The-Sad-Young-Men--悲哀的青年一代

TheSadYoungMenRodW.HortonandHerbertW.Edwards1NoaspectoflifeintheTwentieshasbeenmorecommenteduponandsensationally（耸人听闻地）romanticizedthantheso-calledRevoltoftheYoungerGeneration.Theslightestmentionofthedecadebringsnostalgic（lookingforsomethingfarawayorlongagoorforformerhappycircumstance对往事怀恋的；怀旧的；wistful，longing，obsessive萦绕于心的）recollections（回忆）tothemiddle-agedandcuriousquestioningsbytheyoung:memoriesofthedeliciously（愉快的；delectably，pleasurably，）illicit（notallowedbylaw，custom，rule，etc．违法的；违禁的；非法的；illegitimate，illegal，unlawful，prohibited）thrill（tremorofexcitement一阵激动；frisson）ofthefirstvisittoaspeakeasy（[slang]aplacewherealcoholicdrinksaresoldillegally，esp.suchaplaceintheU．S．duringProhibition[俚]美国禁酒期的非法的酒店）,ofthebravedenunciation（theactofdenouncing谴责；抨击；criticism，condemnation，blame）ofPuritan（清教徒的）morality,andofthefashionableexperimentationsinamour（aloveaffair，esp.ofanillicitorsecretnature恋情；尤指不正当的男女关系）intheparkedsedan（anenclosedautomobilewithtwoorfourdoors．andtwowideseats．frontandrear两扇或四扇门、双排座的轿车；car，automobile）onacountryroad;questionsaboutthenaughty(不得体的；猥亵的；improper，obscene淫秽的，vulgar庸俗的，ribald粗俗的),jazzyparties,theflask-toting（alwayscarryingasmallflaskfilledwithwhiskyorotherstrongliquor身带烈性酒的）sheik,（amasterfulmantowhomwomenaresupposedtobeirresistablyattracted能使女子倾心的美男子）andthemoralandstylisticvagaries（anodd，eccentric，orunexpectedactionorbitofconduct古怪行径；难以预测的行为）oftheflapper（ayoungwomanconsideredboldandunconventionalinactionsanddress举止与衣着不受传统拘束的年轻女子，轻佻女郎）andthedrug-storecowboy.（ayoungmanwhohangsarounddrugstoresandotherpublicplacestryingtoimpresswomen在杂货店和其他公共场所徘徊试图打动女人的年轻男人）Wereyoungpeoplereallysowild?present-daystudentsasktheirparentsandteachers.WastherereallyaYoungerGenerationproblem?Theanswerstosuchinquiriesmustofnecessitybeyesandno--YesbecausethebusinessofgrowingupisalwaysaccompaniedbyaYoungerGenerationProblem;nobecausewhatseemedsowild,irresponsible（不负责任的；careless，feckless，reckless),andimmoralinsocialbehavioratthetimecannowbeseeninperspective（vieworjudgethingsinawaythatshowtheirtruerelationstooneanother以联系的观点正确地看待或判断事物）asbeingsomethingconsiderablylesssensational（耸人听闻的；startling，shocking，astounding）thanthedegenerationofourjazzmad（blindlyandfoolishlyfondofjazzmusic爵士乐狂）youth.二十年代社会生活的各个方面中，被人们评论得最多、渲染得最厉害的，莫过于青年一代的叛逆之行了。只要有只言片语提到那个时期，就会勾起中年人怀旧的回忆和青年人好奇的提问。中年人会回忆起第一次光顾非法酒店时的那种既高兴又不安的违法犯罪的刺激感，回忆起对清教徒式的道德规范的勇猛抨击，回忆起停在乡间小路上的小轿车里颠鸾倒凤的时髦爱情试验方式；青年人则会问起有关那时的一些纵情狂欢的爵士舞会，问起那成天背着酒葫芦、勾引得女人团团转的“美男子”，问起那些“时髦少女”和“闲荡牛仔”的奇装异服和古怪行为等等的情况。“那时的青年果真这样狂放不羁吗?”今天的青年学生们不禁好奇地向他们的师长问起这样的问题。“那时真的有过青年一代的问题吗?”对这类问题的回答必然只能是既“对”又“不对”——说“对，，是因为人的成长过程中一贯就存在着所谓青年一代的问题；说“不对”是因为在当时的社会看来似乎是那么狂野。那么不负责任，那么不讲道德的行为，若是用今天的正确眼光去看的话，却远远没有今天的一些迷恋爵士乐的狂荡青年的堕落行为那么耸人听闻。2Actually,therevolt（叛逆；rebel）oftheyoungpeoplewasalogicaloutcomeofconditionsintheage:Firstofall,itmustberememberedthattherebellionwasnotconfinedtotheUnitedStates,butaffectedtheentireWesternworldasaresultoftheaftermath（aresultorconsequence，esp.anunpleasantone结果，尤指令人不愉快的后果；result，consequences，outcome，upshot）ofthefirstseriouswarinacentury.Second,intheUnitedStatesitwasreluctantlyrealizedbysome-subconsciouslyifnotopenly--thatourcountrywasnolongerisolatedineitherpoliticsortraditionandthatwehadreachedaninternationalstaturethatwouldforeverpreventusfromretreatingbehindtheartificialwallsofaprovincial（narrow，limitedlikethatofruralprovinces狭窄的；偏狭的；地方性的；local）moralityorthegeographicalprotectionofourtwoborderingoceans.实际上，青年一代的叛逆行为是当时的时代条件的必然结果。首先，值得记住的是，这种叛逆行为并不局限于美国，而是作为百年之中第一次惨烈的战争的后遗症影响到整个西方世界。其次，在美国，有一些人已经很不情愿地认识到——如果不是明明白白地认识到，至少是下意识地认识到——无论在政治方面还是在传统方面，我们的国家已不再是与世隔绝的了；我们所取得的国际地位使我们永远也不能再退缩到狭隘道德规范的人造围墙之后，或是躲在相邻的两大洋的地理保护之中了。3TherejectionofVictorian（维多利亚式的）gentility（thequalityofbeinggenteel；now，specifically，excessiveoraffectedrefinementandelegance有教养，斯文，温文尔雅；现尤指假装文雅，假装斯文；refinement，breeding，courtesy，civility，cultivation）was,inanycase,inevitable.TheboomingofAmericanindustry,withitsgigantic,roaringfactories,itscorporateimpersonality（非人格性）,anditslargescaleaggressiveness（boldandenergeticpursuitofone’send，enterprise有进取心，进取精神；）,nolongerleftanyroomforthecode（准则；规范；rule，system，ethics，canon总的规则、准则、原则）ofpolitebehaviorandwell-bred（有教养的）moralityfashionedinaquieterandlesscompetitiveage.Warornowar,asthegenerationspassed,itbecameincreasinglydifficultforouryoungpeopletoacceptstandardsofbehaviorthatborenorelationshiptothebustling（hurrybusilyorwithmuchfussandbother繁忙，奔忙；busy，brisk）businessmedium（environment环境）inwhichtheywereexpectedtobattleforsuccess.Thewaractedmerelyasacatalytic（actingasthestimulusinbringingaboutorhasteningaresult起催化作用的；起刺激作用的）agentinthisbreakdownoftheVictoriansocialstructure,andbyprecipitatingouryoungpeopleinto（thrustviolentlyintoacondition使突然陷入某种状态）apatternofmassmurderitreleasedtheirinhibitedviolentenergieswhich,aftertheshootingwasover,wereturnedinbothEuropeandAmericatothedestructionofanobsolescent（intheprocessofbecomingobsolete即将过时的；逐渐被废弃的；outofdate，outmoded，antiquated）nineteenth-centurysociety.在当时的美国，摒弃维多利亚式的温文尔雅无论如何都已经是无可避免的了。美国工业的飞速发展及其所带来的庞大的、机器轰鸣的工厂的出现，社会化大生产的非人格性，以及争强好胜意识的空前高涨，使得在较为平静而少竞争的年代里所形成的温文