Lack Of Love And Freedom

Joyce Carol Oates(1938---), an American contemporary female writer, is known for her prolific and versatile characteristics. So far, she has published more than one hundred works, including novels, poems, dramas and literary reviews. Oates’ s works always take the darker side of social milieu as the background to explore human existential predicaments and the weaknesses of human nature. Wonderland, one of Oates’ s early masterpieces, is very popular among the readers and the literary critics.The story of the novel covers a time span from the American Great Depression in the1930’s to the American spiritual crisis in the 1970’s. It takes Jesse’s growth process as the clue, depicting vividly the existential predicaments and inner malady of the modern American people.The dissertation attempts to interpret the main characters’ insane personalities and tragic life by applying Erich Fromm’s theories on human nature, alienation, love and freedom so as to reveal the alienated human nature and the relationships among people in an insane society. It points out that the lack of love and freedom is the root causes of the insane personalities and the tragic life. In the meantime, we can see that Oates not only reveals the shortcomings of the social development and the weaknesses of human nature but also tries to look for the ways that help people get rid of their tragic life.The dissertation is composed of five chapters all together. Chapter one is the introduction, which presents a brief introduction to Joyce Oates, the novel Wonderland and the social background of America from the 1930 s to the 1970 s.Chapter two is the literature review in which both domestic and foreign studies on Wonderland are reviewed. It also demonstrates the significance and originality of the present dissertation. Chapter three introduces Erich Fromm and his theories on love,freedom and alienation. Chapter four is the main body of the dissertation, which consists of three parts. Part one mainly discusses the lack of love in Wonderland,including Jesse’s and his “fathers”’ disability to love and the lack of love in the families of Willard, Dr. Pedersen and Jesse respectively. Part two analyzes the lack of freedom in the novel. Faced with the modern society, the main characters of the novel,such as Jesse, the intellectuals, Helene and Shelley, feel helpless, powerless, isolated and insecure. Hence, they come to be indifferent and merciless. In order to escape from the “negative freedom”, they choose such wrong methods as submitting to the powerful authorities and the absolute control of others. However, these methods make them lose their self-integrities and self-identities. Part three focuses on the analysis of the insane society, insane personalities of Jesse, Dr. Pedersen, Dr. Cady and the female characters and the tragedies caused by the lack of love and freedom. Chapter five is the conclusion. By summarizing the whole thesis, it comes to the conclusion that the lack of love and freedom is the root cause of the insane society, insane personalities and their tragic life. Meanwhile, it illustrates that love and freedom are the key solutions to the social malady and human existential issues.