thesadyoungmen课文和翻译.docx

thesadyoungmen课文和翻译.docx

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thesadyoungmen课文和翻译

TheSadYoungMen

RodW.HortonandHerbertW.Edwards

1NoaspectoflifeintheTwentieshasbeenmorecommenteduponandsensationallyromanticizedthantheso-calledRevoltoftheYoungerGeneration.Theslightestmentionofthedecadebringsnostalgicrecollectionstothemiddle-agedandcuriousquestioningsbytheyoung:

memoriesofthedeliciouslyillicitthrillofthefirstvisittoaspeakeasy,ofthebravedenunciationofPuritanmorality,andofthefashionableexperimentationsinamourintheparkedsedan

onacountryroad;questionsaboutthenaughty,jazzyparties,the

flask-toting"sheik,"andthemoralandstylisticvagariesofthe"flapper"andthe"drug-storecowboy.""Wereyoungpeoplereallysowild?

"present-daystudentsasktheirparentsandteachers."WastherereallyaYoungerGenerationproblem?

"Theanswerstosuchinquiriesmustofnecessitybe"yes"and"no"--"Yes"becausethebusinessofgrowingupisalwaysaccompaniedbyaYoungerGenerationProblem;"no"becausewhatseemedsowild,irresponsible,andimmoralinsocialbehavioratthetimecannowbeseeninperspectiveasbeingsomethingconsiderablylesssensationalthanthedegenerauonofourjazzmadyouth.

2Actually,therevoltoftheyoungpeoplewasalogicaloutcomeofconditionsintheage:

Firstofall,itmustberememberedthat

therebellionwasnotconfinedtotheUnit-edStates,butaffected

theentireWesternworldasaresultoftheaftermathofthefirstseriouswarinacentury.Second,intheUnitedStatesitwasreluctantlyrealizedbysome-subconsciouslyifnotopenly--that

ourcountrywasnoIongerisolatedineitherpoliticsortraditionandthatwehadreachedaninternationalstaturethatwouldforever

preventusfromretreatingbehindtheartificialwallsofaprovincialmoralityorthegeographicalprotectionofourtwoborderingoceans.

3TherejectionofVictoriangentilitywas,inanycase,

inevitable.TheboomingofAmericanindustry,withitsgigantic,

roaringfactories,itscorporateimpersonality,anditslargescale

aggressiveness,noIongerleftanyroomforthecodeofpolitebehaviorandwell-bredmoralityfashionedinaquieterandlesscompetitiveage.Warornowar,asthegenerationspassed,itbecameincreasinglydifficultforouryoungpeopletoacceptstandardsofbehaviorthatborenorelationshiptothebustlingbusinessmediuminwhichtheywereexpectedtobattleforsuccess.ThewaractedmerelyasacatalyticagentinthisbreakdownoftheVictoriansocial

structure,andbyprecipitatingouryoungpeopleintoapatternofmassmurderitreleasedtheirinhibitedviolentenergieswhich,aftertheshootingwasover,wereturnedinbothEuropeandAmericatothedestructionofanobsolescentnineteenth-centurysociety.

4Thusinachangingworldyouthwasfacedwiththechallenge

ofbringingourmoresuptodate.Butatthesametimeitwastempted,inAmericaatleast,toescapeitsresponsibilitiesandretreatbehindanairofnaughtyalcoholicsophisticationandaposeof

Bohemianimmorality.Thefaddishness,thewildspendingofmoneyontransitorypleasuresandmomentarynovelties,thehecticair

ofgaiety,theexperimentationinsensation--sex,drugs,alcohol,

perversions--wereallpartofthepatternofescape,anescapemadepossiblebyageneralprosperityandapost-warfatiguewithpolitics,economicrestrictions,andinternationalresponsibilities.Prohibitionaffordedtheyoungtheadditionalopportunityofmakingtheirpleasuresillicit,andthemuch-publicizedorgiesanddefiantmanifestoesoftheintellectualscrowdingintoGreenwichVillagegavethemapatternandaphilosophicdefensefortheirescapism.Andlikemostescapistsprees,thisonelasteduntilthemoneyranout,untilthecrashoftheworldeconomicstructureattheendofthedecadecalledthepartytoahaltandforcedtherevelerstosoberupandfacetheproblemsofthenewage.

5TherebellionstartedwithWorldWarI.TheproIongedstalemateof1915--1916,theincreasinginsoleneeofGermanytowardtheUnitedStates,andourofficialreluetaneetodeclareourstatusasabelligerentwereintolerabletomanyofouridealisticcitizens,andwithtypicalAmericanadventurousnessenhancedsomewhatbythestrenuousjingoismofTheodore

Roosevelt,ouryoungmenbegantoenlistunderforeignflags.InthewordsofJoeWilliams,inJohnDosPassos'U.S.A.,they"wantedtogetintothefunbeforethewholethingturnedbellyup."Formilitaryservice,in1916--1917,wasstillaromanticoccupation.Theyoungmenofcollegeagein1917knewnothingofmodernwarfare.Thestrifeof1861--1865hadpopularlybecome,inmotionpictureandstory,amagnolia-scentedsoapopera,whiletheonehundred-days'fracaswithSpainin1898haddissolvedintoaone-sidedvictoryatManilaandacinematicchargeupSanJuanHill.Furthermore,therewereenoughhighschoolassemblyoratorsproclaimingthecharacter-formingforceofthestrenuouslifetoconvincemorethanenoughotherwisesensibleboysthatserviceintheEuropeanconflictwouldbeofgreatpersonalvalue,inaddition

tobeingidealisticandexciting.Accordingly,theybegantojointhevariousarmiesinincreasingnumbers,the"intellectuals"intheambulaneecorps,othersintheinfantry,merchantmarine,or

whereverelsetheycouldfindaplace.ThosewhowerereluctanttoserveinaforeignarmytalkedexcitedlyaboutPreparedness,occasionallyconsideredjoiningtheNationalGuard,andrushedtoenlistwhenwefinallydidentertheconflict.Sotremendouswasthestormingofrecruitmentcentersthatharassedsergeantsactuallypleadedwithvolunteersto"gohomeandwaitforthedraft,"butsincenoself-respectingpersonwantedtosufferthedisgraceofbeingdrafted,theenlistmentcrazecontinuedunabated.

6Naturally,thespiritofcarnivalandtheenthusiasmforhigh

militaryadventureweresoondissipatedoncetheeageryoungmenhadreceivedagoodtasteoftwentieth-centurywarfare.Totheirlastingglory,theyfoughtwithdistinction,butitwasamuchalteredgroupofsoldierswhoreturnedfromthebattlefieldsin1919.Especiallywasthistrueofthecollegecontingent,whoseidealismhadledthemtoenlistearlyandwhohadgenerallyseenaconsiderableamountofaction.Tothem,itwasbittertoreturntoahometownvirtuallyuntouchedbytheconflict,wherecitizens

stilltalkedwiththenaiveFourth-of-dulybombasttheythemselveshadbeenguiltyoftwoorthreeyearsearlier.Itwasevenmorebittertofindthattheiroldjobshadbeentakenbythestay-at-homes,thatbusinesswassufferingarecessionthatpreventedtheopeningupofnewjobs,andthatveteranswereconsideredproblemchildrenandlessdesirablethannon-veteransforwhateverbusinessopportunitiesthatdidexist.Theirveryhomeswereoften

uncomfortabletothem;theyhadoutgrowntownandfamiliesandhaddevelopedasuddenbewilderingworld-wearinesswhichneithertheynortheirrelativescouldunderstand.Theirenergieshadbeenwhippedupandtheirnaivetedestroyedbythewarandnow,insleepyGopherPrairiesalloverthecountry,theywerebeingaskedtocurbthoseenergiesandresumetheposeofself-deceivingVictorianinnocencethattheynowfelttobeasoutmodedasthenotionthattheirfightinghad"madetheworldsafefordemocracy."And,asifhometownconditionswerenotenough,thereturningveteranalsohadtofacethesodden,NapoleoniccynicismofVersailles,thehypocriticaldo-goodismofProhibition,andthesmugpatriotismofthewarprofiteers.Somethinginthetension-riddenyouthofAmerica

hadto"give"and,afterashortperiodofbitterresentment,it

"gave"intheformofacompleteoverthrowofgenteelstandardsofbehavior.

7GreenwichVillagesetthepattern.SincetheSeven-tiesadwellingplaceforartistsandwriterswhosettledtherebecauselivingwascheap,thevillagehadlongenjoyedadubiousreputationforBohemianismandeccentricity.Ithadalsoharboredenoughmajorwriters,especiallyinthedecadebeforeWorldWarI,tosupport

itsclaimtobeingtheintellectualcenterofthenation.Afterthe

war,itwasonlynaturalthathopefulyoungwriters,theirmindsandpensinflamedagainstwar,Babbittry,and"Puritanical"gentility,,shouldflocktothetraditionalartisticcenter（where

livingwasstillcheapin1919）topourouttheirnew-foundcreative

strength,toteardowntheoldworld,tofloutthemoralityoftheir

grandfathers,andtogivealltoart,love,andsensation.

8Soontheyfoundtheirimitatorsamongthenon-intellectuals.

Asitbecamemoreandmorefashionablethroughoutthecountryforyoungpersonstodefythelawandtheconventionsandtoaddtheirownlittlematchstickstotheconflagrationof"flamingyouth",itwasGreenwichVillagethatfannedtheflames."Bohemian"livingbecameafad.Eachtownhadits"fast"setwhichprideditselfonitsunconventionality,althoughinrealitythisself-consciousunconventionalitywasrapidlybecomingastandardfeatureofthecountryclubclass--anditslessaffluentimitators--throughout

thenation.Beforelongthemovementhadbe-comeofficiallyrecognizedbythepulpit（whichdenouncedit）,bythemoviesandmagazines（whichmadeitattractivelynaughtywhilepretendingtodenounceit）,andbyadvertising（whichobliquelyencourageditby

'sellingeverythingfromcigarettestoautomobileswiththeimpliedpromisethattheirownerswouldberenderedsexuallyirresistible）.

Youngerbrothersandsistersofthewargeneration,whohadbeenplayingwithmarblesand