浅析《野性的呼唤》中的自然主义思想

[1]66BuckprovidedwarmthagainanddemonstratedhislogicalloyaltytoThorntonwithoutreservation.ThepowerofbiologicalheredityarousedthekindnessandloveinBuck,forgedBuck’sloyalandgratefulcharacter,andmadehimburstoutthesparkoflove.Buck’swisdomandloyalty,behaviorandcharacterallreflectedtheirresistibleforceofheredity.InTheCalloftheWild,JackLondonexpressedtheideathattheorientationofallanimalsdependedonthecriticalrequirementsofsurvival.Existencewasthemostimportantmeaning.TheimportanceofgeneticsignaturescouldbenotedinBuck’strajectory.ItwasclearthatthequalitiesofadogweremoreimportanttoBuckthanthoseofawolf.Butinabiologicalsense,wolvesanddogswerethesame.Geneticallyspeaking,Buckhadwildgenes.Buck’slatentgenetictraitsweredormant,andhelivedincivilizationforalongtime.3.3EnvironmentalDeterminismThroughouthisarticle,JackLondondiscussesthedeterminismoftheenvironment:itsgeneticcharacteristicscanbelikenedtomaterialsoil.Ithasalotofpossibilitiesanditcanbeinfluencedinalotofdifferentways.Environmentaleffectsselectthemintotheearth,producingitaparticularshape.3.3.1PoorNaturalEnvironmentEnvironmentaldeterminismwasfirstreflectedinBuck’sstrugglewiththenaturalenvironment.JackLondonsucceededincreatingtheimageofBuckasthebestfit.TheclimateintheArcticregionwasverycoldandharshbecausetheEarthistiltedformostoftheyear.TheArcticwascoveredwithiceandsnowformostoftheyear.BecauseoftheharshclimateintheArctic,treescouldnotgrowfreely,hisvegetationwasmainlycomposedoflowshrubs,herbaceousplants,mosses,andlow-lyinglichens.Coldconditionshadreducedthesize,varietyandfertilityofArcticplants.Thisprovedthedifficultyofhumanandanimalsurvival.SetinthefrozennaturalenvironmentoftheKlondike,Alaska,TheCalloftheWildwasoneofthemostfamousdognovelsinworldliterature.Thiswasacoldandsavageterritorywithanaturalthemeofwilderness,inwhichlifetookitsfirstformandappearance.Wildernesswasunknown,terrifying,andalwaysthreateningtolife.Thewildernessdidnotlikecreaturesthatoffendit,becausethewildernessalwaystriedtosabotagethemovement.3.3.2ComplexSocialEnvironmentBuck’sstrugglewiththesocialenvironmentalsoreflectedenvironmentaldeterminism.ThereweretwomainwaysinwhichJackLondonexpressesthispoint:ontheonehand,Buck’sstrugglewiththehumanrace;ontheothersidewasBuck’sstrugglewithapackofdogs.Underhumanpower,Buckwasavictimonthemercyofprimitivelaw.Buckknewforthefirsttimethecrueltyofsavagerywhenthemaninredbeathimhardwithhisstick.AlthoughBuckhadastrongbodyandsharpteeth,itdidnotworkagainsttheclub.WecouldseetheinfluenceofthesocialenvironmentonBuck’sconsciousness:facingthepowerfulhuman,Buckcompromised,hemustfaceuptothebadenvironmentandacceptthedisposaloffate.Buckwasarebelinthefaceofhumanviolence.Fromthecrueltyandhostilityofhumanbeings,Buckunderstoodthathissurvivalcouldnotbeguaranteedonlybycompromise.Onlybybravelybecomingabeastcouldhebecomeastrongmaninthesociallifewherehewaseatenoreaten.Fromthis,wecouldseetheinfluenceofsocialenvironmentonBuck’scharacter.ThefightbetweenBuckandthedogwasalsoreflectedintheenvironmentaleffects.Afterexperiencingendlessbloodybattles,Buckgraduallydevelopedfromweaktostrong,andconstantlysublimatedhisheroicimageofsuperdog.Asamemberoftheout-of-town,thebulliedBuckwasalwayseagertochallengeandchangehisfate.ThebattlebetweenBuckandSpitzwasthemostterrifyinginthenovel.WhenBuckrealizedtheimportanceofpower,heaspiredtoonedayreplaceSpitzasleaderofthedogs.Tothisend,Buckfullybrewedandprepared,withhisownimaginationandavarietyofstrategies,tokillandknockdownSpitz.HavingconqueredSpitz,Bucklookedoncoldlyastheotherdogsrushedathimandtorehimtopieces.Ontheonehand,itwastriumphant.Ontheotherhand,italsorevealedtheharshconditionsinwhichdogslive.Onlylikethewolfruthlessbloodthirstydog,couldbecomethemasteroflifeintheclimaxoflife.3.4ClearSurvivalRulesThedescriptionofsurvivalrulesinTheCalloftheWildwasmoreexpressedinthreeaspects,namely,theruleofthestick,theruleofworkandtheruleofmorality.Survivalrulesshinelikethestars,alwaysequal.3.4.1TheRuleoftheStickAsasymbolofsupremepower,theruleofthestickemphasizedindividualobedience,whichwaswhatledBucktorealizetheimportanceofbeltsandhoops.Inaddition,thestickwasanimportantsignofhierarchy.Thestickisasymbolofunshakableauthority.Buckhadlivedincomfortuntilhewasstolenandsold.Atfirst,hedidnotobeyhisnewmaster’scontrolandwasalwaysbeatenandbruised.Ithasfoughtandresisted,butithasbeenmetwithmorecruelandcruelbeatingsandabuse.Guidedbythestick,helearnedthatinordertosurvive,hemustrecognizethereality.Infrontofthestick,Buckhasnorightoropportunitytoresist,andcanonlyacceptthebeltandhoopbroughttohimbyhumanbeings.Onlytoaccepthumanslavery.Infact,thestickdistinguishesthelevelofsurvival.Buckactuallyrepresentsakindofindividual,whoneedstodecidehisownbehavioraccordingtothewillofahigh-levelindividual,butthestickalsosymbolizesakindoffairness.Withinacertainrange,Buckisequal.3.4.2TheRuleofWorkBuckwastakennorthandchangedfromadogwhohadneverseenabigsnowtoasleddog.Henotonlyhadtoadapttothecoldweatherinthenorth,butalsohadtoundertakehardphysicalwork,pullingsledsandrunninginthesnowdayafterday.Hestartedhisjourneybeforedawn,didn’trestuntilitgetsdark,atelittletokeephimafloat,andthenburrowedtosleepandwaitforthenextday.Infact,pullingasledgewasnotatallwhatBuckhadinmind.Thiskindofworkwasharmfultohispride,butashegrewup,helearnedquicklyinthejobofpullingasled.Helearnedhowtodigsnowsheltersoncoldnightsandhowtorespondtodifferentcommands.Hesoonmasteredthehabitsofsleddogs.Intheend,Buckwontheleadership,andthisprideactuallymadeBuckfeelvalued.3.4.3TheRuleofMoralityMoralitydidnotexistinthesocietyofthetimeintheformofmoralrules,butnon-moralfactorswereimpartedthroughlimitedsurvival.Thebeautyandjusticeofthesouthernworldcouldnotbereflectedhere.ForBuckatthattime,survivalwasthesourceofallpower.ItmustbedeeplyrealizedthatthesocialbackgroundofnaturalistwriterJackLondonwasinherentlydifferentfromthatofthesoutherncivilizedworld,andtheexistenceofthisdifferencewasalsoreflectedinhisworks,highlightingtheso-calledoutrageousandunreasonablemoralstandardsoftheNorth.Fromasurvivalistperspective,theromanticfantasyoftheSouthcouldonlyproducethelackofmoralityintherealworldoftheNorth,andonlysurvivalwastherealpracticalmoralstandard.ChapterFourRealisticSignificanceandEnlightenmentofNaturalisminTheCalloftheWildFromtheanalysisoftherealexistencevalue,TheCalloftheWildshouldtendtobemoreofamodernfable.JackLondonclarifiedhisownviewsonthesurvivalvaluethroughthenaturalisticwritingtechniqueandshowedtheso-calledcivilizedworldinhiseyescompletelyinthework.4.1CriticismofAnthropocentrismInthenovelTheCalloftheWild,thecriticismofhumangreedandexpansivedesirewasmainlyreflectedinthegoldrushcausedbyhuman’sdesireformaterialwealthandhuman’splunderofnatureaswellashuman’smutualkilling.ThebeginningofthenoveldescribedthesceneofthousandsofpeopleinsearchofgoldandwealthinvariouswaysintotheNorthlandwasteland.Forthosehungryformoney,thenaturalwildernessoftheNorthlandwasasourceofwealthandplunder.Humandesiredformoneygreed,sothatthelandoftheNorthsnow-whitepurelandwasnotpeaceful,theirarrivaldestroyedthenaturalecologicalbalanceoftheNorth.Theinfluxofgoldminersdidnotonlydestroytheenvironment,butalsothreatenedthenativeIndians.Goldwaslimited,noteveryonecoulddigforgold,becauseofhumangreed,thislimitedresourcemadethesegreedyhumanskilleachother.Thornton,Buck’smaster,waskilledinaflowingchuteinafightwiththeIndians,andthevictoriousIndianscelebratedtheirvictorybydancingaroundtheruinedwoodenhouse.JackLondonbrokeawayfromthehumanagainstitthroughBuck.Intheend,thestoryofreturningtonatureexpressedhiscriticismofhuman’sself-assertionofanthropocentrism,aswellasthedestructionofthenaturalenvironmentandthelossofhuman’sownhighmoralethicsinthegoldrushprocessundertheexpansionofmaterialdesire.Healsoexpressedhiswishforthereturntonatureandtheharmoniouscoexistencebetweenmanandnature.Nowadays,ecologicalproblemswereoneofthebiggestsocialproblemsfacingthemodernhumanworld.Thethreatofecologicalcrisistohumanbeingshadattractedpeople’sattentionalongwiththecontradictionofhumancivilization,whichhadawakenedthealarmofecologicalprotectionforhumanbeings.4.2AffirmationofSurvivaloftheFittestInJackLondon’smostfamousnovel,TheCalloftheWild,Buckwastheartisticfigure.Wecouldsensetheauthor’sprofoundinterpretationofsurvivalfromthisimage,harmonyandlove.Buckgrewupinthesunnycivilizationofthesouth.BecausethegoldprospectorsinthecoldArcticneededalargenumberofsleddogs,hewasabductedandsoldtotheArcticiceandsnow.However,hequicklyadaptedtotheharshenvironmentwithhisoutstandingphysicalqualityandwisdom.Buckandhisfinalmasterdevelopedastrongfriendship,andintheend,Buckreturnedtonatureandbecametheleaderofthepack.Throughtheauthor’sshapingofrolesanddescriptionoftheconflictbetweencivilizationandnature,wecouldunearththedeepculturalimplicationofthesurvivalofthefittest.TheimageofBuckcouldbesaidtobethetrueportrayalofJackLondon’sownlife.JackLondon’slifewasroughandbumpy,andhewentthroughhardshipsandstrugglesallhislife,buthealwaysshowedasenseofsadness.Butheneverwenttothenegativeextremes.ThroughouthislifeinLondon,theupsanddowns,itselfwasalegend,thewriter’srichlifeexperience,profoundcomplexandevenconflictingideasmadehisworkshadahighappreciationandresearchvalue,hadbeentheliterarycircletotalkabout.AndthentherewasthesurvivalofthefittestofJackLondon.JackLondonhadanappreciationfortheideaofnaturalselection,thesurvivalofthefittest,andSpencerappliedDarwinismtohumansociety,believingthatsocietywasafighttothedeath,andonlythefittestcansurvive.Hishumbleoriginatedandthepositionofexploitationandoppressionmadehimrealizethatonlybyadaptingtothesocietyandbeingthestrong,thefittest,orthesuperhumancouldhesurvives.AlthoughBuck,theheroofTheCalloftheWild,didnotunderstandtheseabstractandesoterictheories,theatavisticprocessofitstransitionfromcivilizationtobarbarismandfinallyreturnedtowildandnaturewastheinterpretationofJackLondon’sviewofthesurvivalofthefittest.Insuchaworldoficeandsnow,wherepeoplewererarelyvisited,thesurvivalofhumansandanimalswasthreatenedatalltimesbecausenaturalconditionswereextremelyharshandsociallawswereoutofreach.Thecompetitionforsurvivalwasafierceone.Ashisenvironmentchanges,Buckwasconstantlychanginghimself.Buckwasafiercelyloyaldog,oncethechiefjustice’sconstantcompanion,butwhenhewastraffickedtotheicyKlondikeasasleddog,hestruggledtoadapthimselftothechangedenvironmentandbecameatenacious,resourcefulandcrueldoginordertosurvive.Seeingherecannothelpbutletusfeelthatcontinuousprogressandbreakthroughisthehighestprincipleofhumanbeings,istheessenceofsurvivalofthefittest.Itemphasizesthesocialtruthofsurvivalcompetition,survivalofthefittest,whichisirrefutable.Finally,Buckbecomesalonelyandfiercewildwolf,experiencingmanyhardships,hearingthecallfromthewilderness,theheartofthewildresurrection,backtotheforestwolves.ThelawofthejungleisondisplayinthewildernesswhereBucklived,andonceagainBuckchoosestoadapt.JackLondoninTheCalloftheWildintothestrongideaofsurvivalofthefittest,thispointisalsoveryenlighteningtoday,throughthenovelofthenaturalimageandtheinterpretationofthisidea,arousepeopleintherealsocietyofdeeperthinking,soastoachievetheharmonybetweenmanandnatureandmanandsociety.Therefore,weshoulddothis:First,understandtherealityofsocietyandtheneedsofsociety.Second,strengthentheawarenessofcompetingandcooperating,andconstantlyimprovetheabilitytocompete,andlookforcooperationopportunities.Thirdly,thecontinuousimprovementofpsychologicaladaptabilityandfrustrationtolerance.Fourth,thestrengtheningofpersonalitycultivation,theimprovementofinterpersonalcommunicationandco-ordinationability.Fifth,improvingtheprofessionallevelandoverallquality.Thisalsorequiresustostandthetestofsuccess,butalsotowithstandtheriskoffailure.Wemustlearntosurviveincompetition,inentrepreneurialdevelopment,sothattheyeventuallybecomethelifeofthestrong,successfulcareer.4.3HarmonybetweenManandNatureHumancivilizationcomesattheexpenseoftheharmonyandbalanceofnature.TheCalloftheWildexploresthemeaningofindustrialcivilization.Althoughtheworkdoesnotdescribespecificeventsinindustrialsociety,LondondescribesthedreamofanAmericangoldprospectortotakerisksformoneyintheformofananimalfable.Infact,thiskindofrisk-takingisanintegralpartofcapitalistindustrialization.TheCalloftheWildisthereforeadescriptionofBuck’senvironmentasadog.Itisalsoametaphoricalreflectionontheenvironmentofhumanbeingsintheprocessofindustrialization.Human’srealisticattitudetowardsnatureisgenerallydeterminedbyselfishdesires.Peopleusenature,cutnature,killnature,inaword,destroynaturefortheirownneeds,fortheirowninterests,andinthisprocessreasonappearscunning.Maniswellversedindealingwithnature,andhasacquiredthesemeansfromnature,usingthemagainstnatureitself.Thedidacticapproachtonatureisevenmoreworrying:asthesouloftheuniverse,manisthelinkbetweenspiritandnature,buthisactionsoftenfallbehindhismission.Man’sdesireisinfinite,unbridledevil,nottomakenaturesubordinatetothespirit,onthecontrary,buttomakemattercontrolman.Eventually,people’spranksleadtothecollapseoftheintegrityofnaturallife,resultinginhumandeathduetothedisharmoniousrelationshipbetweennatureandthespiritualworld.Theharmoniouscoexistenceofmanandnature,inparticularwiththeanimals,thedamagedonetonaturebyhumancivilization,andthedesiretoreturntonatureinTheCalloftheWild,alltheseaspectsreflecttheecocriticismthoughtandawakenpeople’secologicalconsciousness.Nowrereadingthenovel,weareatthebeginningoftheunderstandingofhowtofacetheglobalecologicalcrisisandthealienationofmodernhumancivilization.Thehumancivilizationshouldbedevelopedtoahigherleveloftheecologicalcivilization.Letusdistinguishbetweenlife’snecessitiesandlife’sluxuries,seekabalancebetweennatureandcivilization,andcreateahealthy,sustainable,harmoniousrelationshipbetweenmanandnature,animals.ChapterFiveConclusionBriefly,theworkembodiesstrictandbrutalnaturalism,revealingthestruggleandsurvivalofnature,andtheultimatevictoryofthewildovercivilization.Thisindicatesadeepunderstandingofnaturalismandhintsattheauthor’sdesiretodistancehimselffromhumancivilization.Theauthorlongsfortruthandsimplicityinnature,evenifitisintense.Butitisalsoacalltothenatureoflife,challengingconventionalnotionsthatmanyfindunacceptable.Infact,itreflectsphilosophyandhumanity,respectfornature,aswellascriticismandresistancetosocialinequality.LetusbetterunderstandBuck’swildness,aswellasthenaturalisminliterature,alsocanbetterunderstandtheAmericanspiritandAmericanliterature.BasedonChina’scurrentsituation,afterenteringthe21stcentury,Chinahasputforwardthestrategicgoalofbuildingaharmonioussocialistsociety,emphasizingtheharmonybetweenindividuals,societyandnature.Toachievethisgoal,weshouldcherishnature,lovenature,protecttheculturaltraditionofnature.Excavatingtheecologicalethicscontainedinculturecannotonlyprovidemoralresourcesandethicalbasis