《甜菜女王》中环境对人物的影响

Influence of Environment on Characters in The Beet Queen

美国印第安女作家路易斯·厄德里克的《甜菜女王》讲述了印第安人、白人与混血人的生活。本文通过文本细读对比三组邻代人所受环境影响与人物性格之间的关系。印第安女性弗勒生长在传统的印第安环境中,生性勤劳、善良;外甥罗素受到白人同化环境的影响,变得追逐名利。白人阿德莱德成长在传统的白人家庭中,懒惰、冷漠、缺乏责任感;女儿玛丽不愉快的成长经历使她成为重视亲情的独立女性。混血塞莱斯汀从小缺少父母的庇护,变得自立自强;其女多特受到两位中性女人的影响以及两种文化的感染,成为新一代的诚实、独立女性。研究发现成长环境与社会文化环境会影响人物的行为与思想,进而塑造人物的性格。

The Beet Queen written by the female American Indian writer Louise Erdrich tells of the life of the Indian, the White, and the Mix-blooded. The paper aims to investigate how environment influences people by thoroughly comparing and analyzing three adjacent-generation pairs in tl-e novel. The Indian woman Fleur grows up in the traditional Indian environment, which molds her industry and kindness; her nephew Russell is influenced by the White assimilative environment, which drives him to pursue fame. The White woman Adelaide grows up in a traditional white family, which makes her lazy, indifferent, and irresponsible; her daughter Mary＇ s unhappy experience molds her into an independent female who cares about family affec- tion. The mix-blooded Celestine lacks the care and love of parents, which forges her independence ; her daughter Dot is influ- enced by two neutral females and two cultures, and she grows to be a new female with honesty and independence. The study finds that the natural growing environment and euhural background influence people＇ s behaviors and thoughts, and further mold their personalities.