迎合与反思——走近更真实的库柏

The Relationship between Man and Nature as Reflected in Cooper's Novels

库柏被称作美国第一个“自己的小说家”。他的传世之作主要是他的“皮裹腿”系列小说。普通读者和批评家一般认为这五部小说中《最后一个莫希干人》最为成功,其被反复搬上银幕似乎更印证了这种观点的正确性。然而,库柏本人却最钟爱批评家和普通读者最不看好的《大草原》。追溯作家库柏产生的历史背景,集中分析以上两文本,对作者和以往读者的看法为何产生如此巨大的反差这一论题作了深入探讨和论证。

James Fenimore Cooper, who is universally recognized as the first American novelist, achieved his worldwide reputation through the publication of his five - volume ＂Leather - stocking Tales＂. Many critics claim that of the five ＂The Last of the Mohicans＂ is the most successful, as is evidence by its being repeatedly adapted into movies of the same title. However, Cooper＇ s own favorite is The Prairie, which has long been criticized for its loose structure. This paper aims to reveal the reason behind the sharp contrast between＂ the two sides＇ perceptions and concludes that James Cooper was a great thinker well ahead of his time.