美国人的性格特点及成因

1、.本 科 生 毕 业 论 文（申请学士学位）论文题目美国人的性格特点及其成因作者姓名陶雨晴所学专业名称英语师范指导教师金艳2014年12月10日美国人的性格特点及其成因分析陶雨晴滁州学院外国语学院二一四年十二月十日Analysis of the American Characters and Forming ReasonsByTao Yuqing Under the supervision ofAssociate Professor Jin Yan A ThesisSubmitted to the School of Foreign Languages In Partial Fulfillme

2、nt of the RequirementFor the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in English At Chuzhou UniversityDecember 10, 2014AcknowledgementsI would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all these who helped me in one way or another in the completion of this thesis.First of all, I owe great

3、 indebtedness to my supervisor, Associate Professor JinYanwhose strict demands and insightful suggestions are indispensable through all the stages of development and revision of the thesis. He has made lots of corrections and suggestions while reading my drafts of the thesis. Without his patience an

4、d wisdom the present thesis would be unthinkable. Special thanks should also be extended to all of the teachers who taught me during my four years of study in Chuzhou University, in particular, associate professors Jin Yan for their enlightening instructions.At last, I would like to extend my sincer

5、e gratitude to my family and dear friends. With their consistent support and encouragement, I would be able to carry on my study and complete this thesis. .;AbstractWhen it comes to the American culture, more issues are talked about American geography, politics, and economy , instead of its people.

6、As a matter of fact, American people is also a significant part of its national culture. This paper mainly talks about characters of American people and many forming reasons. Different nationalities have different characters due to variously cultural backgrounds, such as, Chinese modesty, French rom

7、ance, German strictness and so on. Certainly American people has its own unique characters:openness, directness, independence, self-reliance, hard work, etc. Although American people are amiable, they resist the fate. However, All these characters are not haphazard, they are formed from a variety of

8、 factors, including history, geography, culture, religion, and eating habits.Key words: American people; American characters; forming reasons. 摘 要提到美国文化，人们谈论更多的是美国的地理，政治，经济，而非她的人民。事实上，美国的人民也是其文化的重要组成部分，本文就将讨论美国人的性格特点及其诸多形成的原因。不同的民族有着不同的性格特征。人们常常谈及中国人的含蓄，法国人的浪漫，德国人的严谨等等。当然，美国人也拥有其鲜明的性格特征。美国人奔放，随和，坦率和

9、独立进取，自立，自动，抗拒命运。所有的这些特点不是偶然的，是受其历史，地理，文化，宗教及饮食习惯等各种因素共同形成的结果。关键词：美国人；美国人的性格特点；形成原因。Table of ContentsAcknowledgements .IAbstract.II摘要.IIITable of contents.IV1. Introduction.12.American characters .12.1 Openness .12.2 Informality.22.3 Success as a goal .22.4 Independence and self-reliance.22.5 Spirit

10、of resisting the fate.23. Reasons for forming American characters.3 3.1 Historical factor.33.2 Geographical factor. .33.3 Climatic factor.43.4 Cultural factor.5 3.5 Religious factor.64. Conclusion.75. Bibliography.8Analysis of the American Characters and Forming Reasons1. IntroductionEvery nation ha

11、s its own unique personality. People often talk about Chinese modesty, French romance, and German strictness etc. The American character equally has its own distinctive features. Americans are generally cheerful, sociable, and they have informal etiquette. The first meeting is not necessary to shake

12、 hands. Sometimes, they just smile, and say”Hi” or “Hello”,which they considered is polite. Americans generally shake hands with women gently. In farewell, they just wave to you and say “Goodbye” or “See you tomorrow”. But if others bow to them, they also use the appropriate etiquette to express the

13、ir respect, such as shaking hands, nodding,hugging and so on. When you first make a American friend, he may talk with you all the time. When you walk in the street, glancing to strangers with no intention, he may smile or nod to you, or say “Hello”. If your car breaks down on the road, enthusiastic

14、American people will help you to repair. If you get lost in the street, they will be eager to help you. Americans do not like to be subordinated to others when dealing with each other. They either do not like those who are too polite to compliment themselves. Therefore, Americans make friends and ho

15、pe to give people a good impression, but often lack the kind of heart-familiar. Besides, they are independent and enterprising. They do not like to depend on their parents and others. On the street, every morning you will see a boy delivering morning newspapers door to door regardless of the wind an

16、d rain. They will get their return by their effort. To most American students, they earn their tuition by doing park-time job and struggling for scholarships. They have to leave their parents to live on their own when they are in adulthood.Everything in the world has its origin. There is no exceptio

17、n. Certainly culture also has it history, let alone the American characters. American characters are not haphazard, and they have their origin. They are formed from a variety of factors, including history, geography, culture, religion, and eating habits.2. American characters2.1 opennessAmericans ar

18、e open and outgoing. They are easier to approach. American people like to talk with each other both acquaintances and strangers. However, they dislike keeping silence, and they are not good at hiding their opinions. When you see a few Americans who are talking actively in the street, actually maybe

19、they just know each other one hour ago. People who have ever contact with Americans will have the same feeling that Americans in the western people are the most outgoing , and the most amiable. Certainly it is also the American loveliness.2.2 informalityAmericans are well-known for their informality

20、 in the world. We can find this character from their dress and their way of greeting when they meet. Americans dress very casually. In their eyes, comfort is the most important and they consider it unnecessary to do those flashy and superficial items. In the office building, you will find those whit

21、e-collar workers without a coat and a tie work in their offices. In addition, in university campus,you will see American professors who often wear jeans and Nike shoes in their classes. Their dress is very normal in American campus. Last but not least, in the name, whether subordinates see their bos

22、ses, or students meet their teachers, Americans generally just need to smile, or say “Hi” and “Hello”. It is not necessary to add to any titles.2.3 Success as a goal In the eyes of Americans, what is the most important is not the family background of one person, but his own talent and ability. Even

23、a child, he also wants to perform very prominently in the school to win his parents favor. They also seem to understand that love of their parents is not their birthright, but their spoils through their efforts. That Americans place a very high valuation upon success is agreed on by almost every Ame

24、ricans. Success for them does not necessarily mean material rewards, but recognition of some sort which is preferably measurable. If the boy turns out to be a preacher instead of a business man. That is all right. But if the bigger his church and congregation are, the more successful he will be.2.4

25、Independence and self-relianceAmericans do not like rely on others, equally they either dislike others relying on themselves. Every morning you will see a eleven-year-old boy who will deliver morning newspapers door to door, and some girls at the same age will go to the neighbors to help looking aft

26、er little children. Their parents consider that independence for their children from childhood will have great benefits on their future social life. Besides, Americans are particular about “DO IT YOUSELF”. In America, they generally do their own cooking, their own washing, their own marketing and ot

27、her tasks whoever they may be a doctor, professor, lawyer, businessman and so on. They have a certain of social status, but they do not think that doing chores will reduce their decent identity. They have enough economic power to employ a housekeeper, but they do not think that they need to do this.

28、2.5 Spirit of resisting the fateAmericans do not believe the power of the fate. They think those who believe the fate are backward, naive and barbaric. The fatalism is the representative of superstition, laziness and unwillingness of taking active action. Americans are very active. There is an artic

29、le called “American on the move”, which talks about American history, actually American history of immigration. In America, 40 million families will move every year, and average one family in five families will move once every three years. This frequent immigration in a certain reflect that they are

30、 not used to live ordinary daily life, and they are eager to find a new place, looking for new job opportunities, and gain a new character.3. Reasons for forming American characters 3.1 Historical factorThe development and change of everything are the product of a certain historical period. The form

31、ing of American character has a profoundly social and historical origin. Americans do not experience the feudal society. Before the invasion, America is a primitive society ruled by Indians. They do not experience the feudal society which is characterized by autocratic rule. Therefore, Americans are

32、 not influenced and controlled by feudal thought. As a consequence, American characters are open and free. The people of North America have traditional character of freedom. Indians are the master of America. They are free and independent all the time. They consider that the world is the common home

33、 of all things, and all animals and plants in the world like human beings equally share the same and equal right. They are polite and generous with strangers, and they want to get along with strangers like friends. Besides, the colonists invading the North America are mainly English, and most of the

34、m are puritans. They came to North America to get rid of feudal rule and pursue speech and life freedom.There is a long historical origin. The early immigrants came to the savage lands of North America from their homeland. The harsh environment require them to be independent and self-reliance and fi

35、rm. Only in this way, can they survive in the lands. A significant western movement in American history, require them to be more firm faith, and they must believe their fate, which is controlled in their own hands. As long as they believe human can defeat the God, they can defeat nature,conquer natu

36、re, change nature, and improve their life condition. Therefore, Americans form this kind of character that they do not believe the fate and the fate is mastered in their own hands.3.2 Geographic factor The development of everything in the world is not only the product of history, but it also has an

37、essential relationship with natural geographic environment. To a certain extent, American characters are also the product of special American geographic environment. There are irregular coast lines, endless mountains, vast plains, wavy hills, desolate deserts , flat plateaus and low-lying swamps and

38、 basins in American large land. Various landscapes are distributed. Humans are a kind of animal with a strong adaptability. When they have settled in a place, they begin to adapt to and change this kind of natural environment. In the process of adaptation, people in different terrains will form thei

39、r own unique social production and character traits. The region with influence of blue ocean civilization is based on the sea, therefore, their character is free and open. There are close to 23 thousand kilometers coastlines in America between the hug of two oceans. The big trait of the ocean civili

40、zation is openness and instability. People inside ocean want to get the nourishment of ocean. They want to catch abundant fishes and frequently overseas trade. They dare to think deeply, take adventures, broaden their horizons, as a consequence, American characters are open and free, with the spirit

41、s of aggressiveness. Plain encourages people to pursue the knowledge, exploit new thoughts. Therefore, those people who live in the plain of the east of Appalachian and the Middle plain are good at business and trade because of predominantly natural condition. Hence , they are cheerful ,open, broad-

42、minded, and generous. In a word, complicated American natural landscape produces a variety of characters.3.3 climatic factorThere are complicated and diversified climates and a big difference between them because of vast population and complicated landscapes. Climatic diversity leads to different ch

43、aracter traits in those living different regions. In the Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu wrote: “in cold countries, people are less happy; in warmer countries, people are more happy than in cold countries; however, in hot countries, people are very sensitive to happiness.” There are more outdoors ac

44、tivities in tropic areas. therefore, they are hot-tempered. However, people living in cold areas have more indoors activities, hence they are strong and tolerant, with the spirit of aggressiveness. In Politics, Aristotle said:” people in cold European countries are brave and have more freedom than o

45、ther countries.” On the contrast, those people who live in warm and wet areas are easy and comfortable, but they are smart and free. Thereby, various climates have a certain influence on different American characters, which leads to the diversity in American character.3.4 Cultural factorPopulation a

46、nd nation. America is a country of immigration, therefore, those immigrants who come from all over the world bring their own history, culture, lifestyle, religion, as well as value into America, which forms American diversification. Certainly, the process of collision and exchange between different

47、cultures is also the process of free speech and individuality. Therefore, people in north America have a profound understanding in individuals life, freedom, and interest.Culture. As we all know, there is not a period of feudal society in the process of American history. Nobility, poor men, rank, cr

48、own, which are popular among European continent, are no practical meaning in America.They do not pay mare attention to family, status, and identity. However, what they attach importance to is their own realistic achievements. This kind of concept which began in early American original period to a ce

49、rtain degree has become the precipitate of American cultural tradition. Everyone cherishes their own equal right, therefore,when they get along with each other, it is not necessary to be critical about all kinds of red-tapes. For this reason, it has formed this kind of American character without cer

50、emony. Informality is to make people in the process of communication more relaxed and comfortable, so that it is quick to shorten the distance between them. This may be one of reason for American character of openness. Diet. American behavior psychologists have prove that personality has a close rel

51、ationship with taste through a large number of facts. It shows that those people who like to eat fried foods usually like to take adventures and want to do a big business. But when they are confronted with obstacles, it is easier for them to be disheartened. For Americans, their food is mainly fried

52、 food, such as hamburgers, hot dogs etc. Therefore, they prefer to new things, stimulative things, but they do not like relying on others, equally they do not like others rely on them. Besides, they quietly attach importance to the value of success.3.5 Religious factor The faith of puritans has a hu

53、ge influence on American culture.”God helps those who help themselves.” this is the voice of American faith. Indeed, in the track of American lifestyle, the spirit of endeavoring and struggling scatters into everywhere. There are full of competitions in American society. They believe that one person

54、 who struggles to making a living, will be well-being in the future because it is the gift from God. American confidence is the motivation of success in their competition. Today they are not afraid of terrible conditions and obstacles, as they are in the past. What is more, Americans are hard workin

55、g all the time to keep up the number one in the world. 4. Conclusion Watching Americans in action, foreigners sometimes see behavior that seems to be rude, misguided, or just plain silly. Among them are the following other traits, which are characteristic, but certainly not exclusive Americans. Hurr

56、y. Almost every American wears a watch, and in nearly every room in American home, there is a clock.”Be on time.” “Do not waste time.” “Time is money.” “Time waits for no one.” . All these familiar sayings reflect the American obsession with promptness and efficiency. Students displease their teachers, and employees displease their boss when they are late. This desire to get the every minute often makes Americans impatient when they have to wait. The pressure to make every moment count , sometimes makes it difficult for Americans to relax. The desire to save time and do w