An Analysis Of The Themes In The Golden Bowl From The Perspective Of The Symbol Consumption Theory

Henry James is the greatest American novelist after Hawthorne and Melville in the 19th century.He is also a great writer in the history of American and world literature.Henry James lived the end of the 19^th century and the beginning of the 20^thh century when the consumption culture first appeared.The Golden Bowl,written in1905,is James's last novel and the first one to fully illustrate American consumption culture.Based on Baudrillard's theory of symbol consumption,this paper analyses the phenomenon of consumer culture in The Golden Bowl from the perspective of postmodern consumption culture in order to reveal the impact of consumption culture on people's life at that time.This paper consists of three parts:an introduction,a main body and a conclusionThe first part is an introduction.This paper introduces the life and works of Henry James and also expounds the comments and studies on James and his works by predecessors.The research on James's works mainly includes the following aspects:international theme,moral ethics,narrative techniques and feminism.The study of The Golden Bowl is mainly embodied in marriage and family ethics.As Henry James is living in an era when consumption culture is rising,this paper has a certain practical significance to analyze The Golden Bowl from the unique perspective of consumption culture.The second part is the main part of the paper,which consists of four chapters.The first chapter elaborates on the characteristics of consumption culture,symbol consumption theory and American consumption culture.With the development of society and the abundance of materials,people are no longer satisfied with the basic needs of life.The era of consumption has come quietly.Consumption not only promotes production,but also plays an important role in all aspects of society,including people's behavior,people's views on things,and even the construction of people's identity.Baudrillard's theory of symbolic consumption culture points out that commodity symbolization,consumption is no longer goods,but the structure of the relationship between people and goods.To be the object of consumption,goods must become symbols.This kind of identity transformation also makes the relationship between people become“consumption relationship”.Ultimately,people are alienated into symbols.The second chapter is mainly based on Baudrillard's theory of symbol consumption to analyze alienated people and objects in The Golden Bowl.In the consumer society,consumer goods have changed from original goods to symbols.The symbolic value of commodity replaces the use value of commodity and becomes the main determinant of exchange value.Symbol consumption has become the main and basic core feature of consumer society.There is an alienated relationship between people and between people and things.Art is no longer a simple work of art,but a symbol of status.Human alienation is more complete.At that time,one's subjectivity was not worth mentioning.Adam chose Amerigo as his son-in-law because of his peerage.The third chapter elaborates on the abnormal marriage relationship based on the theory of symbol consumption.Amerigo is the descendant of a fallen Italian Royal family,with noble lineage,elegant demeanor and good artistic accomplishment.Adam made Amerigo his son-in-law and provided financial support to the Amerigo family.The marriage between Maggie and Amerigo is essentially a symbolic exchange.Such a marriage of equal exchange is not long-lasting,and finally there is a rift in the marriage.Amerigo was incestuous with his stepmother Charlotte.The fourth chapter mainly elaborates the allocation of power in the environment of symbol consumption.A man's wealth and position determine his power.The greater power,the greater freedom.With the awakening of Maggie's subjective consciousness,power has been reset,and Maggie is no longer in a passive position.On the surface,this is a love-hate entanglement of three people,but on closer inspection,it is a power struggle and game.Maggie is the only daughter of a millionaire,with rich economic capital.Although Amerigo is impoverished,he is the descendant of the Italian Royal family,with noble blood and good artistic accomplishment.Charlotte,on the other hand,was born poor and penniless.In this game,Charlotte was taken out and exiled on the other side of the ocean.Finally,through the analysis of The Golden Bowl from the perspective of the symbol consumption theory,this paper finally draws a conclusion that James successfully showed the readers the living conditions of people in the consumption society at that time through The Golden Bowl.Material alienates as a symbol of the construction of human self-identity,while human materializes as a symbol that pays attention to the external image without considering the exchange of internal ideas and ethics.Nowadays,China is in a consumer society,so the analysis of the themes in The Golden Bowl from the perspective of the symbol consumption theory has a certain practical significance.