《我是猫》中对日本国民性的初探_英语论文

A Study on Japanese National Characters in I'm a Cat

摘要

夏目漱石作为日本明治时代的文豪，在日本乃至世界文学史上有着重要的地位，他反对自然流派的笔调，用一种“余裕”的眼光，和文人独有的幽默，遵从自己的判断，以冷静且犀利的眼光看待身边的一切。《我是猫》一书的灵感便是取自夏目漱石日常生活，有着浓厚的生活气息和特殊的感情色彩。该书通过夏目漱石笔下生动幽默的描绘，展示了日本明治时代生活的方方面面，幽默而不失深刻地阐述了当时日本社会的现状和问题。本文以《我是猫》一书为切入点，结合日本史，以及日本文学史，对《我是猫》的写作背景进行分析，同时以鲁思·本尼迪克特、新渡户稻造的理论为研究视角，结合国内相关研究，对小说中存在的日本国民性，以及其国民性在当今日本社会的表现及影响进行分析和阐述。旨在深入对日本国民性以及夏目漱石的了解，促进中日两国彼此之间的了解。   

关键字： 《我是猫》 日本 国民性 夏目漱石

Abstract

As a Japanese literary giant of Meiji era, Natsume Soseki has an important position in Japan and even the world literary history. With the opposing of the school of natural style, he used a vision of a "yoyuu" and his unique humor, following his own judgment and sharp looking to evaluate what happened around him. The book’s idea of "I am a cat" is inspired by Natsume Soseki's daily life with rich living vitality, emotional and inspiring. The book shows all aspects of life in Japanese‘s Meiji era.Described by writer’s profound literature attainment, it let us laugh at the plot. At the same time ,it made us think deeply about the society and the situation we confront now. The book gives a profound exposition of the status and problems of Japanese society at that time. As for this, the author will take the a book as a breakthrough point combined with the history of Japan and Japanese literary history to analyze the background of I am a Cat. The author bases the view on Ruth Benedict, Nitobe Inazou and China's previous research data to analysis the Japanese national character that is reflected in this novel and its influence toward the contemporary Japanese society. The writer hopes that from this thesis we can get further understanding to the national character of Japanese and Natsume Soseki,promoting mutual understanding between the two countries in the future.

Key words:  I am a Cat Japan,National character,Natsume Soseki 

Contents

Introduction 1

1 Background 2

1.1 Natsume Soseki 2

1.2 The Background of that time 3

1.3The Background of I am a Cat 4

2 View of Life and Death 5

2.1 The Desire for Death 5

2.2 Influence to Japan 6

2.2.1 Cherry Blossoms 6

2.2.2 Suicide 6

2.2.3 Shame Culture 9

3 View of Learning other Country 10

3.1 Well-known Saying in the Novel 10

3.2  Absorbing Well and Rigid stubborn 11

3.2.1 Past of the Japan 12

3.2.2 Stubborn Japanese 12

4 View of Hierarchy 14

4.1 The Confliction Between Capitalist and Intellectuals 14

4.2 Take Their Own Place 15

4.3 Modest and Arrogant 16

Conclusion 17

Bibliography 18

Acknowledgments 19