斗南及大埤地區文學發展，屬於單一小區域的研究，將問題落實到特定的小空間，可以較為清楚的觀察其發展脈絡，呈現特色，文獻的資料也更趨完整。再者，小區域文學的史料，將來勢必成為台灣文學史的資料庫，因此充實這些小區域資料庫的工作變成極端重要的工作和使命，此乃進行小區域文學研究的意義。 筆者以「斗南及大埤地區文學發展之研究」為題，將斗南和大埤置於同一個場域進行研究，實因兩鄉鎮緊密連結，地理方面它們擁有先天一體的自然環境；人文方面，兩鄉鎮在信仰、傳說、行政區、教育、農業等多方面連結。而文人間也聲氣相通，所以斗南和大埤是一個完整的文化圈，文學發展可同步進行研究。 本文以「文學時代時、文學在地性」為研究徑路的兩大主軸，以「文學時代性」的角度看，斗南和大埤地區有兩波文學活動最能凸顯時代精神，第一波為日治時期該區域的古典文學，第二波為八○年代至今的現代文學。以「文學在地性」而言，民間文學最具地方色彩，是探討區域「文學殊相」，不可或缺的材料。 論文書寫分六章：第一章緒論，敘明研究動機與目的；研究範圍；前人研究成果；研究方法等。第二章探討斗南和大埤地區的地理環境、歷史軌跡，勾勒出斗南及大埤地區文學發展之時空與人文背景。第三章分四節探討斗南及大埤地區的民間文學。第四章分四節探討斗南及大埤古典文學的發展。第五章分三節探討斗南及大埤現代文學。第六章總結斗南及大埤的文學特色，並提出文學發展的困境與進路，以供後進參考。 The study on the literature development in Dounan and Dapi regions is a single small regional study, and focuses on a specific location to have a clearer observation of the context of development for its feature presentation and a comprehensive literature review. Furthermore, historical information on literature of a small region shall become the database of Taiwanese literature history; thus, it is an important and meaningful task and mission to expand the database of these small regions. Using “Literature Development in Dounan and Dapi Region” as a subject, the author placed Dounan and Dapi in the same field for this study. Due to close connection between two towns, they have an inherited uniform natural environment in geological senses. In its cultural environment, two towns share similarities in numerous aspects such as belief, legends, administrative district, education, and agriculture. Since literary circles in two regions are without barriers, Dounan and Dapi form an integral cultural realm where literature development may be studied simultaneously. This paper has two research focuses, which are “times of literature and locality of literature”. From the perspective of “times of literature”, two most notable literature movements that can highlight the spirits of times in Dounan and Dapi regions are: The first one is classical elegant literature during the Japanese Occupation Period in that area; the second one is modern elegant literature from 1980s up to date. From the perspective of “locality of literature”, the folk literature which has the most notable local hue is an essential material in studying regional “literature unique looks” This paper is organized into six chapters. Chapter 1 is the introduction to explain motives and objectives; scope of research; previous research results; and research method. Chapter 2 investigates geological environment and historical trace in Dounan and Dapi regions in order to depict the atmosphere and cultural background of the literature development. Chapter 3 has four sections which examine folk literature in Dounan and Dapi regions. Chapter 4 has four sections which examine development of classical elegant literature in Dounan and Dapi regions. Chapter 5 has three sections which examine modern elegant literature in Dounan and Dapi regions. Chapter 6 concludes the literature characteristics in Dounan and Dapi regions and proposes the difficulty and progress of literature development for future references.
