From Negative Freedom To Positive Freedom

Based on Fromm's theory of freedom,with post-war British society as the background,this thesis aims at making a research on protagonists' road to freedom in John Wain's Hurry on Down and Strike the Father Dead,analyzing the realization of freedom of Lumley and Jeremy who are typical angry young men.This study attempts to indicate that the radical behaviors against society cannot lead to co-called freedom;only work and love can break narrow personal bondage,leading to a true spiritual freedom.This thesis consists of five parts:The first chapter is introduction,which introduces the post-war British society,"Angry Young Men" and their works,John Wain and his works and the purpose and significance of this paper.Chapter two is literature review about the John Wain's Hurry on Down and Strike the Father Dead.In addition,Erich Fromm's theory of freedom is also mentioned in this chapter.Chapter three makes an examination of Lumley and Jeremy's pursuit of freedom under repression through a series of radical behaviors including escaping responsibility,rebelling against middle-class culture,education and traditional morality.However,these radical behaviors which are "negative freedom" called by Fromm can not lead to their liberation in spirit;on the contrary,it caused deeper sense of loneliness and emptiness.Chapter four focuses on how the heroes awaken after disillusion and establish the connection with the world by spontaneous love and work and regain the sense of self and belonging.Eventually they find the right road to freedom and realize "positive freedom".Chapter five draws a conclusion of this thesis:"negative freedom" caused by radical behaviors could not reduce the loneliness and helplessness of modern people;only by returning to the real life and establishing a tie to the world with spontaneous love and work,can they get the sense of happiness and belonging and achieve the quest for "positive freedom".