| Abstract: | Although Ina Habermann, a Swiss scholar, has drawn attention to the fact that The Good Companions preserves the tradition of condition of England, she has failed to point out the inner relationship between the tradition and the symbolic forms of the novel. It is “The Good Companions” the troupe, together with the way it operates (including its theatrical performance), rather than “music hall entertainment” as argued by Ina, that is the crucial symbol of community life in The Good Companions. It is true that Ina’s “music hall entertainment” symbolizes community life but the image of “The Good Companions” not only reveals the breadth of community life indicating a way of life beyond the category of theatrical performances, but also sheds light on the depth of community life by suggesting the spirit of community and the ways of work in which community is rooted. |
