《嘉莉妹妹》是一部自然主义作品吗?——存在主义视角下的《嘉莉妹妹》与嘉莉的“美国梦”

A Study of Sister Carrie and Carrie's “American Dream”from the Existentialist Perspective

美国作家西奥多·德莱赛的第一部长篇小说《嘉莉妹妹》一向被文学界划分为自然主义作品。文章从存在主义视角解读该作品,认为如果从赫斯特伍德的视角来分析,在失去工作之后,他不能适应残酷的社会环境,最后自杀身亡,这部小说是自然主义作品;如果从嘉莉的视角来看,则要从两方面来分析:为了在大城市生存她不得不先后与德鲁埃、赫斯特伍德同居,是达尔文"适者生存"理论的化身,从这个视角来看,此部作品也算是自然主义作品,但是如果从故事情节发展来看,嘉莉积极进取,凭靠明确的目标、表演天赋、机灵、自信、勤奋好学、竞争意识、要求男女平等的现代女性意识而脱颖而出,实现了其美国梦——物质上的成功,成为百老汇一颗耀眼的明星,该小说则不属于自然主义作品。嘉莉"美国梦"的实现固然与两位男人德鲁埃和赫斯特伍德的帮助分不开,更重要的却是她有明确的目标、自信、好学、努力。

Sister Carrie,the first novel of American writer Theodore Dreiser,is regarded as a naturalistic works in the literary field. This paper aims to analyze the novel from the perspective of existentialism,arguing that if the novel is seen from Hurstwood＇s point of view,after the loss of his job,he can not adapt to the environment and commits suicide,it is a naturalistic works; if it is seen from Carrie＇s viewpoint,it is necessary to explain it in two aspects as follows： on the one hand,she has to live with Drouet and Hurstwood respectively in order to make a living in the big city,and she is the embodiment of the Darwinian concept of ＂the survival of the fittest＂,it is a naturalistic works; on the other hand,however,if viewed from the plot development,she fulfills her ＂American Dream＂—material success and a star in Broadway by means of her talent,confidence,aspiration,good luck,youth,beauty,definite goals,sense of competition,pursuit of equality between man and woman and hard work despite Drouet＇s and Hurstwood＇s aid to some extent,it is not a naturalistic works.