Theodore-Dreiser

TheodoreDreiser(1871-1945)by刘兰芳/彭倩TheodoreDreiser•HewasanAmericannovelistandjournalistofthenaturalistschool.Hisnovelsoftenfeaturedmaincharacterswhosucceededattheirobjectivesdespitealackofafirmmoralcode,andliterarysituationsthatmorecloselyresemblestudiesofnaturethantalesofchoiceandagency.HisbestknownnovelsincludeSisterCarrie(1900)andAnAmericanTragedy(1925).HejoinedtheCommunistPartyin1945.LifeExperienceCareerEvaluation123ContentMarriageBackgroundFamilyEducationLifeBackgroundNaturalism(aharsherandextremeformofrealism)•describethelivesofthedowntroddenandtheabnormal,theirfranktreatmentofhumanpassionandsexuality,andtheirportrayalofmenandwomenoverwhelmedbyblindforcesofnaturestillexertapowerfulinfluenceonmodernwriters.MarriageBackgroundFamilyEducationLifeFather:aGermanimmigrant；aCatholicfarmer;movetoAmericatoescapetheconsription(征兵);treatchildrenseverely,onlytomakethemdistantfromhim.Dreiser:borninTerreHaute,Indiana,onAugust27,1871,toSarahandJohnPaulDreiser,astrictCatholicfamily;the12thof13children;unhappychildhoodinfluencedbythewholefamily.Brothers/Sisters:driftintodrunkness,promiscuityandsqualor;twoofhissisterswereseduced;PaulDresserwasasongwriter,alsoapatternforDreiser.Mother:fromafarmingcommunity;illiterateandearnest;aChristian;disownedformarryingJohnandconvertingtoRomanCatholicism.MarriageBackgroundFamilyEducationLifeEducationbefore18891889-1890from1892graduatefromhighschoolinWarsaw;workonhisownattendedIndianaUniversity;dropout1yearlaterexperience;independentreadingandthinkingMarriageBackgroundFamilyEducationLifeSaraWhite:marriedheronDecember28,1898;ultimatelyseparatedin1909;butneverformallydivorced.ThelmaCudlipp:theseparationwaspartlyasaresultofhisinfatuationwithher,theteenagedaughterofaworkcolleague.KyraMarkham:livedwithher,whowasanactressandpainter,muchyoungerthanhim,inthe1930s.HelenRichardson:methiscousinH.R.in1919,withwhomhebegananaffairwithsado-masochisticelements;eventuallymarriedonJune13,1944.Marriage(loveaffairs)1892:wrotefortheChicagoGlobenewspaperandthentheSt.LouisGlobe-Democrat,whichpreparedalotforhislaterwriting.1900:SisterCarrie«嘉莉妹妹»Laterhehadaspiritualcrisis,whichpeoplethinkwascausedbythecontradictionamongwriting,makingalivingandfamily.1903:beganwritingagain,workingforseveralnewspapers1911:JennieGerhardt«珍妮姑娘»Inthenext15yearshiswritingcareerreachedapeak,whenhefinishedmostofhismainworks.Career10yearsnoworksnewspapersSisterCarrieIttellsthestoryofawomanwhofleeshercountrylifeforthecity(Chicago)andtherelivesalifefarfromaVictorianideal.Itsoldpoorlyandwasnotwidelypromotedlargelybecauseofmoralobjectionstothedepictionofacountrygirlwhopursuesherdreamsoffameandfortunethroughunmoralitybutwithoutremorse(自责)andpunishment.Since1932thebookhasjustbeenincludedbyModernLiteratureSeries.IthasbeencalledthegreatestofallAmericanurbannovels.ItwasmadeintoafilmbyWilliamWyler,whichstarredLaurenceOlivierandJenniferJones.SisterCarrie1912:TheFinancier«金融家»1914:TheTitan«巨人»1915:TheGenius«天才»,anautobiographicalwork1925:AnAmericanTragedy«美国悲剧»,bannedinBostonin19271946:TheBulwark«堡垒»,publishedafterhisdeath1947:TheStoic«斯多葛»,publishedafterhisdeath(Theprotagonist:FrankCowperwood,abusinessman,hisexperiencefromsuccesstofailure)TrilogyofDesire“欲望三部曲”CareerFictionSisterCarrie(1900)OldRogaumandHisTheresa(1901)JennieGerhardt(1911)TheFinancier(1912)TheTitan(1914)TheGenius(1915)FreeandOtherStories(1918)TwelveMen(1919)AnAmericanTragedy(1925)Chains:LesserNovelsandStories(1927)AGalleryofWomen(1929)TheBulwark(1946)TheStoic(1947)WorkListNonfiction•ATraveleratForty(1913)•AHoosierHoliday(1916)•HeyRub-a-Dub-Dub:ABookoftheMysteryandWonderandTerrorofLife(1920)•ABookAboutMyself(1922)•TheColorofaGreatCity(1923)•DreiserLooksatRussia(1928)•MyCity(1929)•TragicAmerica(1931)•Dawn(1931)•AmericaIsWorthSaving(1941)WorkListDrama•PlaysoftheNaturalandSupernatural(1916)•TheHandofthePotter(1918),firstproduced1921WorkListPoetry•TheAspirantStyleWithoutgoodconstructiondeficientcharacterizationlackinimaginationSimplewordsJournalisticmethodofreiteration重复新闻手法Techniquesinpainting(word-picture,sharpcontrast,truthincolor,movementinoutline)ThemeTitleinhereAmericanDreamChangeandTransformationChoicesandConsequencesWealthandPovertyIdentitySexEvaluation1)DreiserhasbeenacontroversialfigureinAmericanliteraryhistory.HisworksarepowerfulintheirportrayalofthechangingAmericanlife,buthisstyleisconsideredcrude.Heshowedanewwayofpresentingrealityandinspiredthewritersofthe1920swithcourageandinsight.ItisinDreiser’sworksthatAmericannaturalismissaidtohavecomeofage.2)HeembracedsocialDarwinism.Helearnedtoregardmanasmerelyananimaldrivenbygreedandlustinastruggleforexistenceinwhichonlythefittest,themostruthless,survive.Humantragedycomesasaresultofthecollisionbetweenman’sbiologicalneedsandsociety’sruthlessmanipulation.3)ItisDreiser’sannouncedintentiontoreportthecoarseandthevulgarandthecruelandtheterribleinlifeindefianceofthegenteelandevasivecurrentliteraturewithwhichhehadabsolutelynopatienceandsympathy.4)Dreiser’swritingsrevealatremendousvitallustforlifewithaconvictionthatmanistheendandmeasureofal