AmericanNaturalism美国文学自然主义

AmericanNaturalism

StephenCrane,TheodoreDreiser,JackLondon,andothers.NaturalismItisamoredeliberatekindofrealism,involvingaviewofhumanbeingsaspassivevictimsofnaturalforcesandsocialenvironment.Thenaturalistwritersattemptedtoachieveextremeobjectivityandfrankness,presentingcharactersoflowsocialandeconomicclasseswhoweredeterminedbytheirenvironmentandheredity（遗传）.RepresentativewritersareStephenCrane,FrankNorris,JackLondonandTheodoreDreiser.

TheRedBadgeofCouragebyCraneSisterCarriebyDreiserAmericanNaturalism

1.Origin(1)Industrialism:createdalargegroupofverypoorpeople;livedinslumsandcouldnotcontroltheirlives;self-reliancedisappearedinthefastdevelopmentofeconomy(2)TheOriginofSpecies(CharlesDarwin,1859)godlessworld,humanbeast,thesurvivalofthefittest,cruelnaturallawcorrespondwithcruelsocialrealitiesAmericanNaturalism

(3)HerbertSpencer:SocialDarwinism(humancontrolledbyheredityandoutsidesocialpower)(4)Howells’“smilingaspect”realismseemstoogenteelandevenfalse.Theterm“naturalism”wascreatedbyFrenchwriterEmileZola,whoinfluencedofFrenchnaturalism;TolstoyandTurgenevcametoAmericanliterature.2.Naturalismisapessimisticformofrealism,aharsherone,withdeterministicviewofmanandsociety.AmericanNaturalism

3.Naturalistsattemptedtoachieveextremeobjectivityandfrankness,presentingcharactersoflowsocialandeconomicclasseswhoweredominatedbytheirenvironmentandheredity.Theworldwasamoral,andpeoplehadnofreewill.4.Significance(1)Breakingthroughsomeforbiddenareainliterature(violence,death,sex,etc.)(2)Greatlyinfluencingthe20thcenturywriterssuchasHemingwayandFaulkner.StephenCrane(1871-1900)

ThePioneerofAmericannaturalism1893Maggie:AGirloftheStreets,theFirstAmericanbookwithoutproviding“wayout”ormoralizingonsocialinjustice(resistanceofherslumlifeandatlastsuicide)1894TheRedBadgeofCourage(HenryFlaming,ayoungfarmerboy,thechangesofayoungman’spsychologicalstateintheCivilWar)StephenCrane1895TheBlackRiders(poemcollection)1897“TheOpenBoat”,“TheBlueHotel”1898poems:“WarIsKind”,etc.CraneandEmilyDickinsonweretwoforerunnersofImagism.Basicmotif:environmentandheredityoverwhelmmenAManSaidtotheUniverse

Amansaidtotheuniverse:

"SirIexist!"

"However,"repliedtheuniverse,

"Thefacthasnotcreatedinme

Asenseofobligation."

AManSawaBallofGoldAmansawaballofgoldinthesky;

Heclimbedforit,

Andeventuallyheachievedit--

Itwasclay.Nowthisisthestrangepart:

Whenthemanwenttotheearth

Andlookedagain,

Lo,therewastheballofgold.Nowthisisthestrangepart:

Itwasaballofgold.

Aye,bytheheavens,itwasaballofgold.ISawaManIsawamanpursuingthehorizon;

Roundandroundtheysped.

Iwasdisturbedatthis;

Iaccostedtheman.(招呼，搭讪

)

"Itisfutile,"Isaid,

"Youcannever--"

"Youlie,"hecried,

Andranon.IWalkedinaDesertIwalkedinadesert.

AndIcried,

"Ah,God,takemefromthisplace!"

Avoicesaid,"Itisnodesert."

Icried,"Well,But--

Thesand,theheat,thevacanthorizon."

Avoicesaid,"Itisnodesert."

IntheDesertInthedesert

Isawacreature,naked,bestial,

who,squattingupontheground,

Heldhisheartinhishands,

Andateofit.

Isaid,"Isitgood,friend?"

"Itisbitter--bitter,"heanswered;

"ButIlikeit

Becauseitisbitter,

Andbecauseitismyheart."

Bestial['bestjəl]

adj.残忍旳，横蛮旳，缺乏智慧旳

TheOpenBoatHumanbeingsinfrontofnaturaldisasterNatureandman:indifferentBrotherhoodFrankNorris(1870-1902)AleaderoftheNaturalismmovement.Norrisbelievedthatanovelshouldserveamoralpurpose."Thenovelwithapurpose,"heexplained,"bringsthetragediesandgriefsofotherstonotice"and"prove(s)thatinjustice,crime,andinequalitydo

exist."

1899McTeague,tellshoweconomiccircumstances,alcoholism,heredity,andchancecompelamantobecomeamurderer.Wheattrilogy：TheOctopus:AStoryofCalifornia(《章鱼》1901):theconflictofpowerofNature(thefarmers)andthemechanicforces(therailroad),andthefarmersaredefeatedby“inevitable”economicforcesThePit:AStoryofChicago(《深渊》1902)

Hischaractersareoftenunabletocontroltheirownlives.Theyaremovedaroundbypassionsorbyfate.Thewholeworld,naturalandhuman,isabattlefieldbetweenuncontrollableforces.TheWolf:AStoryofEurope(unfinished)TheodoreDreiser(1871–1945)Life(1)Indiana,German-speakingfamily(2)Extremelypoorchildhood(3)WorkedasareporterandhisfirstbookSisterCarriewasrejectedmanytimes(4)Inhislaterlife,heturnedtoCommunism.Works(1)SisterCarrie(CarrieMeeber,Drouet,Hurstwood,Ames;nocontrolofherownlife;drivingblindlytocatchallopportunitiestomakelifebetter)(2)AnAmericanTragedy

,themasterpieceofDreiser

(ClydeGriffiths)(3)CowperwoodtrilogyHisinfluenceisevidentintheworksofSherwoodAnderson,SinclairLewisandErnestHemingwayAnalysis(1)SocialDarwinism(manonlydrivebydesire;onlyfittestcanliveinthesociety)(2)Style:formless,dull,crude(粗糙旳),solemnandponderous(笨重旳),“theworld’sworstgreatwriter”(3)PowerfuldepictionofAmericansociallifeandmovingcharactersJackLondon

(1876–1916)LifeborninSanFranciscolivedinthelowestpartofsocietyinhisyouthdecidedtochangehislifebyintellectualefforthisworkswererejectedmanytimesatlastsucceededandbecameamillionaireFameandupperclasslifemadehimfeelboring;committedsuicideWorks1903TheCalloftheWild(storyofBuck,adog)WhiteFang(storyofawolf)1904

TheSeaWolfMartinEden,autobiographicalAsolidcraftsman,esp.ofshortstories“Loveoflife”3.Analysis(1)SocialDarwinism,Neitzcheansuperman,socialistdoctrinesofMarx(2)NaturalismmingledwithRomanticism(3)Limitations:formless,clumsyyetvigorousstyle;stiffandstereotypedcharactersanddialoguesSympathetictreatmentoftheconvictandtramp,hencecalledthe“spokesmanoftheworkingclass”O.HenryOriginalname:WilliamSidneyPorterHewasgoodatwritingclevershortstoriesandemployNewYorkCityasthebackground.Hisstoriesshowedhissympathywiththelowerclass.Healwayscreatedthespecialeffectdescribedas“tearswithsmile”forhisstoriesandalwayswithsurprisingendings.Hisfamousstoriesinclude“TheGiftoftheMagi”,“TheLastLeaf”and“TheCopandtheAnthem”.HisshortstoriesaresomewhatlikethoseofFrenchwriterMaupassant.E.A.Robinson(1896-1935)1896ChildrenoftheNight1910TheTowndowntheRiver“ErosTurannos”(meansinGreek:Love,theTyrant)“RichardCory”“MiniverCheevy”RichardCoryWheneverRichardCorywentdowntown,Wepeopleonthepavementlookedathim:Hewasagentlemanfromsoletocrown,Cleanfavored,andimperiallyslim.

Andhewasalwaysquietlyarrayed,Andhewasalwayshumanwhenhetalked;Butstillheflutteredpulseswhenhesaid,"Good-morning,"andheglitteredwhenhewalked.

Notes:“cleanfavored”mayimplyboththatCoryiswellgroomedandthatheisclearlyamanofprivilege.

ConservativelybutverywelldressedAndhewasrich—yes,richerthanaking—Andadmirablyschooledineverygrace:Infine,wethoughtthathewaseverythingTomakeuswishthatwewereinhisplace.

Soonweworked,andwaitedforthelight,Andwentwithoutthemeat,andcursedthebread;AndRichardCory,onecalmsummernight,Wenthomeandputabulletthroughhishead.Questions:WhatkindofmanisRichardCory?Whatkindofmanisthespeaker?Whatisthespeaker’sattitudetoRichardCory?WhathappenedtoRichardCoryandwhy?MiniverCheevy

MiniverCheevy,childofscorn,Grewleanwhileheassailedtheseasons;(剧烈攻击

)Heweptthathewaseverborn,Andhehadreasons.

MiniverlovedthedaysofoldWhenswordswerebrightandsteedswereprancing;(战马,腾跃)ThevisionofawarriorboldWouldsethimdancing.Miniversighedforwhatwasnot,Anddreamed,andrestedfromhislabors;HedreamedofThebesandCamelot,AndPriam'sneighbors.Miniver