A Study On The "Seriousness" Of Susan Sontag’s Literary Thought

"Seriousness" occupies an important place in Susan Sontag’s literary and artistic thought.In Sontag’s view,what she ultimately really defends is "seriousness." Here,"seriousness" is not just a presentation of attitude,but more about her conveying ideas in the artistic,cultural and moral dimensions.From this,we can clearly see her artistic accomplishment and her thinking on "seriousness".In Sontag’s essays,"seriousness" is mentioned many times,and following her path of thought,she can roughly sort out several dimensions that reach her "seriousness",namely aesthetic standards,cultural character,and moral integrity.As the "seriousness" of aesthetic standards,it emphasizes the principle of art itself "as it is".It is mainly embodied in the artistic expression of "silence" and the evidentiary presentation of the work itself.In contemporary aesthetics,Sontag argues,"silence" has been elevated to the main criterion of "seriousness";the "seriousness" of works of art: evidentiary presentation,is to eliminate as much as possible the endless interpretation of the question of what the work of art is ’about’.The "seriousness" of cultural character is expressed as a "return" to the cultural position of the elite in the context of mass culture completely occupied by consumerism in the late 20 th century;furthermore,"seriousness" will be embodied in the artist’s initiative to choose "difficult moments" and embark on the journey of "spiritual suffering".On the one hand,the "seriousness" of moral conduct is mainly manifested in Sontag’s emphasis on the morality of art: she believes that the value of art is not reflected in acting as a carrier that directly conveys moral concepts,but gives the audience a ability to make moral choices,which is generated by expanding the audience’s form of feeling,and in this process also produces moral pleasure;on the other hand,it is often reflected in the "marginal" nature of the identity and position of the writer or intellectual,thus completing the sober observation and criticism of the external world.Sontag’s practice of "seriousness" also develops from three levels: aesthetic standards,cultural character and ethics.Whether in fiction writing,cultural criticism or selfconsciousness as a public intellectual,Sontag has always adhered to the idea of "seriousness".First,the protagonists of Sontag’s novels mostly exhibit a pronounced "silent" posture and a rejection of "interpretation";second,Sontag’s culturally critical stance reflects a strong elitist tendency,she promotes the classics and always maintains deep and intellectual thinking;and finally,her strict practice of the moral responsibility of intellectuals.The generation of the concept of "seriousness" lies on the one hand,it has been influenced by the subtle influence of the traditional Serious Culture of Europe and gradually internalized it as part of the selfconsciousness project;secondly,it is the identification with existentialism and the criticism tradition of New York intellectuals;on the other hand,Sontag has reversed the formation and deepening of the concept of "seriousness" as a cultural character in his critique of frivolous postmodern consumerist culture.At the same time,with reference to the current Chinese social context,the value and significance of Sontag’s "seriousness" in Chinese literary ecology and society can be considered from the dilemma of art criticism,the reflection of mass culture fever,and the "absence" of intellectual responsibility.