On Anti-Urbanism In James Dickey's Deliverance

American poet James Dickey published his novel Deliverance in 1970.Deliverance is his best-selling novel which caused widespread discussion and reviews from literature critics.The novel tells the story of four city men who had got tired of the urban life,went to wild river Cahulawassee for canoeing trip and experienced all kinds of adventures.In 1972,the novel was adapted into a film of the same title and released in America.In 1973,the film was nominated as Academy Award for Best Picture and Academy Award for Best Director.Dickey expresses the thought of deep ecology in his poems and novels,and pays much attention to how possible it is for beings "to be" and what this "meaning"confers in terms of self-realization,"the meaning of the inner life of each of us,"ecological protection and reflection on the relationship between humans and the nature.This paper interprets the plight of modem urbanism viewed by the main characater Ed with the help of Conn's anti-urbanism.The profound meanings of the title "deliverance"are interpreted in order to illustrate Dickey's critical attitude towards modem urbanism.This graduation thesis is divided into five parts.The first chapter includes a brief introduction to James Dickey and his novel Deliverance,literature review on the novel at home and abroad,the research purpose,the new research perspective and its reality-oriented significance of this thesis.Chapter Two focuses on the plight of urbanism,such as the ugly sameness of urban life,absence of manhood,prevalence of material desire and consumerism etc.Chapter Three elaborates how the four characters flight from the plight of urbanism.They decide to canoe down the wild river Cahulawassee to experience adventures and enjoy the excitement of the wild life,which brings to them various benefits,including manhood renewal,reflection on the relationship between human beings and nature.The fourth chapter will explain the failure of the "deliverance"from urbanism and elaborates the reasons for the failure,drawing forth a profound reflection on modern urban civilization.Lastly,a conclusion can be drawn that the"deliverance" means to "deliver" from the plight of modem urban life.The four characters canoe down the wild river to escape from the plight of urbanism,hoping to regain the hope of life.However,they idealize their expectation of rural life and urbanization trend is unstoppable,resulting in the failure of the "deliverance".Although the four city men don't successfully get rid of the plight of urbanism,their struggle and failure are of great critical significance to modem urban life.In this novel,the author exposes many problems of urban life and expresses his hostility against the city,drawing forth a thought-provoking reflection on modern urban civilization.