库柏的《间谍》与美国亚当神话的建构

James Cooper's The Spy and the Construction of the Myth of the American Adam

在被誉为美国第一部战争小说《间谍》中,詹姆斯·库柏帮助建构了在美国社会影响深远的亚当神话,通过表现美国亚当的纯真质朴、高大英勇和对自然的热爱,激发了美国人浪漫的民族主义情感,强调了美国独特的民族性格,在建国初期对美国民族国家的建构产生了积极的作用。作家之所以没有深入探讨美国社会存在的问题和冲突,也是因为他渴望用独立战争时期的民族精神来激励当代美国民众,因而回避了美国亚当在面对现代文明时的失落和痛苦。

Acclaimed as the first American war novel,James Cooper's The Spy helps to construct the influential myth of the American Adam. By demonstrating the American Adam's innocence,nobleness and love for nature,Cooper tries to arouse Americans' romantic national feelings and emphasize the unique American national character,which has exerted a profound influence on the construction of the American nation in the early stage of the country. Cooper does not probe into the problems and conflicts in the American society,since he hopes to encourage his contemporary Americans with the national spirit shown in the Independent War era. Therefore,he deliberately neglects the loss and suffering of the American Adam in modern civilization.