A STUDY OF THE USE OF PARALLELISM IN THE NOVEL A TALE OF TWO CITIES BY CHARLES DICKENS

PhD DISSERTATION

SUKHINEOO

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH UNIVERSITY OF

MARCH 2017 ACKNOWLEDGEMENiS

Firstly. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. Mya Myint, Chairman of the National Education Policy Commission, for the continuous support of my PhD study and related research. for his patience and for sharing his vast knowledge. His guidance helped me in doing research and writing of this thesis. His insightful comments and hard questions incented me to think critically and analytically. He had always enlightened me about professional skills and research mindedness which helped develop mycareer as a teacher and a researcher.

Secondly. my sincere thanks go to Dr. Naw l u Paw. Professor and Head of English Department, who gave me a chance to do a PhD research and willingly shared her great knowledge ofChristian norms and values in interpreting some Dickens' writing.Her paper for Myanmar Arts and was of enormous help in initiating my research.

Thirdly. I am very grateful to Daw Khin Lay Myint, Professor {Retired}, Department of English, Yangon University whose guidance, motherly kindness and massive support gave me insights into literature and its esthetic value. In addition, her immense knowledge of of English literature inspired me to do research on Iiterature.

My gratitude goes to my external examiner Dr. Aye Aye Khine, Pro-Rector of West Yangon University who examined my thesis very thoroughly and pointed out the flaws, weaknesses, shortcomings and loop-holes in my research and enables me to finally come up with a creditable thesis.

I would like to record my thanks for Dr. Khin Mar Wai, Dr. Wai Wai Nyunt, Dr. Aye Aye Khine, Dr. May.San .Ye and Dr. Thi Thi T un who shared their great knowledge ofliterature, linguisties and pedagogy in my PhD Preliminary class. Their patienee and tuidance were initiative to do my PhD thesis.

I am also indebted to my esemal -cbeerleeder, Dr. Poe Poe, Director of National Center for English Language. who tookgreat pains in supervising my thesis, spending her

precious time even though she W8;S strenuously busy with administrative and pedagogical tasks. Moreover, she endlessly encouraged me to be-critical and research-minded in doing

iii my thesis and taught me not only professional skills but also life skills. I could not have finished this thesis without her kindness and support. • I would also like to acknowledge my .gratitude to PhD Steering Committee members for giving me positive criticism. constructive comments, valuable guidance and strong motivation to carry out my thesis. I could improve my thesis after every credit seminar because ofthe kind help and support ofthe PhD Steering Committee members.

My heartfelt thanks are also due to Daw Ning Khan Cing, Lecturer. Department of English, University of Dagon, who introduced me to Saya Saw Ka La Htoo, Librarian. Myanmar Institute ofTheology (MI1). I had a special chance to use the library of MIT and read the reference books from MIT for the theory used in my thesis and discuss the basic concept of Christianity with him.

J would like to express my special thanks to Daw Htu Yar, Lecturer, Department of Anthropology. Mandalay University for introducing me to Saya Hkamung Zau Ba, Evangelist, Founder and Senior Pastor of Council of Govenunents (World Mission) and Chairman of Myanmar Pentecostal Fellowship. As be is a pastor in Kachin Baptist Church teaching the Bible, he could share his knowledge of the use of paraIlelism in biblical writing. He also provided me some reference books. Being a well-versed person, he helped me with Dickens' style of writing and inlerprolation ofthe underlying meaning in A Tale ofTwoCities in relation to the Bible.

In additio n, my sincere thanks go to Daw Myint Myint San, Professor and Head of English Department. Hpa-an Univers.ity, .who understood my difficulties and exempted me from department duties. She gave me valuable advice concerning my thesis and social life. Her words of wisdom helped me overcome diff'tculties especially when I was away from home. She.encouraged. me not onlyto carry OIl doing my thesis but also to take part in paper reading sessions. I must admit that I could finish my thesis in time due to her kindness, love and support.

I would like to eXjJl

iv I am deeply thankful to Dr. Thida Shwe, Associate Professor, Department of , Hpa-an University and Dr. Thet Thet HJaing, Lecturer, Department of Computer Science, Yangon University for helping me with graphs in Microsoft Excel. I could deal with graphs, tables and formulas because of their guidance, patience and kindness.

I would like to record my thanks to Saw Lar Ku and Daw Than Than Htay who provided me and my students with place to stay and food to eat while I was in charge of organizing 3R's (reading, writing and arithmetic) - the basic skills-oriented education program in a remote village caKed Kawt Lar in Karen State. With their support, I could do my research outside my duty hours.

I am also grateful to a1l my teachers whose teaching and words of wisdom influenced me . I could Jearn a lot from all my teachers, especially English teachers of East Yangon University, Yangon University and Regional Centre for English Language (RELC).

lowe a great debt of gratitude to Dr. Thandar Cho {Consultant Physician), Medical Officers and nurses of Victoria Hospital and OSC Hospital who took great care ofme when I was at the hospital. Their professionalism, patience and guidance helped me recover quickly.

Lastly, I would like to express my sinceee gratitude to my father and mother who gave me inspiration and motivation to be able to finish my thesis. Their love is a shot of courage for me to resist any kind of difficulties and hardships. Their physical. mental and financial supports are ofcrucial to thecompletion of this thesis.

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