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浅析爱默生的《论自助》英语论文

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以下是小编为大家收集的浅析爱默生的《论自助》英语论文,本文共11篇,希望对大家有所帮助。

浅析爱默生的《论自助》英语论文

篇1:浅析爱默生的《论自助》英语论文

浅析爱默生的《论自助》英语论文

Abstract

Emerson, Ralph Waldo is an outstanding American writer in the nineteenth century. His work Self-Reliance is an important and influential work which encourages a man to be confident and independent. Through the analysis and research of Emerson and his works, the thesis explores four main ideas in the work, including “The Confidence” , “The Independence” , “The Personality” , “Showing no Sympathy to the Poor”, of which “The Confidence” is the core point in this thesis. Based on the research of the four ideas, the thesis discusses the enlightenments on today’s society, including the enlightenments on the confident and optimistic attitudes towards life, the promotion of female’s self-reliance, the influence on individuals’ success and a country’s prosperity.

Key Words

Self-reliance; Emerson; enlightenment

摘 要

拉尔夫华尔多爱默生是美国十九世纪著名的作家,《论自助》是其极具影响力的一部作品,也是一部激励人们自信、独立的作品。论文从分析、研究爱默生及其作品出发,探索了作品中的四种主要思想,包括“自信”、“独立”、“个性”、“拒绝对穷人的.同情”,其中,“自信”是论文的核心。在研究作品主要思想的基础上,论文探讨了作品的主要思想对当今社会的启迪和影响,包括对乐观自信生活态度的启迪、对女性自助思想的促进、对个人成功的影响及对国家繁荣与富强的影响。

关键词

爱默生; 自助 ; 启迪

Introduction

Emerson, Ralph Waldo was one of the most outstanding American writers in the19th century; he experienced much in his whole life. His Self-Reliance is an influential work which deeply attracts many readers. “Believe in Oneself” is the main idea expressed and analyzed in the work. In Self-Reliance, there exist four kinds of important thoughts. The first kind of thought is “The Confidence”. Emerson advocated that a man must show his opinion confidently and bravely in spite of different ideas. “The Independence” is the second kind of important thought which is expressed in Self-Reliance. A man should keep himself firmly but not be easily influenced by environment. The third kind of thought is to keep personality, which is closely related to the confidence and the independence. From Emerson’s opinion, a man must keep his personality and conform to his own principles. “Showing no Sympathy to the Poor” is the fourth kind of thought in the work. It shows that why the poor are poor is mainly due to their backward thinking. Showing help to this kind of people means doing harm to them. All these ideas in Emerson’s Self-reliance have enlightenments on today’s society. They help people take confident and optimistic attitudes towards life. These important thoughts enlighten the female to be confident and strive for their social status. Besides, they are crucial for individuals’ success. Each man who possesses the thoughts is easy to make progress and achieve success. Moreover, a country’s prosperity is established on the basis of confidence and independence.

I. A Brief Introduction to Emerson and His Self-Reliance

A. Emerson, Ralph Waldo

Emerson was one of the most outstanding American writers in the 19th century. He was born in a clergyman’s family in Boston in 1803 and raised by his mother and aunt. America was lively but disordered when he was born. Some people were aware of the appearance of new power, but nobody could express it clearly. He entered Harvard University when he was 14 years old. During this period of time, he read a large numbers of books about Britain romanticism and enriched his thoughts. Three years later, he graduated and became a teacher for two years. In 1826, he entered seminary of Harvard and formally appointed as priest in 1829. However, he resigned 3 years later for two reasons, that is, he was unsatisfied with the dogma and his wife died of illness. Then he traveled around Europe and got to know some famous writers. He was deeply influenced by romanticism and gradually formed his own transcendentalism. He returned to his country in 1834 and then settled with his second wife in Concord. In the time following, he published Nature that includes almost all his important ideas. From that time on, he made addresses everywhere publicly and gradually became a celebrated scholar in America. Emerson always held a small party with his friends and made discussion about theology, philosophy and sociology. Such kind of party was called transcendentalism club at that time. Naturally, Emerson became the leader of transcendentalism and was responsible for brining transcendentalism to England.

Emerson collected all his speech materials and made a book called Essays, including Self-reliance, Love, and Friendship and so on. Emerson’s Essays speaks highly of the man who should trust their own suggestion. He advocated that a man should develop the national pride and opposed following the others’ saying. Almost all his speeches made a deep influence on America’s national civilization. In 1837, he published a famous speech which declared that the American literature was separated from Britain literature. He was also the spokesman of transcendentalism. Emerson abandoned the thought which takes god as the centre. He raised the idea that the man could know the truth by instinct, so to some extent, the man is the god. Then he cried out that ‘Believe in Yourself’. His opinion reflected the advancing spirit of capitalism society. This positive spirit was called as American religion and it pushed the development of national spirit of America. He was the clairvoyant of American spirit and belonged to America, Emerson’s thoughts and works largely promoted the establishment and development of American national spirit.

B. Self-Reliance

Emerson’s works deeply attract readers, especially Self-Reliance, which is from Essays. This prose is finished according to a series of speech materials between 1836 and 1837. Self-Reliance is his significant work which expresses his idea of transcendentalism. “Believe in Yourself” is the core point of Self-Reliance. Emerson opposed all forms of imitation in the works. He thought the man should believe he was excellent at any time. The real man should learn how to reject to drift with the stream. If a man is afraid of public opinion or compelled him to do something unchanged, he will possibly lose the innovative ability which leads him to success. If a person doesn’t want to let him or the society down, he must comply with the principles in his inner heart, yet the people who comply with the authority, tradition or current system means break this principle. The ideas which Emerson expressed in his prose are largely different. They agreed with the American people’s optimistic spirit at that time. Above all, he believed in individualism, independence and self-reliance. His works is not easy to be understood. He reconstructed the common literature images in writing skill and endowed the works with new ideas. Generally, the readers have a common view that his ideas are special and unique.

Nowadays, there are many books about self-support. The authors express a series of ideas as Emerson did. The difference is that the common books are easier to be understood. The authors use simple sentences in their works so that all readers can easily know what the authors express. But Emerson’s Self-reliance is needed to read many times. He mainly expressed four important ideas in this works, including “The Confidence”, “The Independence”, “The Personality”, “Showing No Sympathy to the Poor”. “The confidence” is a core point which Emerson stressed in Self-Reliance. All men should trust their own opinions in spite of the different ideas. Emerson thought a man should trust himself firmly. “The Independence” is another subject which Self-Reliance fully elaborates. It expresses that a man should act independently but not always relies on the other people. Besides, “Showing no Sympathy to the Poor” agrees with the idea of self-support. In the works, Emerson gave the opinion that the poor are lack of advancing ideas. The result of supporting the poor is to do harm to them. At last, to be a self-reliant person, the man should keep his personality. These ideas are important in today’s society. This prose exerts much influence on many ordinary people.

II. The Analysis on Emerson’s Thoughts in Self-Reliance

Self-Reliance is not an average work. Its content is difficult for readers to understand. Emerson showed many of his opinions about life in the work. The most important ideas include “The Confidence”, “The Independence”, “The Personality”, and “Showing no Sympathy to the Poor”. These ideas are practicable and meaningful for the reader’s lives.

A. The Confidence

Self-Reliance is one of Emerson’s important works which express his transcendentalism. “Believe in Oneself” is the core point in it. In the works, Emerson showed his opinions about the confidence. He criticized all forms of imitation and opposed all self-abased people. The confidence is an evident idea which Emerson gave in Self-Reliance. He thought that the confidence was a very important virtue. The philosophical idea which he expressed in Self-Reliance had its special power. It enlightened many people and catered to thespirit of optimism in America at that time.

Emerson believed a man must trust himself and be himself. Many self-abased people can’t express themselves bravely and are ashamed of their divine ideas just because the ideas are their own. Emerson believed that the man should concern his own points of view and keep them steadfastly. In his opinion: “A man should learn to detect and watch the gleam of light flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and cages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his.”(Emerson, P7, ) From this sentence, it can be acquired that Emerson gave support for expressing one’s own ideas loudly and bravely in spite of the others’ existence. Emerson’s opinions enlighten a man to keep his original saying in the face of mixed voices. As an individual in society, a man shouldn’t suspect himself, or the suspicion from the other people will attack him constantly. The person who doesn’t believe in himself will never win the other’s credibility. In Emerson’s Self-Reliance, It is a little difficult to understand the meaning. However, “Trust Yourself” is expressed clearly and can be known by readers easily. The author showed the idea that the man should own the spirit of self-confidence and try to be the true himself. For example, Emerson said in Self-reliance: “Let us never bow and apologize more. A great man is coming to eat at my house, I do not wish to please him; I wish that he should wish to please me”. (Emerson, P20, 2005) On Emerson’s saying, it is known that he supported the man to be himself generously in spite of the other people’s social status. Once a person comes to the world, he is possible to be the best one. However, many people are generally timid, and they are no longer upright, they are afraid of saying “I think”, but only quote motto. As a matter of fact, Emerson encouraged the people to express “I think”, “I am” bravely and directly. These words clearly prove the spirit of self-trust.

There is a popular saying that “if you think you can, you can”. The confidence is the first step to make success. And Emerson showed the valuable idea in his works. It is believed that the readers are more confident after they finished Self-reliance.

B. The Independence

Just as “The Confidence”, “The Independence” is also a significant idea which Emerson showed in the works. “The Independence” is closely related with the spirit of self-reliance. The author mentioned “The Independence” everywhere in the works. Emerson supported the man to be the true himself independently.

Each person should act according to what he thinks. According to Emerson’s original words: “what I must do is all that concerns me, not what the people think”(Emerson, P15, 2005),Emerson thought that the people shouldn’t be influenced by the others. Each one is the first who knows himself much. It is known that the only right is to conform to the man’s own will, namely, the only wrong thing is what is against his own will. Emerson supported that the people insist on carrying themselves in the face of all opposition. The true self-independence is void of other’s encouragement; prize is just as an auxiliary function for achievements. The true self-independent man is one who still stand firmly when all people fall over, and who himself plays the major role in his world, while all the other persons are supporting roles. Emerson pointed out that it was easy to live after the world’s opinion. Most people prefer to this in daily lives. But a great man always separates himself from the crowds.

Generally speaking, many people are easily influenced by environment. Emerson sharply opposed this idea in Self-Reliance. He thought the man should cultivate the personality of self-independence. Emerson expressed another kind of viewpoint, that is, consistency, which is in large scale a kind of self-trust. He once said: “A reverence for our past act or word, because the eyes of others have no other data for computing our orbit than our past acts, and we are loath to disappoint them”. (Emerson, P16, 2005) Indeed, a large number of person always cope with their lives in the same way, because they are afraid of being defeated by new methods. However, they are lack of innovation, which makes them lack of self-independence. Because of their consistency, it is very difficult for them to make progress or stride in life. Independence is established on the basis of continuous new progress. Therefore, the spirit of innovation can strengthen self-reliance. Emerson said: “Nature suffers nothing to remain in her kingdoms which cannot help itself. The genesis and maturation of a planet, its poise and orbit, the bended tree recovering itself from the strong wind, the vital resources of every animal and vegetable, are demonstrations of self-sufficing, and therefore self-relying soul”. (Emerson, p30, 2005) According to Emerson’s words, the society refuses the persons without self-reliance. No one can help the man except himself. Those independent people can stand easily and stably.

Independence is an indispensable quality for one’s success. Emerson pointed out that the man without any independent idea is difficult to conduct himself. Therefore, it is very necessary to form the habit of self-reliance.

C. The Personality

In Self-Reliance, Emerson advocated that a man should do everything according to his own will. This thought is closely related with the idea of confidence. A confident man is the one who always keeps his own personality. It is a very important thought which Emerson expressed in the works. It does help the readers to be confident.

Nowadays, many people tend to chase fashion and imitate stars. Some people love the stars’ characters deeply and even want to be a star. In fact, these people are excellent in many aspects, but they never look for their merits carefully. It is said in The Best Seller in the World: “I’m the greatest miracle in the nature; no one is same with me since the god created the world. My head, eyes, ears, hands are distinctive. I’m the uniqueness in the world.”(Og Mandino, p45, ) From this opinion, it is known that each man is different, and each man has his own worth in the world. It is useless to imitate anyone. Emerson suggested the man express their opinions loudly and bravely even if they are wrong. A man should conform to his own principles and live on his way. Emerson said: “No law can be scared to me but that of my nature. Good and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this; the only right is what is after my constitution, the only wrong what is against it. A man is to carry himself in the presence of all opposition, as if everything were titular and ephemeral but me.”(Emerson, P10, 2005) From the words, it is evident that a man should keep himself in spite of the others’ existence. Once the decision has been made, it is uneasy to change it or give it up. There is a fact that some people are different from before after the environments are changed. It is obvious that these people are influenced by the others and are easy to follow the others’ principles and forget their own. Emerson gave the readers a very typical example: “Infancy conforms to nobody, all conforms to it, so that one baby commonly makes four or fives out of adults who pattle and play to it”. (Emerson, p8, 2005) It shows that if a man often keeps his own personality, he is able to make the environment different. The man’s inner power is limitless; he is able to change the whole world if he stands on his own feet forever. Emerson always lived in his own world and never mixed with the man whom he did not belong to. He said; “I will not hide my tastes or aversions, I will so trust that what is deep is holy, that I will do strongly before the sun and moon whatever inly rejoices me, and the heart appoints, if you are noble, I will love you, if you are not, I will not hurt you and myself by hypocritical attentions”. (Emerson, P32, 2005) These points of view are easy to be understood. The core point is that a man should insist that his idea be the best one.

As a mater of fact, it is the man’s faith, not the environment that influences people’s lives. A successful man is the one who deeply trusts his inner power. He is never influenced by the environment.

D. Showing no Sympathy to the Poor

In Self-reliance, Emerson fundamentally showed the idea of confidence and independence. Besides these ideas, he illustrated the idea of “Showing no sympathy to the Poor”. This point of view agrees with the confidence and independence. Emerson indirectly showed the reason why the man is poor and why no sympathy should be showed to the poor.

From Self-Reliance, Emerson never sympathized with the person who had no relation with him. He just did what he should do. He said: “Expect me not to show causes why I seek or why I exclude company. Then again, do not tell me, asa good man did today, of my obligation to put all poor men in good situations. Are they my poor? I tell your, your foolish philanthropist, that I grudge the dollar, the dime, the cent. I give to such men as do not belong to me and whom I do not belong.”(Emerson, P12, 2005) This point of view shows that if these poor people are self-supported, their living conditions would be better. Helping this kind of people is to do harm to them and make them more and more poor. There is a popular saying: “If one’s pocket is empty, but idea is full, that’s temporary; on the contrary, if one’s pocket if full, but idea is empty, that’s also temporary”. At most time, the poor are lack of independent conducts, optimistic attitudes, and adventurous spirits. They have no innovative abilities, because they never think that they should challenge life and make progress. Therefore, in many aspects, the poor are lagged behind of the society. From Emerson’s opinion, he definitely rejected to help this kind of people. However, sometimes the situation is different, just as Emerson said “There is a class of persons to whom by all spiritual affinity I am bought and sold, for them I will go to prison.” (Emerson, P12, 2005). This kind of people is the poor in pocket, but they are full of ideas in mind. They have the quality of confidence, of independence, but only lack of materials. Emerson believed that their conditions would be quickly improved through a period of time.

The poor condition is not terrible, but the poor mind is a very serious problem. The man should never help the poor with money, but give them a tool to produce wealth by themselves, or teach them to be independent and challengeable. Emerson’s opinions towards the poor have given the readers a meaningful enlightenment.

III.Self-Reliance’s Enlightenment on Today’s Society

Self-Reliance gives readers much help in coping with their lives. It exerts enlightenment on readers to be confident and independent. It teaches man to take advancing attitudes towards life. Besides, these ideas enlighten female’s life. It is also of great help for individuals’ progress and a country’s development.

A. Attitudes towards Life

Self-Reliance profoundly inspires a man to strengthen his self-confidence. A young man said in a forum: “If they are afraid of other’s different suggestion and give up their own thinking, then that’s losing themselves. No matter what they do, they should keep definite point of view and independent thinking”.(Smear, P49,).He further explained that everyone’s idea is different, no one can make the others’ the same with he himself, so just think about the objection but neglect the irrelevant discussion. When the man finishes his aim, all voices have stopped with it. Each man should have his virtue in tacking with all problems.

The attitudes towards life have two choices. One is to die and the other is to live. Emerson’s Self-Reliance teaches the readers to follow their own thoughts andtake optimistic attitudes towards life. Everything has two sides, the most important is that which side the man chooses. A man should be confident everyday, and then each day is beautiful and without worry. Emerson showed in his works that each man should be independent to cope with his problems, but not always seek for assistance. The man can learn from the other people, but he should make decisions by himself. Each successful man has his own personality so that he is easy to achieve his dreams. Once a person catches the fundamental idea of self-independence and self-confidence, he can tell which is right or wrong no matter how complicated the interpersonal relation is. Then he is likely to reject to parrot.

B. The Female’s Self-Reliance

It is known that man and woman are born of inequality in human history. No matter how successful the women’s liberation is, this bias will forever occupy people’s minds. With the development of society, some female people with spirits of self-support fiercely object this thought. Women have their own forte in most time while the men don’t have. It is accepted that women’s social status is highly improved. According to the investigation, the female officers or managers are highly increased and account a large proportion among the total. Besides this, most women accept more advanced education than the male. However, the prejudice originated from the history seems never to disappear from people’s minds. Some women are still suffering from the prejudice in such a developed society. In modern society, the women possess so many social protocols. For instance, there is a popular saying that “Ladies First”, and the national law also safeguards the female’s rights and interests. Someone thinks the meaning implied in this phenomenon is that the society takes women as the weak, for the people who need protection are to some extent weaker than those who can deal with problems by themselves.

However, although a small part of girls can’t live on their own, most women are aware of the crisis, and most of them can deal with their lives completely and independently. On Emerson’s views, whether a man or woman is, he/she should depend on themselves except the general assistance from each other. As an important part in human being, women should have their own understanding, their own careers and worlds. Some girls who seek fortune or reliance from men are severely looked down upon by society. Those women seem to lead a perfect life, but their inner hearts are too void. They acknowledge that they are corrupted and forsaken by society. Whereas, they are reluctant to escape from this corrupted living circle once they abandon themselves to it. Moreover, they often search protection, responsibility from men. But most women are advancing in mind. It seems that women take more and more significant roles in a family, even in the society. Most women often support for their families which testifies their high ability.

From Emerson’s ideas in Self-Reliance, all women should own the self-reliance of idea, of economy, and of ability. He advocated the women to strive for the social status and make contributions to the society.

C. The Influence on Individuals

To be a self-independent person can absolutely change one’s humble life even in the backward society. Generally, the poor people are inclining to be self-reliant for coercion of life. It is well known that the richest man, Li Jiacheng, is the business tycoon in Hong Kong. It is an evident example that the poor man is ambitious and self-improving so that he can become an uncommon person in later time. Another famous person is the head of board of Meng Niu enterprise, Niu Gengsheng. He was sold out for 50 Yuan when he was in infancy not because his parents abandoned him but because they couldn’t raise him. In such kind of living condition, he studied and worked hard to be a successful man. All men are intelligent and brave, but not all men can make success. Some people often complain about destiny. The wise think that success originates from one’s spirit. The genius is only but common people with knowledge and virtue. Helen Keller, the everlasting pride of human being, was deprived of both sight and hearing after the terrible illness in the 19th month after she was born. However, she was not defeated by disastrous life which happened to her in her young age. No one can imagine how a dumb and deaf girl transformed her life thoroughly by her persistent hard work and persevering spirit, yet Helen Keller did it. Her adversity and great achievements stimulates the common people to work hard and to be self-supported. Helen’s remarkable success was partly due to the assistance, Miss Sullivan who accompanied her in the whole life, but largely due to her own persistent and dauntless faith. She learned several languages in her life and created miracles one by one. The very difficulties which cannot be done by common people were broken through by Helen Keller. Her name was set as a symbolization of persistent will. As the tremendous spiritual power, her legendary life deeply encourages the people to conquer the misfortune. Mark Twain said: “Helen Keller was the focus of America in 19th century”. These examples prove that independence and self-support can change one’s life thoroughly.

The valuable ideas which Emerson showed in Self-Reliance are a great help for individuals’ development. These ideas make each one to be confident and independent. Many people’s success is fundamentally due to these two qualities.

D. The Influence on Countries

As the strongest country in the world, America has its own individualities. This country only enjoys a history of 200 years. In comparison with the other European countries, it is full of innovation and has its own personality. The technology, weapons, comprehensive strength are always in the first place. The Americas are realistic. Money is vital in their minds so that all Americans are up to their ears for work. Money can be used for fame, social status, even presidency in this country. They are democratic, liberal, outspoken and competitive. Take the American children for example. They can work to support themselves when they are young and also cope with their problems by themselves without any help from parents. All Americans have formed these habits from early time so that their country is the best self-improvement among all countries.

Almost every person believes the country should support them with the perfect system so that they can improve their living conditions, but the ideas in Self-Reliance suggest that the high life and well-being can only be acquired through a man’s own efforts. The people often take a high expectation towards the function of laws. If the laws work well, then they can insure people to enjoy their own achievements and reduce individual sacrifices. However, the best strict law cannot change the sluggish persons to industrious persons or the poor to the rich. These changes can be achieved only through one’s own conducts and activities. The history proved that the power of country is not decided by social system but by people’s qualities and personalities.

The spirit of Self-Independence in Emerson’s Self-Reliance promotes a country’s advancement. The strong and prosperous country is made up of confident and independent individuals. Self-Reliance’s enlightenment effectively helps the progress of society.

Conclusion

From above, “The Confidence” is the basic thought and the core point in Emerson’s Self-Reliance. In the work, “The Independence” and “The Personality” are main ideas. ‘Showing no Sympathy to the Poor” represents “The Confidence” and “The Independence”. These four ideas largely enlighten many people to form the habits of self-independence. The spirit of self-reliance is the foundation stone of everyone’s success. What’s more, it plays an important role in a country’s prosperity. The spirit of self-reliance greatly helps the progress of society. There will be more and more readers to research and study Self-Reliance and more and more people would possess the idea of self-reliance in future.

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篇2:论友谊爱默生读后感

爱默生写道,友谊是上帝的礼物和上帝的体现。当一个人身上的神性找到另一个人身上的神性,“两者都鄙弃和撤除由于个人的性格、关系、年龄、性别和环境筑起的各种壁垒。”这时,友谊便结成了。 《友谊》一文发表于1841年。

讨论友谊,我不想从细微处着眼,而只从要处入手。真正的友谊,不是玻璃丝或霜花,而是我们所知的最为坚实的东西。现在,我们有了这么多年的经验,然而对于自然,对于我们自己,究竟了解多少?就解决自己的归宿问题而言,人类始终没有向前迈出一步。全人类都该为这一愚蠢的行为而受到谴责。然而我以兄弟之心,从友谊中所感受到的真诚的欢乐与平和,本身就是一枚装着一切自然界和思想的果实,而不是一具空壳。为朋友挡风遮雨的房子里充满欢乐!如果他知道这种关系是多么庄重,并且尊重它的规则,那么屋子里会更加欢乐!主动缔结友谊的人,就像参加伟大的奥林匹克竞赛的`人,那里有世界上第一批竞技者,他们与时光、欲望和危险竞赛,他们是唯一的胜利者。他们有足够的真诚,经历所有这些考验而风采依旧。不管幸运与否,竞赛中所发生的一切,取决于内心的高贵和对琐事的鄙弃。友谊包含了两种要素,每一种都至高无上,难分伯仲。一是真诚。朋友是我以诚相待的人,在他面前,我可以道出肺腑之言。我终于遇到一位如此率真平等的人,在他面前我可以抛弃虚伪、谦恭和谨慎等等人们从不脱掉的最隐秘的文饰,与他交往时,可以坦坦荡荡,毫无保留,就像一个化学原子与另一个原子相遇。真诚是一种奢侈品,正如王冠和权威,只能给予最高层次的人,这些人可以无所顾忌,说出真理。每个人在独处时,都是真诚的。一旦第二个人在场,虚伪就开始了。我们用恭维、闲聊、娱乐和别的事务躲避和阻挡我们的同伴,不让他走近自己。我们被自己的思想层层包裹起来,不让他认识。

因此,朋友在本质上是某种自相矛盾的东西。我,独自一人,看不到任何可以像自己的存在一样肯定其存在的东西,而现在,看到了与自己在高度、多样性和好奇心方面相似的东西体现在另一个人身上。所以,我们可以这么认为,朋友是大自然的杰作。

篇3: 论友谊爱默生读后感

我不想用轻巧的方式对待友情,我愿以最狂热的勇气去对待它。如果友谊是真的,它就不会是玻璃丝或者霜花,而是我们所知最坚固的东西。今天,在我们已经有了这么多世代的经验积累之后,我们对自然,或者对自己了解了多少呢?在对人的命运问题的解答上,人类从未前进过一步。整个人类都因为愚昧而被谴。然而,那种喜悦与宁静中甜美的真挚,――我从与兄弟的灵魂联合中得到了它,本身就是关于整个自然的核心认识,而人类的种种思想只不过是果皮和果壳罢了。幸福是一所为朋友遮风挡雨的房屋。也有人将它建造得像一间节日的凉亭或拱门,只能享用一天。如果他懂得友谊的庄严,并且尊敬它的法则,他将会更幸福。谁主动献出自己,希望与人缔造友谊的盟约,谁就如同走入赛场的奥林匹克运动员,去参加一场伟大的运动会。在那里面,世界首先产生的就是竞赛者。他推举自己为参赛者,他的对手包括时间、私欲和危险。在这场竞赛中,谁的精神中具备足够的忠诚,以护卫心中易碎的美好,战胜疲惫和泪水,谁就会成为唯一的胜利者。幸运女神也许眷顾你,也许忘记你,但你取胜的所有机会都依赖内心的崇高以及对琐屑之物的蔑视。

朋友就是我可以与之坦诚相待的人。在朋友面前,我可以出声地思想。我终于到达这样一个人面前:他如此真实、平等,以至于我可以脱下最里层的防护衣:装假、礼貌、谨慎,这些人们从未脱去的东西。我可以直率、全心身地对待他,就像一个原子和另一个原子相遇。真诚是一件贵重之物,就像皇冠和权力,它只授予最高阶层的人。他们被准许说真话,如同这是他们最高的追求和服从。

每个人独处的时候都是真诚的。一旦有另一个人走近,伪装就开始了。我们用恭维、闲谈、消遣,或者用事务,来逃避或挡开同伴的接近。我们用一百层折叠来掩盖我们的思想。我认识一个人,他在一种宗教迷狂的情绪下,撕下了这幅帷幔,对每个他所遇到的人都略去所有的恭维和平常话,直接对他们的是非之心说话,并说得极其深刻而优美。最初,他遭到拒绝,所有人都认为他疯了。经过一段时间的坚持之后,――因为实际上他不能不坚持,他与每一个他所认识的人都建立了真实的关系。没有人想在他面前说谎,也没有人想用任何集市中或者阅览室里的那种闲谈来疏远他。他们当然也会同他谈对大自然的爱、诗歌、真理的象征等等。在这样的真诚面前,每个人都不得不采取类似的坦诚态度。但是对我们大多数人来说,我们看不到别人的脸和眼睛,看到的是人们的侧影和背面。在一个虚假的时代,为了与人们建立真实的关系而疯狂一下是值得的,不是吗?我们很少能直来直去。几乎每一个我们碰到的人都要求礼貌,要求别人的迎合;他有一些名声、一些才干、一些不容质疑的关于宗教或慈善事业的兴致,这些往往弄糟了谈话。朋友应该是一个通情达理的.人,他要求的不是我的聪明才智,而是我这个人。

我的朋友给我款待,不附带任何相应约束。因此,朋友本质上是一种悖论。我孤独地存在,原本看不到任何我能够以相同的证据证明其存在的其他事物,现在却看到了一个在高贵、丰富和求知欲上与我相同的另一个人。所以,有充分的理由认为:朋友是大自然的一个杰作。

篇4: 论友谊爱默生读后感

一滴深沉鲜红的血,

重过惊涛骇浪。

世事往复难料,

唯有情者情谊永驻。

我想他已走远,

然岁月流逝,关爱绵延。

若旭日东升,日日依然。

我敏感的心灵,重归自由。

哦,朋友,我内心的声音昭示,

因你,苍穹挺立;

因你,玫瑰红艳;

因你,万物更为高尚;

因你的价值,命运如太阳的轨道,周而复始。

你的高尚,教会我掌控绝望,

我归隐生活的清泉,流过你友谊的方田。

我们的自私像刺骨的东风,而世人的关爱却犹如万里晴空。有多少人,我们与之相遇,彼此静默,却尊敬他们也受之尊敬;有多少人,我们与之在街角相逢,在教堂邻座,彼此静默,却热爱与之相处。感受一下彼此的目光交流吧,心灵洞悉一切。

沉醉于这样的情感之中,人们心旷神怡。无论是在诗歌中还是在日常的交谈中,这种善意与满足总如星火燎原般蔓延。这美好的内在情感,比火更为迅猛,更为灵动,更为愉悦。在最热忱的爱情中,在最平凡的善意里,这份情感缔造了生活的欣然。

情感愈是深厚,心智与活力愈是强大。学者伏案写作,尽管有多年的深思熟虑,却也未必能找到合适的美辞佳句;不过要是给朋友写一封信,却能因这份温暖的情谊而文如泉涌。据说,在品行高尚、自尊自重的家庭里,每有一位宾客到访都会引起一阵悸动。家里即将迎来一位尊贵的宾客时,全家上下都会感到不安,这种不安像是一种快乐,又像是一种痛苦。宾客的到访使得这一家人机会畏惧起来:又是清扫房间,又是归纳家什,又是旧衣换新装,又是设宴款待宾客。而关于这位宾客,我们只听说了之前从未听过的溢美之词。在我们的眼中,他代表全人类,是完美的化身。心里这样想着,不禁自问,我们要以怎样的言谈举止与他交流呢?――于是这疑问让我们不安,也使我们的交流上升了一个层次――我们的谈吐优于往常:思维活跃,记忆丰富,愚笨暂时远去。我们聊了很久,这种最古老最隐秘的交流真诚、适宜而丰富,连我们身边的亲朋好友都惊讶于我们不同寻常的表现。可是一旦这位宾客在他的话语中注入了自己的偏见、自己的决断和自己的不足,一切就结束了。在我们这里,他第一次也是最后一次听到我们最精彩的言辞。现在,他不再是陌生的宾客,而是一个粗俗、鄙陋、误解的老相识。他再来时,我们会以礼相待,他可以衣食无忧,但那份心灵的悸动与灵魂的交流已然不在。

篇5: 论友谊爱默生读后感

最近读了一本书《爱默生论友谊》,这的确是一本难得的良书,对于我们是饕的精神大餐,每一篇文章都闪着智慧的光芒,启迪着我们的心灵,使我们思想得到升华。

爱默生写到,友谊是上帝的礼物和上帝的体现。当一个人身上的神性找到另一个人身上的神性“两者都鄙弃和撤除由于个人的性格、关系、年龄、性别和环境筑起的各种壁垒。”这是友谊便结成了。一个人是不能没有友谊的,我们从友谊中能感受到真诚的欢乐与平和。爱默生讲到“主动缔结友谊的人,就像参加伟大的奥林匹克竞赛的人,那里有世界上第一批竞技者,他们与时光、欲望和危险竞赛,他们是唯一的胜利者。他们有足够的真诚,经历所有这些考验而风采依旧。不管幸运与否,竞赛中所发生的一切,取决于内心的高贵和对琐事的鄙弃”。爱默生是如此精辟的解读了什么才是友谊,友谊就是真诚和平等,朋友就要以诚相待,朋友就要率真平等。

结交朋友是快乐的,朋友之间是平等的,与朋友在一起可以道出肺腑之言,可以坦坦荡荡,就像一个化学原子与另一个化学原子相遇。从朋友的身上能看到与自己相似的地方,也能看到与自己不同的地方,学习朋友身上的长处,来弥补自己的短处。朋友之间应该互相帮助,让我们懂得为朋友挡风遮雨的房子里一定充满欢乐!如果你知道这种关系是多么庄重,并且尊重它的规则,那么这个屋子里会更加欢乐!

篇6:论友谊爱默生读后感

论友谊爱默生读后感

我不想用轻巧的方式对待友情,我愿以最狂热的勇气去对待它。如果友谊是真的,它就不会是玻璃丝或者霜花,而是我们所知最坚固的东西。今天,在我们已经有了这么多世代的经验积累之后,我们对自然,或者对自己了解了多少呢?在对人的命运问题的解答上,人类从未前进过一步。整个人类都因为愚昧而被谴。然而,那种喜悦与宁静中甜美的真挚,――我从与兄弟的灵魂联合中得到了它,本身就是关于整个自然的核心认识,而人类的种种思想只不过是果皮和果壳罢了。幸福是一所为朋友遮风挡雨的房屋。也有人将它建造得像一间节日的凉亭或拱门,只能享用一天。如果他懂得友谊的庄严,并且尊敬它的法则,他将会更幸福。谁主动献出自己,希望与人缔造友谊的盟约,谁就如同走入赛场的奥林匹克运动员,去参加一场伟大的运动会。在那里面,世界首先产生的就是竞赛者。他推举自己为参赛者,他的对手包括时间、私欲和危险。在这场竞赛中,谁的精神中具备足够的忠诚,以护卫心中易碎的'美好,战胜疲惫和泪水,谁就会成为唯一的胜利者。幸运女神也许眷顾你,也许忘记你,但你取胜的所有机会都依赖内心的崇高以及对琐屑之物的蔑视。

朋友就是我可以与之坦诚相待的人。在朋友面前,我可以出声地思想。我终于到达这样一个人面前:他如此真实、平等,以至于我可以脱下最里层的防护衣:装假、礼貌、谨慎,这些人们从未脱去的东西。我可以直率、全心身地对待他,就像一个原子和另一个原子相遇。真诚是一件贵重之物,就像皇冠和权力,它只授予最高阶层的人。他们被准许说真话,如同这是他们最高的追求和服从。

每个人独处的时候都是真诚的。一旦有另一个人走近,伪装就开始了。我们用恭维、闲谈、消遣,或者用事务,来逃避或挡开同伴的接近。我们用一百层折叠来掩盖我们的思想。我认识一个人,他在一种宗教迷狂的情绪下,撕下了这幅帷幔,对每个他所遇到的人都略去所有的恭维和平常话,直接对他们的是非之心说话,并说得极其深刻而优美。最初,他遭到拒绝,所有人都认为他疯了。经过一段时间的坚持之后,――因为实际上他不能不坚持,他与每一个他所认识的人都建立了真实的关系。没有人想在他面前说谎,也没有人想用任何集市中或者阅览室里的那种闲谈来疏远他。他们当然也会同他谈对大自然的爱、诗歌、真理的象征等等。在这样的真诚面前,每个人都不得不采取类似的坦诚态度。但是对我们大多数人来说,我们看不到别人的脸和眼睛,看到的是人们的侧影和背面。在一个虚假的时代,为了与人们建立真实的关系而疯狂一下是值得的,不是吗?我们很少能直来直去。几乎每一个我们碰到的人都要求礼貌,要求别人的迎合;他有一些名声、一些才干、一些不容质疑的关于宗教或慈善事业的兴致,这些往往弄糟了谈话。朋友应该是一个通情达理的人,他要求的不是我的聪明才智,而是我这个人。

我的朋友给我款待,不附带任何相应约束。因此,朋友本质上是一种悖论。我孤独地存在,原本看不到任何我能够以相同的证据证明其存在的其他事物,现在却看到了一个在高贵、丰富和求知欲上与我相同的另一个人。所以,有充分的理由认为:朋友是大自然的一个杰作。

篇7:论多彩教学魅力英语论文

论多彩教学魅力英语论文

兴趣是学生最好的老师,浓厚的学习兴趣和学习热情可以使学生的大脑处于极度活跃的状态,启发学生的思维能力,提高记忆力。因此,在初中英语的教学过程中,教师应激发学生的学习兴趣,引导学生主动学习,发挥学生的主体作用,让学生养成自主学习英语的习惯,而不是在老师的监督、督促下学习。教师与学生之间应该多互动,让每个学生都参与到英语的学习和应用中,在“寓教于乐”的教学理念下达到教与学的结合。教师的任务不仅仅是教会学生如何学习好英语,更是要培养他们的自主学习意识,发挥其主观能动性,在英语学习的过程中,通过感知、体验、实践、参与和合作等方式,实现教学任务的目标,感受收获成功的喜悦,丰富情感世界,真正使学生成为学习的主人。

二、因材施教,分层教学

每个学生的学习目的、学习动机、学习习惯、学习方法、智力水平和接受能力都存在一定的差异,针对不同的学生,教师一定要采取不同的教学方式,因材施教,分层教学。所谓因材施教,分层教学,就是教师充分考虑学生存在的差异,有针对性地加强对不同类别的学生进行学习指导,以便使每个学生都能够得到最好的发展。那么,如何开展分层教学呢?首先,对学生进行分层,按学习成绩、接受能力、兴趣程度等综合因素将学生分为三个层次:A层――学习基础扎实,新知识接受能力较强,具有明确的学习目标、浓厚的学习兴趣和良好的学习习惯;B层――学习成绩一般,新知识接受能力一般,学习兴趣不浓;C层――学习成绩较差,缺乏学习兴趣,没有正确的学习习惯和方法。这样一来,教师就有了明确的努力方向,针对每个层次的学生教学时也会有所区分。其次,辅导作业分层:作业完成好的学生应该及时给予鼓励;作业马虎应付的学生应该委婉指出不足并给予建议;作业存在较多错误的学生应该和他们当面谈,表达愿意帮助辅导他们的意愿,重要的是不要在错题上划“叉”,因为每一个“叉”都是对学生自尊心、自信心的一种伤害和打击。最后,根据不同的分层,对学生进行分组,合理地搭配,让学习好的学生适当帮助学习较差的学生,而学习较差的学生也可以见贤思齐向学习好的学生学习。分组结束后,对每个成员的角色进行定位,根据他们自身的特点合理分配任务,让每个人都能收获成功,得到全面发展。小组合作学习的过程中,通过讨论和发言交流,让每个学生都参与其中,学会吸收和分享思维方式和学习成果。对于分层教学,评价也应该分层,真正发挥评价的`促进与激励功能。既要各小组团体评价,又要根据学生的参与热情和个人表现,形成过程性评价。

三、开展情境教学,培养学生的英语综合应用能力

情境教学是在课堂教学中,教师根据教学目标和教学内容而创设一定的情境来引导学生在情境中认知、理解、构建知识体系的一种教学方法。常用的情境有生活化情境、实物演示情境、多媒体情境、音乐情境、表演情境、语言情境等,教学过程中,各情境相互整合,教师以情境为主线,通过情境来渗透知识,激发学生的学习兴趣,促进学生对知识的理解和知识体系的构建。就初中生而言,掌握的英语知识还很简单,词汇量不大、语法知识欠缺、口语技能较低。所以,在英语情境教学中,可以在词汇教学、语法教学、阅读教学和写作教学中进行。词汇教学是学习英语的基础,学生需要掌握词汇的读音和拼写,正确理解词汇的含义并灵活应用,要做到这些,在情境教学过程中,教师需要保证情境的直观性和形象性,通常可采用实物演示、动作表演、游戏情境等方式。语法教学重点是让学生通过实际的教学情境掌握语法知识,在实践过程中老师的主导作用相当重要,要将整个语法知识从头至尾贯穿整个情境。阅读教学重点在于通过情境来激发学生的阅读兴趣,阅读是枯燥的,所以抓住学生的兴趣是非常重要的,教师在设计情境时应该以与阅读材料相似的情境来启发学生的思维,从而达到促进学生理解材料内涵的目的。在作文教学中运用情境教学,写作是一个运用语言知识的过程,在这个过程中,教师应该重点通过创设的情境来丰富学生的感性认识,并引导学生积累写作素材,借助之前的词汇、语法和阅读的知识来表达自己的思想和情感,因而在作文教学中情境设置应侧重于实践活动,让学生在活动中多说、多做、多思,写作是一个累积的过程,需要各方面知识结合表现。最后是口语交际教学,这个是应用情境教学最多的一个环节,也是对学生要求最高的一个环节,学生在情景交际中,需要灵活的应变能力及丰富的词汇、语法知识才能完整地表现出交际过程中的语言意思。在口语交际教学中,教师在创设情境时应该贴近生活,学生结合生活实际更能调动积极参与性,达到学以致用的目的。

四、多媒体教学为课堂增光添彩

在多媒体辅助教学技术日益普及的今天,英语教师要积极学习、熟练掌握这一技术手段,以多媒体教学来引领学生感受英语的魅力,畅游知识的海洋。逼真生动、声像俱佳的教学课件可以克服传统教学中“教师说,学生听”的弊端,为学生创设一个愉快、有吸引力的学习环境,使学生在浓厚的兴趣驱使下提高自己的英语水平。多媒体教学可以通过图片、音频、视频等刺激和强化学生的学习,教师在制作课件时,可根据教学重点将重点内容通过不同颜色的字体或加粗来加以强调,课件通过图片直观地呈现,再加以文字说明,给学生留下深刻的印象,有助于学生更好、更快地理解和记忆所学内容。音乐和歌曲也是激发学生英语学习兴趣的有效途径,能让学生在轻松快乐中学习。学习英语歌曲是词汇、语法和句型学习的一个重要手段,学习吟唱是一种快乐的体验,在潜移默化中就能学到英语,培养良好的英语语感。视频和动画比音乐更加形象直观,在丰富的画面感和活泼的语言操练环境下,学生更加自然地提高听说能力。例如,在教学“How do you get to school ?”一课时,可以结合教材插图从教学资源库中选取、播放一段相关联的视频,既可吸引学生注意力,又可强化学生对课文主题的感知。视频播放后,在教师的引导和要求下,学生再次欣赏精美视频的过程中可以模仿视频中人物的音调等进行跟读,多次练习后,教师即可选择视频静音,让学生结合教材主题与语言练习重点配合画面进行英语配音,甚至可加入课本剧表演与学生自由发挥的部分。多媒体教学更加灵活多变地让教师自由发挥,不断地创新,创造新的教学方法,可以使初中英语课堂更加生动有趣,这远比仅仅是参照教材静态且不清晰的几幅插图展开的教学成果更好。在以多媒体辅助教学的过程中,学生学习兴趣浓烈,师生间、生生间的互动更多,课堂更加生动有趣,这些对学习初中英语有很大的帮助。

随着我国经济政治不断与国际接轨,英语作为国际通用语言将会更加流行,对英语的学习更加重要。因此,初中英语的教学质量要求更高,我们要解决传统教学中的弊端,对教学方法、方式进行改革创新,在英语教学过程中充分运用以上所说的教学形式,使教师教得轻松,学生学得愉快,从而达到教与学的最佳组合,形成教与学的最佳境界,进而全面提高学生的英语能力,为今后的学习打下坚实基础,成为社会和世界所需人才。

参考文献:

[1]叶品菊。分层教学的新模式的试用:基于河北雄县中学教学改革探索的思考[J].安徽文学:下半月,(05)。

[2]李华。实施分层教学提高英语课堂教学质量[K].职业技术教育研究,(09)。

[3]张孔明。浅谈初中生学习动机的心理辅导。当代教育科学,(06)。

[4]周兴东。高中英语PPT课件改进管见。教学与管理,(12)。

[5]周智忠。新课程下初中英语教学中的问题及对策。基础英语教育,(06)。

[6]朱永生。多模态话语分析的理论基础与研究方法。外语学刊,

篇8:综论中外图书馆自助服务

综论中外图书馆自助服务

本文论述了德、美、伊朗等国外图书馆和中科院、香港特区等国内图书馆开展自助服务的情况,对我国图书馆界普及自助服务提供了宝贵的经验.

作 者:夏雁 Xia Yan  作者单位:河南省图书馆,河南,郑州,450052 刊 名:河南图书馆学刊 英文刊名:THE LIBRARY JOURNAL OF HENAN 年,卷(期):2009 29(5) 分类号:G252 关键词:图书馆   自助服务   开架借阅   自助复印  

篇9:论外语能力的培养英语论文

关键词:

外语能力 交际能力 语言能力 外语教学

摘要:

20世纪70年代,有些学者提出了外语能力这一概念,强调外语教学的最终日的是培养学习者运用语言的能力。但迄今为止对外语能力的内涵的界定仍不统一,在外语能力培养中往往陷入误区。外语能力受制于众多因素,应该从语言能力、交际能力、跨文化能力、自学能力等方面人手,全方位地培养学习者的外语能力。

1.引言

自1972年Hymes…提出“交际能力”这一概念之后,不少应用语言学家等从外语教学的角度对交际能力作了进一步的探讨和研究,进而提出了外语能力这一概念,并从不同角度对其进行了阐述,提出了不少新颖的见解(Stem4)。但是迄今为止,对外语能力这一概念的界定并不统一。笔者认为Baehman&Palmer对外语能力的阐述较为全面,他们认为:外语能力主要由语言知识和策略能力两大部分组成,语言知识包括结构知识和语用知识。结构知识指的是构成语句和语篇所需的知识,主要包括语法知识及语篇结构知识。语用知识指的是能够根据交际意图和环境等因素来正确运用语言所具备的知识,它包括语言功能知识和社会语言学知识。策略能力主要包括三个方面:一是目标确定(goalseting)能力,即在特定的交际场合交际者能够认定、选择和决定完成某种语言运用任务的能力;二是估计衡量(assessment)能力,即根据确定的语言运用任务来估计或衡量自己是否具有完成这一任务所需的话题知识和语言知识的能力。三是策划实施(planning)能力,即根据自己的话题知识和语言知识来策划完成语言运用任务的实施方案的能力。在我国,许多学者也对外语能力进行了界定,普遍认为,外语能力包括知识体系和技能两大内容。知识体系包括语音知识、语法知识、语篇知识、语用知识和交际策略知识等;技能包括听说读写等,是融语法及词汇、语篇、语用、交际策略知识于一体的实际操作技能(戴曼纯。)。上述有关外语能力界定的阐释对制定教学大纲(或课程标准)、指导外语教学与外语测试等大有裨益。

篇10:论外语能力的培养英语论文

近来,交际语言教学法在我国外语界颇为盛行,专家和外语教师们已经意识到交际教学法在培养外语能力中的重要性,并积极地探索交际教学法在我国外语教学中的具体应用问题。但是,由于我们对交际教学法的认识缺乏统一性和全面性,往往过分强调其中的某些原则而忽视其他一些原则。因而导致了外语教学中外语能力培养的某些误区。

(1)认为外语教学的目的是培养学生在所有不同场合能恰当自如地用外语进行交际的能力。不要说外语,即使是本族语,我们的语言能力也是非常有限的。尽管每一个正常人的日常听说没有问题,但并不是每个人都能流利地即席发言。实际上,我们用汉语游刃有余地从事口语和书面语交际的场合并不很多。因此错误地认为外语教学的目的是要使学生在外语方面具有完美的交际能力会给外语教学带来某些不利的影响。可能会导致制定出不切实际的教学目标和教学大纲。导致教师、学生、教育管理部门和社会对外语教育产生难以企及的期望值,因而损伤教师的外语教学积极性,使学生产生失望的态度。

(2)认为语言交际能力仅指口语交际能力,认为要培养学生的交际能力,要运用交际教学法,课堂教学就必须采用小组讨论(groupwork)和对话等形式。产生这种误解的原因可以追溯到美国结构主义语言学家的某些见解和主张。他们认为口语是第一性的,书面语是第二性的,因而语言教学应当以听说领先,这样势必导致交际能力就是指口语交际能力的较为片面的观点。实际上,语言交际能力不仅指口语交际能力,也包括书面语交际能力。课堂教学除了采用小组讨论、对话等形式培养口语交际能力外,还可以让学生独立地完成阅读、写作等书面语交际任务来培养学生的书面语交际能力。

(3)认为在交际能力培养过程中,对学生所犯的语言错误没有必要纠正,可以放任自流。这种误解源于对Chomsky的语言习理论、Spair的“语言共性论”以及对中介语理论等的不恰当理解,认为语言错误是学习者在外语学习过程中取得进步的具体表现(李宇明)。受其影响,有些人可能会认为语言错误随着日后的不断学习会自然地消失,没有必要进行纠正。但是,语言交际能力的培养是建立在语言能力的培养基础之上的,因此我们不能忽视语言能力的培养,特别是那些使正常交际中断的错误需要适时指明并加以纠正(张兼中。)。

(4)认为交际教学法对外语教师的外语水平和外语交际能力要求过高,我国目前的`外语师资水平难以适应。这种误解源于“理想化的本族语者拥有完美的语言能力和交际能力(黄和斌)”。实际上,语言交际存在着层阶性、不平衡性和领域差,只要我们进一步加强对交际教学法的认识和了解,采取不同的形式对外语教师进行教学方法方面的培训,并且编写出与之相适应的外语教材,我们有条件、有能力运用交际教学法培养学习者的交际能力。

3.如何培养外语能力

通过对外语能力的认识和界定,尤其是对语言能力和交际能力的理解分析,笔者认为培养外语能力应从以下几个方面入手。

(1)加强语言能力的培养

语言能力是外语能力中最重要的组成部分,是交际能力培养与发展的基础。培养学生的语言能力,必须在教学过程中强调语言规则和基本词汇的掌握与运用。语言规则指的是语音、词汇、语法和语篇等不同层次上语言单位的组合规则;基本词汇是目标语言群体中所有成员都接受和使用的,具有相对稳定性和较强的语篇构建能力。因此外语教师应尽可能地向学生提供语言运用的环境,鼓励学生在这些环境中灵活地运用语言规则和基本词汇。除了完成教材中的练习之外,教师还可以设计一些针对性较强的补充练习,给学生提供更多的实践机会,使他们能够对所学规则举一反三、运用自如。

(2)强调从交际活动中学会交际

语言是一门技能性很强的学科,语言技能的掌握需要反复的实践。不少专家学者,如Hatchlo]、Kmshen…等,特别强调语言交际在语言习得中的重要作用。因此我们应该尽可能地为学生创造语言交际的环境与机会,让学生在语言交际活动中学会交际。当然,在课堂上模拟语言交际活动会有一定的困难和局限性。但是,只要我们充分认识交际活动在外语能力培养中的重要性,明确学生的需求和我们的教学目标,坚持让学生在外语交际活动中学会外语交际这条原则,不断改进和完善我们的教学方法,外语教学的效率必定会稳步提高。

(3)注重英语文化的输入和汉文化的对外传播

语言与文化的关系十分密切,语言是文化的载体,文化是语言的管轨。语言直接或间接地反映文化的方方面面,包括社会体制、科学技术、思维方式、价值观念、道德准则、风俗习惯、宗教礼仪、处事方式等等。文化的方方面面也在不同程度上制约着语言的应用。外语教学的目的是为了实现跨文化交际,即把国外的先进文化引进到国内,又把中华文化介绍到国外。因此,在外语教学过程中,不仅要帮助学习者学习和了解目标语文化,同时也要教会学习者如何用外语来表达中国文化。多年来,对目标语文化的了解和表达以及用目标语表达中国文化一直是中国外语学习者的弱点。因此注重文化的了解和表达应贯穿于外语教学的始终。

(4)外语教学应有针对性

尽管外语教学的目的是培养学生的跨文化交际能力,但是在具体的教学过程中,由于受时间和外语教学作用的局限,只能培养学习者在某一方面的交际能力。目前我国外语教学的弊端之一在于过分强调共性和统一,这可能也是导致英语教育效率不高的原因之一。在中国,学习者学习外语的目的和需求存在很大的差异,因此我们应该在调查和分析的基础上,根据不同学习者的不同需求和目的,制定不同的教学大纲、教学内容、教学计划、教学方法和评估手段等等,从而使我们培养的学生具有从事某一工作所需的外语能力。

(5)强化自学能力的培养

由于外语教学的时间与作用是十分有限的,我们不能指望学生在完成学校学习之后,就能在各种交际场合用外语进行成功的交际。但社会的需求有时却要求学生在不同场合都具有相当好的外语交际能力。也就是说,社会的需求与外语教学的培养目标之间存在着很大的差距。要缩小这一差距,我们应该加强学生自学能力的培养,教会学生充分利用各种媒体和工具书,注重培养学生分析问题和解决问题的能力,帮助学生养成观察和归纳语言在不同领域中所表现出的特有的表达方式、文体风格和语用习惯,使他们具有很快适应不同领域交际需求的能力。

4.结语

外语能力的培养是个系统的工程,它受制于众多的条件,如外语教学的内部因素和与外语教学相关的外部社会系统等等。因此,我们应尽量协调各方面的关系,大胆尝试各种新方法,努力培养学习者的外语能力。

篇11:论盖茨比悲剧的必然性英语论文

论盖茨比悲剧的必然性英语论文

Abstract

The Great Gatsby is a novel written by the famous writer F. Scott. Fitzgerald in the 1920’s, which is about disillusionment of American Dream, and it is still a piece of language endowed with deep connotations and full of metaphors and mottoes. This paper analyzes Gatsby’s tragedy by examining the essence of Gatsby’s dream, the potential destructiveness in Gatsby’s characters and the social-historical backgrounds leading to Gatsby’s destruction. Fitzgerald once summarized people’s characters at that time as “all Gods have died, all the wars have been over, and all the faiths have faded away.”(Fitzgerald, 1991: 253) American people living in Jazz Age looked down on the traditional faiths and betrayed moralities and customs that their ancestors used to abide by. At the end of the novel, Gatsby’s lonely funeral ceremony and people’s indifference completely reflected humanities coolness and ugliness in the society of U.S.A in 1920’s. At the very beginning, Gatsby was destined to be isolated helpless and to fail in the end in this society.

Key Words

Gatsby; the American dream; tragedy; personification

摘 要

《了不起的盖茨比》是20 世纪20 年代美国著名作家菲茨杰拉德的一部反映美国梦破灭的小说,也是一则被赋予了深刻含义,充满譬喻和警句的语言。本文从盖茨比之梦的实质、盖茨比性格中的不足以及社会历史原因等多方面探讨了导致盖茨比梦毁人亡这一悲剧必然因素。 菲茨杰拉德曾这样总结那个时代的特点:一切神明都统统死光,所有战争都已经统统打完,所有信念都已经统统完蛋。爵士乐时代的人蔑视一切传统的价值观念,反叛老一辈人所遵从的道德风范。 小说结尾,作者更是以人们的冷漠和盖茨比葬礼的冷冷清清彻底反映了20 世纪20 年代美国社会人性的冷酷与丑恶。在这样的社会,盖茨比从一开始就注定是孤立无助,注定是要失败的。

关键词

盖茨比; 美国梦; 悲剧; 化身

Introduction

Scott. Fitzgerald is a prominent novelist in the American literature, owned the title of the spokesman of the Jazz Age and the laurel of poet. From the contents and thoughts, the creative traits, his book the Great Gatsby is a real masterpiece of Fitzgerald, which made him get success in writing. As soon as it was published publicly in 1925, the Great Gatsby gained many critics’ affirmation and praise, becoming as one of the most excellent works in the 20th century. “The famous poet and critic Aerate said that the Great Gatsby took a great progress in American novels since Henry James.”(Donaldson, 1984: 283) In this novel, with a brief and serious style, the author vividly described a tragedy caused by American Dream, and successfully molded a suffered figure Gatsby. He was the author’s favorite character, in that they had many things in common such as many experiences and spiritual virtues that are different from the comprehension and chase to American life of common people. Gatsby owned marvelous genius, incomparable resolute romantic volition to his dream as well as his loyalty to his ideal, which won high praise of the author. The essay, on one hand, gives deep sympathy to Gatsby about his tragedy, on the other hand, it indicates that it is vain and dangerous to seek American Dream at that time.

The paper is analyzing the inevitability of the hero Gatsby’s tragedy by examining the essence of Gatsby’s dream, the potential destructiveness in Gatsby’s characters and social-backgrounds that lead to Gatsby’s destruction.

I. Description of Gatsby’s Dream

A. Origin of Gatsby’s Dream

Gatsby’s dream originated from the American dream, and the so-called “American Dream”, in American society, especially in the period of exploiting the New Continent, formed and developed a rather commonly attracting ideal. It has long history dating from the period of European emigrants exploiting the New Continent, and this dream owns tremendous enough connotations of American desire and hope to spirits and materials. Consequently, many people defined it as the synthesis of Wealthy Dream, Transcendent Dream and Love Dream. Benjamin Franklin, the first and well-known embodiment and advocate of American Dream in the world, edified and encouraged people how to enrich their families and to fulfill American Dream by their struggle, especial in his Autobiography. From the birth of it to 1920s, American Dream of owing the success in materials to the individual virtues and struggles, was always publicized by the people as powerful as possible, and then without doubtness it became the ideal which average American people tried their best to struggle for day by day, and the fundental spiritual strength which prompted American Capitalism prosperity and maintained capitalism-social system generation by generation. Gatsby’s American Dream originated from his childhood:

“Then he returned the wallet and pulled from his pocket a ragged old copy of a book called Hopolong Cassidy “look here, this is a book he had when he was a boy. It just shows you.” He opened it at the back over and turned it around for me to see. On the last fly-leaf was printed the word SCHEDULE and the date September 12, 1906 and underneath:

Rise from be……………………………………… 6.00 A.M

Dumbbell exercise and wallscaling……….6.15-6.30A.M

Study electricity, etc……………………….7.15-8.15 A.M

Work …………………………………………8.30-4.30P.M

Baseball and sports…………………..4.30-5.00P.M

Practice elocution, poise and how to attain it 5.00-6.00P.M

Study needed inventions……………..7.00-9.00P.M” ( Fitzgerald, 2002: 206)

Above-mentioned shows that on the last fly-leaf of Hopolong Cassidy Gatsby used to read were recorded his transcending decision and a piece of strict timetable for working. Over so many years, Gatsby always persisted in it and observed it.

From the Schedule, as everyone knows, Franklin and Addison, giving a good example, depended on the struggle by themselves and got a success at last and their stories, which made every one believe that each youth could become a millionaire or the president of U.S in the future. In their age, the novels describing American Dream were best-sellers, but they gave the preaching contents: As long as one person was honest, patient and independent, he would have the equality with every one to do everything, namely, it is possible for him coming from the poor family to become a rich and noble person, while Gatsby was one of the believersof it. The dream which seemed to happen in fairy tales was the endless infinite power that encouraged Gatsby struggle for it. The author contact Gatsby’s pursuit with European emigrants’ ancient desire to New Continent, and Franklin, representing American Dream and its invert forms later, defined Gatsby’s tragedy as huge historical background and deep typical senses. The traditional model of American Dream, as many critics and writers pointed out, were full of falsity, especially under the condition of capitalism developed rapidly, and polarization intensified increasingly. It made a point of evidence that Gatsby made a fortune, relying on personal virtues, diligence and frugality. Since his childhood, Gatsby used to abide by Franklin’s teaching, and try to practice the main inquire of the traditional model, following his own comprehension and the background of 20-century society in U.S. it is vagary for one person to come to the fore, who only depended on virtues, diligence and frugality, however, Gatsby‘s story of getting rich just certified it. When he was young, Gatsby could not gain any appropriate consequence that he wanted to get, so that he was surrendered by his beloved lover Daisy, for he was penniless and fameless at that time. And later he absurdly became a millionaire. Obviously, it ought to be tremendous irony for him to believe in American Dream. By all appearances, as were same with other magnates at that time, Gatsby still understood and practiced following principles. Theoretically, borderland, (here referred to the whole American) were equal paradise to every one, and the reward completely owed to diligence, frugality and good luckiness, but in fact, the rewarding often depended on trickiness, greed and mercilessness, as well as cruel ruthlessness and completely rotten means. It is the American dream, but it is the origin of Gatsby’s dream.

B. Essence of Gatsby’s Dream

Even if his dream originated from American dream, the essence of Gatsby’s dream is the essence of American dream. With his growing, Gatsby’s American Dream went by an evolution when he was young. He dreamed making a good fortune, transcending common people and getting rid of poorness as much as the heroes written by Ben Franklin and Horatio Alger. Later he met Daisy by chance and then lost his heart to her, thus Daisy became the personification of his perfect ideal and the embodiment of concentrating his entire ideal, and the he endeavored to do everything in the direction of them. Because in his mind, Daisy represented all beautiful creatures of the upper class society in America, and in his memory, the first love between Daisy and him seemed to be a human fairyland, whereas, the cruel reality was that he lacked rich family supporting him and his love. The great disparity of their status made him sense that he had no right to touch her hand. “Gatsby was overwhelmingly aware of the youth and mystery that wealth impressions and preserves, of the freshness ofmany clothes, and of Daisy, gleaming like silver, safe and proud above hot struggles of the poor.” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 98)

So having lost Daisy, he desperately earned much more money, and fantasized about recapturing his beloved―Daisy with money when he was rich enough, afterwards, he really made a fortune. “Once I wrote down on the empty space of a timetable the names of those who came to Gatsby’s house that summer, including film stars, boarders, duke, prince, etc. (Fitzgerald, 2002: 13)” , while the narrator Nickel’s finn servant informed me that Gatsby dismissed every servant in his house a week ago and replaced them with half a dozen others. Gatsby became very rich beyond people’s imagination, nearly owned magical power, could gather all rich men and dismiss servants and employ any one, and even made West Egg become a constant magnificent feast. Surely, what have been finished was not to depend on the traditional teaching but illegal deals in gangdom or underworld, however, luxurious life could not bring Gatsby a little happiness, since in essence, he was different from those who sought for benefits and fames. In Jazz Age, wealth was not the most significant to Gatsby, while what he only recalled was to repeat the past with Daisy day and night and to get the lost pure love. After he got rich, he bought a luxurious mansion in front of Daisy’s house across the bay. “If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your house across the bay,” said Gatsby, you always have a green light that burns all nights at the end of your dock.” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 110) Almost five years, Gatsby never stopped recalling his first lover Daisy. “He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way. No amount of fine or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 113)

As a result, the more perfect his ideal became, the more far away reality was.

C. Symbol of Gatsby’s Dream

In the novel, the green light represented that innocent Gatsby looked forward to the future, and at the same time longed for the history, namely, the green light represents his dream.

“Gatsby believed the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter―tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther….And one fine morning. So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 188)

American Dream actually originated from the past, and made him sincerely persist in the traditional ideal foundation; however, when he was borne back ceaselessly into the past, he made efforts for exploring various possibility in the future. To some extent, Gatsby’s love to Daisy reflected his wonderful memory of the past. Four years before, he realized her and then loved her. It was deeply engraved on his mind of original love. In the long time, tothe love of missing Daisy, Gatsby memorized that Daisy fantastically became a beautiful miracle story in his mind, a historical event with wonderful experiences and a fairy maiden in a mysterious Vail. He desired to make the historical past transform to the future with same historical meaning through his own persistent efforts. And this green light representing his good ideal echoed with a fresh green breast of the world mutually at the end of this novel, which made Gatsby’s experiences indicate the whole America’s ones; nevertheless, after five years when Gatsby met Daisy again, the miracle Daisy had lost her original glory. The distinction between ideal and reality was huge.

““And she doesn’t understand,” he said: “she used to be able to understand. We’d sit for hours―”He broke off and began to walk up and down a desolate path of fruit rinds and discarded favors and crushed flowers.

“I wouldn’t ask too much for her,” I ventured, “you can’t repeat the past.”

“Can’t repeat the past?” He cried incredulously. “Why of course you can!” He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out reach of his hand. “I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before,” he said, “nodding determinedly she’ll see.””(Fitzgerald, 2002: 130-1)

Through these words, author gave highly emphasis to the figure of Gatsby, as if American Dream between golden past and golden future always suffered from the realistic betrayal and crush―the realistic world appearing in front of people was bleakness and dejection that “it was full of fruits rinds and discarded favors and crushed flowers” here and there. Gatsby could not build his hope future on the basis of cruel reality. He uniquely recalled the past, only to make the past illusion take place of the reality and future. He could not face squarely the reality of uniting the past with the future in the realistic environment. These reflect the essence of Gatsby’s dream.

II. Ideal Personification: Unworthy of Name

Gatsby’ ideal personification in his mind is Daisy, because she was just a beautiful woman and the Gatsby’s first lover. Surely, he loved her very much; however, Daisy was rather earthly woman and bad virtue.

A. A Worldly Beauty

Woefully, Daisy was not as perfect as Gatsby always imagining in his mind, and his ideal personification that Gatsby desperately sought was only a badly worldly beauty with a good appearance and empty soul. In a cocktail party once held by Gatsby, when Daisy with her husband ―Tom came to Gatsby’s mansion together, Gatsby, being a host, of course serving them, especially serving Daisy, introduced all customers to them one by one. When they came to the front of a pair of outstanding ones, he gave them a special introduction and description:

““Perhaps you know that lady,” Gatsby indicated gorgeous, scarcely human orchid of a woman who sat under a white plum tree. Tom and Daisy stared, with that particularly unreal feeling that accompanies the recognition of hitherto ghostly celebrities of memories.

“She’s lovely,” said Daisy.

“The man bending over is her director.”” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 120)

Seen from the surface, it is a very elegant picture, as the famous drawing in the world was exciting, while observed from the essence, the picture was none of deep sense. The scene of the movie picture star and her director never appeared in reality but in a rehearsal. After the author finished introducing other scenes, he took readers’ attention to the pair of figures again, giving readers a static and wonderful image, as if readers went to the back of the white plum tree and saw another scene.

“It was like that. Almost the last thing I remember was standing with Daisy and watching the movie picture director and his star. They are still under the white plum tree and their faces were touching except for a pale, thin ray of moonlight between them. It occurred to me that he had been very slowly bending toward to her all night this proximity, and even while I watched I saw him stoop one ultimate degree and kiss at her cheek. “I like her”, said Daisy, “I think she’s lovely.”” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 127)

But the rest offended her―and inarguably, because it wasn’t a gesture but an emotion. Daisy liked the movie picture star, because the star had no any virtual thought and connotation. She, who was just a furnishing, a prop, except for the image on the screen, had no any practical sense, and as for her, beauty meant a concrete body. In effect, she completely separated from the realistic environment in which human beings lived, and became a solid gesture. The narration and speaking was actually Daisy’s profession of the life belief, so here she asserted the attitude to emotions and the principles of actions. In essence, her emptiness and superficiality inevitably led to his indifference in emotion and corruption in morality. Daisy was not the figure that Gatsby described and chased perfectly in his mind, but a scrumptious representative in Jazz Age (When he wrote to Parkinson, F. Scott. Fitzgerald said that Jazz Age referred to the period of ten years during May 1st, 1919 and Oct. 1929 when the stock-market prices went down), and typically essential personification in the worldly society. Of love and marriage, she was also a failure, for her voice was full of money.

““She’s got and indiscreet voice,” I remarked. “It’s full of -----” I hesitated.

“Her voice is full of money,” he said suddenly.

That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money―that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the symbols’ song of it……high in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl……”(Fitzgerald, 2002: 143)

Without doubtness, Daisy was the concrete embodiment of epicurean: money first and material prominent.

B. Bad Virtue

Contrast with Gatsby’s hospitality, spoon and romantic, Daisy possessed neither romantic idealslike Gatsby nor the real sacrificial bravery of sacrificing for the ideal, only to desire for comfortable worldly life. It was true that she loved Gatsby, but later in order to enjoy magnificent and comfortable life, she married Tom against her wills.

As she found that Gatsby was richer than Tom Buchanan, she returned to Gatsby, the climax of the novel was arranged in a hotel, when Tom told the fact that Gatsby was a bootlegger and his wealth was illegal, Daisy shrank at once. “ ‘Even alone I can’t say I never loved Tom,’ she admitted in a pitiful voice, ‘It wouldn’t be true’. ” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 158) Impatiently, after Daisy cracked up Tom’s mistress by chance when she drove, she escaped away with her husband Tom together, and left the responsibility and guilty to Gatsby; what’s worse, she had little courage to admit the fact that she herself was the wrecker indeed. Gatsby loved a person who was a coward and lack of virtues and sincerity, but he still considered her as his best ideal, and voluntarily accepted all responsibilities and sacrificed his life, all of which caused Gatsby’s tragedy; whereas, owing to Daisy’s betrayal, his death was innocent, and it was Gatsby’s tragedy that he was surrendered by his own ideal Daisy and paid too high cost for his empty dream.

III. Potential Destructiveness in Gatsby’s Characters

The inevitability of Gatsby’s tragedy was related to the potential destructiveness in his character, namely, some factors in his character caused his life and ideals destroyed.

A. Obstinate Character

Gatsby was the believer and follower of American Dream who thought the opportunity was equal to everyone in the society and fantasized to prompt into upper class society like Daisy. Nevertheless, the upper class society which represented by Daisy and Tom never put up with Gatsby as well as his being. Tom was very proud selfish and cruel, lacking essential virtues and moralities. In his eyes, he could never abide by sharing the privilege which the noble people only owned and shared with Gatsby together. No matter who is he? If he dared to talk about the equality, he must die of it. Therefore, though Gatsby made a ladder to the fairyland in people’s mind by his illegal wealth, he could not take a place and space in the upper class society and equally share the magic and milk. However rich he was, however his name and luxurious cars he exchanged, he was still an unimportant person who came from the low class society, consequently, he was always attacked and squeezed out. Gatsby would not accept the fact he never did it but Gatsby still struggled for his dream repeating the past with Daisy and got rich by hook or crook, especially by illegal methods. So he was obstinate in his mind, actually, he was not stupid but foolish. Doubtlessly, it is inevitable that his American Dream was disillusioned.

B. Foolish Character

Actually, Gatsby is a real foolish gentleman, because he fantasized about getting a pure love, and thought of a worldly beauty as the symbol of perfect ideal. In order to get his ideal love, Gatsby struggled his feet from the low class society and devoted himself to Daisy. He innocently believed that as long as he got rich, he could repeat the past with Daisy. Different from other people in Jazz Age, Gatsby was a pure romantic gentleman. “Gatsby bought that mansion so that Daisy would bi just across the bay.” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 93) Although Daisy once returned to his body, he could not satisfy it. What he wanted to get was not that he endowed with great charm, but that he wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: “I never love you. After she had obliterated four years with that sentence they could decide upon the more practical measures to go back to Louisville and be married from her house― just as if it were five years ago.” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 130) However, the essence of Daisy decided that the dream of Gatsby’s pure love was inevitably disillusioned.

C. Ignorance

In fact, Gatsby was serious ignorance of the upper class society for he did not recognize the essence of the upper class society clearly: For Gatsby, the realistic background of Daisy’s family and her social intercourse actually became a kind of ideal symbol that is beyond reality and agreement with the myth circumstances. As an unknown and penniless man, Gatsby was just beyond reach, so he spent all his energy struggling for and weaving his ideal and dream, so that he could not see through the hypocrisy and the ugliness hidden in beauty and luxury. While he was alive, he constantly held tremendous feasts and had an endless stream of visitors. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and champagne and the stars, but after he was dead, no telephone message arrived, but the butler went without his sleep and waited for it until four o’clock―until ling after there was any one to give it to if it came. On Gatsby’s funeral ceremony,

“about five o’clock our procession of three cars reached the cemetery and stopped in a thick drizzle beside the gate―first a motor hearse, horribly black and wet, then Mr. Gatz and the postman from West Egg ,” what’s worse, “I could only remember, without resent, that Daisy hadn’t sent a message or a flower.” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 208)

Daisy went far away with his husband Tom; Gatsby’s funeral ceremony was rather lonely. Perhaps, it was the essential face of upper class society. Gatsby was so lack of mind and discerning power that he was fatally destroyed. His destruction was not only in physic but in spirit or morality; unfortunately he did not realize it when he was died.

D. Innocence

The most obvious destructiveness in his characters is that Gatsby was very innocent. It is a poetic and romantic scene that hid serious facts. Under the wasted and luxurious surface hidden, Gatsby’s inner heart went by cruelty―he must think and build desire for reality of ideals in the fantasy and impractical scene, and finally find someplace beneficial for him to become practical possibility. It was the focus of the question that all his efforts were to attract a his original lover Daisy’s attention and to make her return to his body, but Gatsby made an ostentations show of one’s wealth with beyond words describing and the ostentation contained fatal factors, so luxurious party made the focus of the question ambiguous.

“There was music from my neighbor’s house through the summer nights. In blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. At night tide in the afternoon I watched guests diving from the tower of his raft, or taking the sun on the hot sand of his beach while his two motor cars slit the waters of sound, drawing aquaplanes over cataracts of foam. On weekends his Roll-Royce became an omnibus bearing parties to and from the city between mine in the morning and ling past night. While his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all trains. And on Mondays eight servants, including an extra gardener, toiled all day with mops and scrubbing-brushes and hammers and garden-shears, repairing the ravages of the night before.” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 47)

The possibility of realistic life was based on materials, and the ideals fell to the second place, however, in the extremely luxurious world of materials―personal beach, mansion, Roll-Royce, etc.―Gatsby went into a marvelous state which was out of practice. His magnificent cocktail party attracted innumerable celebrities coming from upper class society. Some people were envious ones, others were visitors’ guests, but they had the same motive for showing off their noble status, sharing luxurious material life, hardly making them drop out of the day. They could be proud of attending the noble cocktail party. This kind of servile and worldly psychology made them spend weekends in a continuous, made Gatsby certainly exhaust lots of money to express his generosity and hospitality, with a result, on Mondays eight servants, including an extra gardener, toiled all day with mops and scrubbing Cbrushes and hammers and garden-shears,, repairing the ravages of the night before.

These are key important words in this part. Though it could made people produce the association of fairy tale, yet it possesses deep sarcastic meaning and innuendo function, which buried a foreshadowing for Gatsby’s tragic consequence; in addition, it is more wonderful to casually add “extra gardeners, as if his guests had broken the harmony of original natural beautiful view,” and made the original poetic and drawing scene badly messy. In this novel, using a superb metaphor, the author shows to readers that the most suitable place to record these guests’ names was on the empty spaces of an old and broken timetable, because these guests the world their embodying were fantasizing as short as time, a flash in the pan, and they would never cameback with time passing at last, as a piece of overdue train timetable left people a little dim memory. What they represented was only some misshapen scraps crushed by reality of American Dream, and these guests came to visit Gatsby in a continuous stream, because he had motor-boats, personal beach, luxurious cars, as well as various cocktails and balls’ parties. More importantly, they all followed blindly impractical reality with their illusion and showed off themselves and their own values, while Gatsby was willing to invite them to take his party. Because of his incomplete American Dream, without seeing and touching the realistic hope, he used the form of material to create the ideal world and practice his life dream. It was a fact that Gatsby needed them to decorate mansion for his face and in turn they needed Gatsby’s hospitality to raise their status. So their mutual needs made them go together, nevertheless, their own goals were completely different, and their life experiences were also more different. No matter how dazzling and luxurious the parties were, no matter how hospitality Gatsby powered, the gat between Gatsby and them always existed for ever, in that fantasy and reality acted in direct contradiction as two trains in same direction could not merged together. Followings indicate it:

“The caterwauling horns had reached a crescendo and turned away and cut across the lawn toward home. I glanced back once. A wafer of a moon was shining over Gatsby’s house, making the night fine as before, and surviving the laughter and the sound his still glowing garden. A sudden emptiness seemed to flow now from the windows and the great doors, endowing with complete isolation the figure of the host, who stood on the porch, his hand in a formal gesture of farewell.” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 66)

The phrase is a description with profound meaning. It makes people to come to realize the fickleness of human relationships and to feel the desolation and depression, and makes people feel his endurance of desire for ideals and inner pain. He lonely stood on the porch, his hand up in formal gesture of farewell, which made his figure outstanding protrusion and conspicuousness.

Therefore, the obstinate, foolish, ignorant and innocent characters are destructive characters, and they make Gatsby’s tragedy become more possible.

IV. The Decadent and Ruthless Social Reality

Superficially, Gatsby was only the sacrifice of a tri-angle love, nonetheless, the author did not only describe fate that a young and penniless man spent all his energy earning enough money and then won the lost real love, but what’s more important, deeply reacted to the social reality the author lived in, and revealed American complex modern experience and sharp social contradiction, namely, it was the struggle between the New Bourgeoisie and the old bourgeoisie whose statuses were stable. After the World War I, American value concepts changed greatly and were different from before. In people’s mind, they thought that money took God’s place, the whole traditional order was collapsed, and Fitzgerald once summarized people’s characters at that time as “all Gods have died, all the wars have been over, and all the faiths have faded away.”(Fitzgerald, 1991: 253) American people living in Jazz Age looked down on the traditional faiths and revealed against the moralities and customs that their ancestors used to abide by.

A. Cruel social Society of U.S.A

In the society of the lost ideals, Gatsby was a hot and romantic idealist, and his marvelous genius to the hope and romance made him turn a blind eye to American cruel social reality and desperately sought after impractical romantic love, even tried redeeming his lost pleasure together with Daisy in the past by a plenty of money; besides, he still obstinately believed that one person could fulfill the dream through his own ideal by hook or by crook, and even if he met huge trouble or problem, he would take his heart to fulfill his own dream with all his efforts, whereas, the power of opposing Gatsby was bourgeoisie groups represented by Tom and Daisy. The novel really responded to the struggle for statuses between the new noble men and the old groups. Tom and Daisy were extreme egoists and real materialist, Tom asserted in public “this fellow has worked out the whole thing. It’s up to us who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things,” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 15) while Daisy was same to echo others’ opinions. In Tom’s eyes, though Gatsby was only nobody whose life story no one knew, he who was a young magnate was aggressed by Tom who never took a casual attitude to Gatsby since he knew Gatsby. Gatsby wan the absolute victory when he competed with Tom to gain Daisy’s love, but Tom was not willing to give it up, furthermore, he took mean measures and decided to kill Gatsby to death. For this purpose, Tome rushed at Gatsby like a hungry beast, to kill Gatsby’s dream with continual dirty dust.

It was like this, because of Tom’s conspiracy and betrayal, Gatsby was tragic death. At last, the symbol meaning of Gatsby’s experiences and his broken dream is very clear:

“Most of the big shore places were close now and there were hardly and lights except the shadowy more glow of a ferryboat across the sound. And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors’ eyes-----a flesh, green breast of the new world. It’s vanished trees, the trees that had made way for Gatsby’s house had once pandered in whispers too the last and greatest of all human dreams; for a transitory enchanted moment, compelled into an aesthetic contemplation he neither understood nor desired, face to face for the last time in history with something commensurate to his capacity for wonder. ” (Fitzgerald, 2002: 214)

Therefore, he could not see through the cruel society in America at that time.

B. Social Value Trend

At that time, people abandoned the traditional industriousness and thrift and began to enjoy life. Common people’s social value trend was the hedonism that money is first and materials are supreme; however, Gatsby, different from them, attached more importance to enjoy life in spirit than in material. What he always sought for is romantic and perfect ideal, i.e. repeat the past with Daisy and live a happy life with her. Owing to lack of self-comprehension, Gatsby innocently comprehended the social value and greatness, and desired for the future; Gatsby unconsciously fell into the tragic consequence that the social evil power trapped for him. At the end of the novel, Gatsby’s lonely funeral ceremony and people’s indifference completely reflected the American society’s coolness and ugliness in 1920’s. In this society, Gatsby was destined to be isolated helpless and to fail in all.

Gatsby was one of typical representatives of American Dream that all generations of American people pursued. He was really penniless before he had fulfilled his ideals, but at last he was overwhelmed by decadent ruthless society. No matter how did Gatsby struggle for it, he could not get into the upper class society; no matter how did he do hard, he could not get Daisy and her heart; even if he tried his best effort to fulfill his dream, he was destined to fail at last. People could learn something from the Gatsby’s tragedy that the upper class society in America was affected by American rotten life for pleasure, the world was the place where rich men could share life, and that was a daydream for any one who wanted to seek for the pure love and sincere happiness there. Because Gatsby held different social value from common American people, the tragedy of believer and follower ―Gatsby persistently seeking for American Dream asserted the bankruptcy of American Dream.

Conclusion

Gatsby’s final destructiveness was the consequence of Tom’s plotting and framing. It was superficial phenomenon that Tom, the real murderer of murdering Gatsby, represented the upper class society and committed the crime, but the deep connotation was that upper class society ruined Gatsby’s dream in spirit. Gatsby’s falsity was that he was too innocent to see through that his beloved Daisy was as dishonest and unconscientious as Tom, and they unique possessed selfish, cruelness, falsity, deceit as well as narrowness. In the cocktail party Gatsby held, Tom and Daisy smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or let other people clean up the mess they had made, so Daisy was not worthy for Gatsby to devote himself to her, and he lived in cruel environment.

“So we beat on, boats on against the current, born back ceaselessly into the past”(Fitzgerald, 2002: 215). To repeat the past, Gatsby devoted all to his dream, but at last his efforts were hopeless. Actually, this was an ode of personality separated in special time and space. Gatsby tried practicing his figure again, prompting into upper class society and regaining original ideal beloved Daisy, whose actions were magnificent and epic, but he was destined to fail because his various efforts were sarcastic. He made a lot of lies for getting Daisy, yet she was only a beautiful body with good appearance and bad virtues, so Daisy has no qualification to be the person who Gatsby devoted his life to.

Owing to his innocence, lacking of discerning power and self-comprehension, Gatsby fell into the trap that the social evil power set for him. Owing to his honestness, kindness, determined beliefs, tense desire and firm decision, he believed that he could build a real fairy-land. Doubtlessly, the description of American Dream was perfect, but the realistic world represented by Tom and Daisy was too absurd to withstand a single blow. Gatsby’s lack of mind and discerning power led to his final destructiveness――his destructiveness was not only in physic but also in spirit. It is human being’s tragedy.

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