對時間問題的高度重視構成了福克納小說敘事的重要組成部分。考辨福克納小說時間主題及其藝術呈現方式,其中不乏與奧古斯丁時間觀的契合之處:一方面,福克納將奧古斯丁的主觀時間觀與自己的心理現實主義小說技法融合,借助記憶這一心理紐帶,在小說時空跳躍等敘事策略方面進行了有益的探索和嘗試;另一方面,福克納通過發掘奧古斯丁時間觀的內在結構形式特征,探索其時間向度變化和內在心靈時間的體悟方式,將時間的心靈和生命屬性賦予其小說情節結構安排和人物形象塑造,從而傳達出美國南方獨特的"固戀過去"的歷史觀念,表達了強烈的救贖意識;此外,我們還可以看到,福克納對永恒時間觀念的理解與奧古斯丁如出一轍。

Close attention to time is an important element in William Faulkner’s fictional narration.An examination of the theme of time and its artistic presentation in Faulkner’s novels reveals some conjunctions with Augustinian view of time.Faulkner blends Augustinian objective view of time with his own psycho-realism techniques in the fiction and with the help of memory as a form of psychological ties,makes beneficial experiment of narrative strategy,such as time leap and so on.On the other hand,through digging the features of inner structural form of Augustinian view of time,exploring the changes of time dimension and having a thorough apprehension of inner spiritual time,Faulkner endows plots and characters in the fiction with spiritual and life attributes of time to convey unique historical concept fixed on the past of the American South,and to express strong salvation consciousness.In addition,we can see that Faulkner’s understanding of the concept of eternal time is exactly the same as that of Augustine.