11.American-Naturalism美国文学自然主义

AmericanNaturalismStephenCrane,TheodoreDreiser,JackLondon,andothers.NaturalismItisamoredeliberatekindofrealism,involvingaviewofhumanbeingsaspassivevictimsofnaturalforcesandsocialenvironment.Thenaturalistwritersattemptedtoachieveextremeobjectivityandfrankness,presentingcharactersoflowsocialandeconomicclasseswhoweredeterminedbytheirenvironmentandheredity（遗传）.RepresentativewritersareStephenCrane,FrankNorris,JackLondonandTheodoreDreiser.TheRedBadgeofCouragebyCraneSisterCarriebyDreiserAmericanNaturalism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)ThePioneerofAmericannaturalism1893Maggie:AGirloftheStreets,theFirstAmericanbookwithoutproviding“wayout”ormoralizingonsocialinjustice(resistanceofherslumlifeandatlastsuicide)1894TheRedBadgeofCourage(HenryFlaming,ayoungfarmerboy,thechangesofayoungman’spsychologicalstateintheCivilWar)StephenCrane1895TheBlackRiders(poemcollection)1897“TheOpenBoat”,“TheBlueHotel”1898poems:“WarIsKind”,etc.CraneandEmilyDickinsonweretwoforerunnersofImagism.Basicmotif:environmentandheredityoverwhelmmenAManSaidtotheUniverseAmansaidtotheuniverse:SirIexist!However,repliedtheuniverse,ThefacthasnotcreatedinmeAsenseofobligation.AManSawaBallofGoldAmansawaballofgoldinthesky;Heclimbedforit,Andeventuallyheachievedit--Itwasclay.Nowthisisthestrangepart:WhenthemanwenttotheearthAndlookedagain,Lo,therewastheballofgold.Nowthisisthestrangepart:Itwasaballofgold.Aye,bytheheavens,itwasaballofgold.ISawaManIsawamanpursuingthehorizon;Roundandroundtheysped.Iwasdisturbedatthis;Iaccostedtheman.(招呼，搭讪)Itisfutile,Isaid,Youcannever--Youlie,hecried,Andranon.IWalkedinaDesertIwalkedinadesert.AndIcried,Ah,God,takemefromthisplace!Avoicesaid,Itisnodesert.Icried,Well,But--Thesand,theheat,thevacanthorizon.Avoicesaid,Itisnodesert.IntheDesertInthedesertIsawacreature,naked,bestial,who,squattingupontheground,Heldhisheartinhishands,Andateofit.Isaid,Isitgood,friend?Itisbitter--bitter,heanswered;ButIlikeitBecauseitisbitter,Andbecauseitismyheart.Bestial['bestjəl]adj.残忍的，野蛮的，缺乏智慧的TheOpenBoatHumanbeingsinfrontofnaturaldisasterNatureandman:indifferentBrotherhoodFrankNorris(1870-1902)AleaderoftheNaturalismmovement.Norrisbelievedthatanovelshouldserveamoralpurpose.Thenovelwithapurpose,heexplained,bringsthetragediesandgriefsofotherstonoticeandprove(s)thatinjustice,crime,andinequalitydoexist.1899McTeague,tellshoweconomiccircumstances,alcoholism,heredity,andchancecompelamantobecomeamurderer.Wheattrilogy：TheOctopus:AStoryofCalifornia(《章鱼》1901):theconflictofpowerofNature(thefarmers)andthemechanicforces(therailroad),andthefarmersaredefeatedby“inevitable”economicforcesThePit: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)CowperwoodtrilogyHisinfluenceisevidentintheworksofSherwoodAnderson,SinclairLewisandErnestHemingwayAnalysis(1)SocialDarwinism(manonlydrivebydesire;onlyfittestcanliveinthesociety)(2)Style:formless,dull,crude(粗糙的),solemnandponderous(笨重的),“theworld’sworstgreatwriter”(3)PowerfuldepictionofAmericansociallifeandmovingcharactersJackLondon(1876–1916)LifeborninSanFranciscolivedinthelowestpartofsocietyinhisyouthdecidedtochangehislifebyintellectualefforthisworkswererejectedmanytimesatlastsucceededandbecameamillionaireFameandupperclasslifemadehimfeelboring;committedsuicideWorks1903TheCalloftheWild(storyofBuck,adog)WhiteFang(storyofawolf)1904TheSeaWolfMartinEden,autobiographicalAsolidcraftsman,esp.ofshortstories“Loveoflife”3.Analysis(