Font Size: a A A

Crisis Roots: A Modern Reflection Of The Potential Melody,

Posted on:2010-01-02Degree:DoctorType:Dissertation
Country:ChinaCandidate:M LeiFull Text:PDF
GTID:1115360275962680Subject:Chinese Modern and Contemporary Literature
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
Real background of modern ecological novels, taking relationship of human being and nature as center of narration, is increasingly serious ecological crisis. Real inherent source of ecological crisis is modern cultural crisis. As Anthony Giddens said:"Ecological crisis we are facing now seems to similar to natural disasters suffered during modern age. However, difference becomes clear through comparison. Ecological threat comes from effect imposed on material universe by industrialism. They are what I have said, new risk profile introduced by modernity."From this aspect, now that modernity is the root of ecological crisis, Chinese modern ecological novels, which correspond to serious ecological crisis, reveals current situation of ecological crisis, search for source of ecological crisis, embody thinking of modernity.Through study, we can find out that ecological novels present a solid truth by revealing current situation of ecological crisis and searching for source of ecological crisis: ecological crisis is associated with factors, such as the disenehantment of the world, industrialization and technology closely. Correspondingly, writers of ecological novels surly take a reassessment and beyond attitude toward these factors as well. At same time, as practice of aesthetic and ideogram, modern ecological novels present a kind of tension state that support or oppose social modernity. Based on this, this thesis will analyze fully and review deeply ecological novels, which are regarded as reassessment words to modernity.Due to prejudice of theory, most of studies of ecological literatures formerly dredged up ecological meaning from perspective of ecology, which has restrained understanding of literary phenomena. Revealing modern phenomena of ecological novels by combining modern ecological novels with modern problems can not only promote understanding of ecological novels, but also help us to better understand inherent social mechanism and cultural texture that result in ecological crisis, which is more important. Through these, we can fully aware of complexity of China's modernity, and are indicated and warned to be circumspect in some aspects in designing China's modernity.Introduction part: analyze modern source of ecological crisis, point out that the most important realistic reason for emergence and boom of ecological literature is increasingly serious ecological crisis. On this basis, combined with China's specific cultural context, through discriminating meaning of ecological novels, this thesis thinks: ecological novels emphasize relationship between human being and nature to reveal natural ecological crisis human being is facing and human being's deep cultural crisis behind ecological crisis. At same time, taking ecological system as value basis, ecological novels appeal to nature, others, self to be harmonious, so that freedom and beauty can coexist. Birth of ecological literature with real significance has specific modern developing background. Although some novels have ecology idea, they can not be called real ecological novels. Real ecological novels emerged after China entering new period, during which pursuit of modernity in most active stage and caused serious ecological crisis. China's modern ecological novels mean ecological novels emerged since new period. Based on this, development of China's modern ecological novels presents periodical characteristics: during mid-late 1980: budding period; 1990: fast developing; till now: intensive bursting period. Most of writers of the literary works come from west, behind which hide the wrong structure under the authority of literature producing Field.Chapter one emphasizes analyzing narration of deity of natural world and pursuit of nature's"back to charm"to disapprove of"charm dispelling". During modern world of"charm dispelling", nature got rid of deity, became a thing that can be analyzed by scientific method, calculated by mathematics, and manipulated by technology, without any profound thing, experience and sense. Under the guidance of rational spirit, inherent mystique and magic of nature are sent into exile. Therefore, human being only has desire of governing, conquest, possession, instead of feelings of humility and awe to the nature. This thesis thinks that based on the consideration of destructive result caused by modernity, modern ecological novels hope the nature can go back to deity world to express that everything has its own experience, value and purpose so that human being can be inspired to be in awe of nature. Specifically, first, revert nature to the primitive world and grant a kind of subjectivity to the nature. Nature is no longer used for identifying episode scene or coordinating with the mood of characters, or as main carrier of empathy, metaphor, symbolization. Instead, nature overwhelms the soul of human being by strong mystery bring by glory of its primitive appearance. Second, ecological novels change the judgment standard that take human being as measure of value and reinventing images of all kinds of animals and grant spiritual color to the animals,they have their own feelings, living value and dignity. Third, ecological novels tell a large amount of stories with elements of natural myth, in which concepts of in awe of nature and respecting nature come back again, some concepts and taboos of myth are rationalized and glorified to recall human being to abide by historical customs, feel the mystery of nature, be in awe of and respect nature. Forth, ecological novels manifest and pay close attention to traditional religion culture, and emphasize finding nature belief and natural worship, which are common contents or subject of primitive religion, folk religion, Taoist and Buddhist, call for forming the atmosphere to put nature back to charm. This thesis searches to nature's"back to charm"presented by modern ecological novels mainly from above four aspects, which is reckoned contrary to"get rid of charm", and highlight the position of challenging modernity. When revealing current situation and deep reasons of ecological crisis.Chapter two shows question to subjectivity of modernity. This thesis thinks expansion of subjectivity of modernity is the direct reason for what have deepened ecological crisis, which has been presented by many modern ecological novels. This thesis completely rethinks and criticizes subjectivity. First, darkness of subject of desire. Desire is important indication of establishment of subjectivity of human being, and is one of the core factors for causing ecological crisis. Ecological novels present direct relationship between endless desire and ecological crisis, and criticize the improper behavior of human being, such as do harm to nature, destroy ecology and so on. Second, vanity subject of rationality. Human being depends on power of logos to dominate everything, destroy and spoliate nature. We can see from some of ecological novels that writers fully and deeply disclose the vanity of human being , who is as the subject of logos, through narration of natural or living phenomena that can not be explained by logos, or figure magical characters with ability of forecasting, doubt mythology of logos'omnipotence. Third, the main body of Bureaucracy is incomplete. The way of thinking and value selection of the people who work in the modern Bureaucracy will definitely be restrained by the modern bureaucracy. Ecological novels represent the phenomena of absolutely obeying the superior and purchasing performance, which has a close relationship with the ecological crisis. It also reveals the limitation and deformity of the modern Bureaucracy. Fourth, inter-subjectivity is too splendid. Differ from the subjectivity, inter-subjectivity is not taking the nature as objectivity any more. It is the principle part of equal footing and communication. Taking the"relationship between human being and nature is a kind of inter-subjectivity"as the basic principles, ecological novels make great efforts to build the image and praise the characters of inter-subjectivity.Chapter three mainly explains that modern ecological novels fully reveal negative effect brought by industrialization and development of technology. Industrialization and rapid development of technology form leading results of modernity. However, under the light of development and progress, many worrying shadows have emerged shockingly. Because human being blindly industrialize and do homage to technology unconditionally, evil consequences of modernization, such as worsen of natural environment, crash of traditional poetry, poverty of farmer, mood of worried about future and so on, have showed one after another. This thesis thinks modern ecological novels roundly scan"advancement trap"brought by industrial civilization and technology development, which is refection of modernity of modern ecological novels, highlight the attitude of modern ecological novels: reassessment and critique.Referring to constructive theory of late-modernism, Chapter four analyzes nice homestead -----"ecological Utopia", which modern ecological novels are seeking. This thesis thinks: modern ecological novels make efforts to build ideal living environment that beyond modernity, based on correction of various harms done by modernity, and clear cognition that China's modernity and ecological environment, on which human being depends is facing serious challenge. This kind of ideal living environment pays attention to get rid of predicament of modernity, but not to give up modern ideality, and presents some particularities, such as living picture of harmonious coexistence of nature and environment, friendly relationship among men, intergrowth of multicultural, and so on. This kind of ideal living environment and opinions of constructive late-modernism are completely in concordance, which present a kind of gesture of late-modernity of modern ecological novels that beyond modernity.Chapter five probes into defects of modern ecological novels, comes up with the discussion on enhancing character and morals of art. This thesis thinks, on the one side, some of modern ecological novels adhere to reality, so that lead to exhaustion of image. Although texts are not short of true feeling of life, due to standing on reappearance of true feeling of ecological affairs, writers were not able to exert respective"inspiration"to abstract, process and alter real affairs, thereout, novels lose their far—reaching artistic charm. On the other hand, due to the constraints of the mother subject of common"eco-anxiety", most of the ecological novels have defects in the image building. Those images are too similar and overrunning with a pattern of tragedy. The images built are not rich and stereoscopic enough. They cannot present the aesthetic view which is filled with sense of reality and quality, surprise, and sense of experienced. At the same time, the ecological novels are all too sorrowful. Though they expressed the ecological theme directly and grievously, and purchase the aesthetic effect which the shocking experience brought by tragedy, the philosophical implication of tragedy seems inadequate. We cannot get a deeply thoughts of ecological philosophy beyond the sadness. Third, ecological novels reveal the terrible reality of ecological crisis with straightforward courage. But it is just leaded by the recognition of problem; they basically remain in the layer of revealing ecological problems and the display crisis. They can never surpass the basic layers. They still lack of deeply digging to the abundant reality inspiration that viewed by the ecological crisis. Forth, ecological novels'inheritance of traditional mode of narration becomes effective strategy of ecological concept diffusion. In brief, after all, ecological novels are literary culture, and not ecology. They are as much aesthetic as ecological. Changing present express manners of ecological words and establishing multiple value system are the best way for ecological novels to highlight function value and enhance artistic style by the greatest extent.The epilogue discusses the extremes of reassessment and critique to modernity of modern ecological novels. This thesis thinks, although insight and words of various negative effects of modernity are exact and timely, have meaning of equilibrium and warning, and are able to provide destructiveness of modernity and immoderately expansion with necessary restriction and benign tensile force, fate of modernity in contemporary era in China can not be ended by animadversion and repulsion. No matter modernity shows whatever, limitations, risks, negative consequences, modernity still be deep-rooted inner support of China's modern subject and society. When reassessing and criticizing modernity, ecological novels ignore realistic and historical context to a certain degree in the course of searching for root of ecological crisis, and transplant western words of postmodern ecological civilization without analysis. Criticism to modernity goes into mistaken idea of emotional mindset and simplification, which is suspected of demonizing modernity. Prospective ecological novels should, when dealing with relationships between divinity and rationality, between natural ethics and humanism, between beyond late-modern and foundation of reality of China, have a unique perspective to seek for best equalization point.
Keywords/Search Tags:ecological crisis, ecological novels, reassessment of modernity, postmodern
PDF Full Text Request
Related items