The stream of consciousness is the first western technique of expression used in the literary world in the new era of China. It mainly consists of such elements as one’s psychological structure, inner monologue, free asso⁃ciation of ideas and impressions based on one’s feelings. One’s free association of ideas refers to the fancy of the things that have no direct association and embodies the reality of one’s soul in a complicated, disorder, casual and leap way. It also emphasizes one’s different feelings in one’s stream of consciousness. Chinese writers in the new era are more rational while making use of free association of ideas. Their novels are usually within the same frame⁃work and the contents are relatively simple. It was not until the middle of 1980s that one could read minute de⁃scriptions and richness in Chinese writers’novels which triggered off the natural revelation of irrational conscious⁃ness. The process in which strong subjectivity evolved into objectivity was similar to the research method of novels of stream of consciousness in the west. It is through making use of the stream of consciousness that Chinese con⁃temporary novels have begun to purposefully analyze and expound the innermost feelings of the characters in the novels. As a result, the novels of stream of consciousness have begun to gain publicity in China.% 意识流是最先走进中国新时期文坛的西方现代派表现手法，它主要有心理结构、内心独白、自由联想、感觉印象等艺术要素.自由联想是曲折地或放射式地对没有直接必然联系的事物的想象.它有相当大的随意性和跳跃性，强调表现人物意识流动中的各种感受，是一种杂乱的心灵真实.中国新时期作家在运用自由联想时更加理性化，同时呈片断式样式，范围相对固定，内容也相对单薄；1980年代中期以后则更加细致和丰富，已触及人的非理性意识的自然流露.这是一个从较强的主观性变异到客观性演绎的过程，与西方意识流小说的探索路径相似.1980年代小说正是通过“化”用自由联想等西方意识流表现手法，对人物心理进行有目的的分析和阐释，从而使得意识流小说在中国新时期园地里落地、发芽，以至于开花、结果.
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