness combined with a notion of divine order and expectation demonstrates organisational capacity. Under the terms and conditions of the Old Covenant three non–exclusive themes/concepts hold organisational functionality and ability to facilitate thematic interrelation: Exodus typology, the covenant concept and the eschaton idea. Exodus typology connects narrative with theme, developing Israel’s story. The covenant idea frames stories using parallelism and gives the meta–story progression. The eschaton idea presents the Day of YHWH as an organisational principle guiding the story of judgment to restoration. It is observed that the covenant concept is the most prevalent of these themes/ideas. Assuming the conceptual unity of Luke and Acts and adopting a morpho–syntactical structuralist approach, it was observed that the covenant concept in its operative aspect of service occurred as Helper at ten places, determining the development and structure of the meta–narrative. According to the Greimasian Actantial Model, Israel failed to fulfil its covenant–based mandate to serve God and shine God’s light of mercy to the nations. Jesus, Israel’s new Helper, becomes the Subject and by his covenant–based ministry, characterised as the greatest service, resolves the problem that prevents Israel from carrying out its divine mandate and sets the stage for its fulfilment. In Jesus Israel is given new leaders, an ethical platform of discipleship and the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul as the epitomised and exemplary witness and servant of Jesus fulfils what Israel could not. He is vindicated in righteousness and shares in the Isaianic ministry of Jesus, to bear witness to leaders and to shine God’s light to the nations. Paul is unhindered in this ministry. Additionally, in thematic–critical terms, the key placement of the covenant concept in its operative aspect of service at plot–defining junctures features its catalytic dynamic as a “template” concept advancing the re–conceptualising of themes and providing a platform for meaningful relation. The evidence thus suggests that the covenant concept in its operative aspect structures the conjoined narratives of Luke and Acts. It also provides a basis for relation between the divine and humans in the context of the history of God’s salvation, linking history and theology, and makes possible a discernible means to thematic interrelation. / Thesis (Ph.D. (New Testament))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

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This dissertation examines the construction of the contemporary Russian geopolitics through the usage of the foundational myth, better known as the Third Rome myth and the center of true Christianity. This is achieved through the analysis of four famous speeches by President Vladimir Putin. These speeches cover the two regions of Ukraine and Georgia, the former being to an internal audience and the latter to a foreign audience. Accompanied with examining the foundational myth, this dissertation also deliberates on how it is being utilized by Putin. In his reconstruction of a new Russia, one that synthesizes the old ideas of greatness alongside the new set of geopolitics. The aims to fulfill are: Firstly, to broaden our understanding of the present and future Russian geopolitics. Secondly, through usage of the myth to develop our understanding of the new environment surrounding hybrid warfare. And especially politics, in form of soft power, that play a significant role where insight can help prevent future conflicts. The method of analysis is of qualitative nature. Speech act by Austin and Searle is employed in order to gain an overview and enable the construction of semiotic squares, that in turn facilitate the actantial models by Greimas.

I denna uppsats presenteras en textanalytisk studie av ett urval pressmeddelanden från organisationen Djurens Rätt. Studiens syfte är att undersöka hur Djurens Rätt positionerar sig bland de deltagare som beskrivs i deras pressmeddelanden. Djurens Rätt är en ideell och idéburen organisation vilket gör det intressant att undersöka hur dessa förhåller sig till andra aktörer i samhället i sina pressmeddelanden. Studien ut-går teoretiskt och metodologiskt främst från den systemisk-funktionella grammati-ken med fokus på det ideationella och erfarenhetsmässiga. Utöver detta är även positioneringsbegreppet och Greimas aktantmodell centrala för studien. Resultatet visar att Djurens Rätt använder sig av andra aktörer i flera avseenden för att positionera sig i de undersökta pressmeddelandena. Organisationen framstår exempelvis som sakliga och objektiva representanter för djuren genom att avstå från känslomässiga uttryckssätt, ibland tala om djuren i statistiska termer och även lägga fokus på opponenters handlingar istället för opponenterna i sig. / This paper presents a linguistic study of a number of press releases issued by the organization Djurens Rätt. The study aims to examine in which way Djurens Rätt positions itself among other participants being described in their press releases. Djurens Rätt is a non-profit organization based on an ideological idea, which makes it an interesting target for investigating their approach towards other societal opera-tors in their press releases. The study is theoretically and methodologically mainly based on Halliday’s functional grammar, focusing on the ideational and experiential part of language use. In addition to these perspectives, positioning as a concept and Greimas’ actantial model are also essential to the study. The results show that Djurens Rätt uses several other societal operators in order to position themselves in the analyzed press releases. The organization appears to represent the animals in an objective and impartial way, for instance by refraining emotional expressions, occasionally describing the animals in statistical terms and mostly focusing on their opponent’s actions instead of the opponents themselves.