论《百万英镑》的讽刺艺术

-16-ChapterThreeAnalysisoftheSatiricalArtofTheMillionPoundNoteTheanalysisoftheartofsatireofTheMillionPoundNoteisconductedinvariousaspects,mainlymanifestedinthreemajoraspects:satiricaltechniques,satiricalobjectsandsatiricalstyles.3.1SatiricalTechniquesTheanalysisofsatiricaltechniquesintheartofsatireisessential,andtheanalysisofsatiricalartinTheMillionPoundNoteismainlyreflectedbycontrastallegoricalandexaggeration.3.1.1UsingContrastTechniquesThearticlehasasharpcontrast,adouble-sidesplotandusesnarrativebedding.InTheMillionPoundNotetheauthorusesacontrastingdescriptiontobringtheplottotheclimax,withaclearcontrastbetweenthefrontandback,andamoreprominentthemeinthenovel,withastrongsenseofirony.TheMillionPoundNotehascompletelychangedthefateoftheprotagonist,fromapoormaneveryonedespisestoamillionaire,anditismainlyreflectedinthesmallthingssuchasfoodandlifetothesocialcommunicationwiththeseniorsocietyatthattime,peoplepursuedasocialstatuscomparabletothatoftheRoyalDuke.Theexperienceoftheprotagonistshowspeoplethatinthecontextofsocialreality,people’sdistortedviewofmoney,andmoneybecomestheonlystandardtomeasureandjudgeaperson.Peopleworshipmoneyandthepoorlivingatthebottomofsocietyhavenodignityandarearbitrarilytrampled,ravaged,andsqueezed.Oncetheybecometherichfools,butassoonastheygetmoney,theirmaliciousfacesimmediatelychangesandbecomessohumbleandflattering.WhenHenryAdamwenttotherestaurantfordinner,thebosstreatedhimasapoormananddrovehimtothecornereat.HewasworriedthatAdamwouldnotbeabletopayforthemealandspeciallyinstructedthechefmadethemeatsmaller.Hisexpressionwasdisdainful,butwhenhesawHenryholdingmilliondollarbillatthecheckout,hisexpressionwasexaggeratedtotheextreme,andhisattitudeturned.Hebecomerespectfulandpatient,andlookedforwardtohisvisitagain,whenthebossglancedatthebill,thesmileimmediatelysolidifiedandbecamecolorless,justlikethewavy,maggotlikelavasolidifiedonthesmallflatgroundnearMountVesuviusthatpeoplecansee.Theboss’sexpressioncontrastwasfullofsarcasm.Inthenovel,theauthorusesnarrativedescriptiontechniquestodepicttheplotvividly.Throughthecomparisonbetweenthelinesofthearticle,thesignificanceofmoneyinthesocietyatthattimeishighlighted.Withindifferenceandenthusiasmasthedouble-sidesclue,theauthorvividlyportraysthosewhoflatterformoney,areblindlybymoneyandabandontheirduesocialmoralityandconscience.3.1.2UsingAllegoricalTechniquesMetaphor,alsoknownasallegory,isanexpandeduseofmetaphorandrhetoric.Itexpressesastorythroughhintsandanalogies,expressingacertainpropositionofwitty,humorousandgracefullanguage.Itisoftenaparagraph,orevenanarticle,thatusestheentirestorytorevealametaphoricalmeaning,withoutusingmetaphoricalwords.Themetaphoricalmeaningismoreimplicit,allowingthereadertofeelthesimilaritiesinprinciplesoftwothings,sometimeswithafeelingofmeaningbeyondwords.Theuseofallegoryisveryflexible,asitcanbeinsertedinthetextandclarifytheoriginalmeaning,itcanalsobeindependentlywrittenasachapter,implyingthatitisnotexplicitlystated,butleftforthereadertothinkabout.Regardlessoftheform,itgenerallycontainsthesignificanceofsatire,ridicule,persuasion,criticism,andinduction.ThetitleofthearticleTheMillionPoundNoteusesthiswritingtechnique,withamillionpoundtitle,fullyreflectingtheimportanceofmoneyinsocietyatthattime,aswellastheuglyfaceofcapitalismandthebackgroundofdarkrule.3.1.3UsingExaggeratedTechniquesMarkTwainisadeptatusingexaggeratedtechniquestosetquestionsineachsectionandcleverlylayoutthem.Whenanalyzingthecharactersandplotsofthenovel,itiscustomarytoanalyzethebackgroundofitscreation.Thisnovelwaswrittenin1893,aboutthestateofBritainintheearly20thcentury.Inthecontextofmoneyworship,peopleareoftensour,cold,mean,andMarkTwain’sTheMillionPoundNoteisareactiontothemostrealthingthroughanunlikelything.AndthenovelisbasedontheuniquecharacteristicsofMarkTwain’sNativeAmericancultureandinfluencedbywesterncultureandthewitnessofthesocialrealityexperiencedinthedevelopmentprocessofhumansociety.ThisisalsowhyTheMillionPoundNotehasbecomeanindeliblemilestoneandincomparableliteraryvalueinthehistoryofAmericanliterature.MarkTwain’snovelsthemselveshaveprofoundculturalconnotations,andthemostingeniousandprominentas1pectofthewritingtechniqueofTheMillionPoundNoteliesinitsexaggerationandcontrast.TheMillionPoundNoteinthefirstperson“I”tellsthestoryofapoorAmericanladHenryAdamsinLondon.ThetworichbrothersinLondonbettolendHenryamillionbilltoseehowheendsinamonth.WhenthedeadlineofamonthcameHenrydidnotstarveorbearrested,butbecamerichandwonthestoryoftheheartofabeautifullady.Thepleasureofthesetworichmenistotestwhetherthecheckisasymbolofwealthandstatusoraworthlesspaper,whiletheherobecomesagamblingtoolfortherich.Thisisalsotoshowustheindifferenceofhumannatureinthesocialenvironmentatthattime,thischeckisthebiggestexaggerationinthearticle,thishugewealthcametoapoorhero.Inthissetadoubt,asthestorycontinuestoletisunexpected.ThisistheessenceofMarkTwain’sshortstorybutdramaticandintriguing.Andthenovelisalsoagamblingadventure.3.2SatiricalObjectsInMarkTwain’sworks,satireiseverywhere,andheoftenuseshumorousexpressionsandexaggeratedlanguagetoaddressthedarkaspectsofhumannaturesuchasugliness,greed,shamelessness,andselflessness,aswellasthedecadentanddecliningcapitalistideologyofAmericansocietyatthattime.3.2.1ASatireonHumanNatureTheMillionPoundNoteisoneofMarkTwain’sclassicmasterpieces,whichmainlyreflectsthatpeople’sdesireformoneyatthattimehasreachedanunimaginablelevel.Throughthisnovel,wecanseethedarksideofhumannature.Adamistheprotagonistinthenovel,whoencounteredunexpectedcircumstancesonhiswayfromtheUnitedStatestoEngland,andhiswealthdisappeared,becomingapoorman.Atthismoment,hemetthewealthybrotherswhowerebetting,andtheytriedtoprovewhetherwealthcouldbringhappinesswithafacevalueofmillionsofpounds,soAdamwaschosenbythem.Adamenteredvariousluxuriousplaceswearingtatteredclothes,butnoonepaidattentiontohim.Forexample,“Iaskedthemiftheyhadanyclothesthatdidn'tfitbecausecustomershadtriedthemon.ThepersonIaskeddidn’tpayattentiontome,justpointedtoanotherperson,andthenIwalkedovertothepersonhepointedto,buthedidn’tsayaword,onlynoddedandhandedmeovertotheotherperson.”[1]176Peoplelookedathimwithdisdain,butwhenhetookoutamilliondollarbill,people’sattitudescompletelychanged,asthetextsaid:“Pleasetrythisshirt,andthisoutfit.It’sperfect-simpleexquisiteandelegant.It’scompletelythestyleofaprinceornobleman.”[1]177Regardlessofwherehegoes,he’salwaysstirringupwindandrain,andpeoplefromallwalksoflifewanttogetclosetohim.Untilhisbanknotesweregoneandhisdebtsgrew,thepeoplewhohadbeenflockingtohimsuddenlychangedtheirfacesandrushedtocollecthisdebts.Thisobviouscontrastispreciselytherealitythattheauthorwantstoexpose.Heusedmoneytosatirizepeople’senthusiasmformaterialpursuitsatthattime,whichhadreachedthepointofdehumanization.Atthesametime,healsoexposedthecorruptionoftheentiresocialatmosphere,pointingdirectlyatthepainpointsofsociety.3.2.2ASatireonSocietyWithitssuperbhumorousart,TheMillionPoundNotemadeathoroughanalysisandattackontheillsofBritishandAmericansocietyatthattime.AlthoughMarkTwainsetthestorybackgroundofTheMillionPoundNoteinBritain,whathewantedtorevealwasthesocialproblemsofthateraintheUnitedStates.TheseeminglyfictionalyetcloselyintertwinedstoryofTheMillionPoundNotetrulypresentsreaderswiththeproblemsofBritain,theUnitedStates,andevenvariousWesterncountries.Civilizationcontinuestoprogress,andhumannaturecontinuestodeteriorate.TheMillionPoundNoteislikeamirrorofcapitalistsociety:inthismirror,fromlowerlevelsofsocietysuchasrestaurantownersandtailorshopemployeestohigh-rankingofficialssuchasdignitariesandAmericanenvoys,theyarefullofuglinessandrevealtheirtruecolorsinthefaceofmoney.TheMillionPoundNotemercilesslyexposes,criticizes,andcriticizesthesocialrealityofEnglandandAmericaatthattime,especiallythedistortionofhumannatureinthefaceofmoney.ThereasonwhyMarkTwainmadegreateffortstocreateaseriesofimagesofmammonistinTheMillionPoundNoteistomakereadersresonateandrealizeclearlythedegenerationofhumannaturecausedbythedevelopmentofcapitalistsocietyandcivilizationprogress.Inthenovel,thenoblesoftheupperclasshavealreadyachievedahappylife,buthumandesiresareinfinite,andtheirdissatisfactionwithlifehascreatedadistortionoftheirhumannature.ThearistocratsandwealthypeoplegatheredaroundtheprotagonistHenryinthenovel,preciselyreflectingtheirinfiniteadmirationformoney.InTheMillionPoundNoteamillionpoundnotecompletelychangesthefateoftheprotagonistHenry:Henrytransformsfromahomelessmanwhomeveryonedespisestoamillionairewhoissoughtaftereverywhere.Fromliving,accommodation,tosocialcommunication,theywereallinlinewiththehigh-levelsocietyofBritainatthattime,withasocialstatuscomparabletothatofaroyalduke.ThenoveldeeplyrevealstherampantmaterialisminBritishsocietyatthattime,andthepoorhadnodignityinsociety.Theyweretrampleduponrecklesslyandbecamethetargetsofridiculebythewealthy.TheprotagonistHenryinthenovelisundoubtedlylucky,butthiskindofluckmayonlyexistinthefictionalstorylineofthenovel.However,therealityofsocietyiscruel,andtheinequalitybetweenrichandpoormakespoorpeoplelivealifeofhunger,poverty,andindifference.Theycanonlyliveatthebottomofsociety,constantlystrugglingfortheirownfood,clothing,andsurvivalissues.InTheMillionPoundNotemoneyhasbecomethestandardofrespectforpeopleincapitalistsociety,andevenaforcethatmanipulatespeople’sdestiny.Theideascontainedinthenovelareextremelyprofound:itstrikesthecenterofcapitalistsocietylikeasword,anditawakens,shocks,andenlightenslikeanalarmbell.Inshort,TheMillionPoundNotemercilesslyexposesandcriticizesthesocialrealityofBritainandAmericaatthattime,especiallythedistortionofhumannatureinthefaceofmoney,thusrevealingtheessenceofcapitalistsociety.3.3SatiricalStylesTherearemanysatiricalstyles,andtwostylesareusedinthenovel:oneistheinterweavingofsadnessandjoy,andtheotheristhecombinationofsatireandhumor.3.3.1MixingSadnessandJoyTheprotagonistofthenovel,Henry,isapennilesshomelessmanwhoenjoysthepiefallingfromtheskyanddramaticallyobtainsamillionpoundnote.Henry,apoorAmericanboy,hasalwaysbeenthedolloftwowealthypeoplethroughouttheentirenovel,soheisacharacterwithtragiccolors.Insuchacharacter,aseriesofdramaticeventsoccur,givingthestoryacomediccolor.Forexample,Henrygraduallybecamefamouswithamillionpoundnotethatcouldnotbespent,Inthenovel,itisdescribedasfollows:“Pickupanynewspaper,whetherit’sBritish,Scottish,orIrish,andalwaysfindoneortwoarticlesaboutthepersonwhoishidingamillionpoundsandhisrecentactionsandconversations.Atfirst,intheseplaceswhereIwasmentioned,Iwasalwaysassignedtothebottomofthepersonnelcolumn.Next,mypositionsurpassedthatofajazz,andlatersurpassedthatofasecond-classbaron,andthensurpassedthatofabaron...Funmagazinepublishedamangadepictingme...”[1]178Inaddition,thesweetlovebetweentheprotagonistHenryandthe22-year-oldBritishgirlPortiainthenovelwasalsofullofcomedy.HenrytoldherabouttheprocessfrommeetingtheAmericanenvoytofallinginlovewithPortiaatfirstsight.Afterlistening,shewasmadetoburstintolaughter,butHenryneverunderstoodwhyPortiawasamuseduntilhelaterlearnedthatPortiaandtheAmericanenvoyhadafather-daughterrelationship.Later,Henrybecametheson-in-lawofanAmericanenvoyandlivedahappyandfulfillinglifewithPortia.Thesetragicandcomicfactors,throughMarkTwain’shumorousart,organicallycombinetocreateastronghumorousatmosphereanddeduceaseeminglybizarrebutauthenticstory.TheauthorusesthistragicandhilariousfarcetodeeplyexposetheuglysocialphenomenonofmoneycanmakeghostsgrindinBritishandAmericansocietyatthattime.3.3.2CombiningSatirewithHumorThisnovelusescomicwritingtechniquestooutlinethevariousadventuresoftheprotagonistHenry,andsatirizesvarioustypesofmoneyworshipperswithbitterness:becauseHenrywasverypoor,thestaffofthetailor'sshopwereindifferenttohim,letalonetheboss.AndwhenthetailorshopownersawHenrypresentingamillionpoundnote,hemutteredtohimselfwhilescoldingtheclerkforhisfoolishbehaviorandshowinggreatflatterytoHenry.MarkTwainusedhumorandsatiretodescribethevividuglinessofdifferentclassesanddifferentcharactersinhisnovels,andcreatedasatiricalgiantpaintingthateverythinglookstomoney.ThiskindofcartoonwritingstylestrengthenedMarkTwain’shumorouscharacteristics.Theentirenovelhighlightsvariousuglythingsthatsatirizesocietyinhumor,andthereisnolackofhumorousandhumoroushumorstyleinsatire.OneofthehumorousfeaturesofTheMillionPoundNoteistheformationofexcitingverbalhumorbydescribingtheconflictsbetweenthecharacters’wordsandactionsinthenovel.Thiswonderfulverbalhumorcanbeeasilyfoundinthenovel.Forexample,thereisadescriptioninthenovel:“TheshopownerwasstunnedbyHenry’smillionpoundnote,hishandsandfeetasimmovableasstones,andheapologizedfornotbeingabletofindthehugenoteathousandtimes;Duetocuriosityandsurprise,hekeptholdingthemillionpoundnoteasifhecouldn’tseeenoughtoappeasehisthirst.However,foranordinaryhumanbody,themillionpoundnotewastoosacred,asifhewantedtotouchitbutcouldn’ttouchit.”[1]173TheconflictbetweenwordsanddeedsofsimilarcharactersandthewonderfulverbalhumorhighlightthehumorousfeaturesinMarkTwain’sworks.TheMillionPoundNotetellsthestoryofapairofwealthybrotherswhousegamblingtoleadtoaabsurdstory.Thisstrangebetitselfiscomicalandridiculous.Facedwiththiscomicalandridiculousbet,thewealthybrotherswereevenveryserious.Thenoveldescribesitasfollows:“Thebrotherssatatthewindowallday,waitingforasuitablepersontoappearandgivehimthisletter.”[1]172ThecomicaleffectgeneratedbythiscontrastfullyreflectstheboringlifeofwealthypeopleinBritishsocietyatthattimeandtheextravagantspendingofupperclasssociety.MarkTwainmercilesslysatirizedtherichandpointedoutthattheirbehaviorwasextremelyabsurd.ChapterFourTheEnlightenmentoftheSatiricalArtinTheMillionPoundNoteThesatiricalartofTheMillionPoundNoteenablespeopletoestablishacorrectviewofmoneyandunderstandthemoralconceptofequalityforall.Itisnotpossibletojudgeapersonwithmoney,letaloneprovetheiridentity.4.1InspiringPeopletoEstablishaCorrectViewofMoneyJudgmentistoevaluatebehavioraccordingtovariousdifferentcriteria.Itisthevalueevaluationoftheevaluatedpersonaccordingtocertainevaluationcriteria.Judgmentisdividedintotwoaspects:socialjudgmentandsocialconstraints.Socialjudgmentisrelatedtonormsofconduct,abilityandperseverance.SocialconstraintsarerelatedtowhetheritistrueandreliableandwhetherthebehaviorisjustifiedInthejudgmentaboutHenry,thepositiveevaluationresourcesoccupytheabsolutemajority,whichfullyshowstheauthor’saffirmationofHenry,andevaluatestheprotagonistfromallaspectsofsocialconstraintsandsocialjudgment.Firstofall,intheaspectofsocialevaluation,theauthorevaluatesfromthreeaspectsofconduct,workabilityandperseverance.Intermsofcodeofconduct,Henrychangedfromapoorboytoacelebrity,likearichman.Henry’swordsanddeedswerereportedinthepress,butheonlybecamefamous,notgoodorbad,aneutralresourceforjudgment.Indoingcompetence,theauthorgaveHenryafullaffirmationthatthetwogentlementhoughtthatHenrywascapableandcompetentfortheirassignmentassignment.Henryalsothoughthehadnothingintheworldbutintelligenceandagoodreputation.Intermsofperseverance,theauthorthinksthattheheroisacalm,confidentandfirmman.WhenLloydwantedHenrytobuytheagencyofhismine,hedidnottellthetruththathewasalsoapoor,butclenchedhisteeth,triedtocalmhimselfdown,putforwardaplanofemptyhands,selfish,earnedthefirstbucketofgoldinlife.Intermsofsocialconstraints,theauthoralsogaveHenryapositiveevaluation.First,Henryisconsideredtobehonestorreliable.Hethinkshehasagoodreputation,thosetwoAgentlemanalsothoughthewashonest,andHenrywashonestandfrankwithhisgirlfriend.Intermsofwhetherthebehaviorisjustified,thenovelbelievesthatHenrywentfromhisinitiallittlefametofameandiswidelyrespected.Thisreflectshisintegrity,kindnessandnoblecharacter.Henry’sultimatesuccessalsodependedonhisgoodreputationandpersonalqualities.BecausehemadehisfirstfortunebyrecommendingLloyd’smine,noonecouldbelievehimwithoutgoodstanding.Fromanindividual’sworldview,outlookonlife,values,thoughts,andinternaldomains,itcannotbesaidthatthevalueofmoneyisuniversal,norisitacommonreflectionofmaterialsociety.Moneycanindeedsatisfypeople’svanity,buttheseareallfake.Themostauthenticisastraightforwardlife,justlikeHenry’s.Helostmoney,buthestilllivesoptimisticallybecauseforanactiveperson,toomuchmoneyisjustaconstraint.Whatpeopleneedtodoistoapproachtheirliveswithacalmheart,andtheirlivesdependonthemselvestostrivefor.Thereisnofreelunchintheworld,onlythosewhoutilizeitwillbenefit.Evenifpeoplearewealthy,theymaynotnecessarilygeteverythingtheywant.Notmuchmoneyisjustachangeinnumbers,peoplewon’tgetanythingelse.Thetruevalueofmoneyliesinhowtheyownanduseit.4.2EncouragingPeopletoEstablishtheConceptofEqualityforAllThereisnofairsociety,peoplehavenoequalconcept,thepoorandthericharetwocompletelydifferentclasses,moneyhasbecomethestandardtomeasureeverything.Socialpolarizationismoreserious,theMattheweffectisgettingworse,thatis,thericharegettingricherandricher,thepooraregettingpoorerandpoorer.MarkTwainusedalotofsnobbishcomics:clothingowners,restaurantowners,Americanambassadors,etc.Eachwithmoney,andabigchangeinattitude.Thisimproperthoughthasanunshakablepositionintheirminds.Foreverymemberofsociety,somepoorandsomerich,peopleshouldtreatthemequallyandrespectthem.Peopleshouldletgoofpeople’sprejudices,respecteveryone,andtheywillgaintherespectandloveofothers.Moneyembodiestheideaofequality,anditisnotuseless.Encouragingpeopletoactivelycreatewealthisoneofitsgreatestachievements.Sincehumanshavebeensocial.Therewasalmostapracticalsystemofhierarchy,untilthedemocraticrevolutioninEurope,whenpeoplewerebornequal.Andformedlawsinmanycountries,andthenformedasocialform.TheMillionPoundNotevividlystatesthatalthoughBritainwasoneoftheearliestcountrieswherepeoplewerebornasequal,therearestillmanyhierarchicalconsciousnesssuchasnobilityduetothelonghistory.BecausetheUnitedStatesisayoungimmigrantcountry,ithasnohistoricalburden,thesystemofhumanequalityisthemostthorough,andcorrespondinglyformedthemostsimplesocialconsciousness.Peoplearebornequal,whichmeansthatnoonecanrelyonprivilegetoexploitothers.Toliveabetterlife,mustcreatethemselves,andanyoneaslongastocreatetheirownthings,don’thavetoworryaboutdeprivedbyothers,sopeoplealsodaretocreate,sothisconceptandsystemcanbethemosttopromotethedevelopmentofthesociety,thisisnotthefoundingoftheUnitedStates-onehundredyearslaterbeyondtheUK,anditsfarbehindtheimportantreason.Chinahaslongbeenveryshortoftheconceptofequalityforeveryone.Thereformandopeningupneedtostimulateandprotectpeople’senthusiasmforcreation,andurgentlydemandtopopularizethisconcept.Insuchaspecificperiod,TheMillionPoundNotehastransmittedthisconcepttothousandsofChineseaudiences,whichcanbecalledatimelyhelp.ChapterFiveConclusionTheauthorusescartoonstooutlinetheuglinessandhumorofdifferentcharactersinfrontofmillionsofpounds,justlikeasatiricalpictureoftheworld,vividlydepictingtheexperiencesofsmallcitizens,makingpeopleunabletohelpbutsmile.Thisnovelhasanobvioustheme,whichisthecriticismofmoneyworship,andtheauthoralsorevealsallthefunnyandabsurdphenomenathatexistedintheBritishsocietyatthattime.SomecommentatorsthinkthatTheMillionPoundNoteisonly20,000words,buttheauthorcanvividlydepicttheuglinessinthefaceofthemoney,thepollutionofcapitalistsocietyandeventhedistortionofhumannature.Theentireworkiswritteninasharpyethumorousmanner,withvividandcaptivatingcharactersandplotdescriptions.Throughappreciatingtheworks,peoplecanseethecapitalistsocietytheessenceoflife,howpeopleweregivenpowerandgoldunderthetideofTheTimesmoneyblindsitseyes,itshumanitydistorts,anditlosesitsoriginalsenseoffaithandglory.Theconstructionofspiritualcivilizationisalong-termtask.Comparedtothemoneyworshipideologyandbehaviorofsomepeopleintoday’smarketeconomy,itsharmandadverseeffectsaremoreworthyofpeople’sin-depthconsiderationandreflection.Itinspiresandpromotespeopletodevelopandimplementfeasibleplansintheconstructionofspiritualandpoliticalcivilization,educationonmoneyvalues,legalconstruction,andproductivitydevelopment,andresolutelyresistandeliminatethem.ThenovelTheMillionPoundNotedeeplyrevealssocialproblemsthroughitswritingtechniqueofdesiretorisebeforerestraintandgradualcharacterization,withahumorousandsharpwritingstyle.Theplottwistsandturns,showcasingMarkTwain’ssuperbabilitytocontrolwords,anditsprofoundimplicationsarethought-provoking.Sincehumanbeingsbecamesocial,theyalmosthadtheconceptofhierarchyandtheactualsystemoftakinghierarchyasthestandardofsuperiorityandinferiority.ItwasnotuntilthedemocraticrevolutioninEuropethatequalityofhumanbeingswasp