【英美文学】美国作家作品usa`s literature

1.EarlyFictionBenjaminFranklinWashingtonIrving—华盛顿-欧文(1783-1859)JamesFenimoreCooper—费尼莫-库珀(1789-1851)BenjaminFranklinBenjaminFranklinwasastatesmananddiplomatforthenewlyformedUnitedStates,aswellasanauthorandinventor.Franklinhelpeddraft,andthensigned,theDeclarationofIndependencein1776,andhewasadelegatetotheConstitutionalConventionin1787.Asacivicleader,heinitiatedanumberofnewprogramsinPhiladelphia,includingafirecompany,fireinsurance,alibrary,andauniversity.WashingtonIrving

1783-1859Through

his

satires,

sketches,andshortstories,IrvingwasoneofthemostinfluentialAmericanauthorsofthefirsthalfofthe19thcentury.AmongIrving’sbest-knownlegendsis“RipVanWinkle,〞inwhichamanfromNewYork’sCatskillMountainsfallsasleepbeforethebeginningoftheRevolutionandwakesupafteritisovertofindhisworldhappilytransformed.In“TheLegendofSleepyHollow,〞anawkwardandnaiveschoolteachernamedCraneisdrivenfromhissmallNewYorktownbyaheadlesshorseman.WashingtonIrvingTheLegendofSleepHollow睡谷传奇RipVanWinkle瑞普·凡·温克尔Columbus哥伦布传ConquestofGranada攻克格拉纳达

TheAlhambra—中古西班牙摩尔人(Moor)诸王的豪华宫殿TouronPrairiesJamesFennimoreCooperNineteenth-centuryAmericanwriterJamesFenimoreCooper,famedforhisadventurenovelsofAmericanfrontierlife,wasalsoansocialcritic.Cooperwroteaseriesoffivenovels,knowncollectivelyastheLeather-StockingTales,inwhichhedetailedtheadventuresofafictionalfrontiersmannamedNattyBumppo.InBumppo,CooperportrayedamanofnatureandafriendoftheNativeAmericans.Inadditiontofiction,CooperwroteseveralnonfictionworkscriticizingAmericansocietyandexpressinghisbeliefintheimportanceofindividualfreedomandtherightsofthepropertyowner.JamesFennimoreCooperTheSpy间谍TheLeather-stockingTales

皮袜子故事集ThePioneers

拓荒者TheLastoftheMohicans最后的莫希干人ThePrairie大草原ThePathfinder探路人TheDeerslayer杀鹿者2.Transcendentalism/Transcendentalists

超验主义者RalphWaldoEmerson拉尔夫-沃尔多-爱默生HenryDavidThoreau亨利-大卫-梭罗Transcendentalism:Emphasizenatureasasourceofhumaninspiration,almostonareligiouslevel.Humanintuitionandrelationshipwithnatureisveryimportant.RalphWaldoEmersonRalphWaldoEmersonNature-论自然TheAmericanScholar-论美国学者Self-Reliance-论自助TheOver-soul-论超灵Emerson`sNatureIn1836,Emerson,anex-minister,publishedthisstartlingbookcalledNature,inthisvolume,Emersonclaimedthatbystudyingandrespondingtonatureindividualscouldreachahigherspiritualstatewithoutformalreligion.Forthenextseveralyears,Emerson`sessaymadehimextremelyinfluential,notonlyuponotherthinkersandwriters,butuponthegeneralpopulationaswell,thankstogrowingpopularlecturecircuitthatbroughtcontroversialspeakerstosmalltownsacrossthecountry.IneffectEmerson`slectureswerelikesermons,withtheirdirect,motivatinglanguage.Inhispoetry,Emersondevelopedafree-form,naturalstyle,usingsymbolsandimagerydrawnfromnature.Hisworkhadanimmenseimpactonotherpoetsofthetime.HenryDavidThoreau–亨利.大卫.梭罗1817-1882OneofEmerson`smostgiftedfellow-thinker,thoreauwaspassionateaboutindividuals`learningtothinkforthemselvesandbeingindependent,bothtraditionalAmericanvalues.Hecarriedoutthisidealbygoingtolivebyhimeselffortwoyearsinasimplecabinbesideawoodedpond.Wherehesurvivedessentiallybyhisownlaborandmeditatedinsolitude.Thebookhewroteaboutthisexperience,Walden,waspublishedin1854,butmanyofitsstatementsabouttheindividual`sroleinsociety—simplyput,thatthedictatesofanindividual`conscienceshouldtakeprecedenceoverthedemands,eventhelaws,ofsociety—soundradicaleventoday.HenryDavidThoreau:梭罗Walden瓦尔登湖:Hesurvivedbyhisownlaborandmeditatedinsolitude3.Romantics-浪漫主义EdgarAllanPoe-爱德加.埃伦.坡NathanialHawthorne-纳撒尼尔.霍桑:themostinfluentialromanticwriterinthe19thcenturyHermanMelville-赫尔曼.梅尔维尔EdgarAllanPoe

AnAmericanpoet,shortstorywriter,editorandcriticandoneoftheleadersoftheAmericanRomantics.Poems—musicallanguage,extravagantimageryTales—bold,originalideaStory—mystery.EdgarAllanPoeTheFalloftheHouseofUsher-厄舍尔厦的倒掉"The

Fall

of

the

HouseofUsher"isoneofPoe'smostpopularshortstories.Moreover,analyzingthisstoryprovidesabasisforunderstandingPoe'sliterarytheories.AsinallofPoe'sshortstories,"TheFalloftheHouseofUsher"concentratesona"singleeffect"—inthiscase,thedegenerationanddecayoftheUsherhouseandfamily.Inthestory'sopening,forexample,thenarratorcommentsuponthe"insufferablegloom"thatpervadesthehouse.NathanielHawthorne1804-1864Powerfulsymbolismandpsychologicalcomplexitydistinguishthefictionof19th-centuryAmericanwriterNathanielHawthorne.Hawthorne’sworksexplorethedarkersideofhumannature,especiallythemesofguiltandeffortsatreconciliation.InTheScarletLetter(1850),theprotagonist,HesterPrynne,mustwearascarletletterAonherclothingaspunishmentforadultery.NathanielHawthorneTheScarletLetter-红字TheHouseoftheSevenGables-七个尖角阁的房子YoungGoodmanBrown-年轻人古德蒙.布朗TheScarletLetter-红字The

Scarlet

Letter

isoneofthefewAmericanworksofliteraturethathasjustifiablyearnedtheaccolade"classic."Primaryamongthenovel'svirtuesareitstightlystructuredplotandsophisticatedexplorationofcharacterandmotivation.ThroughthetaleofHesterPrynne'sandArthurDimmesdale'stransgressionsofconventionalmorality,HawthorneoffersanassessmentofthePuritanconsciousness,acodeofthoughtandactionthathelpedformtheAmericanpsyche.Heuseshistoricalmaterialstocreateanovelaboutuniversal,timelesshumanproblems:thestruggleoftheindividualtoachievefreedominasocietythatimposesconsiderablerestraints,andthedilemmaindividualsfaceinbalancingpersonalfeelingsagainstsocialormoralnorms.Moralthemes—guilt,pride,emotionaldepressionThesinofadulteryTheTenCommandmentsbyMosesTheTenCommandments

HermanMelville-赫尔曼.梅尔维尔1819-1891MobyDick(1851),byHermanMelville赫尔曼.梅尔维尔.RegardedasoneofthemostimportantnovelsinAmericanliterature.MobyDicktellsthestoryofthepursuitofagreatwhitewhalenamedMobyDickduringadoomedwhalingvoyagetoexploreprofoundthemessuchasfate,thenatureofevilandtheindividual`sstruggleagainsttheuniverse.ItisconsideredanAmericanmasterpiece.BothIshmael(thenarrator)andAhab(thecaptain)seekknowledge,butwhileIshmaellearnsaboutloveandhumanity,Ahabpursuesvengeancewithcrazyoppression.Melvilledrewuponhisrichexperienceinwritinghisfiction,whichisknownforitssymbolismandadventurousnarrative.HermanMelville-赫尔曼.梅尔维尔MobyDick-白鲸(莫比.狄克)Now

admired

as

a

masterpieceofAmericanliteratureandconsideredoneofthegreatestnovelsofalltime,Moby-Dickwaspublishedtounfavorablereviews,anditsauthor,HermanMelville-赫尔曼.梅尔维尔,wassubsequentlyunabletomakealivingasawriter.HewrotejustthreemorenovelsafterMoby-Dickandthenretiredfromliterarylife,workingasacustomsofficerandwritingpoems,andafewshortstories.Notuntilthe1920swerehisepicnovelfullyappreciated.WhalingVoyageTheme—fate,thenatureofevil,individual’sstruggleagainsttheuniverse4.NewVisionofAmericaWaltWhitman:惠特曼1818--1892AtrulyAmericanvoicethatcelebratedtheAmericanlandscape,theAmericanpeople,theirspeech,andthedemocraticformofgovernment.Free-flowingstructure,irregularlinesegotismWaltWhitman-惠特曼LeavesofGrass-草叶集

SongofMyself-自我之歌1818--1892WaltWhitman

1819-1892Theopeninglinesof“SongofMyself〞announceWaltWhitman’sAmericanidealismandcompletetrustintheinnatevalueoftheindividual.Thesecondline,“AndwhatIassumeyoushallassume,〞createsanimperativerelationshipbetweenreaderandpoetwhichistolastthe1336linesofthepoem.Whitman’sboldpoetryiswritteninnontraditional,free-flowingverseandcelebratesallthingsandpeoples.FromLeavesofGrass

“SongofMyself〞,Stanzas1-5Stanzas1

Icelebratemyself,andsingmyself,

AndwhatIassumeyoushallassume,

Foreveryatombelongingtomeasgoodbelongstoyou.

Iloafeandinvitemysoul,

Ileanandloafeatmyeaseobservingaspearofsummergrass.

Mytongue,everyatomofmyblood,form'dfromthissoil,thisair,

Bornhereofparentsbornherefromparentsthesame,andtheirparentsthesame,

I,nowthirty-sevenyearsoldinperfecthealthbegin,

Hopingtoceasenottilldeath.

Creedsandschoolsinabeyance,

Retiringbackawhilesufficedatwhattheyare,butneverforgotten,

Iharborforgoodorbad,Ipermittospeakateveryhazard,

Naturewithoutcheckwithoriginalenergy.

Stanzas2Housesandroomsarefullofperfumes,theshelvesarecrowdedwithperfumes,

Ibreathethefragrancemyselfandknowitandlikeit,

Thedistillationwouldintoxicatemealso,butIshallnotletit.

Theatmosphereisnotaperfume,ithasnotasteofthedistillation,itisodorless,

Itisformymouthforever,Iaminlovewithit,

Iwillgotothebankbythewoodandbecomeundisguisedandnaked,

Iammadforittobeincontactwithme.

Thesmokeofmyownbreath,

Echoes,ripples,buzz'dwhispers,love-root,silk-thread,crotchandvine,

Myrespirationandinspiration,thebeatingofmyheart,thepassingofbloodandairthroughmylungs,

Thesniffofgreenleavesanddryleaves,andoftheshoreanddark-color'dsea-rocks,andofhayinthebarn,

Thesoundofthebelch'dwordsofmyvoiceloos'dtotheeddiesofthewind,

Afewlightkisses,afewembraces,areachingaroundofarms,

Theplayofshineandshadeonthetreesasthesuppleboughswag,

Thedelightaloneorintherushofthestreets,oralongthefieldsandhill-sides,

Thefeelingofhealth,thefull-noontrill,thesongofmerisingfrombedandmeetingthesun.

Haveyoureckon'dathousandacresmuch?haveyoureckon'dtheearthmuch?

Haveyoupractis'dsolongtolearntoread?

Haveyoufeltsoproudtogetatthemeaningofpoems?

Stopthisdayandnightwithmeandyoushallpossesstheoriginofallpoems,

Youshallpossessthegoodoftheearthandsun,(therearemillionsofsunsleft,)

Youshallnolongertakethingsatsecondorthirdhand,norlookthroughtheeyesofthedead,norfeedonthespectresinbooks,

Youshallnotlookthroughmyeyeseither,nortakethingsfromme,

Youshalllistentoallsidesandfilterthemfromyourself.Stanzas3Ihaveheardwhatthetalkersweretalking,thetalkofthebeginningandtheend,

ButIdonottalkofthebeginningortheend.

Therewasneveranymoreinceptionthanthereisnow,

Noranymoreyouthoragethanthereisnow,

Andwillneverbeanymoreperfectionthanthereisnow,

Noranymoreheavenorhellthanthereisnow.

Urgeandurgeandurge,

Alwaystheprocreanturgeoftheworld.

Outofthedimnessoppositeequalsadvance,alwayssubstanceandincrease,alwayssex,

Alwaysaknitofidentity,alwaysdistinction,alwaysabreedoflife.

Toelaborateisnoavail,learn'dandunlearn'dfeelthatitisso.

Sureasthemostcertainsure,plumbintheuprights,wellentretied,bracedinthebeams,

Stoutasahorse,affectionate,haughty,electrical,

Iandthismysteryherewestand.

Clearandsweetismysoul,andclearandsweetisallthatisnotmysoul.

Lackonelacksboth,andtheunseenisprovedbytheseen,

Tillthatbecomesunseenandreceivesproofinitsturn.

Showingthebestanddividingitfromtheworstagevexesage,

Knowingtheperfectfitnessandequanimityofthings,whiletheydiscussIamsilent,andgobatheandadmiremyself.

Welcomeiseveryorganandattributeofme,andofanymanheartyandclean,

Notaninchnoraparticleofaninchisvile,andnoneshallbelessfamiliarthantherest.

Iamsatisfied—Isee,dance,laugh,sing;

Asthehuggingandlovingbed-fellowsleepsatmysidethroughthenight,andwithdrawsatthepeepofthedaywithstealthytread,

Leavingmebasketscover'dwithwhitetowelsswellingthehousewiththeirplenty,

ShallIpostponemyacceptationandrealizationandscreamatmyeyes,

Thattheyturnfromgazingafteranddowntheroad,

Andforthwithcipherandshowmetoacent,

Exactlythevalueofoneandexactlythevalueoftwo,andwhichisahead?

Stanzas4

Trippersandaskerssurroundme,

PeopleImeet,theeffectuponmeofmyearlylifeorthewardandcityIlivein,orthenation,

Thelatestdates,discoveries,inventions,societies,authorsoldandnew,

Mydinner,dress,associates,looks,compliments,dues,

TherealorfanciedindifferenceofsomemanorwomanIlove,

Thesicknessofoneofmyfolksorofmyself,orill-doingorlossorlackofmoney,ordepressionsorexaltations,

Battles,thehorrorsoffratricidalwar,thefeverofdoubtfulnews,thefitfulevents;

Thesecometomedaysandnightsandgofrommeagain,

ButtheyarenottheMemyself.

ApartfromthepullingandhaulingstandswhatIam,

Standsamused,complacent,compassionating,idle,unitary,

Looksdown,iserect,orbendsanarmonanimpalpablecertainrest,

Lookingwithside-curvedheadcuriouswhatwillcomenext,

Bothinandoutofthegameandwatchingandwonderingatit.

BackwardIseeinmyowndayswhereIsweatedthroughfogwithlinguistsandcontenders,

Ihavenomockingsorarguments,Iwitnessandwait.

Stanzas5

Ibelieveinyoumysoul,theotherIammustnotabaseitselftoyou,

Andyoumustnotbeabasedtotheother.

Loafewithmeonthegrass,loosethestopfromyourthroat,

Notwords,notmusicorrhymeIwant,notcustomorlecture,noteventhebest,

OnlythelullIlike,thehumofyourvalvèdvoice.

Imindhowoncewelaysuchatransparentsummermorning,

Howyousettledyourheadathwartmyhipsandgentlyturn'doveruponme,

Andpartedtheshirtfrommybosom-bone,andplungedyourtonguetomybare-striptheart,

Andreach'dtillyoufeltmybeard,andreach'dtillyouheldmyfeet.

Swiftlyaroseandspreadaroundmethepeaceandknowledgethatpassalltheargumentoftheearth,

AndIknowthatthehandofGodisthepromiseofmyown,

AndIknowthatthespiritofGodisthebrotherofmyown,

Andthatallthemeneverbornarealsomybrothers,andthewomenmysistersandlovers,

Andthatakelsonofthecreationislove,

Andlimitlessareleavesstiffordroopinginthefields,

Andbrownantsinthelittlewellsbeneaththem,

Andmossyscabsofthewormfence,heap'dstones,elder,mulleinandpoke-weed.5.ReformandLiberation-HarrietBeecherStowe

Nineteenth-centuryAmericanauthorandabolitionistHarrietBeecherStowewroteUncleTom’sCabin(1852),agroundbreakingnovelthatstimulatedtremendousantislaverysentimentintheUnitedStates.Inthebook,Stoweprovideddramaticexamplesoftheevilsofslaveryandshowedhowtheinstitutionofslaverycorruptsotherwisekindslaveholders.UncleTom`sCabinportrayedblackslavesassympathetic,sufferingfigures,andcreatedanimageofthecruelslaveownerinthecharacterofSimonLegree.1811—18966.RegionalismSamuelClemens—MarkTwain马克-土温饱(1835—1910)EmilyDickinson艾米利-迪更斯MarkTwain:马克-土温

SamuelClemens

1835–1910MarkTwainAmericanwriterandhumoristMarkTwaindemonstratedatrueunderstandingofchildhoodandhumannature,oftenwritinginthevernacularoftheAmericanSouth.Twain’sbitingsocialandpoliticalsatiresreflecthisabhorrenceofsocialandmoralinjustices.InthemoralclimaxofMarkTwain’squintessentialAmericannovelTheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn,HuckisdecidingtohelpJim,arunawayslave,escape.马克-土温:1835–1910MarkTwain-regionalismOutrageousjokes&talltalesincalm,innocent,matter-of-factmanner.LocaldialectCynical,Skepticalpost-CivilWarmoodTheMississippiriverTheentirespectrumofhumanity,AmetaphorforajourneythroughlifeMarkTwainTheAdventuresofTomSawyer-汤姆.索亚历险记-AmericanwriterMarkTwainwrotetheclassicstoryTheAdventuresofTomSawyerin1876aboutaboy’sescapadesalongtheMississippiRiver.

TheAdventuresofHuckleberryFinn-哈克贝利.费恩历险记--A

sequel

to

Tom

Sawyer,HuckleberryFinntakesplaceinthe1830sor1840s.ItbeginsinSt.Petersburg,afictionaltownmuchlikeHannibal,butitsmainactionoccursontheMississippiRiver.AfterHuckmeetsJimonJackson'sIsland,thetwotraveldownriveronaraftthatcomestosymbolizetheirbrotherhoodandfreedom.HopingtodrifttoCairo,Illinois,whereJimcanescapetofreedom,theyaredivertedbyafogandtravelsouthwardtoArkansasinstead.Thetriptiestogetheraseriesofadventureswhich,asmanycommentatorshaveremarked,contrastthepeaceandfreedomoftheraftwiththeviolence,corruption,andconstraintoftheshore.EmilyDickinsonalmostunknownandnearlyunpublishedreclusive,DickinsonlivednearlyherwholelifeattheDickinsonHomesteadinAmherst,Massachusetts.Gaiety&gloomdeathEmilyDickinson

AsoneofthemostgiftedAmericanwriters,EmilyDickinsonauthorednearly2,000poems.Mostwerepublishedafterherdeathin1886.Asexemplifiedinthispoem,"BecauseICouldNotStopforDeath",Dickinsonfocusedonthemesrelatingtodeath,eternity,andlove,usuallyinshortfour-linestanzas.1830–18867.ANewWave—NaturalismHenryJames:亨利-詹姆斯StephenCrane:斯蒂芬-克莱恩TheodoreDreiser`s:西奥多-德莱赛JackLondon:杰克-伦敦EdithWhaton伊迪丝-华顿HenryJames亨利-詹姆斯

1843-1916AmericanauthorHenryJamesmovedtoEuropewhileinhisthirties,settlinginEnglandin1876.Asaresultmanyofhisnovels,shorterfiction,andessaysprobethecontrastsbetweenAmericaandEurope.Hisstyleofwritingbecamemoreandmorecomplexthroughouthiscareer,andisdistinguishedbyitsrichpsychologicalcharacterizationanddeceptivelyuncomplicatedplots.HenryJamesThePortraitofaLady

贵妇画像DaisyMiller黛西.米勒StephenCrane斯蒂芬-克莱恩1871-1900AmericanauthorStephenCrane’s1895novel,TheRedBadgeofCourage,wonhiminternationalrecognitionandworkasawarcorrespondentforvariousnewspapers.Cranealsowroteshortstoriesandpoetry,andbecameknownasaninnovatorinversetechniques.StephenCrane斯蒂芬-克莱恩TheRedBadgeofCourage红色英勇勋章The

Red

Badge

of

Courageattemptstorecreatethecombatexperiencesofayoung,frightenedsoldierintheAmericanCivilWar.HenryFleming,theprotagonist,hasneverseenarealbattleandworriesabouthowhewillbehaveunderpressure.Crane'snovelhasbeenpraisedeversinceitfirstappearedinprintashighlyrealisticinitspresentationofthepsychologyofayoungmanfacinginjuryandpossibledeath.OneofthebestAmericanshortnovels,Crane'sworkvividlypresentssomeofthehorrors,bothphysicalandpsychological,thatsoldiersencounterinbattle.TheodoreDreiser西奥多-德莱赛1871–1945TheodoreDreiser’sdistinctivelyAmericannovelspioneeredthenaturaliststyleofwriting,whichseestheindividualasthevictimofuncontrollableforces.AnAmericanTragedy,publishedin1925,isconsideredhisgreatestwork.TheodoreDreiser:NaturalistSisterCarrie嘉莉妹妹SisterCarrieCarrieMeeber:anordinarygirlwhorisesfromalow-paidwageearnertoahigh-paidactress.GeorgeHurstwood,amemberoftheuppermiddleclasswhofallsfromhiscomfortablelifestyletoalifeonthestreets.NeitherCarrienorHurstwoodearntheirfatesthroughvirtueorvice,butratherthroughrandomcircumstance.TheirsuccessesandfailureshavenomoralvalueThemeofSisterCarrieA:AmericanDreamEach

of

Dreiser’s

charactersinSisterCarriesearchfortheirown“AmericanDreams〞—theonesofferedbyagrowingandprosperousdemocraticcountry.Carrie,apoorcountrygirl,arrivesinChicago,filledwiththeexpectationsofacquiringthefinerthingsinlife.Sheimaginestheelegantclothesshewillwear,theexcitingplacestowhichshewillgo,andthefashionablepeoplewithwhomshewillassociate,thinkingthateveryonewholivesbeyondtheboundariesofherMidwesternstatehasachievedthathigherstatus.DrouetseekshisownversionoftheAmericanDream.Hehasachievedacertainstationinlifeandwearstheclothestoproveit.Hefrequentstheimportantestablishmentsintownandhasbefriendedmanyoftherightpeople.Yet,hepursuestheotherappointmentsthatrepresenthisdream,suchasabeautifulwomantoadornhisarmandhisownhome.Hurstwoodhasthewoman,theestablishedhomeandfamily,andagoodposition.He,though,wantsmore.Heknowsthathisemployersleavehimoutofimportantdecisionmaking,andheknowshisfriendslikehimforhisposition.Heseekslove,appreciation,andmoreprestige.ThemeofSisterCarrieB:ChangeandTransformationCarrie

and

Hurstwood

undergodramaticchangesfromthebeginningofthenoveltotheend.Thoughgradual,theirtransformationscreateimmediaterepercussionsalongtheway.Carrie’smetamorphosistakesherfromcountrybumpkintoglamorousactress.Inherwake,sheleavesherdisillusionedsister,anangrysuitor,andabroken-downman.Hurstwood’stransitionmoveshimfromprominentandtrustedbusinessman,husband,andfathertohomelessstreetbeggar.Behindhimsurviverobbedemployers,adysfunctionalfamily,andaself-satisfiedwoman.C:ChoicesandConsequencesHurstwood

makes

one

choicethatdramaticallyaffectstherestofhislife.Whileallchoicesresultinconsequences,thoseconsequencescanbepositiveornegative.Hurstwood’sdecisiontotakethemoneyfromhisemployer’ssafestartshisdownwardspiraltohiseventualsuicide.ThemeofSisterCarrieD:ClassConflictIndustrial

growth

broughttheUnitedStatesaperiodofprosperityduringthelate1800sandearly1900s.Withfactoriesflourishing,jobopportunitieswereabundant.Peoplemadegoodmoneyinfactorymanagementpositionsandotherwhite-collarjobs.Factoryworkers,however,notonlyearnedlowincomes,buttheyalsoworkedlonghours.Consequently,awidedivisionexistedbetweenthewealthyandthepoor.Carrie

comes

from

a

lowermiddle-classbackgroundanddeterminesthatshewillriseaboveit.Hersister’sfamily,however,maintainthesamestrugglingexistenceCarriehasalwaysknown.Theyhavenotimetoenjoyleisureactivitiesandnomoneytospendonthem.Carriewantsmoreforherself.Throughout

Sister

Carrie,thedistinctionbetweensocialclassesisobvious.Theclothespeoplewear,thehomesinwhichtheylive,andtheactivitiesinwhichtheyareinvolveddistinguishtherichfromthepoor.Thewealthywearstylishclothesandattendelaborateperformancesofthearts.Thepoorbuyfactory-madeclothesandjeansandareluckytogotothepennyarcadeorthelocaldancepavilion.Inthefinalchapter,thedescriptionofHurstwood’slastdaysoffersavividpictureoftheultimateplightofthepoorest.ThemeofSisterCarrieE:IdentityExperiences

contributegreatlytoshapingpeople’sidentities.Carrie’stransformationfromthebeginningofthenoveltotheendoccursasaresultofherresponsestoherexperiences.TheCarriewhoboardsthetraininColumbiaCitysitsprimly,tryingtoignoretheglancesofthemanseatednearher.Havingcertainmorals,CarriehesitatestoacknowledgeDrouet’spresence.Yet,sherespondsquicklytohisinitialcommentstoherandmakesdirecteyecontactwithhimwhenshesenseshisinterestinher.Fromthispointon,Carrieallowsherselftoactinwhatevermannerbenefitsher.Leavinghersister’shomeandmovinginwithDrouet,forexample,goesagainstallproprietyherparentshavetaughther.Shesees,though,thatthisactionwillgetherclosertohavingwhatshewants.Assheunderstandshervaluetoothers,shechangesheridentityaccordingly.Asaresult,sheneverreallyhasanidentitybutadjustsher“act〞tofitthesituation.Intheend,thisabilitygainsherrecognitionasanacclaimedactressbutdoesnotresultinherachievinghappiness.ThemeofSisterCarrieF:SexIn

the

early

1900s,

themoralsandvirtuesoftheVictorianerastillguidedpeople’sactions.Peoplewithproperupbringingdidnotspeakofsex.ThepublicwasshockedthatDreiser’scharacterssoopenlyparticipatedinexplicitrelationshipsandthatDreiserseemedtocondoneit.Carrie

uses

sex

to

gainstatusforherself.SheseesnothingwronginlivingwithDrouettogettheclothesshewantsandtohaveopportunitiestomoveinChicago’saffluentcircles.Later,CarrieseesthatHurstwoodcanofferheranevenhigherstandardofliving.Sheignoresthefactthatheisalreadymarriedandthetwoofthemwillbecommittingadultery.WithnoregardforDrouet’semotions,shebreaksofftheirrelationshipandpursuesonewithHurstwood.AfterlivingwithHurstwoodforsometime,sherealizesshecannolongerbenefitfromthearrangementandleaveshim,too.JackLondon-杰克-伦敦JackLondon’snovelsaboutadventurousindividualsweresuccessfulonaninternationallevel.Hisbestknownwork,CalloftheWild,waspublishedin1903.London’sownlifewasasstormyashisnovels.Hecommittedsuicideatage40.CalloftheWildInthisnovelJackLondonexpresshissensethat:PrimitiveurgesunderliealloflifeA

gripping,

fast-pacedtaleofadventure,TheCalloftheWildfocusesonBuck,apamperedsheepdogstolenfromaCaliforniaranchandtransportedtothearctic.Buck'sstruggletosurviveonthearctictraildemonstratestheprecariousnatureoflifeinthewild.AlthoughTheCalloftheWildisanengaginganimalstory,thereadercannothelpbutdrawparallelsbetweenBuck'sexperienceandthatofhumans.Thebooksuggeststhatenvironmentshapescharacter,andemphasizesthatprimitiveinstincts—oftenhiddenbeneathaveneerofcivilization—areneverlosttotheindividual.Providingafascinatingglimpseofawayoflifethathasalmostvanished,TheCalloftheWildsuggeststhatcreaturessurvivebestwhentheyadapttothenaturalworld,ratherthantryingtoimposechangeontheirenvironment.EdithWharton-伊迪丝-华顿

AmericanwriterEdithWhartonauthorednumerousnovels,aswellasshortstories,poems,essays,andtravelbooks.Inhernovel