A Study of American Individualism Embodied in Hollywood Movies_英语论文

摘要

美国个人主义作为美国的文化核心和主流价值观，在美国大众心理、社会生活甚至政治经济等领域都起着主导作用。个人主义作为一种显著的民族性格，在美国文化的各个方面都可以找到个人主义的痕迹。而集商业和文化两种属性于一身的好莱坞电影，充分体现了美国文化，特别是美国个人主义的不同的表现形式。

本论文在前人的研究成果基础上，先追溯个人主义的起源及美国个人主义的历史发展，然后阐述电影的文化属性，指出好莱坞电影是美国个人主义表达的载体。文章将结合美国个人主义的四种表现形式（自由平等、自我奋斗、拓荒精神以及个人英雄主义）以及经典好莱坞电影和现阶段的好莱坞电影，运用例证分析法，全面地阐述美国个人主义是如何在好莱坞电影中得以体现的。本研究的意义在于，通过分析好莱坞电影中美国个人主义的不同表现形式，帮助人们进一步了解和认识美国的核心价值观，更好地欣赏好莱坞电影。

关键词：美国； 个人主义； 好莱坞电影

Abstract

The United States is a nation that highly advocates individualism. America is deeply branded with individualism. All men are created equal——the Independence Declaration writes down the first record of Americans’ pursuit of individualism. As time goes by, American individualism grows up and turns to be the core of American value which can be seen everywhere in American society. As a miniature of American society, Hollywood movies embody the American individualism with its strong expressive force. 

This paper offers a profound understanding of American Individualism by tracing down its origins. First, it analyzes the four components of American individualism: liberty and equality, self-reliance, pioneering spirits and individual heroism. Then the cultural attributes of Hollywood movies are analyzed, that is, Hollywood movies are carriers for presenting American individualism. Based on exemplification, this paper explores how American individualism is embodied in Hollywood movies, which may help people to understand American core value further and thus enjoy Hollywood movies better.

Key words: Individualism, The United States, Hollywood movies

Contents

Acknowledgements i

Abstract ii

摘要 iii

Contents iv

1. Introduction 1

2. Demonstration 2

2.1 American individualism 2

2.1.1 American Values 3

2.1.2 Individualism 4

2.1.3 American individualism 5

2.2 Hollywood movies 8

2.2.1 The dual attributes of movies 8

2.2.2 Hollywood movies and their ideological functions 9

2.3 American individualism embodied in movies 10

2.3.1 American individualism in the form of liberty and equality 10

2.3.2 American individualism in the form of self-reliance 12

2.3.3 American individualism in the form of pioneering spirits 15

2.3.4 American individualism in the form of Individual Heroism 16

3. Conclusion 19

Notes 20

Works Cited 21

Bibliography 22