《人鼠之间》主要人物的焦虑形态分析_英语论文

On the Anxiety of the Main Characters in Of Men And Mice

摘要

约翰· 斯坦贝克是20世纪美国文坛最伟大的作家之一。其作品《人鼠之间》是一部沉重而蕴意深刻的中篇小说，讲述了佐治伦尼等几个流动农场工人追逐土地梦想却最终希望落空的经历。本文以《人鼠之间》为研究对象，探讨其主要人物的焦虑形态。从土地情结、身份认同和多重人格三个层面阐述物质焦虑、精神焦虑和道德焦虑三种焦虑形态，进而发现经济动荡，物质匮乏是造成这种焦虑形态的根源。

关键词：约翰· 斯坦贝克； 《人鼠之间》； 物质焦虑； 精神焦虑； 道德焦虑

Abstract

John Steinbeck is one of the greatest writers in the twentieth-century American literature. His work Of Mice and Men is a profound and serious novella which tells the story of migrant workers like George and Lennie who chase their land dream but end in disillusionment. This thesis probes into the anxiety of the main characters and illustrates three types of anxiety—material, spiritual and moral anxiety, respectively from the perspectives of land complex, identity and multiple personality. A further analysis finds out the roots of the anxiety lie in the economic turmoil, material deprivation.

Key words: John Steinbeck; Of Mice and Men; material anxiety; spiritual anxiety; moral anxiety

Contents

1. Introduction 1

1.1 The definition of anxiety 2

1.2 Anxiety types 2

2. Literature Review 3

3. Existential Anxiety Types in Of Mice and Men 3

3.1 George’s material anxiety about land complex 3

3.2 George’s and Lennie’s and Crooks’ spiritual anxiety about their identity 4

3.3 George’s and Lennie’s and Candy’s moral anxiety 5

4. Causes For Existential Anxiety in Of Mice and Men 7

4.1 Economic Causes 7

4.2 Material Deprivation 9

5. Conclusion 11

Works Cited 14