little women 2.docx

little women 2.docx

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littlewomen2

（2012-2013年第二学期）

题目NewWoman—Jo

学院外国语学院

专业英语

班级102班

学号201036635204

学生姓名刘珍珍

任课教师穆惠峰

摘要

露易莎.梅.奥尔科特以长篇小说《小妇人》而闻名于世。

这部小说讲述了马奇家四姐妹的成长经历。

小说中充分体现了时代新女性的，而在四姐妹中乔最具有代表性，她要求追求经济上的独立，渴望通过写作来实现自我价值。

除此之外，小说通过乔违背传统的婚姻、与丈夫享受同等地位等描写体现了婚姻自由、男女平等这一理念。

论文的第一部分主要写的关于《小妇人》简介，引出该小说体现了新女性的描绘。

第二部分以小说主人公乔为例，提出新女性在她身上的体现。

第三章是论文的结论，概括总结了乔的新女性形象。

关键词：

《小妇人》；乔；新女性

Abstract

Louisa.May.Alcottisfamousforherwarmly-receivednovelLittleWomen.ThenoveltellstheexperiencesofthefourMarchsisters.ItrepresentsthespiritoftheNewWomaningreatsense,andJoisthemosttypical“newwoman”amongthefourgirls.Shepursueseconomicindependenceandiseagertoachieveself-valuebywriting.Besides,Jogoesagainstthetraditionalmarriageandenjoysthesamerightwithherhusband,whichrepresentsthefreemarriageandtheideologyofNewWoman.

ThefirstchapterofthisthesisgivesabriefintroductionaboutLittleWomen,andthenmentionsthereflectionoftheNewWomeninthisnovel.Thesecondchaptertakesthedominatedcharacter,Jo,asanexample,describingNewWomenimageinher.Thethirdchapteristheconclusion,summarizingthatJoisthemirrorofanewwoman.

Keywords:

LittleWomen;Jo;newwoman

Contents

AbstractII

1.IntroductionofLittleWomen1

2.Jo—newwoman1

2.1.Boyish2

2.1.1.Character2

2.1.2.Supportfamily2

2.2.Pursuitofwriting3

2.2.1.Sticktodream3

2.2.2.Satisfactionandhappiness4

2.3.Newthoughtstowardsmarriage4

3.Conclusion5

Bibliography6

1.IntroductionofLittleWomen

LittleWomenisaverypopularjuvenilebookwhichshowsyoungadultshowtoimprovetheircharacterswhentheyaregrowingup.

ThestorybeginsduringtheAmericanCivilWarintheeighteensixties.IttellsthestoryoftheMarchfamilyofConcord,Massachusetts.TheMisterMarchisawayfromhomewiththetroopsoftheUnionArmy,whileMissusMarchisraisingherfourdaughtersbyherself.Basedonauthor’smemoriesofherchildhoodhome,thestoryconcernsthedailylivesofthefourgirlswithverydifferentcharacteristics:

beautifulMeg,alsotheeldestgirl,whosedreamistobeaplaywright;boyishJo,thesecondone,whowantstobeawriter;gentleBeth,whowantstolearnmusic;vainAmy,theyoungest,whosehobbyispainting.

Thebook,ingeneral,hasfullyexpressedthesweetandtroubleoflove,thestrugglebetweensenseandsensibility,thegapbetweenidealandrealityaswellasthecontradictionbetweenpovertyandwealth.Ithasthreemajorthemes--domesticity,workandtruelove.Allofthemareinterdependentandeachisnecessarytoachievementofaheroine’sindividualidentity.

However,LittleWomenreflectsthespiritoftheNewWomanofthattime.AndJoisthemosttypical“newwoman”amongthefourgirls

2.Jo—newwoman

Jo,thedominatecharacterinthenovel,isthemirroroftheauthor.Herboyishcharacters,herpursuitofwritingaswellashernewthoughtstowardsmarriagemakesherdifferentfromotherwomenatthattime.Sheisareflectionofthenewwomen.

2.1.Boyish

2.1.1.Character

ThereasonwhyJostandsoutcanbebestillustratedbyhercharacteristic.Herboyishmakesherspecial.UnlikeMeg,awell-manneredbeauty,Joisneithersoftnorgentle;unlikeBethwhoisgoodathouseworkandhasnodesiretoleaveherhouseorfamily,Joisenergeticandfullofpassion;unlikeAmywhocanbehaveinavainandspoiledway,shewantstobeindependent.Shewasjustlikeavigorousflamegivingendlesshappinessandenergy.Andshewasalwaysoptimisticandbravetosharetheburdenofthefamily.Sheactedlikeaboyanddeterminedtobelikeaman.Inthebeginningofthebook,sheclaimedthat:

"IhatetothinkI'vegottogrowupandbeMissMarch,andwearlonggowns,andlookasprimasaChinaAster.It'sbadenoughtobeagirl,anyway,whenIlikeboy'sgamesandworkandmanners.Ican'tgetovermydisappointmentinnotbeingaboy,andit'sworsethanevernow,forI'mdyingtogoandfightwithpapa,andIcanonlystayathomeandknitlikeapokyoldwoman."

Thisspeechperfectlyshowsthenatureofanewwomanwhoisunwillingtobendovermenbuttostandwiththem.Whilehersistersaredreamingaboutabrightandcomfortablelifeasaprettywife,shewantstobeaboy.Jowastheonlyoneofthefourgirlswhobravesandchallengestheoppressiveandrestrictivetruewomanhood.Sheridiculesanddiscardswhereverpossibletheetiquetteanddecorumrequiredofthe“truegirls”.（CuiYinhui,2010:

4）

2.1.2.Supportfamily

AlthoughJoisnottheeldestdaughter,sheputsherselfinaveryimportantpositioninthehouse.Sheseesherselfastheonlymaninherfamily,sheconsciouslyoften“playsamasculinizedrole”（AnneK.Phillips,558）.Thiscanbeseeninherstrongdesiretoprotectherfamilyandkeepittogetheratallcosts.

Whenbeinginformedthatthefatherisveryill,thewholefamilyhasplungedintogrief,justastheauthorhaswritten:

“…thequiet,happyhouseholdwasbrokenupassuddenlyasifthepaperhadbeenanevilspell.”Afterhermotherhasdecidedtogototakecareoffather,Josoldherbeautifulhairfortwenty-fivedollars.Shegivesthemoneytohermotherandsaid:

“Well,Iwaswildtodosomethingforfather….Ifeltwicked,andwasboundtohavesoldthenoseoffmyfacetogetit.”Shetriesherbesttohelpherfather.

Afterherworkhasbeenpublished,shecanownalivingbywriting.Insteadofrewardingherself,sheusesthemoneytosupportthefamily.Besides,Jotakestowritingsensationalstoriesforthesakeofmoneytohelpthefamily.Thoughshehasthefeelingthatherparentswillnotapprovethat,shebelievesitwilldonoharmtoherbecause“shesincerelymeanstowritenothingofwhichshewouldbeashamed”.Sheshowsnocompromisetotheso-calledmen’sworld.Shejustlikesa“man”.

2.2.Pursuitofwriting

Shelikeswritingandshewantstobeindependent.Herpersistentinpursuingmakeshersuccess.Herlifeissimilartothatofamodernwoman’s,independentinfinance,satisfiedincareer.

2.2.1.Sticktodream

Jodreamedofbeingawriterwhenshewasyoung.Shestickstoherdreamandnevergivesup.Sheloveswritingthoughsometimes,sheisunhappywithoutanyinspirations.

“Shedidnotthinkageniusbyanymeans,butwhenthewritingfitcomeon,shegaveherselfuptoitwithentireabandon,andledablissfullife,unconsciousofwant,care,orbadweather,whileshesatsafeandhappyinanimaginaryworld,fulloffriendsalmostasrealanddeartoherasanyintheflesh.Sleepforsookhereyes,mealsstoodun-tasted,dayandnightwerealltooshorttoenjoythehappinesswhichblessheronlyatsuchtimes,andmadethesehoursworthliving,eveniftheyborenootherfruit.TheDevineafflatususuallylastedaweekortwo,andthensheemergedfromher“vortex”,hunger,sleepy,crossanddespondent.”

Tobeawriterisveryhard.But“FortunesuddenlysmileduponJo,anddroppedagoodluckpennyinherpath.”Jo’spersistencebringshersuccess.Herstoriesareadmiredbylotsofpeople;besides,realizehergoalofhelpingtosupportthefamily.Forthosewhoaretryingtoachievetheirdream,nomatterhowlittlethedreamis,atinysuccessmakesadifference.SodoesJo.Shelearnsalot.Sheenjoysthetasteofthesatisfaction,andceasedtoenvyrichergirls,takinggreatcomfortintheknowledgethatshecouldsupplyherownwants,andneedaskononeforapenny.Shebecomesmoreindependent.

2.2.2.Satisfactionandhappiness

Jo’sloveswritingforonehanditbringshergreatspiritualsatisfaction,foranother,sheregardsitasameansofself-reliance.Withherefforts,shetastesthesweetfruitbroughtbywriting.JopublishessomestoriesandearnsmoneywhichaffordshermotherandBethtogotoseasideandgetrefreshed.WritingaddsJo’sconfidencetokeepself-reliantandindependent.Shefeelsthegreatcomfortthat“shecansupplyherownwants,andseekasknooneforapenny”.WritingforJoisimportantandmeaningful.Ononehand,itbringsherspiritualhappinessandsatisfaction,ontheotheritishermeanstokeepself-reliantandindependent.

2.3.Newthoughtstowardsmarriage

Inthisage,thewomenshouldbelikethis:

aperfectlady,contentedlysubmissivetomen,butstronginherinnerpurityandreligiosity,queeninherownrealmofthehome.（ElaineShowalter,14）However,inthenovel,JodoesnotturnherenergiesintobecomingaperfecthousekeeperandmotherlikeMeg,nordoesshewanttoliveaneaselifedependingonherhusbandlikeAmy.

WhenProfessorBhaerproposestoJo,sheclearlytellshimthatshe’dnotliketobelimitedbytheconventionallawsforawife,andshewillsharethefamilydutywithhim.“Imaybestrong-minded,butnoonecansayI’moutofmyspherenow.I’mtocarrymyshare,Fredrich,andhelptoearnthehome”.Sherefusestobeaconventionalwifewhomustdevoteherselftothedomesticdutyandbetotallydependentonherhusband.Jowantstokeepherindividualismandbeindependent.Shedecidesto“helptoearnthehome”.

Therefore,JoandBhaerareequal.Shehasthesamerighttospeak.Theyshareresponsibilitiesofrunningtheirfamily.Theycreateanewschooltogether.Therolesheplaysinthefamilyisnottheroleofatraditionalhousewife,butaroleofanindependentandcapablenewwoman.

3.Conclusion

Incollusion,themajorcharacter,Jo,inLittleWomenisamerrierofthenewwomen.Afterreadingthenovelcarefully,noonewillfailtofindthattherearesomanynewwomenspiritswecanfindinJo.

Herboyishcharacterenableshertobemuchstrongerthanhersisters,orotherwomeninthatage.Shetakesresponsibilitytosupportherfamilywhenshewas