自然·人性·生命-《野性的呼唤》的多重主题研究_英语论文

Nature, Human Nature and Life —On the Multiple Themes of The Call of the Wild

摘要

杰克•伦敦是19世纪末20世纪初美国著名的小说家，自然主义的杰出代表，在美国文学史上占有重要地位。伦敦作品的主题多为个体与自然界不可抗力量之间的争斗，反映出他深受当时自然主义的影响。《野性的呼唤》是伦敦反映自然主义的经典之作。故事讲述了南方狗巴克被偷走贩运到北方变成雪橇狗、最后回归荒野的故事。巴克在艰难的环境中，不仅要经受自然的考验、忍饥挨饿，还要在群体中谋求生存、打败敌手。最后，巴克在自我挣扎中和原始欲望召唤下，本性复萌，回归大自然。小说主题的多重性使其内涵更深刻、更具厚度。读者不但能领略到神奇广阔的荒野景象，体味惊心动魄的斗争与主人公跌宕起伏的命运，还能思索其中蕴含的生命哲学，反思社会的黑暗与人性的复杂，渴望人性与自然的复归。

自从1903年这部小说的发表以来，《野性的呼唤》就引起了读者和评论界的强烈反响，成为风靡一时的畅销书。国内外对小说的相关评论和著作数不胜数，学者们多聚焦于小说中巴克的形象分析和成长历程、野性与人性的冲突、自然主义元素等方面加以研究，但论述零散，对其主题缺乏综合梳理。在前人研究基础上，本课题将从自然、人性、生命三方面探讨小说的多重主题，重点分析小说体现的回归自然、野性与人性冲突与融合、生命伦理等主题，揭示巴克从文明到野蛮的过程中体现的残酷生存现实以及作者所赋予小说的生命关怀和人道主义情怀。

关键词: 杰克•伦敦；《野性的呼唤》；多重主题

Abstract

Jack London was a famous novelist in the late 19th century and early 20th century in America. He was an excellent representative of naturalism and occupied an important position in the history of American literature. The theme of London’s art often focuses on the inevitable fight between individuals and nature, which reflects that London was deeply influenced by naturalism at that time. The Call of the Wild is a masterpiece of naturalism. The dog Buck was stolen and trafficked from south to north and became sled dogs, and finally returned to the wild. Buck, in a tough environment, not only had to stand the test of nature and suffer hunger, but also had to struggle for a living in a tough community and defeat his enemies. Finally, Buck, under self struggle and the call of the wild desire, returned to nature. The multiple themes of the novel make its connotation more profound. Readers can not only enjoy the vast wilderness and experience thrilling struggle with the fate of the hero, but also learn the philosophy of life and reflect the cruelty of the society and the complexity of human nature, and hence long for the return of humanity and nature.

Since published in 1903, The Call of the Wild has caused a strong reaction among the readers and critics and has become a popular book for a long time. There are so many relevant comments and works on this novel and scholars at home and abroad, which mainly focus on Buck’s image analysis and progress of growth, the conflict between wildness and humanity, naturalistic elements and so on. But those studies are scattered and lack comprehensive analysis. On the basic of previous studies, this paper will explore the multiple themes of the novel from three aspects—nature, human nature and life and hence expose the cruel reality in Buck’s transformation from civilized to wild and life care and humanist thought of the author.

Keywords: Jack London  The Call of the Wild  multiple themes