《在路上》中的西部情结

当代美国作家杰克.凯鲁亚克的小说《在路上》被誉为是"垮掉的一代"的宣言书和《圣经》,它是美国文学中诠释西行主题的经典之作。小说以主人公萨尔对东部厌倦———对西部的幻想———西部梦想的幻灭为线索,体现了"垮掉的一代"时代背景下所贯穿于作品当中的西部情结的主题。这一主题的凸显过程也暗含了美国文学中对东部和中西部所持的对立的传统看法,即东部是欧洲堕落的化身,而中西部是原始道德的发源地,这种西部情结背后深藏的是"垮掉的一代"对现实的不满、对社会的抗议和对自由精神的追求。

Western Complex in On the Road

Contemporary American writer Jack Kerouac＇s novel On the Road is considered as the declaration and ＂Bible＂ of the ＂Beat Generation＂. The novel is a classic in American literature of interpreting westbound theme. It depicted a group of adventurous young people＇s wanderings across the American Continent in order to seek to change and pursue freedom. The novel regards Sal＇s boredom of the east - the illusion of the west - disillusionment of the west dream - as the clue through a kind of western complex theme. The complex highlights traditional oppositional attitude toward the west and the east in Americana literature, that is, the east is the embodiment of Europe fall and the west is the embodiment of cradle of original ethic. Behind this western complex are the reality of social discontent and protests, and the pursuit of spiritual freedom of the Beat Generation.