We assume that unless we're dealing with Scheherazade, it has to have an end, but at the same time we might well ask ourselves, why does it have a middle? What is the function of the middle with respect to a beginning and an end?

而且我们认定一定会有结尾，除非讲故事的是那个，《天方夜谭》中的苏丹新娘，但是我们要问自己了，为什么故事一定要有经过呢？,故事的经过对于开头结尾来说起到什么作用呢？

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选

Duh!" of course, is our response, and yet at the same time we can't understand a degree of mystery in even so seemingly simple a pronouncement. A beginning, of course--well, it has to have a beginning.

我们肯定要说：“废话！这不是明摆着的么！“，但同时,我们并不能深刻理解这样一个看似浅显的观点,起因，当然啦，一个故事总要有个开头。

耶鲁公开课 - 文学理论导论课程节选