The Aesthetic Analysis Of Modern Nostalgia Phenomenon

By1990s, nostalgia has become a collective social event in the modern horizon.This thesis explains the theory and phenomena of the modern nostalgia in the modern horizon, to reveal aesthetic connotation of modern nostalgia more thoroughly.This whole thesis is composed of four chapters.Chapter one represents the process of modern nostalgia theory. The modern nostalgia originated from the West. We can see a theory pedigree of modern nostalgia clearly from the critique of modernity by Rousseau to Romanticism continues to anti-modernity, and then to Heidegger's "Go Back Home" anti-modernity thorough and out rightly. It provides a theoretical basis for the later modern nostalgia phenomenon.Chapter two explores the people's spiritual roots of modern nostalgia which comes from three factors. Firstly, the conflicts between modern civilization and traditional civilization. Secondly, the phenomenon of social anomie existing in individual and group. Thirdly, the conflicts between different national culture in the globalization. Under such circumstances, individuals will have the sense of abandonment, loneness and worries. Therefore, the majority of people are seeking comfort from the nostalgia.Chapter three is going to discuss the aesthetic analysis of modern nostalgia. Nostalgia is the unification of retrospective and prospective. It is the alternative satisfaction of people to return to spiritual home. It has a very important enlightenment and significance of spiritual salvation. However, once nostalgia become a characterization of the consumer culture, it has transformed a utilitarian needs and consumer behavior. Nostalgia is the Utopia of people's daily lives, nostalgia can temporarily light the daily life, but it is powerless to change the practices, tools of modern civilization. Eventually, nostalgia will return to present,to face the real life.Chapter four is going to unscramble the Chinese nostalgic phenomenon from the novels written in1990s. It includes two main clues. One clue introduces the urban nostalgic novel, stand by portrays the two old cities in China, Shanghai and Beijing. The writer is not only reminisces tradition of old urban life, but also constructs a personal imagined homeland. The other clue describes the rural nostalgic novel, by point out another two cities of China, Shanxi and Shandong. Which reflects the recognition, praise and regret for the traditional culture, the lament for the good old rural life as well as resistant to the modern industrial civilization.As " a consequence of modernity", nostalgia has powerful utopia function in modern people's spiritual life. Nostalgia is aesthetic and significant. Most importantly, people can not ensue excessive nostalgia, which will let us reject to face the reality. And this should be criticized. Therefore, how to get a good balance between nostalgia and reality is a problem of times.