The Loss Of Community

The Secret Agent is one of Joseph Conrad's famous political novels. The novel derivesmaterials from the real bomb outrage of the Greenwich Observatory, and presents theturbulent society at that time and destructive forces to inhabitants'lives brought about by thepolitical events.Critics and scholars abroad and at home, try to interpret and appreciate The Secret Agentin different ways. In the past, they just focused their attention on literary aspects, such astechniques, structures, and themes, etc; in the recent years, critics have explored newinterpretations from the interdisciplinary approaches which make readers have a fresh andprofound understanding of the novel. My thesis tries to analyze the phenomena of destructionin terms of community from Sociology in order to obtain a new understanding.The thesis is composed of introduction, body and conclusion. And the main body falls intofive chapters. The introduction introduces the background, different interpretations abroad andat home, motivation, methodology and creativity of the thesis. Chapter One examines theorigin and definition of community in Sociology, forms of community in Conrad's works andsimply points out the loss of community in The Secret Agent. First of all, I do some researchinto origin, development, elements of community in Sociology. It originates from FerdinandTonnies's Germeinschaft and Gesellschaft. Although the term of community develops and hasdiverse complicated definitions in different angles, it mainly concerns two factors: territoryand mutual bonds. Then I conduct a study of forms of community in Conrad's five workswritten in his major phase. At last, the loss of community is simply analyzed in The SecretAgent in terms of Sociology. Chapter Two analyzes the destructive territorial factor. Territorialfactor includes external and internal environment. In the novel, dark and bleak London images,oppressive social institutions and depressing social facilities are indispensable destructivefactors in external environment; inhabitants'buildings, streets and other internal surroundingshave taken on bleak images. The loss of community is partly dependent on the disruptiveexternal and internal surroundings. Chapter three exhibits that the destruction of mutual bondsalso lead to the loss of community. Mutual bonds refer to the shared tradition and values,mutual interests, participation into the development of community, and a sense of belonging,all of which unite members together. However, in the novel, loveless marriage, contrastingvalues, the betrayal and revenge of the family members cause the tragedy and destruction ofthe family. For the social relationship, the consensus disappears, collective work andcooperation are devoid, and the self-interest is defended. The loss of community is attributedto the destruction of mutual bonds. Chapter Four explains Conrad's motivation to reveal the causes of loss of community on the basis of the previous analyses. Conrad's specialexperiences, disordered society and influence of metropolis are closely relevant to the causes.Chapter Five investigates the importance of exploring loss of community. Communityfunctions as a miniature of the whole society and discloses the social problems; meanwhilemore and more attention is paid to the meaning of human existence. Besides, the hope torebuild and live in a harmonious community is urgent.The conclusion demonstrates Conrad's contradictory attitudes; on the one hand, Conrad'spessimism and disappointment are revealed through the description of bleak and darksurroundings and destruction of mutual ties in family and social relationship; on the other hand,the ending of the novel is tinted with a glimpse of hope to establish a stable and harmoniouscommunity.