Optimism In Judaism—A Quest For The Jewish Aristocratic Values In Seize The Day

Saul Bellow, a famous Jewish writer in contemporary American literature, explores humanist issues in his novels and portrays the psychological journey of the modern urban intellectuals to find a foothold. Critics agree that Bellow represents Jewish cultural tradition through the literary conventions of modernism and American faith in liberal humanism. This thesis studies one of his most powerful novels, Seize the Day, which is also an expression of urban Jewish alienation from American mainstreams. It mainly tells the painful but awakening story on one day of a jobless and homeless man. In the novella philosophical debate took place within the carefully delineated context of Jewish culture in America, thus balancing ethnic themes with a more universalizing humanism. The thesis focuses on the engagement of the Jewish Aristocratic values reflected in the novel with humanism and humanity. It aims to reveal the Jewish optimism by analyzing Tommy’s quest for Jewish aristocratic values. Tommy’s final spiritual awakening and his apotheosis not only marks an end to Jewish self-consciousness: he(the Jewish) is a spectator no longer but a full participant in the life, but provides further evidence for Bellow’s anti-pessimistic stance and his life-affirming belief.The thesis is consisted of five parts. The first chapter is the introduction, mainly talking about the author Saul Bellow’s life and the general plots of Seize the Day, and explaining the purpose and significance of this thesis. Chapter Two first introduces that optimism is the core of the Jewish aristocratic values, then studies the ideological sources of the Jewish aristocratic values in Judaism, including the concept of “God’s Chosen People”, Judaism’s tempered religiosity and moral sobriety, the consciousness of “suffering”, and Judaism’s spiritual goals,namely, self-discipline and self-realization. The third chapter discusses the process of the pursuit of the Jewish aristocratic values. First it describes Tommy’s pursuing the aristocratic lifestyle and his finding of meaning in life. The second part depicts Tommy’s quest for moral aristocratic values and his failure at life because of Americanism. However, Tommy finally achieves the spiritual victory. The last part is the pursuit of Jewish aristocratic self. Tommyeventually returns to humanity and finds the value of his existence. Chapter Four first reviews Jewish optimism about America before World War II, and then explains people’s seeking for inspiration from Europe after World War II. The following part presents the contest of the internalization of the Jewish aristocratic values against Americanism, and then ends with the victory of internalization of Jewish aristocratic values. Tommy finally achieves spiritual awakening. The fifth Chapter is the conclusion, emphasizing that although Tommy is alienated from the mainstream culture, and at the bottom of life, helplessly. However, his insisting on quest for aristocratic values under the atmosphere of humanism makes him renew optimism about life and humanity.