社会转型期的价值观建构——论薇拉·凯瑟的题材选择

The Value Construction in Social Transitional Era:On Willa Cather's Selection of Writing Material

薇拉·凯瑟的创作时期是美国由传统社会向工业社会转型的时期,也是传统美德被工业社会急速吞噬的时代。凯瑟见证了拓荒时代与工业社会的鲜明对比,呼吁人们重温和回归拓荒时代的精神和可贵品质,为此,凯瑟精心选择写作题材,在对拓荒精神与美德的回望中,她重申自己所珍视的道德标准,并通过透彻的洞察力和深沉的情感赋予小说以价值信仰。

Willa Cather＇s writing career exists chiefly at American transitional era from traditional society to an industrialized modern society. It is also the period during which the traditional moral values are quickly devastated by industrialization. Cather witnesses the general contrast between the pioneer age and the industrialized society. She calls on people to return spiritually to those valuable qualities that have been fully manifested in the pioneer age, for which she cautiously selects her writing materials. Looking back to the values of the pioneer spirit and qualities, she reaffirms the moral standards she cherishes. She treats her material with a moral responsiveness and brings her novels to a personal commitment which weds feeling with insight.