美国文学复习资料

本学期考试复习范围：(考试中需要写作家、诗人等名字地方，需要写全名，写作品名注意大写字母，不然影响判分)11.The1920s.Imagism,EzraPound（名词术语，诗人，代表作品诗歌，评价）12.T.S.Eliot（诗人，代表作品诗歌，评价）13.RobertFrost（诗人，代表作品诗歌，评价）14.F.ScottFitzgerald,ErnestHemingway（作家，作品，名词术语，评价）15.WilliamFaulkner（作家，作品，名词术语，评价）16.SinclairLewis（作家，作品）17.JohnDosPassos,JohnSteinbeck（作家，作品，评价）19.Americandrama:EugeneO’Neill,TennesseeWilliams,ArthurMiller（戏剧家，戏剧，评价等）20.Postmodernism（名词术语）21.TheBeatGeneration（名词术语）AllenGinsberg（诗人，诗歌，评价）23.24.postwarAmericannovelSaulBellow,J.D.Salinger,JosephHeller（作家，作品，评价，术语）Imagism1.ThreeImagistpoeticprinciples:(1)Directtreatmentofthesubject:Directtreatmentofthe“thing”,whethersubjectiveorobjective;(2)economyofexpression:Touseabsolutelynowordthatdoesnotcontributetothepresentation;and(3)creationofnewrhythms:Asregardingrhythm,tocomposeinthesequenceofthemusicalphrase,notinthesequenceofametronome.thedefinitionofImagism(1)ImagismcameintobeinginBritainandUSaround1910asareactiontothetraditionalEnglishpoetrytoexpressthesenseoffragmentationanddislocation.（2）TheImagists,withEzraPoundleadingtheway,holdthatthemosteffectivemeanstoexpressthesemomentaryimpressionsisthroughtheuseofonedominantimage.(3)Imagismischaracterizedbythefollowingthreepoeticprinciples:i)directtreatmentofsubjectmatter;ii)economyofexpression;iii)asregardsrhythm,tocomposeinthesequenceofthemusicalphrase,notinthesequenceofmetronome;iv)EzraPound’s“InaStationoftheMetro”isawell-knownimagistpoem.3.EzraPound(1885-1972)——thefatherofmodernAmericanpoetryCathay(1915)《中国》或《华夏集》avolumeofChinesetranslation.Heblue-penciledTheWasteLand,themostsignificantAmericanpoemofthetwentiethcentury.Cantos《诗章》，amodernepic，Pound’smajorworkofpoetry4.InaStationoftheMetroTheapparitionofthesefacesinthecrowd;Petalsonawet,blackbough.Appreciationandcomment:In“InaStationoftheMetro”PoundattemptstoproducetheemotionhefeltwhenhewalkeddownintoaParissubwaystationandsuddenlysawanumberoffacesinthedimlight.Tocapturetheemotion,Poundusestheimageofpetalsonawet,blackbough.Theimageof“petals”isjuxtaposedwithanotherimageof“wet,blackbough.”Theimageisnotdecoration:Itiscentraltothepoem’smeaning.Infact,itisthepoem’smeaning.5.EzraPound’smaincontributiontoAmericanliteratureEzrapoundisregarded,andrightly,asthefatherofmodernAmericanpoetry.ImpatientwiththefettersofEnglishtraditionalpoetics,heledtheexperimentinrevolutionizingpoetry.ItwashewhofirstdiscoveredT.S.Eliotandblue-penciledthelatter’sfamouspoem,TheWasteLand.ItwashewhohelpedWilliamButlerYeats,JamesJoyce,D.H.Lawrence,andWilliamcarolsWilliamsintheirliterarycareers.Andhesurvivedthemall,writingcontinuallyrightuptohisdeath.Pound’scontributiontothedevelopmentofmodernpoetryisverygreat.T.S.Eliot’Poetry:1）TheLoveSongofJ.AlfredPrufrock——amasterpieceoftheModernistmovementLiteraryterms:soliloquy(独白）interiormonologue(内心独白）dramaticmonologue（戏剧独白）motif（主旨，主题）epigraph（题词）Soliloquyorinteriormonologue:indrama,anextendedspeechdeliveredbyacharacteraloneonstage.Thecharacterrevealshisorherinnermostthoughtsandfeelingsdirectlytotheaudience,asifthinkingaloud.Dramaticmonologue:Akindofnarrativepoeminwhichonecharacterspeakstooneormorelistenerswhoserepliesarenotgiveninthepoem.Epigraph:aquotationormottoatthebeginningofachapter,book,shortstory,orpoemthatmakessomepointaboutthework.Motif:Arecurringfeature(suchasaname,animage,oraphrase)inaworkofliterature.Amotifgenerallycontributesinsomewaytothethemeofashortstory,novel,poem,orplay.2）TheWasteLandInOctober,1922,EliotpublishedTheWasteLandinTheCriterion.TheWasteLandwasthoughtasthemostsignificantAmericanpoemofthe20thcenturyandhelpedtoestablishamoderntraditionofliteraturerichwithlearningandallusivethought.Thepoemissubdividedintofivesections:I.TheBrurialoftheDeadII.AGameofChessIII.TheFireSermonIV.DeathbywaterV.WhattheThunderSaid6.Apoem:StoppingbyWoodsonaSnowyEveningWhosewoodstheseareIthinkIknow.

Hishouseisinthevillagethough;

Hewillnotseemestoppinghere

Towatchhiswoodsfillupwithsnow.

Mylittlehorsemustthinkitqueer

Tostopwithoutafarmhousenear

Betweenthewoodsandfrozenlake

Thedarkesteveningoftheyear.

Hegiveshisharnessbellsashake

Toaskifthereissomemistake.

Theonlyothersound’sthesweep

Ofeasywindanddownyflake.

Thewoodsarelovely,darkanddeep.

ButIhavepromisestokeep,

AndmilestogobeforeIsleep,

AndmilestogobeforeIsleep.Appreciationandcomment:ThepoemisoneofRobertFrost’smostanthologizedlyricpoemsconsistingoffourstanzas.Thepoemiswritteniniambictetrameterquatrains.Thisseeminglysimpleandfreshtellsthatinthewintertwilightthepoetstopshishorsetoobservethebeautyoftheforestscene.Thepoetissofascinatedbythelovelynaturethathealmostforestshisjourney.Hishorseshakesitsbellsandthepoetisremindedtocontinuehisjourney.Inthepoem“promises”maymeanone’slifemissionstofulfill.Symbolically,“sleep”refersto“die”.Thepoemseemstosaythatlifeisajourneyandthatnomatterwhatattractsyouonthewayyouhavetocontinueyourjourneyandfulfillyourlifepromisesbeforeyoutakeyour“finalrest”.Thepoemalsorevealsthespeaker’sdesireforamomentaryrelieffromtheobligationsoftheworld.Apoem:TheRoadnotTakenTworoadsdivergedinayellowwood,AndsorryIcouldnottravelbothAndbeonetraveler,longIstoodAndlookeddownoneasfarasIcouldTowhereitbentintheundergrowth;Thentooktheother,asjustasfair,Andhavingperhapsthebetterclaim,Becauseitwasgrassyandwantedwear;ThoughasforthatthepassingthereHadwornthemreallyaboutthesame,AndboththatmorningequallylayInleavesnostephadtroddenblack.Oh,Ikeptthefirstforanotherday!Yetknowinghowwayleadsontoway,IdoubtedifIshouldevercomebackIshallbetellingthiswithasighSomewhereagesandageshence:Tworoadsdivergedinawood,andI—Itooktheonelesstraveledby,Andthathasmadeallthedifference.Appreciationandcomment:TheRoadnotTakenisRobertFrost’mostwidelyanthologizedpoem.Ittellshowthecourseofhislifewasdeterminedwhenhecameupontworoadsthatdivergedinawoodonanautumnday.Thepoet,aftermuchhesitationandreflection,challengedhimselfbychoosingtheonelesstravelledandhesaidhislifewasdifferent.Symbolically,theroadsthepoetmentionedinthepoemareroadsthatmanhastochooseinlife.Thepoetchosetofollowanunusual,solitarylife.Perhaps,hewasspeakingofhischoicetobecomeapoetratherthansomecommonerprofession.Thedilemmamanfacesinthecourseoflifechoiceisuniversalandpainful.Thepoettellsusthatonehastogiveupsomethingdesirablesoastoreapwhatseemsbetter.Infact,eachchoicerunsriskoflosingsomethingbeautiful.However,manhastochooseandmustberesponsibleforwhathehaschosen.Whatevertheoutcome,onemustaccepttheconsequencesofone’schoiceforitisnotpossibletogobackandhaveanotherchancetochoosedifferently.Thepoetseemstosaythatitisofgreatimportancetomakeawisechoiceinlife.Thepoemiscomposedinfive-linestanzas,rhymingabaab.7.ErnestHemingway——TheSpokesmanoftheLostGenerationThedefinitionofTheLostGeneration1.TheLostGenerationisatermfirstusedbyGertrudeSteintodescribethepost-WorldWarIgenerationofAmericanwriters:menandwomenhauntedbyasenseofbetrayalandemptinessbroughtaboutbythedestructivenessofthewar.2.Fullofyouthfulidealism,theseindividualssoughtthemeaningoflife,drankexcessively,hadloveaffairsandcreatedsomeofthefinestAmericanliteraturetodate.3.Thethreebest-knownrepresentativesofLostGenerationareF.ScottFitzgerald,ErnestHemingwayandJohnDosPassos.8.TheSunAlsoRisesHemingwayemployedanepigraphinthenovelwhichhadbeensaidbyGertrudeSteintodescribetheexpatriatesinParis“Youarealostgeneration.”Thenovelpaintstheimageofthelostgeneration.AFarewelltoArmsItisananti-warnovel,describingthelovebetweenanAmericansoldierFredericHenryandanEnglishnurseCatherine.ForWhomtheBellTollsIttellsofavolunteerAmericanguerrillaintheSpanishCivilWar.TheOldManandtheSeaIttellsofaCubanfisherman,Santiago,whocatchesabigfish,onlytoseeitdevouredbysharks.Thenovelhighlightsthethemethatmancanbedestroyedbutnotdefeated.Itisarepresentationoflifeasastruggleagainstunconquerableforcesinwhichonlyapartialvictoryispossible.ThisbookledtoHemingway'sreceiptoftheNovelPrizein1954.IcebergTheory:Thinkofaniceberg:oneeighthofanicebergisabovethewater.Alloftherestisunderneaththewater.ThesameistruewithHemingway’swriting.Hissentencesonlygiveonesmallbitofthemeaning.Therestisimplied.Onemustgoverydeepbeneaththesurfacetounderstandthefullmeaningofhiswriting.Hemingway’svocabularyiseasyandhissentencepatternsareeasy,buttheyareextremelydifficulttobefullyunderstood.Hemingwayheroesorthecodehero:HemingwayheroesrefertosomeprotagonistsinHemingway'sworks.Suchaherousuallyanaveragemanofdecidedlymasculinetastes,sensitiveandintelligent.Andusuallyheisamanofactionandoffewwords.Hissuchanindividualist,aloneevenwhenwithotherpeople,somewhatanoutsider,keepingemotionsundercontrol,stoicandself-disciplinedinadreadfulplacewhereonecannotgethappiness.Forexample,FredericHenryinAFarewelltoArms,JakeBarnesinTheSunAlsoRises,SantiagoinTheOldManandtheSeaortheundefeatedbullfighter.9.JohnDosPassosU.S.A《美国》或《美利坚》Thetrilogycomprises

The42ndParallel

(1930),

1919

(1932),and

TheBigMoney

(1936)DosPassosusedexperimentaltechniquesinthesenovels:the“Newsreels”,the“Biographies”,andthe“CameraEye”(see264)

WilliamFaulknerMajorworks1.TheSoundandtheFury《喧嚣与骚动》ThisnovelisacomplexaccountofthebreakdownoftheoncedistinguishedandhonoredCompsonfamily.Thebookisdividedinto4sections,largelyreliantonStreamofConsciousnessandMultiplePointofView.Section1isnarratedbyBenjy,theyoungestmemberandan“idiot.”likehisbrothersQuentinandJason,heischieflypreoccupiedwithhissisterCaddy.ForBenjy,herdisappearanceamountstothelossofthecenterofhisuniverse.Section2istoldbyQuentin,aHarvardfreshman.Hecommitssuicide.InSection3,Jason,theeldestson,revealshisbitternessandangerattheopportunitieshehaslostbecauseoftheirresponsibilityandselfishnesswhichhefeelspredominateinthefamily.Section4concentratesontheCompsons’blackservant,Dilsay,andhergrandson,Luster.Thissectionprovidessomeobjectiveinformationtounifytheprevioussubjectivenarrationsintoanorganicentity.2.LightinAugust《八月之光》3.GoDown,Moses.《去吧，摩西》4.AsILayDying《在我弥留之际》5.Absalom,Absalom!《押沙龙，押沙龙！CommentFaulknerastheforemostsouthernwriterofthe20thcenturywith19novels,4collectionsofabout70shortstories,andtwovolumesofpoetry.Hisimportantsubjectsarechildhood,families,sex,obsessionsthepastandthemodernsouthernmemory,mythandreality,race,andalienation.HisthemeisessentiallyananalysisoftheunderlyingcauseforthefailureanddecayoftheSouthbeforetheCivilWar.Hisfictioncarriesastrongsenseoffragmentationinsocialcommunityandwithintheindividualhimselfduetothelossofloveandlackemotionalresponse.HeisnotedfortheYoknapatawphastories/sagainwhichthefictionalYoknapatawphaCountyisthesetting.ThecountrystandsfortheOldSouth.ItalsoservesasallegoryoraparableoftheOldSouth.HewritesaboutthedisintegrationoftheoldsocialsystemintheAmericanSouthernStatesanditseffectonthelivesofmodernpeople,bothblackandwhite.ItshowsapanoramaoftheexperienceandconsciousnessofthewholeSouthernsociety.StreamofConsciousness:StreamofConsciousnessorinteriormonologueisoneofthemodernliterarytechniques.Itwasfirstusedin1922bytheIrishnovelistJamesJoyce.ThemodernAmericanwriterWilliamFaulknersuccessfullyadvancedthistechnique.Inthestories,actionandplotsarelessimportantthanthereactionsandinnermusingsofthenarrators.Timesequencesareoftendislocated.Thereaderfeelshimselftobeaparticipantinthestories,ratherthananobserver.MultiplePointsofView:Faulknerwasamasteratpresentingmultiplepointsofview,showingwithinthesamestoryhowthecharactersreacteddifferentlytothesamepersonorthesamesituation.Theuseofthistechniquegavethestoryacircularformwhereinoneeventwasthecenter,withvariouspointsofviewradiatingfromit.Themultiplepointofviewtechniquemakesthereaderrecognizethedifficultyofarrivingatatruejudgment.10.EugeneO’Neill——thefounderofmodernAmericandramaBeyondtheHorizon(1920)(naturalism)TheEmperorJones(1920)(symbolismandexpressionism)TheHairyApe(1922)(naturalism)(theplotofthedrama)(seep286)DesireundertheElms(1924)(Oedipuscomplex)

TheGreatGodBrown(1926)7.TheIcemanCometh(1946)8.LongDay’sJourneyintoNight(1956)(autobiographicalplay)(naturalism)(theplotofthedrama)(seep287)CommentInwhatwaywasEugeneO’Neillanexperimentalistindramaticart?O’Neillwasatirelessexperimentalistindramaticart.Hetookdramaawayfromtheoldtraditionsofthelastcenturyandrooteditdeeplyinlife.HeintroducedtherealisticoreventhenaturalisticaspectoflifeintotheAmericantheater.HeborrowedfreelyfromthebesttraditionsofEuropeandramasbeitGreektragedies,ortherealismofIbsen,ortheexpressionismofStrindberg,andfusedthemintotheorganicartofhisown.Heborrowedfreelyfrommodernliterarytechniquessuchasthestream-of-consciousnessdevicewiththehelpofwhichhemanagedtorevealtheemotionalandpsychologicalcomplexitiesofmodernman.O’Neill’sceaselessexperimentationenrichedAmericandramaandinfluencedlaterplaywrights.11.ArthurMillerAtypicalthemeofArthurMiller’splaysconcernsthedilemmaofmodernmaninrelationtohisfamilyandwork.WhatoccursofteninaMillerplayisthattheherofindshimselfunderapressurefromhissocietyanditsethics,triesinvaintoextricatehimselffromthephysicalandspiritualquandaryintowhichhehasfallenandfindsreleaseonlyindeath,oftenintheformofactualorvirtualsuicide.Theworldisharsh.Thereislittleornochoiceforthehero.Eitherhesubmitstotheimpossibledemandsofsociety,orherejectsthem.Hediesineithercase.12.PostmodernismPostmodernismrepresentsanewmodeofperceptionandawayofwriting.InpoetryitstrivestogoagainstthevogueoftheNewCriticalpoemanditsparentstyle,theHighModernismofthepreviousdecades.Initsthematicconcerns,Postmodernismviewstheworldasonethatisnottobemolded,butasformlessandunpredictable.Postmodernismdoesnotendeavortoimposeonlifeandreality,butiswillingtoembraceitforwhatitis.Andittendstousetopicsandsubjectsofapersonal,evenaforbidden,nature.Initsformalaspects,Postmodernismseeksforafreedominliteraryexpression.Postmodernismassertsitsownidentifybyvirtueofitsnegation,partialinsomecases,ofitsinheritance.Postmodernistnovelexhibitsitsownuniquefeaturessuchasmetafiction,blackhumor,andformsofavantgardism.13.TheBeatGenerationInthe1950s,therewasawidespreaddiscontentmentamongthepostwargeneration,whosevoicewasoneofprotestagainstallthemainstreamculturethatAmericahadcometorepresent.ThishascometobeknownastheBeatGeneration.Theword“beat,”whichGinsbergandhisfriendJackKerouacpickedupfromajunkiefriendoftheirs,representedanon-conformist,rebelliousattitudetowardconventionalvaluesconcerningsex,religion,thearts,andtheAmericanwayoflife.Itwasanattitudethatresultedfromthefeelingofdepressionandexhaustionandtheneedtoescapeintoanunconventionalsometimescommunal,modeofliving.ThemostenduringworksarerepresentedbyJackKerouac’sOntheRoadandWilliamBurroughs’sNakedLunchinproseandAllenGinsberg’sHowlandLawrenceFerlinghetti’sPicturesfromtheGoneworldinpoetry.SaulBellowSaulBellow’sbasicthemesofthenovelsSaulBellow’sbasicthemesareessentiallythree-fold:first,heviewscontemporarysocietyasathreattohumanlifeandhumanintegrity.Moderncivilizationtendstodehumanize,makingpeoplelosetheirdistinctionandturningthemintowhathecalls“fatgoods”.Materialaffluencedistractsandproducesasenseofalienation.Thenlivinginsuchanenvironment,peopletendtobecomeparanoid,high-strung,andimpotent,andsolosetheirsanity.Belloviancharacterssuffermostfromakindofpsychosis.Theygothroughaphasebeforetheyregaintheirmentalbalanceandserenity.Finally,thereisthequestmotif,aquestfortruthandvalues,difficult,excruciating,butsuccessfulinaway.CommentSaulBellowisthefirstimportantJewishnovelisttobeginpublishinginthemid-1940s.Hisnovelspresenttheproblemsofthemodernurbanmaninsearchofhisidentity.Thisisacommonthemethatmanywritersdevelopinthepostwarera.ButhedoesitwiththeJewishcharacterandwithparticularJewishflavor.HisisoftenacclaimedasthebestwriterafterHemingwayandFaulkner.HereceivedNobelPrizein1976because“t