吉姆在帕图森的成功:西方文明的重建

Jim's Feats in Patusan: the Reconstruction of Western Civilisation

西方人给古老东方社会带来的影响是《吉姆爷》后半部分的一个重要主题,可以从文明冲突的角度解读这部印象主义作品。帕图森可以看作近代西方人眼中的东方社会的一个缩影,作为西方文明的使者,吉姆在帕图森的所作所为不仅是他个人道德形象的重塑,更是西方文明对东方社会的冲击、复制和重建。通过深入分析吉姆在帕图森成功的原因,可发现西方文化在世界的传播并不是白人种族优越性的证明。康拉德以艺术的形式,浓缩地再现了近代东方社会中东西方文化交流、文明冲突的历史。

Western intruders in the Oriental World is one of the recurring themes in Conrad＇s novels.The influence of Western culture on the Eatern world was explored in deapth in the second half of Lord Jim.Patusan can be taken as an epitome of the old Eastern world,in which every power,old or new,native or foreign,can find its spokesman.As an emissary of Western Culture in Patusan,Jim not only restored his morality and regained his self-image,but also reconstructed Patusan politically and economically according to his own Western ideal.But he did it not by his ＂racial superiority＂,but with the vital help of his native friends and modern technology.through the analysis,it is concluded that in the latter half of Lord Jim,Conrad was actually telling us,in the form of a novel,about the historical facts of cultural conflicts in the old East moving towards modernity under the influence of Western culture.