陈尧B2016022220定稿

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ContentsChineseAbstract2EnglishAbstract31.Introduction41.1TheodoreDreiserandAnAmericanTragedy41.2TheConceptofNaturalism52.TheEmbodimentofNaturalisminAnAmericanTragedy52.1Objectivity52.2Authenticity72.3Tragedy93.Conclusion11References131

1解析《美国悲剧》中的自然主义色彩摘要西奥多·德莱塞是美国自然主义文学先驱者，他的长篇巨著《美国悲剧》被誉为是美国文坛最有影响的小说之一。德莱塞在《美国悲剧》中不仅生动地再现了十九世纪末二十世纪初的美国社会，而且在小说中表达了他的独特见解和思考。《美国悲剧》是一部探索和剖析美国现实社会的悲剧。本文从自然主义的视角解读《美国悲剧》，旨在分析德莱塞的自然主义思想在《美国悲剧》中如何体现的，通过分析自然主义文学的客观性、真实性和悲剧性对《美国悲剧》进行深度剖析。德莱塞不仅注重真情实感的细节描写，力求将社会真实的一面展现在人们面前，在揭示了美国社会的丑陋与罪恶的同时，也表达了他对底层人民的悲悯之情。关键词：《美国悲剧》；客观性；真实性；悲剧性13

2AnAnalysisofNaturalisticColorinAnAmericanTragedyAbstractTheodoreDreiserisapioneerofAmericannaturalisticliterature.HisnovelAnAmericanTragedyhasbeenregardedasoneofthemostinfluentialnovelsinAmericanliterature.DreisernotonlyvividlyreproducestheAmericansocialbackgroundofthelate19thcenturyandtheearly20thcenturyinAnAmericanTragedy,butalsoexpresseshisoriginalviewsandresearchthoughtsinthenovel.AnAmericanTragedyisatragedythatexploresandanalyzestherealityofAmericansociety.ThispaperinterpretsAnAmericanTragedyfromtheperspectiveofnaturalism,aimingtoanalyzehowDreiser’snaturalisticthoughtsareembodiedinAnAmericanTragedy,andmakesanin-depthanalysisoftheAmericantragedybyanalyzingtheobjectivity,authenticityandtragedyofnaturalisticliterature.Dreisernotonlypaysattentiontothedetailsoftherealfeelings,butalsostrivestoshowtherealsideofthesocietytothepeople.WhilerevealingtheuglinessandeviloftheAmericansociety,Dreiseralsoexpresseshispityforthepeopleatthebottomofthesociety.Keywords:AnAmericanTragedy;objectivity;authenticity;tragedy13

31.Introduction1.1TheodoreDreiserandAnAmericanTragedyTheodoreDreiserisapioneerofAmericannaturalisticliterature.HisnovelAnAmericantragedyhasbeenregardedasoneofthemostinfluentialnovelsinAmericanliterature.AnAmericanTragedywhichtookhimmorethantwoyearstowritebasedonthefactsofrealcrimesinhistory,waswidelypraisedandpraisedwhenitwaspublished.Inhisworks,theprotagonistsareusuallyyoungpeoplefrompoorbackgroundswithloftyambitions.However,theenthusiasmoftheseyoungpeopleandtheinherentshortcomingsofhumannaturearenotenoughtoresistthetemptationofthesocialenvironment,andtheirsoulseventuallygetlostinthepursuitoftheirdreams.InDreiser’sworks,wecanclearlyfeelthecloseconnectionbetweenhiscreativeinspirationandhislife.Dreiserhadlittleformaleducation,andhislearningwasacquiredinlife.Dreiser’sreligiousparentshadlivedacold,hungryandbulliedlifeasachild.Dreiserbeganearninghisownlivingattheageof15,firstworkingasabusboyinrestaurantsinChicago.Thetoughlifeexperiencehadaccumulatedawealthofwritingmaterialsforhim,andhislatercareerasajournalisthadbroadenedhishorizonandenrichedhisknowledge.Therefore,Dreiser,basedonhisownexperienceandtheresultsofsocialinvestigation,createdaseriesofhumantragediesonthestageoftheAmericanrealisticsocietyattheturnofthecentury,andrevealedtheinherentweaknessesofhumannatureandthenatureofsocialenvironment.AnAmericanTragedyisanexplorationandanalysisofthenatureoftheAmericansocialsystemandtheproblemsinpeople’slives.Intermsofthethemeofhisnovel,DreisershowedvariouscrisesinAmericansociety,andthedeviationoftraditionalvaluesfromsocialandeconomicdevelopment.Thesocialevilcausedbypeople’sabnormalbehaviorandexpandingdesirebehindthehighlydevelopedsocietyandeconomy.Duringhischildhood,Clydefollowedparentsalongthestreettopreach,butthepassersbygavethemwithastrangelook,whichmadehisfragilemindonceagainsufferedattack.Therefore,inhishearthescornedreligionbecausehisfatherwasunabletomakeagoodlivingtocareproperlyforhisfamily.Attheageof17,hewenttoGreen-DavidsonHotelasawaiter,thedecadenthotellifedazzledhim.Hewasoutdrivingwithotherwaitersandhitapedestrian.WhenhearrivedinChicagoandworkedasaforemaninafactorywithhisuncle'sconnections,hewasresentfulofhiscousin’slukewarmattitudetowardhimandimaginedthatonedayhewouldbeashandsomeandrichashiscousin.Carriedawaybydesire,ClydeattemptedtomurderhispregnantgirlfriendRoberta,hopinghecouldrelyonrichfamilydaughterSandratojoinupperclasssociety.So,ClydeluredRobertatothelakeandtriedtodrownher.WhileClydewashesitating,Robertaaccidentallyfellintothelakeanddrowned.Asthepoliceinvestigatedfurther,Clydewasarrested.13

4InNewYork,theDemocratsheldexecutiveandjudicialpower,andClyde’sunclewasarepublican.Justintimeforthestateelection,bothpartiesmadeabigdealofClyde’smurder,evenfabricatingevidence,andClydewassoonsentencedtodeath.1.2TheConceptofNaturalismNaturalismisaliterarygenrethatstartedasamovementinlate19thcenturyinliterature.ThetermwasintroducedtotheUnitedStatesbyFrankNorrisattheendofthe1880s.ThenaturalisticmovementfollowedingeneralthebiologicaldeterminismofDarwinortheeconomicandhistoricaldeterminismofMarx.Naturalismpertainstoamethodofliterarycompositionthataimsatadetached,scientificobjectivityinthetreatmentoftheindividual.Itconceivesoftheindividualasbeingcontrolledbyinstinctsandpassionsorbysocialandeconomicenvironments.Inthisview,one’sfreewillislimited,thenaturalisticwriterdoesnotattempttomakemoraljudgmentsand,asadeterminist,tendstowardpessimism.Naturalisticwritersattempttopresentthewholepanoramicviewoflife.Theycouldchooseasubjectdeliberately,observeit,andpresenttheresultinadispassionatemanner.Thefatherofnaturalism,Zola,appliedthisconcepttoliteraturetoadvocateacreativeideathatpursuedpureobjectivityandauthenticitytounderstandhumanactionsfromphysiologicalandgeneticperspectives.Naturalisticliterarytheoryisnotasimplecombinationofliteratureandnaturalscience,butanattempttofullycontrolliteratureandartwiththeconceptofnaturalscience.InDreiser’sworks,determinismisthemostconsistentwithnaturalism,whichisanewphilosophicalbasisforhisworks.“Intermsofhiscreationtechnique,theAmericannaturalismrepresentedbyDreiserpayslessattentiontothepathologicalandphysiologicalanatomyofhumanbeings,paysmoreattentiontothetruerestorationofhumannature,andaccuratelypresentsthenaturalattributesofhumanbeingsincontentandlanguage”(周进,2018(12):50-51).1.TheEmbodimentofNaturalisminAnAmericanTragedy2.1ObjectivityNaturalisticliteratureemphasizestheobjectivityofcreationandrequiresthat“thediscourseusedinthenovelcannotmakepeopleinfertheauthor’stendency,attitudeandideologyonthewhole”(高建为,2004(S1):233-234).Inliterarycreation,naturalistwriterstendtousenarrativediscoursewithstrongobjectivity.Dreiser,ontheotherhand,adoptedacalmandobjectivenarrativediscourseinhisnarrationofAnAmericanTragedy.Naturalistwritersattemptto“hide”themselves,therealnarrativesubject.Asthe“initiator”ofthenarrative,thewritersseldominterveneinthedevelopmentprocessofthestoryas“I”andrefusetomakecommentsandjudgments.Instead,theyonlyexplaintheenvironmentanddescribeevents13

5fromanotheraspect,soastoachievethe“concealmentofthenarrativesubject”(许银霜,2012:4).“Thischangeinnarrativeangleorperspectivenotonlypromotesthe‘objectivity’ofthewholenarrative,butalsogreatlyenhancesthe‘senseofreality’ofthework”(曾繁亭,2008:158).Dreiseronlyobjectivelyanalyzedtheinnerworldofthecharacters,anddidnotusewordswithstrongcolorsofpraiseorcriticism.Theauthor’sattitudewasrathervague,andhedidnotdirectlyappearas“I”inthefirstperson.Atthebeginningofthenovel,althoughtheauthorspilledalotofinkdescribingClyde’sparentspreachinginthestreet,theemphasisisonClyde’sinnermonologue:Thatoldestboydon’twannabehere.Hefeelsoutaplace,Icanseethat.Itain’trighttomakeakidlikethatcomeoutunlesshewantsto.Hecan’tunderstandallthisstuff,anyhow....Clyde,theeldestboy,andthetwoyoungerchildrenmerelygazedattheground,oroccasionallyattheirfather,withafeelingthatpossiblyitwasalltrueandimportant,yetsomehownotassignificantorinvitingassomeoftheotherthingswhichlifeheld.Theyheardsomuchofthis,andtotheiryoungandeagermindslifewasmadeforsomethingmorethanstreetandmissionhallprotestationsofthissort.(Dreiser,1926:5-6)TheauthorfirstusedthewordsofotherstoshowClydehasnointentiontopreach,andthenusedtheinneractivitiesoftheprotagonistClydetoshowhisresistancetothecauseofpreaching.Itseemedperfectlynormaltothereaderthatachild’sworldisoneofinnocence,oflonging,oflittleinterestinthedullbusinessofpreaching.Thewholenarrationcannotseeanyemotionaltendencyoftheauthor.Dreisernarratedtherealthoughtsinthemaster’sheartwithanobjectiveandfairtone,showingClyde’sinnerresistancetothesermonandwipingoutthetracesofthepresenceofthenarrativesubject,thuscreatinganobjectiveandcalmnarrativestyleofthenovel.InAnAmericanTragedy,therearemoresuchnarrations,butbecausetheyallgivethereaderasenseofcalmanddetachment,theydonotreachtheextenttodestroytheoverallobjectiveeffectofthediscourse(高建为,2004(S1):233-234).Inaddition,freeindirectspeechinnaturalisticliteraturedoesnotspecifythespecificspeaker,nordoesitusequotationmarks,butonlyusesthethird-personpronountorepresentthespecificcharacter.(许银霜,2012:7).Freeindirectspeechreferstotheauthor’suseofthecharacters’languageandthoughtstonarrate,sothatthecharacters’languageisnaturalandfluent,andthereadercan’thelpbutsubstituteClyde’srole,whichalsoenhancesthesenseofrealityandobjectivityoftheworktosomeextent.Similarly,freeindirectspeechisusedmorefrequentlyinAnAmericanTragedy.Inthenovel,freeindirectspeechisfrequentlyusedtoexpressthecomplexmindofthecharactersindescribingtheinneractivityofClyde’sattempttokillRoberta.Atthetime,ClydeandSandrawereclose,whileRobertawaspregnantandforcedtomarry.Clydehappenedtoreadaboutthelakepass13

6tragedyinthenewspaper.Immediately,thoseterriblethoughtshavebeenlingeringinhismind.Theauthorshowsthecharacter’sinnerconflictsandstruggles:ButnowoncemoreinLycurgusandbackinhisroomafterjustexplainingtoRoberta,ashehad,heoncemoreencounteredonhiswritingdesk,theidenticalpapercontainingtheitemconcerningthetragedyatPassLake.Andinspiteofhimself,hiseyeoncemorefollowednervouslyandyetunwaveringlytothelastwordallthesuggestiveandprovocativedetails....But,goodGod!Whatwashethinkingofanyhow?He,ClydeGriffiths!ThenephewofSamuelGriffiths!Whatwas“gettinginto”him?Murder!That’swhatitwas.Thisterribleitem---thisdevil’saccidentormachinationthatwasconstantlyputtingitbeforehim!Amosthorriblecrime,andoneforwhichtheyelectrocutedpeopleiftheywerecaught.Besides,hecouldnotmurderanybody---notRoberta,anyhow.Oh,no!Surelynotafterallthathadbeenbetweenthey.Andyet---thisotherworld!---Sondra---whichhewascertaintolosenowunlessheactedinsomeway---Hishandsshook,hiseyelidstwitched---thenhishairattherootstingledandoverhisbodyranchillnervoustitillationsinwaves.Murder!Orupsettingaboatatanyrateindeepwater,whichofcoursemighthappenanywhere,andbyaccident,asatPassLake.(Dreiser,1926:479-480)Exceptforthefirsttwosentences,thispassageisthenarrator’sstatement,whilethemiddlepartismorelikeClyde’sinnermonologue,whichistheauthor’squotationofthecharacters.WecanfeelClyde’sstruggleandfearashetriestokillRoberta.Dreiserquotedfreeindirectquotationtoshowthecomplexpsychologyofthecharacters,whichmadetheinnerthoughtsoftheprotagonistClydeemergenaturally,andblurredtheboundarybetweenthenarrator’swordsandthecharacters’words.Besides,thecharacters’thoughtswereverysmoothandnatural,whichgreatlyenhancedtheobjectivityofthenovel.2.2AuthenticityTheauthenticityofthenovelrequirestheauthortotriggerthereader’sresonancewithspecificeventsandaccuratedescription.Inotherwords,authenticityistofeelnatureanddescribeitasitis,soastoimpressreaderswiththetruthofevents.“Dreiserwasgoodatshowingthesocialbackgroundofthecharactersthroughalotofdetails,whichmadehisnovelsnotonlyhavetherealityoflife,butalsovividlyrepresentedthehistoricalera”(徐玲,2001(5):75-78).TheAmericancriticMalcolmCowleysaid,“Literarynaturalismisnotatheorythatcanbeadvocatedofficiallyandtaughtinhighschools”(Cowley,1970:145).Dreiserwasanexpertinshowingthecharacters’dispositionsthroughtheirownlanguageandbehavior.Inaddition,theauthenticityofdetails,theinevitabilityofplotsandtheindividualityofcharacters’languageareenoughtoimpressreaders.13

7Dreiser’smethodofcreationistotakethematerialofrealityasthedirectsource,focusingonthedescriptionofcharactersfromsuchaspectsasenvironmentandpsychology.Accordingtotheanalysisofsocialenvironmentandpsychologicalanalysis,theauthormadethecharactersmorereal.Underhisfeetwasacheckeredblack-and-whitemarblefloor.Abovehimacopperedandstainedandgildedceiling.Andsupportingthis,averitableforestofblackmarblecolumnsashighlypolishedasthefloor---glassysmooth.Andbetweenthecolumnswhichrangedawaytowardthreeseparateentrance,oneright,oneleftandonedirectlyforwardtowardDalrympleAvenue---werelamps,statuary,rugs,palms,chairs,divans,tete-a-tetes---aprodigaldisplay.(Dreiser,1926:27-28)TheGreen-DavidsonwasthemostluxuriousplaceinKansasCity,andinClyde’seyes,itnotonlysymbolizedtheluxuryofAmericancities,butalsoindicatedhisdesireforthehighlife.InordertohighlighttheinfluenceofsocialenvironmentonClyde,DreiserspilledalotofinkdescribingthefurnishingsofGreen-DavidsonHotelandthepeoplewhocametothehotelforpleasure.Theluxuriousandcorruptlifedazzledhimandstimulatedhisdesireforpleasure.Clyde’sbehavioralchangeswerelargelyinfluencedbyhisenvironment.Naturalistliteratureemphasizesthattheobjectiveenvironmentplaysadecisiveroleinthedevelopmentofcharacters’fate.Therefore,naturalistwritersfocusmoreondescribingtherealityofnaturalismandhighlightingthehelplessnessandsmallnessofhumanbeingsinthefaceoftheenvironmentandthepressureofnature.Humanisathepowerfulnaturalforceandmaterialworldofhumanoppressionandfrustrationinthefaceoftheirowninstinctsanddesires.Inadditiontothedetaileddescriptionoftheenvironment,Dreiseralsoattachedgreatimportancetodepictingthepsychologyofthecharacters,suchasClyde’srequesttolivewithRobertaafterdatingherforsometime.Robertaresentedlivingtogetheroutofwedlock,butClydeputpressureonherwithhisindifference:However,irritatedbythisplainlydefiniterefusal,hewasnotnowtobemoved.Allthis,ashesawit,smackedofthatlongseriesofdefeatswhichhadaccompaniedhisattentionstoHortenseBriggs.Hewasnotgoingtostandforanythingnowlikethat,youbet.Ifthiswasthewayshewasgoingtoact,we’llletheractso---butnotwithhim.Hecouldgetplentyofgirlsnow---lotsofthem---whowouldtreathimbetterthanthis.(Dreiser,1926:301)IndescribingClyde’spsychologicalactivities,theauthorneithercondemnednorevaluatedClyde’spsychologicalactivitiesandbehaviors,butobjectivelyandcalmlydescribedthepsychologicalactivitiesofthecharacters.Suchconcentratedanddelicatepsychologicaldescriptionmakesthedetailsmoredepthandstrength,whichgreatlyenhancedthesenseofrealityofthenovel.Itwassonaturalandundeniabletothereaderthattherewasnotevenawordtoexpresstheauthor's13

8attitudeormakeanycomment.Thisistheheartofnaturalism.“ThepowerfulabilityofDreisertowritefictionwitha‘life’anditsownderivesmostforcefullyfromhistransformingageneralcharactertypeintothefullycredible,three-dimensionalindividualClyde,givenaninnerlifethatmovesusasreaderstowardaresponsetowardthisprotagonistandhisstory”(Orlov,1999:51).Thewriternotonlyneedstopayattentiontothedescriptionofthedetails,butalsoneedstoattentivelyarrangethestory,everyaspectoflifeinadetailedandhighlylayeredmannerinfrontofthereader,inordertoenhancetheauthenticityandappealofthework.“Naturalistnovelistsoftenmakethefateofthecharactersinthenovelacompleteturnduetosomeaccidentalfactors,inordertoillustratetheimpermanenceoftheworld,thefatecannotbegrasped”(Matthiessen,1973:93).Dreiserseparatedtheimportantmomentsfromthetrivialdailylife.Forinstance,Clydekilledalittlegirlwithacar,anencounterwithanuncle,anaccidentalreportofamurder,whichbecamethemajorturningpointsofthehero’slife.“Thewritermustbeadeptatelaboratingsomesubtleandcoverttransformations,highlightingthemaineventswithauniquestructure,andmakingareliefofequaldepthtoothereventsaccordingtotheirrespectiveimportance,soastoensuretheauthenticityoftheworkasawhole”(曾繁亭,2008:91).InAnAmericanTragedy,whetheritistodepictthesociallifeortonarratetheprogressofthestory,thenarrativeoftheauthorispresentedonebyonethroughwhatthecharacterssee,hear,thinkandfeel.Dreiser’scleverarrangementofplotsanddescriptionofdetailstransformedtheblandnessofreallifeintothesenseofrealityinliterature,expressedtheinnerworldofcharacters,andreproducedtherealityinextremelypreciseanddetailedfragments.Realisticdetaildescriptionisthebasisandguaranteeofnaturalismauthenticity.Naturalisticliteraturecreatesarealworldforthereaderthroughthedescriptionoftheserichandrealisticplots.2.3TragedyThetragedyinDreiser’snovelsbelongstothesocialtragedycharacterizedbyreflectingsocialproblems.Dreiser’sAmericantragedyisatrueportrayalofthetragedyofAmericansociety.Atthattime,theAmericansocietywasinthestageofindustrializationtransformation,therapidaccumulationofwealth,theaccelerationofurbanization,thesocialgapbetweentherichandthepoor,traditionalvaluesandlifestyleswereimpacted.“Thetransformationofsocialvaluesfromidealizationandhumanculturetomaterializationandinstrumentalization,andthetransformationoftheessenceofsocialpsychologyfrompureemotionalbehaviortotheanimalnatureoftheintegrationofemotionalbehaviorandmaterialdesire,makethepsychologyofthewholesocialsubjectseriouslydistortedandunbalanced”(杨小平,2013(02):135-137).WhatDreiserrevealedinhisworksisthecrisisoffaithandspiritualcrisiscausedbytheboundarybetweenidealandreality.Luxuriousandcomfortablelifestylewasthegoalthateveryonestrivesfor,andwastefulconsumptionencouragedtheatmosphereofpleasureandstimulatespeople’sinstinctivematerialdesire,thusbreedingsocial13

9evil.Intheprocessofnarration,theauthorusedverydetailedtechniquestodepicttheprotagonist’slivingenvironment,growingexperienceandvariouspsychologicalprocesses,especiallyClyde’scomplexpsychologicalprocessofentanglingtwolovers.“Clyde’stragedywasatragedyundertheAmericansocialsystem,andhisdestructionwastheinevitableresultofhisthoughtandbehaviordeteriorationanddevelopmentunderthecorrosionofAmericansocialfashionandlifestyle”(杜磊等,2009(6):47-48).Clyde’stragedyhaddualnature.Hisfutilestruggle,depravityanddestructionarenotonlypersonaltragedy,butalsothetragedycausedbyAmericansocialenvironment,thatis,thetragedyofthewholecountry.Hewasnotonlythesinnerandthevictim,butalsothevictimoftheAmericansocialideologyandwayoflifeatthattime.“TheendingofAnAmericanTragedylogicallyfitsthegeneralatmosphereofAmericansocietyatthattime:itwasaculturalcontextinwhichabundanceistheidealoflifeandsociety”(高建为,2004(S1):233-234).TheprotagonistClyderepresentedthetypicalimageofAmericanyouthinthatperiod.Histemptationtomoney,beautyandstatus,aswellashisbehaviortoachievegoalsbyhookorbycrook,reflectedthevaluesoftheyoungpeopleofthatera.ThroughClyde,theauthorpointedoutthatunderthechangeableandpredatoryAmericancapitalsociety,thedeteriorationofsocialvaluesledtothedistortionofhumannature,whichledtotheinevitabletragicfate.TheseriousfrustrationAmericanyouthsufferedinthesocialbackgroundatthattimewasnotthattheywereunabletomeetthisdemand,butthattheydidnotknowwhattheywerepursuingatall.Theonlythingthatcanbeunderstoodisthesatisfactionoffameandwealthandsexualdesire,whichwasoneofthemainfactorsleadingtotragedy.Thebeautyofhisworkslayintheembodimentofimperfecthumannature,thatis,thecontradictionbetweenthephenomenaandtheessenceofreallife.“Fatalismandpessimisticoutlookonlifeareembodiedinnaturalisticworks.ThephilosophicalstartingpointofAmericannaturalisticliteraryworksisDarwin’sbiologicalfatalismandthesocialfatalismdevelopedfromit.Therefore,thefatalisticoutlookonlifereflectedinthenaturalisticworksisalwaysthatpeopleareresignedtotheirfate,andpeoplealwaysappearinthearticlesasvictimsinthesocialdevelopment”(牟瑛等,2013(03):41-42).DreisercombinedSpencer’sthoughtsofevolutionanddeterminisminhisworks,andmadeananalogybetweenthelawofsocialdevelopmentandbiologicalevolution.Dreiser’stragicconsciousnesswascloselyrelatedtothesocialenvironmentinwhichhelived.Hisbleakchildhoodrecordlefthimwithanindeliblememory:lifeisatragedyintheharshrealityoflife.Asawriter,hehadtosearchforthefutureandsocialstatusofhumanbeingsfromarationalperspectiveandexploretherootoftragedy.AshesaidinhisautobiographyDawn:AHistoryofMyself:“Ifeltthepoverty,thefailure,theunhappinessofmyfamily...Inthesameway,anyformofsocialmiseryisenoughtomakemefeel,mentallyandemotionally,thesamesorrowasphysicalpain”(Dreiser,1936:26).ItwasDreiser’ssenseoftragedythatgavethenovelitspowerful13

10vitality,andhisreflectionsonthesocialrealityandthetragicexperienceofindividualsarepresentedinthenovel.“Hefeltdeeplythateverythingintheworld,thevicissitudesoflifeitselfistragic...Therearemanywhofeelit,butfewwhofeelitsostronglyandsodeeplyasDreiser”(Kazinetal.,1955:215).1.ConclusionThecriticGerbertoncethoughtthatDreiserwas“thefirstAmericanwritertodescribeourcommercializedandinstrumentalizedmodernworldwithhissincerityandvitality,andthefirstAmericanwritertodescribethetragedyofhumanalienationcausedbytheintensificationofurbanizationandsocialpressure.AndhewasthefirstAmericanwriterwhoportrayedourselvesassocialstrugglesinafrankandseriousway”(Gerber,1964:173-174).Althoughnaturalisticliteraturealwaysfocusesonexposingthedarknessanduglinessoftherealsociety,whatwecanfeelintheseloudcriesandcomplaintsistheauthor’sgoodwishforsocialprogressandhissympathyandpityforthelowerclass.DreiserrevealedtheuglinessandevilofAmericansociety,butalsoexpressedhiscompassionforthepeopleatthebottomandhisconcernforallsocialstrata.InshapingClyde’scharacterimage,theauthorpoureddeepandcomplicatedloveintoit.Dreiserexposedthecontradictionsanddarksideofthesocietywithhissharpwritingstyle,andmeanwhileexpressedhisyearningforabettersociety.Therefore,inAnAmericanTragedy,hedidnotdepictClydeasaheinoussinner,butdescribedindetailhiscomplexpsychologicalprocessandsocialenvironmenthadaprofoundimpactonhim.DreisernevermadethefinaljudgmentandjudgmentonthecharacteroftheprotagonistClyde,butdescribedpeopleandthingsinthestory.FromDreiser’ssenseoftragedy,wecanfeelthathewasalsoacompassionatenaturalistwriter.Heobservedthemasseswiththesharpest,calmestandmostobjectiveeyes,sympathizedwiththelargeandsmallcharactersinhisworkswithcompassion,and“maintainedasolemnbalancebetweensympathyandcriticism”(龙文佩等,1989:108).Dreiser,likeothernaturalistwriters,emphasizedthe“senseofreality”inhisworks,whichcamefromhiskeenobservationandin-depthinvestigationoflife.The“senseofreality”broughttoreadersbytheAmericantragedyisinseparablefromtheauthor’sfrequentuseoffreeindirectspeechtoachieveobjectivity.Thenarrator“doesnotmixpersonalfeelings,doesnotusetheirownemotionstoaffectthereader,butbythereadertofeelandcriticize”(曾繁亭,2008:158).DreiserboldlyrevealedthecontradictionsanddarksideofAmericansocietywithhissharpwritingstyle,andexposedtheshortcomingsofAmericancapitalistsociety.Inordertomaintainthewriter’sobjectiveandneutralattitude,Dreiserskillfullyusedalargenumberoffreeindirectquotationstoshowthedifficultiesandconfusionofthecharacters’innerworld.Throughplotarrangementandexquisite13

11description,theinnerworldofthecharactersisrevealed.Atthesametime,itcreatesasenseofsadnessandasenseoftragedy,whichenhancestheartisticappealofthenovel.Dreiserexpressedpeople’sdifficulties,thoughtsandstrugglesinrealitywithpassion,andshowedtheinsignificanceofhumanbeingsinfrontoftherealenvironment.AlthoughDreisercouldnotgetridofthehistoricallimitationswhichtheerahasgivenhisidentity.Hestillmadeboldinnovationbasedonreallife,whichbrokethebondageofthetraditionalliteratureandtrulydescribedthelowerpeople’smiserablelife.Itwashisboldpioneeringspiritandnaturalismcolorwritingstylethatinfluencedsubsequentlargenumberofwriters.13

12References[1]TheodoreDreiser.AnAmericanTragedy[M].NewAmericanLibrary,1926.[2]MalcomCowley.AMany-WindowedHouse[M].Carbondale:SouthernIllinoisUniversityPress,1970.[3]TheodoreDreiser.Dawn:AHistoryofMyself[M].London:Constable&CoLtd.,1931:26[4]AlfredKazin,CharlesShapiro.TheStatureofTheodereDreiser[M].NewYork:IndianUniversityPress,1955:215.[5]PaulA.Orlov.AnAmericanTradegy:Perilsoftheselfseeking“success”[M].LewisburgBucknellUniversityPress,1999.[6]PhilipL.Gerber.TheodoreDreser[M].NewYork:TwaynePublishers,Inc,1964．[7]F.O.Matthiessen.TheodoreDreiser[M].Westport:GreenwoodPress,Publishers,1973.[8]许银霜.德莱塞自然主义文学的叙事艺术[D].山东师范大学,2012:4-7.[9]高建为.论《美国悲剧》的自然主义特色[J].求实,2004(S1):233-234[10]曾繁亭.《文学自然主义研究》[M].北京:中国社会科学出版社,2008[11]杜磊,吕华,刁若菲.浅析《美国悲剧》中的现实主义色彩[J].文教资料,2009(6):47-48.[12]周进.美国自然主义文学中自然性的原生态表达[J].科教导刊(下旬),2018,360(12):50-51.[13]龙文佩,庄海骅.《德莱塞评论集》[M].上海:上海译文出版社,1989.[14]徐玲.一个不能超越文化假定的作家——试评美国现代小说先驱西奥多·德莱塞[J].安徽大学学报（哲学社会科学版),2001,25(5):75-78.[15]杨小平.再思克莱德悲剧之成因——评《美国的悲剧》[J].湖南科技学报(社会科学版),2013(02):135-137.[16]牟瑛,陈明辉.文学的社会性——以美国自然主义文学为例[J].南昌教育学院学报,2013(03):41-42.13