A Narratological Study of the Book of Job

张辩辩 聂敏佳

【Abstract】The Book of Job， Dantes The Divine Comedy and Goethes Faust are called a trilogy of probing the mysteries of human being and universe. As one of the most outstanding works of the wisdom literature in Bible， The Book of Job attracts lots of scholars attention to study it from literary perspective. Narratology is a theory study narrative， text， characters， plots and narrative skills. This paper views characters and plots in The Book of Job from a narrative perspective.

【Key words】 Narratological Study； the Book of Job； Characters； plots

I. The Study of “Round Character” and “Flat character”

“Round character” are those who involved in complex relationships and the characters mental feelings always developing. “Flat character” refers to those who own a stable personality from the beginning to the end of the story.

The main characters in The Book of Job are the LORD， Satan， Job and his friends. Job is a rich man who has seven sons and three daughters. There is no one like him on the earth so fearing God and turning away from evil. Then Satan makes a bet with the LORD to test Job. Then Job lost his possessions， children even his health one after another. These disasters bitters Job. He began to complaining and cursing. At last the LORD gave Job twice as much as before and Job died old.

From this story it can be known that Job is a round character who is portrayed to be a wise and righteous man but also an accuser of God. Meanwhile， God is also characterized as a round character who is both omnipotent and kind. The LORD had a bet with Satan， so he knew why a blameless man being suffered. God also very wise for he beats Jobs third friends “wisdom”. The LORD is kind because he blessed Job again after the test. So the LORD is a “round character”.

Eliphaz and Bildad are depicted as flat characters， portrayed to be clowns. Eliphaz thought Job must done something wrong and that led to punishment from God. Additionally， Satan is characterized as a typical flat character who is a totally malicious figure. He foments the distrust between Job and the LORD and cause physical and mental suffering of Job again and again.

II. The Study of Plots

Plots are made up of a series of events which were organized by some logical sequences. Frye declares that the coherence of the Bibles narrative as a whole is created by a “U-shape plot” typical of comedy.

There is always a complete plot in traditional narrative works which includes beginning， development， climax and ending. The Book of Job contains 42 chapters： （1） Beginning： introducing Jobs characteristics： righteous and wealthy. Describing he got punishments and his friends come to comfort him （1：1-2：13）. （2） Development： Jobs conflicts with his three friends （3：1-37：24）； （3） Climax： Jobs encounter with God in Whirlwind in the climax （38：1-42：6）； （4） Ending： the LORD critics Jobs friends and blesses Job. Jobs being restored to fullness in the end. （42： 7-17）.

It is obvious that the four plot stages comply with the U-shaped narrative pattern of The Book of Job： beginning in prosperity and harmony， descending to the bottom of suffering from tortures and hardships and being restored to fullness. Thus The Book of Job as one of the most outstanding wisdom works in Bible， coped with Bible in plots under the U-shaped narrative pattern.

III. Conclusion

In probing into the bitterness of life， The Book of Job really pay great attention to depict the characters and state the plots. Job is a “round character” who owns righteousness and complains to life. He experiences worship of the LORD， query the born， question the LORD， and at last he return to admire the LORD. Jobs friends are “flat character”. Their stupid serving as a foil to Jobs righteousness and the LORDs wisdom.

Besides， in terms of plots， Job becomes poor and sick from rich and happy， but ends up with a rich and happy man again. The U-shape pattern renders The Book of Job unite to Bible and become one of the organic parts of it.

References：

[1]Tolmie，D.F.Narratology and Biblical Narratives：A Practical Guide[M].San Francisco：International Scholars Publications，1999.

[2]Forster，E.M.Aspects of the Novel[M].Harmondsworth：Penguin， 1990.

[3]Holy Bible（New Revised Standard Version）.United Bible Societies：776-834.

[4]Northrop Frye.The Great Code：the Bible and the Literature[M].New York：Harcourt Brace Jovanovich，1982.

作者简介：

张辩辩（1990-），女，河北石家庄人，河北师范大学外国语学院外国语言学及应用语言学专业2014级硕士研究生。

聂敏佳（1991-），女，河北石家庄人，河北师范大学外国语学院外国语言学及应用语言学专业，2015级硕士研究生。