A Naturalistic Study of Henry Flemings Timidity in The Red Badge of Courage.docx
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ANaturalisticStudyofHenryFlemingsTimidityinTheRedBadgeofCourage
题目:
ANaturalisticStudyofHenryFleming’s Timidityin
TheRedBadgeofCourage
Contents
1.Introduction…………………………………………………………1
1.1.TheReviewofTheRedBadgeofCourage………………………1
1.2.TheReviewofStephenCraneandtheNaturalisminTheRedBadgeofCourage………………………………………………..2
2.NaturalisticStudyofHenryFleming’sPsychology…………………3
2.1.TheCallofWild—theDesiretoGototheBattlefield……………3
2.1.1.TheExteriorFactor—HisPoorFamilyBackground…………4
2.1.2.TheInteriorFactor—RegardlessofObstruction……………..6
2.2.TheSurvivaloftheFittest—HisCowardiceinBattlefield………9
2.2.1.HeroismSurrenderingtoAnxietyandTimidity…………….10
2.2.2.TriumphofCowardice………………………………………12
2.3.InstinctforLiving—HisEndeavorofCoveringaftertheWar…..16
2.3.1.CoveringHisCowardicebyLying…………………………16
2.3.2.LivingonbyWorkingHard…………………………………18
3.Conclusion……………………………………………………………20
Bibliography…………………………………………………………….21
Abstract
TheRedBadgeofCourageisthemasterpieceofAmericanwriterStephenCranewhoisafamousnaturalistwriterin19thcentury.Thisnovel’sbackgroundisAmericanCivilWar(1861-1865),andittellsusthatapeasantwoman’sson-HenryFlemingwhoalwayscraveforthemilitarylifeandtobeaherointheCivilWar.Henryattendsthemilitarywithouthismother’sobstructionandheiscontrolledbyhisinstinct--timiditythroughwholeprogress.Duringtherunning,Henry’spsychologyhaschangedlot.Finally,heiscommendedforhisfraudcourageousbehavior,andhismindisstillfilledwithfearandcowardice.Returningtothebattlefield,hefightshardwithragejustforcoveringthefearandcowardice.Inthisessay,IwillanalysisHenryFleming’scowardiceandhispsychologychangefromnaturalism.
Keywords:
timidity;naturalism;psychology;instinct;fear
摘要
《红色英勇勋章》是美国十九世纪的现实主义作家斯蒂芬·克莱恩的代表作。
小说以美国南北战争(1861-1865)为背景,讲述了一个农妇的独生子亨利·弗莱明,渴望过军旅生活,渴望在战争中成为受人敬仰的英勇而不顾母亲的劝阻毅然加入了军队。
而之后的整个生活都被自己的本能—胆小所控制。
特别是在逃跑期间,他的心理经历了更多的变化。
在返回军营之后,他由于身上多了一条伤口而被大家赞扬,而此时他自己的心理确实充满着胆小与害怕。
重返战场之后,为了掩饰自己的胆小与害怕,亨利·弗莱明更加英勇的战斗。
在这篇论文中,我将从自然主义的角度去分析弗莱明的胆小与心理变化。
关键词:
胆小;自然主义;心理变化;本能;害怕
1.Introduction
TheRedBadgeofCourageisthemasterpieceofAmericanwriterStephenCrane,whoisafamousnaturalistwriterin19thcentury.Thisnovel’sbackgroundisAmericanCivilWar(1861—1865),andittellsusthatapeasantwoman’sson—HenryFleming,whoalwayscravesforthemilitarylifeandwantstobeaherointheCivilWar.Inordertomakehisdreamcometrue,heattendsthemilitaryregardlessofhismother’sobstruction.Beforethewar’sbeginning,Henry’smindisfulloffearandtimidityforhearingsomerumors.Whenfacingtherealwar,herunsawayfromthebattle.Duringhisrunningaway,heworriesaboutthathewouldbelaughedat.Hefaceshisfriend’sdeath.Helongsforawoundtocertificatehiscourage.Finally,hegetsawoundbuthasnothingtodowiththecourageousbehavior.Afterreturningtothemilitary,althoughheiscommendedforhisfraudcourageousbehavior,hismindisstillfilledwithfearandcowardice.Returningtothebattlefield,hefightshardwithragejustforcoveringupthefearandcowardice.ThisnovelendswithadeclarationofHenry’sdevelopmentintoamanofhonorandcourage.
ForStephenCrane(1871—1900),asIknow,heisoneofthegreatestnaturalismnovelistsinAmericanliteraturehistory.Atthesametime,heisashortstorywriter,poetandjournalist.(BowersF.,1984:
5)TheFrenchschoolofNaturalismhasagreatinfluenceonhisnovelsandhim.Duringhisshortlife,hecreatesthreefamousnaturalismnovels:
TheRedBadgeofCourage,Maggie—AGirloftheStreetsandTheOpenBoat.Therefore,someonesaysthatheisageniusintheAmericannovelhistory.SomeonecallshimthepioneerintheAmericannaturalismliterature.Inthesethreenaturalisticnovels,wecangetaseriousofnaturalisticideasandthemes.Forexample,“Thefatespresideoverman’slife,whenthemanisinfrontofthecruelfates,environmentsandsocieties”,“Man,whoaredeprivedoffreedom,cannotgetthehelpfromtheGod,becausetheGodiscoldanddon’tcareabouthuman’ssuffering”.(罗小云,2009:
2)Atthesametime,Stephen’snaturalismalsoincludesaseriousofDarwin’stheories,like,“thesurvivalofthefittest”,“alllivingwhichincludesmanisconstrainedbythelawsofnature”“humanbeingisanimalandanimalishumanbeing”andsoon.(刘丹,2010:
32)Fromthemacro,theNaturalismmeansthepoweroftheenvironment.Nomatteritisnaturalenvironmentorurbanenvironment,theycanbeyondoroverwhelmthehuman’spowersothatthemancannotdoanythingforthedecisivethings.AccordingtotheEmileZola’sdefinitiontotheliterarynaturalism,thenaturalismisdirectobservation,descriptionandacceptancetoallthings.
InCrane’sTheRedBadgeofCourage,StephenCranefocusesondescriptionofHenryFleming’spsychology.WecangetCrane’snaturalismfromthesepoints.Firstnaturalism,humanbeingsaregovernedbytheirinstinctandpassions.Second,manisoftengovernedbytheirheredityandnaturalenvironment.Thirdisnaturalselectionandsurvivaloffittest.Fourth,animals’characterisbasicpersonalityofhumanbeings.Therefore,inthisessay,IwillstudyHenryFleming’stimidityinaccordancewithnaturalistideas.
2.ANaturalisticStudyofHenryFleming’sPsychology
InTheRedBadgeofCourage,HenryFleming’spsychologicalchangesexperiencefivestages.AtFirst,hefeelsexcitingafterattendingthemilitary.Second,itisabouthisfearandanxietyafterhearingtherumoraboutthewar.Third,itisaboutthetimidityhefeelswhenhefacesthedeathintherealwar.Fourth,itispsychologicalconflictandself-reproachafterherunsawayfromthebattlefield.Fifth,itisaboutthecowardiceandfearhefeelswhenHenryreturnstothearmy.Inmyunderstanding,thefearandtimidityareprevailingthroughoutHenry’spsychologicalchanges.
2.1TheCallofWild—TheDesiretoGotoTheBattlefield
Fromthephilosophyview,weknowthateverything’shappeningdependsonbothexteriorfactorsandinteriorfactors.ThisruleisalsoapplicabletotheStephenCrane’swork.ForHenryFleming,hiscraveisexcitedbytwoaspects.Oneistheexteriorfactor—hispoorfamilybackground.Everyone,whowasborninthepoorentertainment,wantstochangethissituationinstinctively.Anotheroneistheinteriorfactor—regardlessofobstruction.ThisinthemostimportantreasonforHenry’sattendingthearmy.Becauseoftheobstruction,everyonewantstoexperiencethecravingwhilebreakingthroughtheobstruction.Now,IwillanalyzeHenryFleming’spsychologyfromthesetwoparts.
2.1.1TheExteriorFactor—HisPoorFamilyBackground
HenryFlemingwasborninapoorfamily.AsIsee,hispoorfamilybackgrounddecideshisdesiretogotothebattlefield.IcanusethesecondandthirdnaturalistideaswhichImentionedinthepreviousparagraphtoanalysisthisconclusion—“Manisoftengovernedbytheirheredityandnaturalenvironment”.Henry’spoorfamilybackgroundisthenaturalenvironment.NotonlycantheenvironmentgobeyondandoverwhelmHenry’spower,butalsoitcangovernHenryandhisinstinct,becausetheenvironmentgovernshimandhisinstinct,andtheinstinctcallshiswilddesiretouseallwaystochangethepoorfamilyconditionandenvironment.Atthatwarperiod,thebestwaytosolvethisproblemistoattendthemilitary.“Ifhetrieshisbesttosurvivefromthewarandtobeahero,thenHenrywillgettheglorywhichcanbringwealth,ahappylifeandevenrevisehisfamilybackgroundandenvironment.”(张放放,2005:
1)Beforeattendingthemilitary,Henryalwaysdreamsofthebattleallhislife.InStephenCrane’snovel,wecanseeHenry’scravingformilitarylife,forwar,forgloryandforbeingahero.
HehadlongdespairedofwitnessingaGreeklikestruggle.Suchwouldbenomore,hehadsaid.Menwerebetter,ormoretimid.Hehasburnedseveraltimestoenlist.Talesofgreatmovementsshooktheland.TheymightnotbedistinctlyHomeric,butthereseemedtobemuchgloryinthem.Hehadreadofmarches,sieges,conflicts,andhehadlongedtoseeitall.Hisbusymindhaddrawnforhimlargepicturesextravagantincolor,luridwithbreathlessdeeds.
(StephenCrane,1895:
5)
FromthisdescriptionofHenryFleming,weknowhisdesireforwar,militaryandglory.Finally,thewilddesireforceshimtojointhemilitary.Thewilddesireisgeneratedbythenaturalenvironment.So,wecansaythattheexteriorfactor—theenvironmentcontrolsFleming’sinstinct.Fromanotherpoint,thecharacterofnaturalisminAmericanliterature,wecanalsoexplainthereasonwhyHenryFlemingcravestoattendthebattlesomuch.Thecharacteris“frequentlybutnotinvariablyilleducatedorlowerclasscharacterswhoselivesaregovernedbytheforcesofheredity,instinct,andpassion”.(Philips, Brian& DavidHopson,2003:
22)Accordingthischaracter,HenryFleming’sfamily,whichisnaturalenvironment,belongstothelowerclassandhebelongstothelowerclasscharacterandilleducatedperson.Hislifeisgovernedbytheforceofinstinct.Therefore,thenaturalenvironmenthasagreatinfluenceonhimandawakeshiswilddesireorinstincttojointhearmy.
FromthedescriptionaboveforHenry,“HehadlongdespairedofwitnessingaGreeklikestruggle.Suchwouldbenomore,hehadsaid.Menwerebetterormoretimid”.(StephenCrane,1895:
34)WeknowthatFleminglongsforattendingawarthatjustlikestheGreekwar.Atsametime,healsorecognizesthatmenwillshowtheirtimidity,whentheyfacethecruelwar.Justbecauseofhisrecognition,itmakeshimfeeltimidand