毕业论文正文《瓦尔登湖》中自然主义的现实意义.doc

11 Practical Significance of Naturalism in Walden 温州医学院本科毕业论文( 2010届 )论文题目 Practical Significance of Naturalism in （英文） Walden论文题目瓦尔登湖中自然主义的现实意义（中文） 专业学院 仁济学院英语学号班级2006（02）班0606041049作者姓名指导老师 赵玖玫 王晓丹完稿时间 2010.04.27成绩 目 录Abstractiv摘要ivOutlinev提纲vi1. Introduction12. Definition and features of naturalism23. On Walden33.1 Background of the writing33.1.1 Politics33.1.2 Economy33.1.3 Culture33.2 Naturalism in Walden43.2.1 Simple Life43.2.2 Guileless Records43.2.3 Society in Nature43.3 Influence of Walden in the History54. Practical Significance of Naturalism in Walden64.1 Situations Nowadays64.1.1 Natural Situation64.1.2 Social Situation74.2 Necessity and Feasibility of Naturalism85. Conclusion9Works Cited11Practical Significance of Naturalism in WaldenZHAO JiumeiAbstract: Many researchers approach Henry David Thoreaus Walden from an ecocritical perspective. This article analyzes Walden to show the significance of naturalism under the condition of natural and social environment today. Firstly, it gives a brief introduction to the background and purpose of the study on Walden. Then it enumerates the reflection of naturalism in the book which combines with the definition and features of naturalism. The feasibility of naturalism is proved by the influence of Walden in history. The following part focuses on the necessity and significance of naturalism by means of stating the deteriorated condition of todays world. It finally elaborates the theme of essay.Key words: naturalism; significance; Walden; Thoreau瓦尔登湖中自然主义的现实意义赵玖玫摘要：很多学者都是从生态批评的角度来解读梭罗的瓦尔登湖。本文通过对瓦尔登湖的作品分析以及当今世界的自然与社会环境，证明自然主义的现实意义。本文从介绍瓦尔登湖的研究背景及目的开始，结合自然主义的定义及特征列举文中自然主义的具体表现。通过瓦尔登湖对当时社会的影响和现今世界环境的恶化状况证明自然主义的可行性和必要性。最后阐明本文主题。关键词：自然主义；现实意义；瓦尔登湖；梭罗Practical Significance of Naturalism in WaldenOutline1. Introduction2. Definition and features of naturalism3. On Walden3.1 Background of the writing3.1.1 Politics3.1.2 Economy3.1.3 Culture3.2 Naturalism in Walden 3.2.1 Simple Life3.2.2 Guileless Records3.2.3 Society in Nature3.3 Influence of Walden in the History4Practical Significance of Naturalism in Walden 4.1 Situations Nowadays4.1.1 Natural Situation4.1.2 Social Situation4.2 Necessity and Feasibility of Naturalism 5Conclusion瓦尔登湖中自然主义的现实意义提纲1. 引言2. 自然主义的定义及特征3. 关于瓦尔登湖3.1 瓦尔登湖的写作背景3.1.1 政治3.1.2 经济3.1.3 文化3.2 瓦尔登湖中自然主义的体现3.2.1 简单生活3.2.2 朴实记录3.2.3 自然中的社会3.3 瓦尔登湖对当时社会及后世的影响4. 瓦尔登湖中自然主义的现实意义4.1 社会现状4.1.1 自然环境4.1.2 社会环境4.2 自然主义的必要性和可行性5. 结论Practical Significance of Naturalism in WaldenRS 2006（02）（English）ZHAO JiumeiTutor: WANG Xiaodan1. IntroductionHenry David Thoreau is the 19th century American transcendentalist writer and preservation thinker. His understanding of nature is unprecedented in American literature. With the coming of the global environmental crisis and the rising of the environmental movement, Thoreau is rediscovered. More and more people find a spiritual home for the harmonious relation between man and nature in his writings. Therefore, it is necessary for us to analyze his ideas on nature in his works. Walden is one of the most famous works of Thoreau and is a distinctive book which is one of the earliest model proses in American modern literature. There are so many records about animals and plants in this book. The author took much time to watch birds, animals, flowers and trees. For that, most of the people on that time thought it was a book only about nature. Actually, Thoreau endowed the records with philosophic meaning which was described in a common way. It is the point in Walden which overshadows the others. Walden is a marvellous book, because it has so many ways to understand. In the introduction to Walden in 1985, Joyce Carol Oates pointed out the readers could always feel comfortable and free when reading the book. George Gow said Thoreau understood himself as physical part of that field and the pure crystalline Walden Pond was a part of his soul. However, Scott Ardley looked at Walden as an experiment with life. Ashton Nichols examined the hermit of Walden in biographical detail in his essay Thoreau and urbanature: from Walden to ecocriticism (2009). The words mentioned above were summarized by Walter Harding, the researcher of Thoreau. He said Walden has at least five ways to read: as a book of nature, as a guide of self-reliance and simple life, as a satire of modern life, as a belletristic achievement and as a spiritual book(1962). In 1995, Walter Harding turned out an article titled Thoreaus Reputation trying to render a picture of how Thoreau had been perceived in a world other than the United States. As Glotfelty noted in The Ecocriticism Reader, ecocriticism is the study of literature and environment from an interdisciplinary point of view where all sciences come together to analyze the environment and brainstorm possible solutions for the correction of the contemporary environmental situation. Thoreau was called the greatest ecoliterature writer during the romantic period. Many researchers of Thoreau have found ecological consciousness in Thoreaus Walden. However, few of them have mentioned the significance involved in Walden. As the Walden is the model of relationship of man and nature, it has an important significance for building a harmonious society. The thoughts about money and politics also suit for our daily life. This paper will explore the practical significance of naturalism of Walden. It is about the scientificity and feasibility of applying it to the different fields of the realistic society including politics, economy and ideology. To realize the harmony between human and nature, the improvement of peoples relationship inside human society is indispensable. The harmony and justice and responsibility inside human society are of great importance to the elimination of current ecological crisis and the relationship between human and nature. In the same way, we should enrich our mind instead of being satisfied for seeking the material needs only.2. Definition and features of naturalismNaturalism, according to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, is a critical term applied to the method of literary composition that aims at a detached, scientific objectivity in the treatment of natural man in the 19th century. According to Wikipedia, naturalism is divided into two philosophical stances: Methodological naturalism (or scientific naturalism) which focuses on epistemology: This stance is concerned with knowledge: what are methods for gaining trustworthy knowledge of the natural world? It is an epistemological view that is specifically concerned with practical methods for acquiring knowledge, irrespective of ones metaphysical or religious views. It requires that hypotheses be explained and tested only by reference to natural causes and events. Explanations of observable effects are considered to be practical and useful only when they hypothesize natural causes (i.e., specific mechanisms, not indeterminate miracles). Methodological naturalism is the principle underlying all of modern science. Some philosophers extend this idea, to varying extents, to all of philosophy too. Science and philosophy, according to this view, are said to form a continuum. W.V. Quine, George Santayana, and other philosophers have advocated this view. Metaphysical naturalism, (or ontological naturalism or philosophical naturalism) which focuses on ontology: This stance is concerned with existence: what does exist and what does not exist? Naturalism is the metaphysical position that “nature is all there is, and all basic truths are truths of nature”(1996).Naturalism is a mighty trend of Environmental Ethics in western countries. The viewpoint is that nature has its own intrinsic value, to protect all the existence and balance the ecological, yet the idea of ecocentrism awakens mans ecological awareness and extends his moral concern to all the existing beings. There are three features of naturalism. Upholding and depicting nature in a simple way; focusing on the superficies of real life and write it down as record; explaining human and society with the order of nature. 3. On Walden Walden, as one of the most famous books of ecocriticism, is paid tribute to sing as a naturalism book in the meantime. Beautifully integrated with the actual narration, this book is a wealth of thought, indicating Thoreaus wish to write a book of how to live wisely. His purpose is to tell people how to enjoy simple life and how to find the beauty in life. It begins from spring, follows the season, and ends in spring of the next year the same with the life cycle. 3.1 Background of the writingWhen Thoreau graduated from Harvard in 1837, he went back to his hometown Concord where he met Emerson. Thoreau lived in the Emersons home from 1841 to 1843. Inspired by Emerson, he began to write his journals in which he recorded the observation and thoughts that were to become the raw materials for his lectures, essays and books. In 1845, he moved out to Walden Pond and lived for twenty-six months in a cabin which he built by himself. The accomplishment of Walden was based on the observation of nature. 3.1.1 PoliticsThe industrial revolution in United States happened in the middle of 19th century which intensifies the contradictions between industrial bourgeoisie and plantation in the south. The civil war was soon to break out. The territorial expansion of U.S. was gone to the Pacific rim from Atlantic coastal. At the same time, Westward Movement turned white-hot for the nugget. 3.1.2 Economy In the 19th century, many new scientific inventions were developed, such as the steam-powered engines, steam-ship, railroad, and telegraphy. These were the most striking and revolutionary inventions in this time. In particular, the innovation in transportation and communication accelerated the western expansion and shrank the globe. Supporting form the industrial revolution, US achieved rapid economic development. A matter of course, the requirements of natural resources got larger than any time before. From 1810 to 1860, the industrial production of U.S. increased by 10 times, ranked 4th in the world. At that time,the principle of the supremacy of social economy and materialism became the dominant ideology.3.1.3 CultureAs the representative works, Ralph Waldo Emersons The American Scholar appealed for autonomy of culture, and pointed out that American Renaissance was developing like a raging fire(1837). It was an opportunity for the young writers to discover themselves and create literary of their own. Thereupon, the training direction in high education turned to natural science from humane studies. Literature youths including Thoreau on that time were seeking extremely for the spiritual wealth. Emerson believed that nature could enlightened and admonish people, in addition to the instrumental value of it. Seeking self-worth from nature was the most appropriate way to get the truth. Thoreau was deeply influenced by Emersons viewpoint, he read Herakleitos Nature for two times in 1937 to learn about the relationship between human and nature.3.2 Naturalism in WaldenIn Thoreaus mind, the whole United States, including the government and the individuals, had a vehement desire “to have”. In this mode, people cared more about the trivial things but ignored their inward life. They were estranged from beauty, nature, man and themselves. Walden is the book to find the spiritual life. 3.2.1 Simple Life Thoreaus concept of this simple life is not asking people to have a life like monks. It is a higher inner life which is authetic and meaningful instead of being tempted by the profit. In chapter eight, “The Beanfield”, Thoreau described how he hoed and tended two acres of beans. He was respected to nature for its power to planting. In his mind, farming was one of the most sacred things on earth. In the first chapter “Economy”, the beginning of Walden, Thoreau described the process of his building, even recorded any penny of cost. He identified four necessities which we need for living: food, house, clothing and fuel. He argued that excess possessions not only need excess labor to get them, but also oppress us spiritually with worry and restraint. As people supposed they need to be wealthy, this need forced them to spend all of time to work but lost freedom. 3.2.2 Guileless Records Beside repudiating the mammonism and epicureanism in capitalist society, Thoreau represented a vigorous Walden to us with the singing of foxes, the laughter of diving bird, even the sound of ice breaking. Thoreau recorded his daily life in a guileless way in Walden, such as the thinking in the forest, the words with visitors, even noted the price of vegetables. In the chapter “Economy”, he explained that in farming, after an investment of roughly 15 dollars, he could get 9 dollars as a profit. He recorded the diet of beans, peas, corn, potatoes and the value of them. During the first eight month of the life in woods, Thoreau spent sixty-two dollars and gained thirty-seven dollars. Finally, he only spent twenty-five dollars in total. 3.2.3 Society in Nature As one of the gleams in Walden, Thoreau described animals in a special way. He emphasized animals with human characteristics. When he recorded the partridge and its young walking along his windowsill, he associated with motherhood and natural instincts to protect their children. While watching the fighting of ants, we could connect it with human easily. The war in ants is quite similar with human battle. Even the small organisms can be cruel like human beings. 3.3 Influence of Walden in the historyWalden was written 150 years ago. With the coming of the global environmental crisis and the rise of various environmental movements, Thoreaus simple life in Walden began to draw the publics attention, for his works depict the beauty of nature and concern human-nature relationships. Thoreau Society, the largest and oldest party devoted to an American author, was built in 1914. The society is not only study about Thoreaus works but also carry forward his view of nature and existence. In the late of 1960s, American spoke highly of Thoreau even hooked on him. Since 1985, Thoreaus Walden has more than once been rated as number one in the ten greatest books that have contributed to shaping the American mind by the magazine American Heritage. The critic rated him as a green Saints while the Walden was the Bible of green. The researcher of Thoreau, Professor Harding said that Thoreau would become the highest type in the environmental movement which developed during 1970s and 1980s (1965). Martin Luther King said that the problems we facing today is that we make our minds lost in the external physical world, which can be summed up in a sentence by Thoreau, and this development means toward the development of the outcome can not be(1944). Lewis Mumford, the American Philosopher and Literary Critic said that, Thoreau may be the only one to stop and write down a rich experience. He kept quiet when others rushed around, he insist simple life while others were crazy for money. The simple life didnt make him simple in mind but help him go to the higher civilization. Thoreau would be a man as a prediction, he would achieve high respect and esteem in the new century(1926). Thoreaus mode of life in Walden impacted on many authors. Rachel Carson, writer of Silent Spring, built a house in the forest by the sea. The house was full of windows to watch the woods and water. The famous US poet on ecology Robinson Jeffers built a cabin by himself by the sea, the house was named eagle tower. Everyday he read his works by facing the Pacific Ocean. Henry Bestton (1888 - 1968), wrote The Outermost House(1928) in a log cabin also on the sea. There was a kind of universal sentiment in Thoreau. He proposed the cosmic equality of all the creatures in the universe. He was absolutely not the “nullifier of civilization” and the anti-social man who wasted his life as the critics commented. In the utilized and mechanized industrial world, Thoreau insisted on pursuing the harmony between man and nature and was strongly opposed to mans hostility and apathy to life. He appealed to people to seek true freedom, justice and equality. He thought that each person should experience life, explore life and revere life. In Thoreau, there was a genuine healthy humanity.4. Practical Significance of Naturalism in WaldenAs a matter of fact, Thoreaus book Walden still remains a practical, usable manual on how to lead a good and just life. It offers readers an ethical view of life that begins in self rule and ends in public and social commitment to the next generation. Thoreau was concerned about the existence and development of human beings, and the harmonious coexistence between man and nature. What he opposed and proposed are both meaningful to man nowadays. His critiques on industrial civilization and ideal solution are not outdated. They still speak to modern people because the conflict between man and nature he predicted has not been eliminated and has become even more serious, especially in some developing countries. 4.1 Situations NowadaysHuman activities cant do without the natural resource, also need to communicate with others and finally affect on humans spiritual civilization. Industrial activity plays an important role in the economy and direct influence on mans material life. The economic base determines the su