本文以威廉福克納所著之小說《在我彌留之際》為題，藉馬丁海德格於其代表作《存有與時間》一書中所提出的本真與非本真論述來探討人類存在的複雜性。威廉福克納是一位著名的美國南方文學作家，其別樹一幟的寫作風格以「意識流」最為人所知。在作品《在我彌留之際》中，福克納訴說著南方窮困的白人家庭在面對必然的死亡時所產生的衝突與掙扎。本文將運用海德格提出的非本真與本真論述以及搭配文本中大量出現的意識流描述，針對各角色的內心世界與思考邏輯做更深刻地理解。藉此我們便能揭露人類生活中隱蔽於日常生活中的「普遍性」。首先，我將介紹何為「此在」以及「此在」是如何融入在這個世界中。接著，本文將藉由「此在」來探討「此在」的兩種樣態：非本真與本真，以及何謂「向死亡存有」。據此，我將運用海德格的存在主義論述深度分析各個角色。藉由本分析，小說中南方窮苦白人的生活樣態將會被開展。此外，福克納小說中的生命樣態也將充分輝映於現實生活中，藉此福克納的作品將作為闡明人類存有意義的一盞明燈。

This thesis explores the complexity of human existence in William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying by applying Martin Heidegger’s theoretical frameworks on authenticity and inauthenticity, as discussed in his seminal work Being and Time. William Faulkner, a renowned Southern American writer, is celebrated for his unique literary style, particularly his use of stream of consciousness. In As I Lay Dying, Faulkner poignantly portrays the struggles and conflicts within a poor Southern white family confronting the inevitability of death. By extensively employing stream of consciousness to reveal characters’ inner thoughts, this thesis utilizes Heideggerian concepts of authenticity and inauthenticity to provide deeper insights into the characters’ mindsets and decision-making processes. Such an analysis offers a window into the universality of the human condition, often obscured by the mundanity of everyday life. Initially, I introduce the concept of Dasein and its involvement in the world. Through the lens of Dasein, I examine the issue of Being-towards-death and the dual modes of Dasein’s existential condition: inauthenticity and authenticity. Subsequently, I conduct an in-depth character analysis within the framework of Heideggerian existentialism. This core analysis illuminates the nature of the characters residing in the rural South as depicted in As I Lay Dying. Moreover, the existential conditions portrayed in the novel resonate profoundly with those encountered in real life. Thus, Faulkner’s work serves as a valuable resource for elucidating the enduring question of the meaning of existential human conditions in the 21st century.

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