On The Theme Of Escape In Evelyn Waugh’s A Handful Of Dust

Evelyn Waugh is honored as a famous satirist in Britain in the 20 th century. Published in1934, A Handful of Dust is considered as one of his greatest and most mature novels. The novel centers on the tragic story of the collapse of an aristocratic family, which authentically reveals people’ plunge into the spiritual depravation and moral predicament after the First World War. Moreover, it lays more stress on people’s escape when they get lost in the nostalgic spirit.Psychological reactance theory has been put forward by American psychologist J. W.Brehm. He holds that the essence of the psychological reactance is that people should believe they have the control rights to their behavior. Therefore, when the freedom and control are restricted, people will subconsciously escape from the restriction so as to realize the reestablishment of freedom. The phenomenon of escape among the main characters in A Handful of Dust deserves to be explored, integrating with the special historical background in England, from the perspective of psychological reactance.The thesis selects three typical characters John Beaver, Brenda Last and Tony Last, and analyzes their escape status, respectively from the aspects of vanity, desire and cowardice in A Handful of Dust. Based on the dimension of tradition and morality, it reveals clearly that anxieties for identity in consumer society, expansion of desire in materialistic age and spiritual predicament to new moral order in transitional period are the main reasons for their escapes.To begin with, a literature review of previous studies and a brief introduction of psychological reactance theory will be given. On the basis of close reading, several specific research questions are raised: For seeking an undeserved reputation in celebrity, why does John Beaver escape from the mediocrity by adultery with Brenda? What are the reasons that make Brenda Last pursue for suppressed passion, regardless of the secular perspective? How is Tony Last trapped in the narrow space between traditional concept and new concept? What is the reason impelling him to escape from the secular society eventually? The first chapter explores John Beaver’s escape psychology driven by vanity. As the urban bourgeoisie, John Beaver, who always has a special “noble complex”, is considered as a “clown” in nobility.However, adultery with Brenda makes him be the topic at one’s leisure in upper-class, which is a shortcut for him to get identification. The second chapter focuses on Brenda’s escape psychology promoted by her desire. Induced by Beaver’s compliment words, Brenda’s desire has sprouted. In order to escape from the boring life in Hetton, she fornicates with Beaver regardless of the traditional values. She has been sucked into the vortex of emotional desire step by step. From the guilty to selfishness, she is affected by the enlarged desire and plunges into the wasteland of spirit in the end. The third chapter mainly analyzes Tony’s escape psychology under the tolerance of cowardice. Focusing on Tony’s tragedy, his escape is the manifestation of cowardice. With the invasion of industrial capitalism, it is difficult for traditional order to adapt itself to the situation. Tony has fallen into the cracks between the traditional order and the new moral order, and he cannot find a shelter to live. At length, he has no choice but to escape the morbid world for searching a vanishing Gothic house and seeking for a harbor of soul.By virtue of the specific analysis of their escapes, we can conclude that Evelyn Waugh discloses the anxious emotion and moral predicament in the transitional period. In this complicated social background, people choose “escape” to get rid of dilemma. However, their escapes all end in failure. John Beaver struggles to ruin into celebrity but still cannot fulfill his noble dream. Being fettered by the traditional concept, Brenda doesn’t receive her desired love. Confronting with the crash of modern civilization, Tony Last cannot guard aristocratic last place in the modern society. Through the analysis of the failure of their escapes, it not only exposes Waugh’s reflection towards traditional moral concept and value standards as well as his anticipation to establish a new moral order.