嘉莉妹妹和美国梦Sister Carrie and American Dream

浅谈《嘉莉妹妹》中的美国梦摘要：在德莱塞的小说《嘉莉妹妹》中，“美国梦”这个主题贯穿故事的始终：嘉莉的性格和命运，都是当时充斥于社会中的美国梦造成的。

本文通过阐述主人公对“美国梦”的追求以及现实和梦想的破灭，暗示了“美国梦”的虚幻性和幻想破灭的必然性。

关键词：《嘉莉妹妹》美国梦性格现实命运中图分类号：i106.4 文献标识码：a一美国梦的起源与发展美国梦（american dream），是美国人引以为豪的一种信念，是指在美国，无论出身、年龄、性别、种族，只要具有坚韧不拔的毅力、勤劳肯干的精神和过人的聪明才智，任何人都可能取得成功，过上舒适的生活，使自己的梦想变为现实。

这种成功，仅仅依赖于个体的勤奋，而非依赖于他人和社会的援助。

拥有美国梦的美国人认为，只要自身的努力，就可以改变自己的社会地位，就可能从一名不文的穷人变为百万富翁，从默默无闻的小人物走进白宫。

美国梦起源于17世纪，英格兰移民怀揣自由与财富的梦想乘坐“五月花号”来到荒无人烟的美洲大陆，其中很多人是清教徒，他们主张宗教自由和民主平等，宣扬梦想靠自身的努力即可实现的观点，因此，当时的美国梦的确催人奋进，起到了积极的作用。

当历史的时针走到18世纪末期，加州大量金矿的发现激起了狂热的淘金潮，人们对金钱的贪欲达到了顶峰，并且一夜暴富成为了梦想的核心。

这就成为了美国梦开始扭曲的转折点。

《嘉莉妹妹》正是在这种时代背景下应运而生的。

二《嘉莉妹妹》美国梦的时代背景《嘉莉妹妹》是美国著名的自然主义时代社会小说家西奥多·德莱塞（1871-1945）的第一部长篇小说。

在当时德莱塞生活的时代，美国正处于由农村向城市的转型历史阶段。

此时，人们追求“美国梦”达到了白热化阶段。

但是此时的美国梦已经不再具有最初的诚实劳动改变所处环境实现梦想的积极的现实意义，人们只关注自经济地位和自身利益，而无视自己的行为是否符合传统道德观。

康涅狄格州立大学历史学教授马修·渥肖尔曾评论道：“美国梦就是对财富的无限渴求和追逐”。

本科生毕业论文题目：由《嘉莉妹妹》引起的对美国梦的思考年级：2010级专业：英语学号： 20100002120姓名：周毛花指导教师：姚欲昕2014年5月7日An ANALYSIS OF THE AMERICAN DREAM FROM SISTER CARRIE ________________________________________A Bachelor’s ThesisPresented toThe Department of Foreign LanguagesModern College of Northwest UniversityXi’an, China_________________________________________In Partial FulfillmentOf the Requirements for theBachelor of Arts Degree_________________________________________ByZhou Maohua诚信声明本人郑重声明：本人所呈交的毕业论文（设计）是在导师的指导下独立进行研究所取得的成果。

毕业论文（设计）中凡引用他人已经发表或未发表的成果、数据、观点等，均已明确注明出处。

除文中已经注明引用的内容外，不包含任何其他个人或集体已经发表或在网上发表的论文。

特此声明。

论文作者签名：日期：2014年5月7日ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI would like to express my gratitude to all those who helped me during the writing of this thesis. A special acknowledgement should be shown to Miss Hua and professor Yao from whose lectures I benefited greatly. I am particularly indebted to Miss Hua and Professor Yao who gave me kind encouragement and useful instructions all through my writing. Finally I wish to extend my thanks to the library assistants who supplied me with reference materials of great value.ABSTRACTAmerican dream refers to equality, freedom, and democracy. At the same time, it is a life ambition that as long as we work hard,we can get a better life and a success in America. American dream has been debated for a long time. Some people say it focuses on personality and money, especially personal struggle and success while other people hold the view that American dream is a civilized mode of individual equality and freedom.This article discusses the symbolic meaning of American dream. Firstly, it begins with the personality of Carrie from Carrie, and compare the characteristics of American dream with Chinese dream. The positive role of American dream has been discussed in this paper as well. Both of American dream and Chinese dream are beliefs that encouraging people trying their best for dreams. American dream emphasizing on the individual interests, while Chinese dream stressing on collectivism. This article deals with the similarity and enlightenment of these two dreams.Keywords: American dream; Chinese dream; Individualism; Collectivism; Symbolism摘要所谓美国梦，广义上指美国的平等，自由，民主。

名作欣赏 / 性别世界　>超越自然主义——再论《嘉莉妹妹》与美国梦⊙姚晴晴［北京外国语大学英语学院，　北京　100089］摘 要：《嘉莉妹妹》是西奥多·德莱赛的代表作之一，也被认为是自然主义文学的代表作品之一。

嘉莉到大城市打拼，追求自己的美国梦，却如风中柳絮，无法把控自己的命运。

嘉莉妹妹的美国梦通常被认为是失败的。

本文指出，《嘉莉妹妹》并不符合法国小说家爱弥尔·左拉对自然主义小说的定义，同时嘉莉能够积极把控自己的命运，她的美国梦是超越了物质迈向更高精神追求的成功之梦。

关键词：《嘉莉妹妹》　西奥多·德莱赛　自然主义　美国梦一、超越自然主义《嘉莉妹妹》是西奥多·德莱赛的代表作之一，也被认为是自然主义文学的代表作之一，但《嘉莉妹妹》并不符合爱弥尔·左拉对自然主义小说的定义。

左拉认为遗传和环境决定人的命运，而遗传与《嘉莉妹妹》中的三个主要人物，嘉莉、德鲁埃和赫斯特伍德却没有太大关系，小说没有强调家庭遗传因素对人物发展的影响。

此外，《嘉莉妹妹》中的环境描写也异于自然主义小说对环境的陈规描述。

故事发生的主要地点——芝加哥和纽约，并不是冰冷的城市，而是为主角的发展提供了众多机会：德鲁埃商机不断，嘉莉妹妹的演艺事业蒸蒸日上，赫斯特伍德在芝加哥如鱼得水，他最后的一败涂地更多源于其自身而非外部环境。

此外，自然主义的主导特质之一——“决定论”在《嘉莉妹妹》中的表现也不明显。

决定论是指“命运被非个人化的、无法理解、无力抗拒的力量操纵”（Barrish 116）。

决定论站在自由意志的反面，展现人们在冷漠环境中无法摆脱的命运。

《嘉莉妹妹》中的人物，德鲁埃和赫斯特伍德都拥有“自由意志”，狡猾地操纵他人的命运，放纵地追求享乐和自我欲望的满足。

此外，他们也并未为自己的所作所为付出沉重的代价。

德鲁埃在小说结尾以成功人士的身份出现，成为新的品牌代理。

赫斯特伍德的偷盗行为被低调处理，被盗者只要求其将偷盗的金额奉还。

第26卷第6期 唐山师范学院学报 2004年11月　Vol. 26 No.6 Journal of Tangshan Teachers College Nov. 2004────────── 收稿日期：2004-03-15作者简介：谢满兰（1977-），女，湖南耒阳人，广东教育学院外语系助教，英语语言文学硕士，主要研究英美文学。

- 15 -　独　立　还　是　依　附　——从《嘉莉妹妹》看美国梦与现代美国女性意识的觉醒谢满兰（广东教育学院 外语系，广东 广州　510303）摘 要：嘉莉妹妹是美国自然主义作家德莱塞精心刻画的一个美国梦的追寻者形象。

小说中美国梦文化的精髓赋予了《嘉莉妹妹》恒久的魅力，而美国梦所催生的美国女性意识则是小说产生轰动效应的关键。

透过小说文本，可以解读嘉莉在独立与依附的矛盾斗争中所经历的曲折复杂的寻梦历程，并感触其时女性意识的艰难的觉醒。

关键词：《嘉莉妹妹》；美国梦；自然主义；女性意识中图分类号：I074 文献标识码：A 文章编号：1009-9115（2004）06-0015-04西奥多・德莱塞被公认为是美国文学史上一位享有崇高地位的自然主义作家。

在他的长篇小说中，问世已一百多年的《嘉莉妹妹》是最具争议的一部。

《嘉莉妹妹》一开始销路不好，但现在已被奉为美国自然主义运动的第一部代表性小说，备受关注。

小说以其独特的视角和写作手法勇敢地面对美国社会生活的现实，真实地再现了当时城市生活的变幻莫测和女主角的坦率，这对于美国20世纪文学的创新是至关重要的。

德莱塞用一部《嘉莉妹妹》充当了那些想要客观、现实地处理各种题材的作家们的领航手。

在众多的批评声和赞扬声中，这部小说焕发出了自己的光彩，而对小说的分析评价也引发了对小说的女主角嘉莉妹妹的不同的思考。

事实上，《嘉莉妹妹》能长久地焕发耀眼的光彩，既得益于嘉莉妹妹这一形象深深植根于美国文化传统即美国梦，又源于其中对美国女性意识的觉醒的大胆的描绘和承认。

／2012.3下半月wai guo wen xue yan jiu外国文学研究从《嘉莉妹妹》解读扭曲的美国梦廖喜凤摘要：《嘉莉妹妹》揭示了“美国梦”在梦想内容方面扭曲为对金钱和物质享受的追求；梦想的实现方式也由勤奋、诚实的劳动扭曲为通过非道德的手段使“梦想”成为现实。

关键词：美国梦；物质；嘉利；欲望美国的历史可以说是一部美国人追求梦想的历史，渴望成功的梦想已经浸润到美国人的思维，并成为美国民族的心灵习性。

美国南北战争前后，原本充满了希望、积极进取和乐观精神的美国梦，开始扭曲和变形。

西奥多·德莱赛紧扣时代主题，他笔下的《嘉莉妹妹》充分反映了美国梦的迷茫与失落。

一、美国梦的内涵对美国梦内涵的理解可以分为广义和狭义两种。

从广义上讲，“美国梦”指的是一种国家信念，一种作为“民主、平等、自由”的国家理想及价值理念。

从狭义上讲，“美国梦”指的是任何人只要努力奋斗，锐意进取，就一定能在美国这个充满希望的国家发财致富，过上幸福生活的个人理想。

美国人深信：一个人只要努力，就一定出人头地，会实现自己的人生理想，获得成功。

“美国梦”实现的典型代表有本杰明·富南克林、林肯、里根；现任总统奥巴马更是现代“美国梦”的代表。

二、美国梦的扭曲———对物质享受的追求美国南北战争前后，美国开始了工业化，大量的农村人口涌入城市，希望凭借勤奋和努力获得成功，拥有财富和社会地位。

嘉莉出身贫民窟，在资本主义的物欲与享乐主义的影响下，一开始就把物质消费的满足当做幸福，当一个物质享受的欲望得到满足时又产生了新的欲望，处在不断的满足和失望的循环中，纵然成功也不感到幸福。

杜洛埃对芝加哥的描述点燃了嘉莉对物质的欲望。

但是，她刚到芝加哥，她的梦想就破碎了，姐姐拮据的生活使初来乍到的嘉莉感到沮丧。

虽然嘉莉是来芝加哥工作的，但她却躲避辛苦的工作，对物质的欲望驱使着嘉莉。

她想象着“那些遥远的大人物整日数钱，穿戴华丽，出入坐马车”。

当杜洛埃再次出现在她面前时，嘉莉向自己的欲望屈服，过上了能让自己不断漂亮风光的生活。

嘉莉妹妹和盖茨比的“美国梦”比较分析陈亚兰摘要：“美国梦”是美国文学作品中一个贯穿始终的主题。

通过《嘉莉妹妹》和《了不起的盖茨比》的比较分析，表现了两部作品的共同主题——扭曲的“美国梦”。

关键词：嘉莉妹妹；盖茨比；美国梦“美国梦”是美国文学作品中反复出现的文化母题。

十八世纪后期以来，世世代代的美国人都深信一点：只要经过努力不懈的奋斗勤奋、勇气和决心便能获得更好的生活。

“美国梦”背后的真正动力是什么？一些历史学家认为，就是对财富的渴求和追逐。

康涅狄格州立大学历史学教授马修·沃肖尔指出：“对金钱的追求，是‘美国梦中不变的成分。

”德莱塞作品《嘉莉妹妹》中，嘉莉的美国梦是她对幸福和物质的渴望。

从表面上看，嘉莉妹妹是一个典型的美国梦追寻者，而且最终也实现了她的梦想。

工作、金钱和声誉让她看上去像个大赢家。

但她失去了弥足珍贵的爱情，变得像机器般冷漠。

《了不起的盖茨比》是菲茨杰拉德最优秀、最有影响力的作品之一，小说内容可以说是家喻户晓，这里不再赘述。

通过嘉莉妹妹和盖茨比经历的比较分析，可以看到人们心中希冀的美梦，已经变得扭曲。

首先，这两部作品的最终目的都是要超越个人梦想范畴，提出美国梦的主题。

两个故事的主角，嘉莉妹妹和盖茨比，都出身贫苦、来自社会底层，他们背井离乡，到大城市追寻美国梦。

嘉莉妹妹是来自美国农村底层的普通女性，她来到大城市追求自己的理想生活。

“美国梦”的原本内涵是指众人平等，每个人都可以通过努力工作获得成功，但我们却看到，嘉莉妹妹梦想实现的过程，“美国梦”也随之破灭。

盖茨比虽然通过努力工作实现了自己的财富梦想，但他是依靠从事走私酒等非法经营的手段，才从一贫如洗的年轻人一跃成为百万富翁的。

从表面上看，嘉莉妹妹和盖茨比的结局不同，但两书作者谈论的却是同一个主题：扭曲的美国梦。

两位作者表现主题的方式大不相同。

首先，嘉莉和盖茨比的梦想来源不同。

嘉莉的最终目标是过上舒适安逸的生活，在大城市中获得物质财富的成功。

AnalysisofSisterCarrie’scharacter嘉莉妹妹性格分析Analysis of Sister Carrie’s character“Sister Carrie” is the first novel of famous American novelist Theodore Dreiser in the 19th century. It is also a remarkable naturalist one of his works. Carrie is the major character of this book. The story took place in the United States in the late 19th century, when the emerging industrial and commercial city were rising. There was a large number of rural population pouring into the city. Carrie, an eighteen years old, smart and simple girl, in order to get rid of poverty, she took on a train to Chicago with only four dollars. However, the reality broke her dream. She became the mistress of the salesman. Then she met a hotel manager, Hurstwood, who was attracted to Carrie’s simplicity and beauty. Later he stole the money from the hotel, and deceived Carrie to make her elope with him to New York. In New York, Hurstwood lost the money, and he couldn’t find a job because of steal. Carrie had to find a job as an actress to earn their livings, then she became a famous actress and squeezed into the upper class. She abandoned Hurstwood and pushed him unconsciously to despair and death. Although she owned the fame, she felt very lonely.In my opinion, Carrie is an innocent, simple, hard-working and romantic girl. Also she is realistic, enterprising but vainglorious.First, her simplicity and naivete. She is easy to be moved by man’s complaisance. On the train to Chi cago she met Drouet, and when she got off the train, Drouet offered to help her take the package. She said,”very kind of you.” and felt that it was very lucky to get care in strange place. Carrie didn’t knowDrouet was a person who liked to be adored by women and make them happy. When Carrie couldn’t find job after an illness, she met Drouet again. He invited Carrie to dinner and gave her 20 dollars to buy clothes. Carrie felt ashamed and refused him, but she accepted at last under the lure of money. Then she thought Drouet was a generous and good person, but she didn’t know he was only a man who took the pursuit ofwomen for fun. (洪艺帆)Second, she is diligent and enterprising.Carrie’s diligence is shown principally in her work. When she first arrived in Chicago and the next day, she went out to find a job. For running all day, she finally found a job that pays four point five dollars a week in a shoes factory. Though it was low-paid, long working hours, and poor working conditions, she endured that. After she became the mistress of Drouet, who belongs to the Masonic, Carrie tried to improve herself in taste. And at that time, the Masonic was performing a fund-raising play. In order to act the heroine, Carrie practiced at home every day. She knew that if she wanted to success, she had to hardworking and finally she performed this role successfully.Hurstwood lured Carrie to New York and they lived together. Carrie first was a housewife, but when Hurstwood was unemployment and stayed at home, she had to go out to look for a job to change the situation which was getting embarrassing. Then she worked in a choir as a humble chorus actor. But she never gave up hope and made great effort in living a better life, she eventually became more and more popular. Without her diligence and gumption, Carrie could not get success at last.Third, she is romantic and practical. Her romance reflected in her fantasy of life and emotion, she imagined that she willeventually be paid off and her hardworking will not be wasted. When she got her first job, she fantasied that a happy life is waiting for her. But her fantasy soon shattered, she lost her job.The romance is also reflected in her emotional fantasies, her first fantasy is that she and Drouet would get married, and later fantasy is that Hurstwood and she would be happy together, but both of them are shattered. After she became famous, she still was not happy. So she gradually became practical. When Hurstwood was unemployed, she lefthim and tried to find her position. She is romantic because she does not understand that social competition is brutal, sinister; she is practical because she learned that only by working hard can she live a wanted life.（惠宝琴）Fourth, Carrie is a Woman with strong vanity and desire for material, which contributed to her make succeeds in the future. Her heart is filled with the desire of wear and beauty. When she went to the department store to look for a job, Carrie was always attracted by trinkets, jewelry and so on. She wanted to wear all the jewelry on her body and desire to have them all. At the same time, she was eager to dress beautiful to show off her in here. “What a happy thing it is”! And it displayed her pursuit of fame and fortune. However, It is precisely that this vanity makes her not satisfied with her present situation, which made her out of the circle of her own lives and, ultimately, she met with success and got the fame and gain what she wanted.Fifth, Carrie's independence is not her willing，but is forced out. She came to Chicago to live with her brother-in-law and sister’s home and had to look for a job by herself. But when she got a job, she must pay for meals to her sister. But she was not welcomed by the families after she was unemployment, theysuggest her to return home. And then at that Carrie she fall in love with Drouet, but after a short while she breaking up and to find a job again. Later she was lured to New York by Hurstwood, Carrie not satisfied the present situation and she make great effort to find jobs, after failing many times and tried several,she finally became the main star of the Broadway.From the above analysis, we know that Carrie is an innocent single, Pure, hard-working, romantic and realistic, carefully compare good but vanity compared with the strong independent women. After reading the work, I tastethe author has two intention. On the one hand, I understand the author in order to praise the men who are similar to Carrie that making a wonderful achievement in a highly competitive society through effort. On the other hand, the author want to reflect the social reality. Though the live of Carrie, it is reflect the social scene and the status situation from the side. （苗悦）。