An Analysis of the Personalities of Sister Carrie
in Sister Carrie
《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的性格分析
摘要
《嘉莉妹妹》是美国小说家西奥多·德莱塞的第一部长篇小说, 嘉莉妹妹是文中的主角，作品揭露出一位在现实社会生活中温柔，善良，美丽的社会乡村少女在资本主义社会环境中转变成为独立，自信，聪明，优雅，有内涵的新女性，刚开始嘉莉妹妹把自己的希望寄托在男性身上，结果自己遭受了两次欺骗，到后来她认识到只有通过自己的努力才能改变自己的命运。最终她通过自己努力和才能登上百老汇红五星舞台，成为一名大都市独立的新型女性。
本文旨在通过对嘉莉妹妹的性格分析，使读者清楚地认识到成为一名新时代的独立的女性，不能把希望依赖于别人，只有通过自己的努力才可以实现自我的价值，并最终取得成功。同时新时代的女性首先应该在经济上独立，从而获得人格上的独立，赢得别人的尊重，而嘉莉妹妹正是通过依靠自己才成为了一名经济独立，而又有自信和内涵的新女性。
关键词：嘉莉妹妹；性格分析；性格形成原因；作者写作目的
Abstract
Sister Carrie is written by American Theodore Dreiser. Sister Carrie is leading role. In the works, Sister Carrie is described as a gentle, kind-hearted, beautiful, country girl, eventually; she turns into be a independent, confident, smart, elegant, new metropolis female. In the beginning, she puts her hope on male. Unfortunately she is deceived twice by men. In the end she appears on Broadway red throne through her hard efforts and becomes a new independent metropolis female.
This article, aiming at the analysis of sister Carrie’s characters, introduces readers a new independent female who can’t rely hope on anybody only through her own efforts to achieve self-value and success. At first, a new female must obtain economical independence to gain personal independence, and win the respect of others. Owning to her efforts, Sister Carrie becomes a female with financial independence, confidence and inner beauty.
Key Words: Sister Carrie; character analysis; cause of formation; the writer’s writing purpose
Contents
摘要............................................................................................................................................... I Abstract ........................................................................................................................................ II
1. Introduction (1)
2. The Characters of Sister Carrie (1)
2.1 Innocence and Simplicity (1)
2.2 The Character of Sister Carrie after Her Coming into City (2)
2.2.1 Her Diligence and Gumption (2)
2.2.2 Her Romantism and Realism (3)
2.2.3 Her Independence and Persistence (4)
2.2.4 A Forceful Woman in Life (4)
3. The Reasons of the Formation of Sister Carrie’s Later Personalities (5)
3.1 Internal Causes (5)
3.1.1 The Backgroud of Family (5)
3.1.2 Rebellious Character (6)
3.2 External Causes (6)
3.2.1 The Background of Capitalism and Consumerism (6)
3.2.2 The Influence of Individual Experience (7)
4. Defects of Sister Carrie’s Personality (7)
4.1 Her Vanity (7)
4.2 The Lack of Rational Education (8)
5. The Writer’s purpose (9)
6. Conclusion (9)
Bibliography (12)
Acknowledgments (13)
1. Introduction
Sister Carrie is the first novel written by the American novelist Theodore Dreiser When the industrial and commercial cities have been rising, a large number of rural population have poured into the city. Carrie,eighteen years old, a smart and simple girl, in order to get rid of poverty, boards on a train to Chicago with only four U.S., hoping to have a better life. However, the harsh reality breaks her dream because of her unemployment and disease. In desperation, she becomes the mistress of the salesman Chas.H.Drouet, and then she comes across a hotel manager, G.W. Hurstwood who was attracted by her simple beauty. Hurstwood lures Carrie to New York, stealing the money of the hotel. In New York, because of Hurstwood’s deteriorating economy and unemployment, Carrie is forced to find job. Then she earns their living by hard work. Finally, owing to chance, she becomes a popular actress, squeezing into the high society and abandons poor Hurstwood. Carrie is famous for her persistence and effort. But she is not happy, even feels lonely.
This paper is divided into six sections. The first chapter introduces the background of Sister Carrie. The second chapter reviews the characters of Sister Carrie. At first the personalities of Sister Carrie is analyzed in the rural areas, and then the characters of Sister Carrie is analyzed in the city. The third chapter analyses the reasons of Sister C arrie’s personality’s formation. The fourth chapter tells Sister C arrie’s defects of personality.The fifth chapter analyses the writer’s intention. In the last chapter the Sister C arrie’s characters are summarized.
Duing to her complicated characteristic, a few questions need to be asked. What kind of person she is? What are the causing factors to the formation of her characters? What are defects in her personality and why does the author create such a character?
2. The Characters of Sister Carrie
2.1 Innocence and Simplicity
In the first place, she is a brave girl.“When Sister Carrie boarded the afternoon
train for Chicago, her total outfit consisted of a small trunk, a cheap imitation alligator-skin satchel, a small lunch in a paper box, and a yellow leather snap purse, containing her ticket, scrap of paper with her sister’ s address in Van Buren Street, and four dollars in money,”(Theodore Dreiser,1981:1-2)from the paragraph, we can see she is a courageous girl. When Sister Carrie goes out alone with little money, she is only eighteen years old. In the second place, she is easy to be moved by heterosexual complaisance and sweet words at the train for Chicago. She encounters Drouet on the train for Chicago and after getting off the train, Drouet asks for taking the package for Carrie, she says, “Very kind of you.” and feels that it is really lucky to get such a complaisant care in a strange land. Besides, at the train she gives a heterosexual stranger her address after they communicate with each other after a while without the vigilance
In conclusion, it can be seen that Sister Carrie is brave, innocent and simple.
2.2 The Character of Sister Carrie after Her Coming into city
2.2.1 Her Diligence and Gumption
Carrie’s diligences are found expression in the work. She goes out to find a job the next day she arrives in Chicago. For running all day, she finally finds a job in a shoes factory with a payment of five point four dollars every week. Though having to work long hours in a poor working condition with a low pay, long working hours, poor working conditions, she endures that. Later because she wears thin clothes, she gets a cold and loses her job. If she does not find a job, her sister wants to ask her to go home. But she does not give up living in Chicago; finally she becomes the mistress of Drouet. And at that time, the Masonic which Drouet belonged to is performing a “fund-raising Play”. At the meantime, the play lacks of heroine. Drouet asks Carrie to have a try, so Carrie replies to try. From that moment Carrie practices painstakingly at home every day and then it is a good choice to get rid of privation. So she knows that if she wants to succeed, she has to work hard and finally Carrie performs this role successfully. This experience lays a solid foundation for her to success in the Broadway. Hurstwood lures Carrie to New York and they lives together. Carrie is a housewife in her first time, before Hurstwood loses his job and stays at home. The
environment is getting increasingly embarrassment; Carrie has to go out to look for a job to do. Although she is only a humble chorus actor in a choir, then she does not give up hope and makes an effort, eventually she becomes more and more popular, enjoying a prosperous life. Without her hard work, Carrie could not have been successful at last. Her gumption is expressed in the way how she improves herself. In Chicago, Carrie learns the conversations and manners of the people in graded society.
2.2.2 Her Romantism and Realism
Her romance is reflected in her illusion. Her romantic fantasy is that she will eventually get back as long as she works hard. Only in this way her hard work will not be wasted. After she finds a even low-paid job, she imagines that she will be happy. Her fantasy is that she has a nice future than before—live a happy life waiting for her “For the next day Carrie indulge d in the most high-flows peculation. Her fancy plunged recklessly into privileges and amusements which would have been much more becoming had she been cradled a child of fortune. With ready will and quick mental selection she scattered her illusion four-fifty per week with a swift and graceful hand. Indeed, as she sat in her rocking-chair these several evenings before going to bed and looked out upon the pleasantly lighted street, this money cleared for its prospective possessor the way to every joy and every bauble which the heart of woman may desire. I will have a fine time, she thought”(Theodore Dreiser,1981:1-3). But her fantasy is soon shattered, and in this competitive metropolis, it is very difficult for one without any experience to find a work. Earning four point five dollars salary per week and working in poor condition are almost unbearable for her. Besides she also needs to pay her sister and brother-in-law for food. The rest of salary is not enough to offer her necessaries. Moreover her job is lost, because she is ill for three days. Her romance is also reflected in her emotional fantasies. Her first fantasy is that Chas.H.Drouet will marry her after she becomes his mistress. When she comes cross Mr.G.W.Hurstwood and lives together with him. Her second fancy is that she and Hurstwood will have an ideal combination. But the Drouet does not really want to marry her, and then the Hurstwood just avoids his wife’s outrage and rudeness to find a safe haven. Finally her emotional illusions have been shattered totally. Although
achieving fame and fortune, she still is not happy, even Hurstwood has returned his original beauty and glory, he could not allure her. She knows that these material substances are not happiness in her own present state. Fame is not everything. She has twice been deceived by men, so that she no longer holds the magic about life and love. Her romance is because she does not understand that social competition is brutal, sinister. What’s more she does not get the people’s hearts. Her reality is because life hones church she no longer easily believes a man. Only by own efforts to live the life you want.
2.2.3 Her Independence and Persistence
Carrie’s independence is not spontaneous, but is forced out. She comes to Chicago to stay with her sister and brother-in-law’s home and ha s to look for a job by herself, and then when she gets a job, she must pay the meals for her sister. After she is unemployed, she is not welcomed; they propose her to return home. At that time Carrie encounters Drouet when she is in distress, and she takes him as the last straw, which makes her abandon relations to go alone. And breaking up with Drouet, she has to find a job again. Later she is lured to New York by Hurstwood, Carrie cannot stand with poor life, and Hurstwood cannot find jobs. Their life has a problem, so she goes out again to look for a job, and tries several times. And finally she becomes a famous actress in the Broadway in a small chorus. Her persistence is embodied in searching jobs. In a prosperous city, she cannot find job after running all day. But she doesn't give up. At that time, she is only an eighteen years old. Although feeling shy and ashamed, she is full of courage to have a try. Finally, she obtains job through her efforts. In the end she becomes a famous actor and gets success through her persistence.
2.2.4 A Forceful Woman in Life
Carrie dares to face the difficulties of life, and takes an optimistic attitude to face the difficulties. When she arrives in Chicago, in order to adapt to living in a flourishing city, she begins to change her mind. She does not only simply abandon the lifestyle of her mother’s generation, but also makes efforts to adapt to the new way of life in modern America. At first the initial stage of herself-fashioning, when Carrie
lives with her sister Minnie, she begins to focus on self-fashioning. She separates from her sister Minnie, because her sister is a traditional woman who is busy with household chores every day and seems to have lost herself, and the thought of tradition life is what Carrie wants to abandon, so Carrie would like to choose a new way of life. Carrie earns money to buy beautiful clothes for her and wants to go entertainment. She knows what kinds of life she wants. When living into the apartment with Drouet, Carrie starts to model herself in ideal. In addition to cultivate her, Carrie pays attention to the behavior and wants to be more elegant as well as more temperament. As a result, she becomes a quite charming girl. At the same time, she walks in graceful footsteps, not so heavy, she is beautiful and elegant. Eventually Mrs. Vance introduces her cousin Armstrong to Carrie; Armstrong’s thoughts have influence on Carrie about having a great degree, which makes her pursue the spiritual world from the initial simple material desires to the pursuit of art. That makes Carrie begin to realize that the pursuit of material comfort is not enough; the pursuit of spirit is the most important to her.
3.The Reasons of t he Formation of Sister Carrie’s Later Personalities 3.1 Internal Causes
3.1.1 The Backgroud of Family
Origin often leaves imprint in one’s personality or inner world. Carrie’s extreme thirst for material and her lack of rational are found a little clue in her early life in Colombia. She is afraid of returning home. Her sympathy for the poor and downtrodden people, as well as fear about the fate dating back to her father’s life mixed with complex feelings of pity and shame. Therefore, she has to be persistent in finding a job and offer fundamental life by herself. Walking in the streets of the city, she sees the clothes shabby girl and despair of those pale and shabbily dressed men; she will bit her lip with standing. Although the principle is often nagging around her ears, but it can’t save herself from her strong fear of being likely to suffer that fate. So she wants to make her every effort to achieve her goal. Carrie’s mind can’t defuse the
tension of painful memories from the childhood which is most clearly seen in her relationship with men. Carrie measures their value directly whether they offer her food, shelter, clothing and pleasure within the capacity of the external factors, which is call of her nature. She continuously obtains material substances from men when she is missing something. Unfortunately she always suffers pain. Finally she reaches her dream by her efforts and independence.
3.1.2 Rebellious Character
Leaving a tearful mother, Carrie boards on train to a strange and complicated big city. We could feel tne courage of an 18 years old young girl and the heart of the rebel. With a taste prosperity of Chicago, she soon begins to resist common lifestyle of the brother-in-law. Then, just as leaving her hometown in Wisconsin, Carrie once again escapes from the residence of a brother-in-law, matting her relationship with a man’s privacy. This is the strongest hint of rebel, and also leaves a clue that she doesn’t only actualize herself, but also becomes new metropolis female.
3.2 External Causes
3.2.1 The Background of Capitalism and Consumerism
The background of the novel is based on the economic condition in nineteenth century early USA dominated by agriculture. The transition from agricultural economy depending on family to capitalist economy relying on operating capitalism mainly is based on the development of industry in nineteenth century. Working out of the family is more and more prevalent. Meanwhile women at the nearest large cities search for work, which reflects an international trend. Women start to work out of the family and pursue themselves. By 1890, the national labor consists of 17% women. Thanks to capitalism and consumerism background, the traditional idea that women should pay totally attention to husband and children converts to working out of family. Sister Carrie is one of women working out of the family.
Capitalist economic development relies on the rapid transfer of products from producers to consumers. The most important social changes described in the novel is from the production to consumption. On the one hand the mass retail has wider implications; on the other hand customers benefit from low prices and a wide range of
options. In this way the consumers are related with consumption. Particularly, Sister Carrie is a potential consumer who desires to control her fate and reach her goal. She realizes that she needs to get her dream through hard effort. So capitalism background is an indispensable element for Carrie to model a new metropolis female.
3.2.2 The Influence of Individual Experience
Chicago is a city full of hope, luck and rise. At the beginning of the novel author wants to preach a concept “the city is full of cunning deception, rather than any man in Chicago attracted heroines”. Carrie looks forward to Chicago “a huge magnet, attracting people full of hope and despair from all sides”. But in fact she suffers failure at first. In Chicago, she meets a salesman Drouet and falls in love with him. She wants to be his wife and waits for a long time. In the end, she is conscious of her innocence. Drouet just regards her as a mistress, besides, Drouet is dissolute. He can’t give Sister Carrie a good future. When she is confused, she comes across Hurstwood and is attracted by him. She falls in love again; unfortunately she is deceived by Hurstwood. When she lives with Hurstwood in New York,she goes out for hunting a job. Finally she leaves Hurstwood. Fortunately, she realizes her dream by herself, and becomes a famous actress. Her independence and effort can be dated back to her experience. It helps Carrie accomplish her success.
4. Defects of Sister Carrie’s Personality
4.1 Her Vanity
Carrie is a woman with strong vanity and desire for material which leads her to become a victim of the two men-Drouet and Hurstwood, which also contributes to her success in the future. She is always yearning for clothes and Jewelry, so when she goes to the department store to look for a job, Carrie is attracted by each item whether it is cheap trinkets, or expensive jewelry. Each piece is attracted to her. She wants to wear all the jewelry and desires to have them all. That delicate slippers and stockings, trimmed with beautiful trim skirts and petticoats, all every color of the lace, ribbons, combs, and flower package, what a wonderful thing if she can have them all. Her
heart is filled with the desire of possessing them. Later she lives in New York with Hurstwood in some time and once the next door neighbor－Mrs. Vance invites her to the theater. Her vanity is revealed totally by the comparisons with Mrs. Vance. Carrie thinks she is pretty enough, but when compared with Mrs. Vance, she is not pretty at all. How could Mrs. Vance have so many cute little things? Carrie feels more uncomfortable when she goes on the street with Mrs. Vance, because it is filled with strong rich and flaunted atmosphere in the street, she thinks she is incompatible in this atmosphere. The fact is that that she could never have the bright appearance like Mrs.Vance’s, which makes she feel very pain. Later she vows that she would dress more gorgeously and come here again. At the same time, she is eager to dress gorgeously to show off in public place. Carrie’s vanity is manifested in her desire for goods and the comparisons with others, and is displayed in her pursuit of fame and fortune, too. Because her vanity makes her not satisfy her present status, so that she goes out of the circle of her own life, and ultimately, she obtains success and feels that she has been looked forward to.
To sum up, Carrie is to adored materials to control her desire for pursuing fame and status. Fortunately she gains success.
4.2 Lack of Rational Education
Carrie is often fallen by external environment, which, especially, is reflected in her emotional affairs. She is always easily controlled by men, partly because she makes every decision depending on someone’s ideas. Partly because she is lack of education, then it is an essential factor for her to master her fate. Lacking of knowledge leads to her weakness. There is none of family education in her childhood. The only way to consult is to listen to instruction of her father who carefully explains everything. When Carrie is not able to find correct direction from her experience, her conscience is her honest and knowledgeable adviser. Carrie is not educated; she does not have chance to learn knowledge from books that is a closed garden to her. She comes to the city in order to look for the greatest happiness in life.
5. The Writer’s Purpose
From the above analysis, it is obvious to see that Carrie is an hard-working, romantic and persistent woman who is fond of pursuing fame and vanity. Certainly, what is the purpose of the author to shape such a character? There are two reasons. Firstly, in order to highlight the characteristics of naturalism, the author writes Sister Carrie that is embodied the character of Naturalistic literary. One of the purposes of shaping figure in this works is to reflect naturalistic features. The natural feature is that people need to grasp every opportunity to work hard in a competitive society in order to success. On the contrary, the author models a loser－Hurstwood. He is no longer young and capable. Eventually he makes a choice to commit suicide. This is the naturalistic Portrayal. Secondly, when Theodore Dreiser creates Sister Carrie, Darwin’s theory of evolution and survival of the fittest theory are prevailing. Consumption ideology emphasizes people on costing and occupying things. The idea of possession weakens the traditional thrift, savings, and automation ethic. When Dreiser writes Sister Carrie, American women have begun to be affected by consumerism. They begin to challenge traditional moral standards. On the one hand, they no longer believe that the responsibility of women is to help husband and teach children. On the other hand, women should stay at home to do housework. On the contrary, women think they should have their job and earn money by themselves to enjoy life.
6. Conclusion
Through hard work, Carrie is turned into a successful actress from an innocent village girl. During this process Sister Carrie is shaped to a new female character. Carrie is no longer manipulated by any man. On the contrary, with an independent career, she is independent in economic, which finally helps her become an independent woman, and realizes the independence of personality. Carrie becomes brave and mature through searching for job. Her success is accompanied by performance talent and her efforts, however in this process; her consciousness has
been awakened at the bottom of her heart. It is reviewed by the Dreiser in his book, It is a feature for a woman to be protected, supported and loved. But the power of women is suppressed by the tradition concept. Carrie is conscious of her acting abilities by chance, but she has been accustomed to live comfortably under the male protection so as to refuse to face up to own strengths. She does not fully display her talent until she is frustrated with men. For example, when she learns that Hurstwood cheats on her and then Drouet leaves her, eventually she decides to go out looking for a job. She has needs, but she is not amenable to be tricked or to be bribed by any men. She is going to support herself. This concept helps Carrie develop women’s self-awakening. Furthermore, Carrie finds job in the cinema. It is compared with former jobs, even though it is still not easy, she adds a lot of courage. Besides when Hurstwood is out of job, Carrie attempts to look for a job. Finally she decides to go to a play regardless of her husband’s objection. This job is twice as hard as the former, but Carrie gets a position in the chorus by her tenacity and courage .Her talent is soon recognized. Carrie begins to realize own strength in the promoting process. A man a little word, will not make her mind again. She knows men every well, which eventually creates the Sister Carrie’s image. She walks out of the small world of her family. She, among the public field, gains economic independence, which is a prerequisite for women to seek to further pursuit based on financial independence. Carrie once has previously relied on Drouet and Hurstwood to get happiness before obtaining self-reliance. She wants to marry Drouet who refuses her. Immediately, she changes her hopes on Hurstwood who turns out to be impossible. And she’s like an object, from one man to another man. Because Carrie is not economically independent, it is pointless to talk about personal independence. Eventually, Carrie becomes a famous actress and achieves her worth. She no longer needs to rely on anyone and she also gets honor. Obviously, Carrie achieves real personality independence after being economical independence.
Sister Carrie eventually becomes a new woman; of course there are also limitations in her personality. However, she dares to pursue individual liberation; meanwhile she also actively seizes the opportunity to adapt to the social progress. On
the contrary, compared with her sister－Minnie Vance , Hurstwood’s wife and other female characters, she can be regarded as a representative of the females.
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Acknowledgments
Firstly, I would like to express my gratitude to all the people who helped me during the writing of this paper. Without their help, this thesis would have been impossible.
I am extremely grateful to my tutor XXX for her valuable direction and suggestion, for her constant encouragement and generosity in spending her precious time on my paper.
Special thanks go to the Anyang normal college humanistic management university where gives me the opportunity to study my favorite major English teaching. Therefore I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the respectful teachers who have taught me during my undergraduate study.
Last but not least, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my dear parents, for their encouragement and always supporting me to finish this thesis.
《嘉莉妹妹赏析》 1.德莱赛和主人公嘉莉 1.1 德莱赛 德莱赛出生于美国印度安娜州的特雷霍特。青少年时期生活贫困，中学之后便自谋生计，他做过刷碗工，洗衣工，检票员，记者这些工作形象都可在他日后的作品中找到原型。一位美国作家曾在获得诺贝尔文学奖的时候说：如果你们把奖授予给德莱赛，你们将听到美国人民歇斯底里的呻吟声，在德莱赛的世界里，男人和女人不再充满活力，不再有欢歌笑语，不再有道德贞操。他们是充满罪恶的，令人绝望的，也必然是悲剧的。 德莱赛是美国著名的现实主义作家，在嘉莉妹妹这部作品中，作者娴熟地运用自然主义的创作手法，使作品具有极强的社会表现力。因此，这本书受到了人们的广泛关注。我国著名作家瞿秋白高度赞扬他是描述美国生活的伟大作家。 1.2 主人公嘉莉生活状况的改变 故事发生在19世纪80年代末90年代初，女主角嘉莉出生在芝加哥附近的一个农村，她的家庭环境及其困窘。当嘉莉登上开往芝加哥的火车时，她的全部行囊包括一个小箱子，一个廉价的仿鳄鱼皮挎包，一个黄色钱包，里面装着火车票和一张破旧的写着姐姐地址的纸条，还有四块钱。 她的第一份工作每周的工资只有4.5美元，而且还要支付食宿费给姐姐。后来，当他成为百老汇著名女演员的时候，他每周的工资是150美元，这在当时可是一大笔钱呀。出名后的嘉莉有了车马，有了豪宅，她得到了她所梦想的一切物质需要。
1.3 嘉莉的性格 农村的生活环境造就了主人公嘉莉朴素天真无邪而且性格内向的女孩，这一点从她在火车上的表现就可以看出来，当她在火车上时，她不知道如何与人陌生人沟通，但她的魅美丽有吸引着车上很多异性的目光，当杜洛埃为她介绍窗外的风景的时候，她胆怯的回答着。她的纯洁让杜洛埃感到她的青春与朝气…感到神清气爽，好像在烈日炎炎的夏季突然吹过一阵清凉的春风。到了小说的最后，我们又看到了嘉莉善良的一面，碰到赫斯渥看到他悲惨的现状时，她感到很内疚，并且拿出了她钱包里所有钱给了她曾经的情人。 另一方面，嘉莉也是一个充满幻想与欲望的女孩，她虽然单纯美好却也虚荣造作，她对美好物质生活的强烈向往，使她不甘心于呆在贫穷，狭窄的山村，所以她选择来到芝加哥寻找她的美国梦。她渴望享受大都市的种种快乐，可是到达姐姐家后，找工作并非非常顺莉，曾经在每周只有四块半的鞋店里工作。但是在给姐姐交完每周四块钱的食宿费后，只有五角钱的使用空间，她连买一件过冬棉衣的钱都没有，却跟她的姐姐说她需要一顶当时很流行的帽子。从这一点可以看出，她与生俱来一种追求更高欲望的本性，而不仅仅是寻求最基本的温饱问题。之后，由于生病她丢了工作，可这些并没有阻挡她对大城市灯红酒绿生活的向往，富人的生活始终吸引着她。在残酷的现实和外面世界丰富的物质生活使她彻底地迷失了自己。她甘愿做杜洛埃的情妇，与此同时又与酒店经理赫斯渥相互调情，作为这两个人的情人，从此她过上了富足的生活。但到最后，有了一定社会经验的她，抛弃了这两个男人，去追求自己的生活。但是她的追求从未结
欲望驱动下的嘉莉妹妹 关键词：欲望消费文化环境 摘要：《嘉莉妹妹》是美国著名的自然主义小说家西奥多·德莱塞的第一部长篇小说，讲述的农村少女嘉莉如何从社会的底层一跃而成为百老汇明星的经历，生动地展示了嘉莉的欲望不断增大永无止境的图画。文章从消费文化的角度分析了嘉莉欲望不断增大的外在原因和自身根源。 《嘉莉妹妹》是美国著名的自然主义小说家西奥多·德莱塞（1871—1945）的第一部长篇小说。书中描写了名叫嘉莉·米贝的农村姑娘因羡慕大城市的物质生活来到芝加哥谋生的故事。她先后经历了寻找工作的艰辛、疾病的困扰和失业的痛苦。为了生存，她成了推销员杜洛埃的情妇，后来又与酒店经理赫斯特伍德私奔。在纽约赫斯特伍德也丢掉了工作，为生活所迫，她在一家剧院当上了一名合唱演员。一个偶然的机会一举成名，挤进了上流社会，似乎实现了朝思暮想的愿望，然而在故事的结尾她依然坐在摇椅里梦想着自己的幸福。究其原因，是因为嘉莉自始至终都被欲望驱使着，欲望使她永远不满足于现状，不断地寻找下一个目标。她的欲望是多种因素促成的。 1．消费观念的影响 在19世纪末20世纪初，美国社会发生了一场深刻的变革，以生产为主的意识形态正逐渐被消费意识形态代替，因为当时美国内战后政治上稳定，经济上迅速发展，工业化和城市化都达到了前所未有的水平，商品非常丰富。经济要想进一步发展就必须最大限度地消费。为此以鼓励人们互相攀比、摆阔气的消费文化兴盛起来。这种文化的道德标准是：有钱建豪宅、买昂贵服装，男人以吸引和占有最美的女人为自豪。像鲍德里拉所说的这时的物品就已经成为地位的象征，而不是仅仅满足生活的基本需要。因此，人们应该听从本能的驱使，“作为消费者的人将享乐看成是自己的义务，享乐和满足就像一种事业”①。 在这种社会环境下，嘉莉渴望占有物品，特别是那些新衣服、漂亮马车之类。期望用这些物品提升自己的价值和社会地位。因此当她见到商店里琳琅满目的商品时，情不自禁地感到拥有这些无比重要。甚至在她进入消费的中心——城市之前，她就已经感觉到了商品的吸引力——推销员那入时的衣着。当她到达芝加哥之后，马上就发现她那破旧的衣服和小行李箱只能显示她卑微的地位。周围是各种各样的巨幅广告和美丽诱人的物品，她痛苦地感到自己只是个城外人，自己不能拥有想要的。因此后来一系列城市中的冒险都表明她竭尽全力想成为一个城里人，一个消费者。她明白人们不自觉地以貌取人，在那样的消费为中心的社会里，衣服是大家都理解的社会语言。所以在很大程度上，当时的消费观唤起了嘉莉无尽的欲望。 2．橱窗里商品的影响 来到芝加哥第一次找工作，嘉莉就注意到商业区里那琳琅满目的商品——饰物、服装、鞋子、文具、珠宝等。这一切都令她羡慕不已，每一件饰物、每一件值钱的东西都对她有着无限的魔力。在她看来，“没有一件东西她用不着，没有一件东西是她不想要的。精致的拖鞋和长统袜子，优美的皱边衬衫和衬裙，花边、缎带、发梳、荷包，一切都牵动她个人的欲望”。而那些穿着入时的漂亮太太根本瞧不起她，完全不把她放在眼里。同时相比之下她也看出了自己的寒碜，缺乏风度。此时她妒火中烧。“她朦胧地认识到城市为女人提供了一切
外国语学院2014届本科生毕业论文（设计）开题报告及任务书 中文题目：《嘉莉妹妹》中主人公的悲剧命运 英文题目：Protagonist’s Tragic Fate in Sister Carrie 学生姓名：田美伦 学号：1103111420 班级：11级本四班 指导教师：职称： 2014年8月
晋中学院本科毕业论文（设计）开题报告及任务书
《嘉莉妹妹》中主人公的悲剧命运 1 引言 2 文献综述 3 主人公的悲剧命运的体现 3.1 小说介绍 3.2 文本分析方法删掉 3.3.1 亲情的冷漠 3.3.2 交友的不慎 3.3.3 成功后的孤寂变成二级标题 4 主人公悲剧命运产生的原因 4.1 个人原因 4.2 外部原因英文翻译修改 4.2.1 家庭环境 4.2.2 社会环境 4.2.3 政治环境 5 结语
Protagonist’s Tragic Fate of Sister Carrie Ⅰ Introduction Ⅱ Literature Review Ⅲ Protagonist’s Tragic Fate 3.1 Introduction of the Novel 3.2 Methods of Textual Analysis 3.3Reflection of Protagonist’s Tragic Fate 3.3.1 The indifference of family love 3.3.2 The carelessness of making friends 3.3.3 The loneliness after being successful ⅣThe Reason of the Appearance of Protagonist’s Tragic Fate 4.1 Analyze from Their Own Perspective 4.2 Analyze from External Perspective 4.2.1 Family environment 4.2.2 Social environment 4.2.3 Political environment Ⅴ Conclusion
《嘉莉妹妹》 西奥多?德莱塞是20世纪美国著名的小说家,自然主义的杰出代表。《嘉莉妹妹》是他的第一部小说,也是一部反映当时美国社会现实的力作。小说故事发生在19世纪80年代末和90年代初,其时正值美国经济快速发展,自由资本主义向垄断资本主义过渡的阶段。伴随着经济发展,社会伦理道德也出现了变化,消费主义占了上风,物质上的享受高于精神生活的追求。故事的主人公嘉莉就是美国社会转型时期人们价值观转变的一个缩影。 一《嘉莉妹妹》简介 《嘉莉妹妹》描写的是一位18岁的乡村女孩嘉莉只身来到芝加哥追寻“美国梦”的故事。嘉莉来到芝加哥后与姐姐敏妮一家生活在一起。后来她在一家鞋厂找到了一份工作,但工作条件极为恶劣,并且薪水不高,每个星期只能赚到四块半。除了要付给敏妮四块钱的食宿费外,她几乎毫无所剩。尽管生活如此艰辛,嘉莉还是坚持着,直到一场大病夺去了她这份赖以生存的工作。失去工作后的嘉莉,由于无力支付给姐姐食宿费,不得不面临回乡的选择。在孤立无助的状况下,她遇到了曾在火车上向她调情的推销员杜洛埃。在他的引诱下,嘉莉与他同居了。但嘉莉逐渐厌倦了杜洛埃的轻浮和庸俗。最终,她离开了杜洛埃,投奔了赫斯渥――一位更加富有、更加绅士和更加有社会地位的酒店经理。由于赫斯渥已有妻室,他们一起私奔到了纽约。在纽约,嘉莉做了几年的家庭主妇,但后来赫斯渥偷窃酒店巨款的案件败露,他不得不退回大部分的钱。此后,他们的境况急转直下。赫斯渥终于坐吃山空,嘉莉不得不到剧院工作来贴补家用。由于她的相貌
和表演天赋,嘉莉逐渐成名并最终抛弃了赫斯渥。最后,沦为乞丐的赫斯渥在一个破旧的小旅馆用煤气结束了自己的生命。 二美国社会转型带来的价值观扭曲 19世纪末,美国资本主义快速发展,商品经济空前繁荣。经济发展给人们带来巨大财富的同时也带来了社会观念的转变。以往清教徒的价值观――勤劳、节俭、正直已不再受到欢迎。人们追求的是无节制的物质享受和消遣,金钱成了人们生活中的主题。《嘉莉妹妹》作为一部反映社会现实的力作,深刻反映了美国当时社会价值观的扭曲。 1 无尽的欲望 在《嘉丽妹妹》中共有三个主要人物――杜洛埃,赫斯渥和嘉莉。他们中的每个人都有着无尽的欲望。推销员杜洛埃在小说中是小资产阶级的代表,他有着一份不错的工作,对金钱和社会地位似乎没有太高的追求,但对风花雪月的生活却十分钟情。当他初次在火车上遇到嘉莉的时候,就对这位漂亮的乡下姑娘动了心,言语之间极尽挑逗之辞。当嘉莉失去工作,面临回乡时,杜洛埃又再次巧遇嘉莉。他意识到这是得到嘉莉的极好机会,便费尽心机俘获了嘉莉的心。在和嘉莉生活的过程中,他继续拈花惹草。嘉莉最终抛弃了他,但他没有感到太多的伤心。在他看来,嘉莉只不过是个玩具,在他满足欲望之后,他完全可以弃之而去。因此,他又继续寻找新的情妇,过着花天酒地的生活。 赫斯渥在文中是一位中产阶级的代表,他有着不菲的收入,过着富足、体面的生活。尽管如此,他依然欲壑难平。他的欲望主要体现在三个方面:金钱、女性和权力。在他与嘉莉偷情的秘密泄漏之后,他的妻子把所有的
本科毕业论文 题目浅析《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的人物形象 学院文学与新闻传播学院 专业汉语言文学 年级2011 级 学号2011101277 姓名汪琴红 指导教师陈永兰 成绩 年月日
目录 摘要 (1) 关键词 (1) Abstract (1) Key Words (1) 一、嘉莉的美好形象 (2) （一）美丽单纯 (2) （二）热情而富于青春幻想 (4) （三）努力实现自我 (5) 二、嘉莉性格的弊端 (7) （一）贪图物质享乐，爱慕虚荣 (7) （二）道德观念上的模糊与匮乏 (8) （三）观察能力与分析能力尚不成熟 (9) 结语 ..............................................................................................错误！未定义书签。注释 . (11) 参考文献 (12)
浅析《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉的人物形象 摘要：在德莱塞的长篇小说《嘉莉妹妹》中，女主人公嘉莉表现出了独特的性格特征：一方面她美丽单纯、热情而富于青春幻想，努力实现自我；另一面她贪图物质享乐、爱慕虚荣，观察能力与分析能力尚不成熟，在道德观念方面的匮乏与模糊的性格缺陷也展露无疑。她身上显现出一个人真正应有的优缺点，展现出了新一代女性的形象。本文就上述几方面对嘉莉身上所展现的人格魅力进行进一步分析。 关键词：《嘉莉妹妹》正面形象反面形象意识的觉醒 Abstract：In Dreiser's novel "Sister Carrie", the heroine Carrie showed a unique character: on the one hand, her beautiful and pure, warm and full of youthful fantasies, and strive to realize the self; the other side she covet material enjoyment, vanity, ability and observation and analysis ability is not mature, the lack of moral concept and fuzzy character defects also showed no doubt. Her show a person really should have advantages and disadvantages, showing a new generation of female image. This paper further analyzes the above several aspects of the show on the Jail Li body charm of personality. Key Words：Conservatism, Sister Carrie, positive image, negative image, The awakening of consciousness
对嘉莉妹妹欲望的心理解析 ◎魏京京 (郑州大学外语学院河南?郑州450001) 摘要小说《嘉莉妹妹》描述了一位女孩从农村到城市谋生直至后来成为纽约百老汇著名演员的故事。文章运用弗洛伊德人格结构理论和马斯洛需求层次理论，对女主人公嘉莉妹妹的心理进行解析，从纵横两方面阐释其欲望背后的驱动力。关键词欲望本我自我超我需求 一、引言 西奥多?德莱塞（Theodore Dreiser,1871-1945）是20世纪美国文坛上一位杰出的作家，也是美国现代小说创作的先驱。他的第一部长篇小说《嘉莉妹妹》主要以欲望为主线，描述了女主人公嘉莉妹妹从一位农村姑娘变成纽约百老汇著名演员的整个过程，并对其生命沉浮中的种种心理变化进行了细致刻画。小说不仅揭露了美国社会的贫富悬殊和道德沦丧，而且反映的道德观念也一反传统，因为嘉莉妹妹最终非但没有为其堕落行为受到惩罚，反而却红极一时。因此，在1900年11月一经问世便激起轩然大波，曾一度被列为禁书，也从而引发了文学界长达三十余年的激烈争议，直至最终获得公众认可被推崇为经典之作。但是，小说诞生一百多年后的今天，人们对嘉莉妹妹的性格特点及行为方式，尤其是她的无止欲望，仍然颇有争议褒贬不一。 诚然，欲望是支配嘉莉不择手段向上流社会攀登的巨大动力源泉。但是，为什么她的欲望永远得不到满足，是什么因素支配着她不惜代价实现欲望？在揭示这些问题的原因时，由于受小说大量自然主义描写的影响，评论者多从她所处的社会环境和自然环境来分析，认为是外部因素主宰着她，使她在当时的社会与自然背景下，要想获得自我愿望的满足，只能接受命运的安排。然而，辩证法认为，内因是事物发展变化的根据，外因是事物发展的条件，只有通过内因起作用。因此，本文试从嘉莉妹妹自身特点和心理因素着手，运用著名心理学家弗洛伊德的人格结构理论和马斯洛的需求层次理论，从心理学角度对她的行为方式进行解析，探寻其不惜堕落而满足欲望的内在原因，以期对她的欲望有更深刻全面的了解。 二、嘉莉的人格结构分析 奥地利著名心理学家西格蒙德?弗洛伊德在《自我与本我》(1923)中提出“人格三部结构说”，即人格是由本我(Id),自我(Ego),和超我(Superego)三部分构成。本我，是指最原始的与生俱来的潜意识的结构部分。它像一口本能和欲望沸腾的大锅，具有强烈的非理性心理能量，按照快乐原则，追求一种绝对不受任何约束的本能欲望的满足；自我，是来自本我经外部世界影响而形成的知觉系统。它的任务是在本我和现实环境中起调节作用,奉行现实原则，既防止过度压抑造成精神伤害,又避免与社会道德公开冲突；超我，则代表道义方面的要求,它要努力达到的是完善而不是快乐或现实，受道德原则支配，由自我理想和良心两部分构成。在弗洛伊德看来,上述三者保持平衡,才能实现人格的正常发展,如果三者平衡遭到破坏,就会精神崩溃。所以，只有在本我的引诱和超我的监督达到和谐状态，自我才能正常地发展。 在小说中，女主人公嘉莉妹妹18岁只身离开农村老家，怀揣着几块现钱和她的梦想，踏上了驶向芝加哥的列车。这个时候，她“在观察和分析能力方面思想都很不成熟，她很关心自己的利益，但是不太强烈…不喜欢书本…简直还不会仪态万方的把头一甩…”；但是，她“已经懂得顾影自怜，很快就领会人生中还有进一步的乐趣，渴望着获得物质享受…”。 小说拉开帷幕便将嘉莉的形象清晰地展现在读者面前：她年纪轻轻，没有受到过良好的教育，也没有多少社会阅历，观察和分析问题能力还很不成熟。但是，她的心中却充满了对城市繁华生活的渴望和对未来美好生活的憧憬。寥寥几笔，却入木三分，为以后她的经历作了很好的铺垫。 这就决定了她此次芝加哥之行的
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迷失在欲望中———《嘉莉妹妹》中的欲望解析摘要: 《嘉莉妹妹》是德莱塞的杰出代表作之一, 作品深刻地反映了当时的美国现实。嘉莉对物的欲望, 赫斯特伍德对权力的欲望, 杜洛埃对性的欲望, 三位主公全都迷失在欲望中。关键词: 德莱赛; 嘉莉; 欲望; 迷失 西奥多·德莱塞( Theodore Herman AlberDreiser, 187118127—1945112128) 是20 世纪美国 著名的现实主义作家。他的小说形象生动地刻画了19世纪末, 20世纪初资本主义迅速发展中的美国 现实社会。在美国文学史上他第一次广泛真实地描写了美国多阶层的社会生活, 为美国现实主义文学 开辟了新领域。《嘉莉妹妹》是德莱塞第一部长名作, 揭露了当时的社会现实, 展现了在物欲横流 的资本主义社会里, 人们迷失在自己的欲望中,展现了美国生活中没有上帝的一面”。故事讲述 的是嘉罗琳·米蓓(嘉莉妹妹) , 一个俊俏的农村姑娘, 她羡慕大都市的物质生活来到了芝加哥谋 生。严酷的现实破碎了她的美梦, 迎接她的是失业和疾病。在走投无路时, 她做了推销员杜洛埃的情 妇, 后来由于更大的欲望又做了酒店经理赫斯特伍德的情妇。与赫斯特伍德私奔后, 在纽约由于偶然 的机会她成了走红一时的演员, 挤上了上流社会,实现了她的梦想。并抛弃了逐渐贫困的赫斯特伍 德, 以不自觉的残忍将他推上了绝望之路。然而,所谓的“上流社会生活”又给她带来了什么呢? 她感到空虚, 找不到真正生活的意义, 在寂寞和凄凉中, 她坐在摇椅里梦想着那终不可得的幸福。 一、嘉莉的欲望———对物的欲望 在小说中, 嘉莉的欲望是作者着重刻画的。嘉莉本身就是一个充满欲望的人, 充满对物和金钱的 欲望, 这一部分源于她的本性, “小时候, 她梦过童话里的宫殿和各种豪华气派的地方”。嘉莉从 哥伦比亚城来到芝加哥那一刻起就开始了对金钱的追求, 嘉莉在火车上看到杜洛埃的时髦打扮便意识 到自己穿着寒酸, “突然间觉得自己像是穿了一身破烂儿。她觉得脚上那双鞋也破旧的不成样子 了”。而杜洛埃对芝加哥大都市里的剧院, 漂亮的房子等描绘更“使她着了迷”, “可她心里又隐隐 作痛”, 因为“在那富丽堂皇的都会面前, 她显得太微不足道了”。而到了芝加哥, 她面对的现实让 她发现自己不仅根本就无法享受她梦想的生活, 她更要努力工作为一日三餐, 为了一件外套, 为了不 受姐姐的白眼, 这就更让她意识到金钱的力量。此时的她, 只能为了满足自己最基本的需要而努力工 作, 直到再次遇到杜洛埃。这时的她, 处境十分艰难, 失去了工作, 杜洛埃给了她两张“软软的, 漂亮的十元美钞”, 这使得嘉莉抛弃了传统的道德 观念, 跟杜洛埃同居了。为了得到美丽的衣服, 也为了满足她基本的生存需要, 与杜洛埃生活在一起 后, 杜洛埃对她很好, 领她去餐馆吃饭, 给她买漂亮的衣服, 但渐渐的她发现杜洛埃只是虚有其表, 肤浅, 缺乏情趣。她渐渐不满足于只是吃饱穿暖了, 她需要一个更有内涵, 有品味, 能够与她有共同语言的人, 此时赫斯特伍德出现了, 他在当时满足了嘉莉的所有要求。他成熟, 稳重, 富有魅力,嘉莉被他吸引了, 并频频幽会, 这时她忘记了杜洛 埃是如何帮助她的, 她背叛了杜洛埃, 为了满足自己对爱的渴求, 背叛了之前帮助过她的人, 相信这 也是评论家认为嘉莉道德沦丧的理由之一。跟赫斯 特伍德移居到纽约之后, 纽约比芝加哥更加繁华,邻居万思太太是一个善于打扮的女人, 穿着新潮的 裙子, 戴着漂亮的帽子, 嘉莉跟她出去逛街后便知道自己要什么, 她想要最新款的裙子, 带羽毛的帽 子, 她要像万斯太太一样能吸引男人的目光, 在她看来这才是她现在最需要的。赫斯特伍德的生意失 败后, 他们没有了收入, 坐吃山空, 嘉莉渐渐对赫斯特伍德开始不满, 迫于无奈嘉莉出去谋得了一份 演员的工作, 并意外地成名了。赫斯特伍德成了嘉莉的累赘, 嘉莉决定不再管他, 独自搬走了。 此时的嘉莉已经拥有了梦想中的一切, 结尾她仍然在摇椅中希翼着什么, 她的欲望仍然没有被满 足, 究其原因, 嘉莉一直将金钱与物质等同于幸福。还在芝加哥时, 她与海尔太太一起出游, 看到 了芝加哥北区“一座座房子里淡淡的灯光, 照着室内豪华的陈设”, 这时, 孩童的梦想重新占据了 她的心。“她幻想着, 假如走过那雕刻华丽的门墙, 走过门口明亮的球形灯, 走进灯下那嵌着雕花 玻璃的门, 里面便是没有忧愁, 没有失意的世界了。她相信, 这便是幸福。”正是由于这种错误的 理解, 使得嘉莉每当追求到一定阶段时便感到无名的失望与痛苦, 并再次对现状不满, 然后又将自己 的欲望定在更高的层面上。欲望实际是纯精神上的, 所以物质上的富有并不能满足人的欲望。 二、赫斯特伍德———对权力的欲望 人对物的渴望导致了对权力的欲望。赫斯特伍德迷失在追寻权力的欲望中, 长期不如意的家庭生 活, 以及他在家庭中家主地位的丧失, 妻子一心只想进入上流社会, 喜欢出风头, 女儿杰西卡17岁, 正在上高中, 喜欢享乐, “她满脑子装的只是谈情说爱和优雅的宅院”, 他的儿子小赫斯特伍德已经 20岁, 他也喜欢享乐。这个家庭整天谈的尽是谁家买了蒸汽艇, 谁家发了财, 谁家又买了大楼, 赫 斯特伍德在家里仅仅是家人的收入来源。家庭生活的失意虽然令他不满, “偶尔也会碰到年轻活泼、 幽默风趣的女士”, 但是他要顾忌到自己的社会地位, 考虑自己的利害得失。然而, 嘉莉的出现打破 了这种平衡, 嘉莉与妻子形成了强烈的对比。嘉莉就像“天边升起了一道新的亮光, 那旧的便成了 失去光彩的夕阳”。尤其吸引他的是嘉莉的顺从:举止上没有任何大胆的表现, 生活还没有教会她统 治。嘉莉的顺从满足了赫斯特伍德对权力的欲望,我们可以把他对嘉莉的感情堪称是对他失去家庭权 威的补偿。他本来是并没有打算跟嘉莉结婚的, 他希望能和嘉莉保持情人的关系。此时, 妻子发现了 他的私情, 要起诉离婚, 嘉莉又知道了他是有妇之夫, 环境又给他提供了一个得到大笔金钱的机会,
摘要 一.西奥多·德莱塞的小说《嘉莉妹妹》是美国自然主义的早期代表作。该小说自出版以来，批评者不乏其人，其主人公嘉莉妹妹也一直是个颇具争议的人物。由于作者未对她的堕落行为做出任何评价，也因此受到批评家和读者的指责。本文试图分析嘉莉妹妹美国梦的幻灭以及根源。 该论文包括引言、主体部分和结论。主体部分又分为三个章节． 在引言中，作者首先简要叙述了德莱塞的生平及其著作，然后介绍了国内外有关‘嘉莉妹妹》的研究现状，最后提出研究的目的和意义。 第一章主要介绍嘉莉妹妹的美国梦。作者首先追述了美国梦的历史，然后又具体说明文本中嘉莉妹妹美国梦的内涵。 第二章作者阐述嘉莉的美国梦是如何破灭的．为了更清楚地阐释这一问题，作者从物质和精神两方面进行了论证。首先是物质方面美国梦的破灭，其次是精神方面美国梦的破灭，对于后者作者用两个论据加以论证，其一，嘉莉是杜洛埃的玩偶，其二，嘉莉是赫斯特伍德的玩偶。 第三章作者解释了造成嘉莉梦想幻灭的原因。第一是由于嘉莉的被动性。被动性是女性的一个性格特点。几千年来，女性在男性的控制之下已经养成了被动的习惯。所以有必要先探讨女性分别在世界历史和美国历史上的地位，然后解释被动性如何造成了她的梦想破灭。第二是因为她对物质的贪欲。首先周围环境刺激了她埋藏在心底的欲望。如购物中心、批发市场和她的邻居。另外她过分追求物质的性格在导致她的悲剧方面起了决定性的作用。第三是由于作为他者的地位。她先后成为杜洛埃和赫斯特伍德的情妇是因为年轻、漂亮和天真。他者的地位使她不断追求漂亮的衣服以吸引男人的注意力。作者用两个事实来证明他者的地位导致她的悲剧。一是找工作的经历，另一个是观众来剧院的目的． 作者得出以下结论：美国梦看起来很美，其实就像肥皂泡一样不可信。它仅仅给人以幻觉．所以嘉莉美国梦的幻灭是必然的。 关键词：幻灭美国梦被动性欲望他者 二.摘要 “美国梦”，亦称“美国理想”或“美国神话”，是美国文化研究中的一个热门课题，也是理解美国文化的一个重要因素。它贯穿于美国历史，象征着一种美国精神；它深深地植根于美匡it人民内心，是美国普通民众心中的理想，也是美国文学中的一个重要主题。二百余年中，一代代美国作家通过他们的文学作品把“美国梦”的主题表现出来。事实上，他们对“美国梦”的创作过程，恰恰是他们自身寻“梦”的历程。在这场梦的征程中，有的成功，有的幻灭。作为美国文学史上的一位杰出作家，西奥多-德莱塞也在自己的文学作品中反映了这一文学主题。在他敬孜以求的追梦历程中，德莱塞深刻地意受到“美国梦”幻灭的悲剧性．并通过他的文学作品再现出来。纵观国内外德莱塞研究，迄今为止，少有学者以文本分析的方式来探讨德莱塞文学作品中所反映的“美国梦”这一文学主题。而从消费文化的角度隶分析幻灭的“美国梦”更未曾有过尝试。因此，在文本分析的基础上，从消费文化的角度来分析德莱塞代表作中所体现的“美国梦”便具有一定的研究价值。 一般说来，消费文化是一个动态的概念，它因时代、社会和地城而不同。包括人们
Analysis of Carrie as a Materialist According to the Naturalism in Sister Carrie. Abstract：In the masterpiece Sister Carrie, Theodore Dreiser tells a story of Carrie’s rise from a poor country girl to Broadway star. In the novel, Dreiser uses lots of words to describe the psychology of Carrie from the satisfaction of basic life to the realization of self-development. This thesis aims to analysis the influence of naturalism on the main character Carrie in the road of desire. In the way of her development, th ere are two kinds of people: one is Carrie’s sister and the other is Drouet and Hurstwood, give Carrie the chance to fashion her ideal ego and be a successful actress. The former one stands for the poverty. In there, Carrie is driven by basic needs for survival and physiological necessities. The later one lets Carrie know she should realize her value but not to depend on man. The author finally indicates that in the survival of the fittest world people who industriously adapt to the society can live longer and better. Key Words: naturalism; Theodore Dreiser; Carrie; desire 通过自然主义分析《嘉莉妹妹》中嘉莉这一物质主义形象 摘要：西奥多德莱赛在他的杰作《嘉莉妹妹》中讲述了一位农村女孩到城市谋生最后成为百老汇名演员的故事。在这部小说中，德莱赛用了大量笔墨来描写嘉莉最初对基本生活的满足到最后追求自我完善的过程。本文旨在分析自然主义对嘉莉“追求道路”上的影响。在这个过程中，有两种人给了嘉莉自我完善和成为名演员这个机会：一类姐姐明妮一家，另一类是德鲁埃和赫斯特伍德。前者代表贫困，在姐姐家里，嘉莉被生活所迫。而后者让嘉莉意识到她必须实现自己的价值而不是依赖男人。作者还指出在这个优胜劣汰的世界里，谁能努力地适应这个社会，谁就能活得更长，活的更好。 关键词：自然主义；西奥多德莱赛；嘉莉；欲望
一、引言 西奥多·德莱塞是美国20世纪著名自然主义作家。父亲是笃信天主教的德国移民。德莱塞家境贫寒，兄弟姐妹众多，中学未毕业便步入社会自谋生计。后来，德莱塞在一位中学教师的资助下到印第安纳大学专修文学。在大学求学期间，他阅读了达尔文、赫胥黎等人的著作，受到他们进步思想的影响。在大学只学习了一年他便辍学前往芝加哥寻求发展。为了生存，德莱塞干过洗碗工、检票员、洗衣房工人和家具店伙计等各种杂活。1982年起，德莱塞先后在芝加哥和圣路易斯等地的报社任记者，写有关于时事及社会新闻等方面的文章。1899年德莱塞开始创作第一部长篇小说《嘉莉妹妹》（Sister Carrie，1900），但由于小说揭露了美国社会贫富分化以及道德沦丧等丑恶现象，被认为“有伤风化”，所以一开始遭到禁止出版的厄运。①而小说真实地展现当时的美国社会，正是自然主义作家德莱塞所推崇的，他强调欲望本能和环境是影响人物命运的主要因素。主人公嘉莉便是最好的典范。 《嘉莉妹妹》展现的基本上是一个非道德的世界。女主人公嘉莉为了生活而失身于杜鲁埃，后又与有妇之夫的赫斯特伍德“结婚”。这在传统道德卫道士的眼光里是“不道德” 的，理应受到惩罚。而德莱塞笔下的嘉莉却平 步青云，成为众人青睐的名演员，实现了她当 初的财富梦想，命运得以改变。她没有在痛苦 中悲惨地死去，逃避了应有的惩罚。这一事实 说明小说的作者对那种认为“女人的贞操是 她最宝贵的东西”而“罪过的行为应该用死来 惩罚报应”的道德观根本不予理睬。②19世纪 末20世纪初，生产技术日益高超，机械化程度 越来越高，贫富差距越来越大。德莱塞在当记 者的日子里，每天都能看到镀金时代美国城 市工业社会里的贫富不均。他发现“自私的物 质主义”而不是“基督教的兄弟友爱”才是城 市运做的原则。③这是德莱塞接受自然主义的 现实基础。而接受达尔文的进化论思想与他 那倍受环境摧残的家庭背景和他频频遭遇敌 意、漠然、变化无常的命运、个人的微不足道 是分不开的。父亲的失业、受伤、笃信天主教、 喜怒无常以及他姐姐们藐视传统道德、绯闻 不断，给他们家庭带来的经济和精神上的压 力，他家的生活历史就是努力生存的历史；而 他自己甚至因为无钱生活准备去自杀，因为 生活的压力而精神严重衰弱，不得不去参加 体力劳动恢复健康。所有这些因素都使德莱 塞易于相信人在这个世界上最首要的任务就 是生存，而生存的前提又是战胜自己的对手 欲望·环境 ——影响嘉莉妹妹命运的主要因素 龙奇玉 165
社会转型期的“美国梦” ———试论嘉莉妹妹的道德倾向 黄开红 内容提要:“美国梦”一直是举世瞩目的理想精神之一。它源于欧洲清教徒的宗教理想信念,后来又演变成在美国只要聪明和刻苦,人人都可以成功达到“从一文不名到亿万富豪,从社会底层到上流阶级”的目标这样一种信条。但是,当美国发展到由农村向城市转型的历史阶段,“美国梦”的实现途径就偏离了较为正常的轨道,出现了“只有牺牲个人的优良道德才能达到目的”这样一种现象。本文以文学伦理学批评为指针,通过对《嘉莉妹妹》中女主人公主要思想和行为情节描写的分析,指出嘉莉的道德倾向主要是受当时的社会环境影响而形成的,最终揭示出该作品在反映社会现实方面所表现出的批判意义。 关键词:美国梦 嘉莉妹妹 社会转型 道德倾向 作者简介:黄开红,西南科技大学外国语学院副教授,主要从事美国文学与文化研究。 T itle:On″American D rea m″in the Transiti onal Society:Sister Carrie’sMoral Tendency Abstract:″American D rea m″has been one of the most ideal drea m s thr oughout the world.It orig2 inated fr o m the Puritan belief in″building a city upon the hill.″Later on,it devel oped int o a kind of secular idea:everyone can succeed″fr om2rags2t o2riches″with his/her own intelligence and hard work.I n American hist ory,it has attracted m illi ons of peop le t o seek their drea m s fr om all over the world,and really a l ot of drea m s have come true.However,when American hist ory entered the transiti onal peri od,which was ar ound the year1900,the means of realizing″American D rea m″deviated fr om its original track,s o there appeared an abnor mal phenomenon that″t o make your i2 deal drea m come true,you have t o do s omething i m moral.″The paper,based on ethical literary criticis m,analyzes s ome main details concerning the her oine’s(Sister Carrie’s)crucial behavi or and critical thinking,points out that the moral tendency of Sister Carrie is influenced greatly by the s ocial envir on ment,and concludes that the novel S ister Carrie is meaningful and naturalistic in reflecting the s ocial p r oble m s of that very peri od. Key words:American D rea m Sister Carrie transiti onal s ociety moral tendency Author:Huang Ka i hong is ass ociate p r ofess or of English at the School of Foreign Languages and Cultures,South west University of Science and Technol ogy(M ianyang621010,China).H is maj or acade m ic interest is American literature and culture.Email:huangkaihong@s https://www.doczj.com/doc/ab2060016.html, 德莱塞的《嘉莉妹妹》以较为客观的现实主义艺术笔调,生动地描绘了主人公嘉莉为了