汤姆索亚历险记论文

英美文学课程论文论文题目：OntheCharmofTheAdventuresofTomSawyer论《汤姆•索亚历险记》的魅力学生姓名：郭静学号：0803090217班级：英语0802班完成日期：2011年5月25日 OntheCharmofTheAdventuresofTomSawyerAbstractTheAdventuresofTomSawyerofMarkTwain,afamousAmericannovelist,maybecalledtheleaderamongthoseworksconcerningthedescriptionofjuvenileadventures.AlthoughTomSawyerhasbeenthoughttobeamaleyoungheroforalongtime,itdoesn’tmeanthatthisbookisonlysuitableforyoungerboys.Onthecontrary,itsuitspeopleofdifferentageanddifferentgendertotaste,especiallythosejuvenilereaders.Well,whatkindofparticularcharmdoesthisbookhave?Whyitgoesalongwiththepsychologyofchildrensomuchandwinstheadmirationofyoungreaders?ThisthesismainlyexploresthereasonsofTheAdventuresofTomSawyer’sbeingamasterpieceamongchildrenbooksanditshandingdownfromonegenerationtoanother.Keywords:NaivetéandInnocence,Curiosity,FantasyWorld,Heroism 论《汤姆•索亚历险记》的魅力内容摘要在当今众多有关描写少年儿童历险的作品中，著名美国小说家马克·吐温的《汤姆·索亚历险记》可谓其中的佼佼者。虽然汤姆·索亚长期以来被认为是美国小说中的男性少年英雄，但是并非这本书仅仅适合较小年龄的男生看，而是适合不同年龄、不同性别的人去品味，尤其是青少年读者。那么，这本书有着什么样的特殊魅力呢？它又为何如此符合儿童心理并为年青读者所青睐？本论文主要探究《汤姆·索亚历险记》成为儿童文学作品中的巨作并世代流传下去的原因。关键字：天真与幼稚好奇心虚幻的世界英雄主义 Content1.TheIntroductionofMarkTwain12.Children’sNaivetéandInnocence12.1GeneralAnalysis12.2Tom’sBoyishStyleofDoingThings22.2.1PlayingTruant22.2.2Love-affair22.2.3Children’sImitation22.3Summary33.Children’sCuriosity33.1GeneralAnalysis33.2CuriosityBehaviorsintheStory33.2.1Tom’sWhitewashingtheFence33.2.2CuriosityastheInnerMotiveofAction44.Children’sFantasyWorldandHeroism44.1FantasyWorld44.1.1GeneralAnalysis44.1.2Tom’sFantasyWorld44.2Heroism45.UnconventionalWritingSuitableforChildren56.Conclusion5 OntheCharmofTheAdventuresofTomSawyerMainbody:MarkTwain,arealistwhoseworkscontributedtoexploringtherealityandreflectingtheordinarypeople’sdailylife,rosetobecomeaworldfamouswriter,lectureandtravelerbeforehedied.TheAdventuresofTomSawyer,hisbest-knownwork,isoneofthemostsplendidrecreationsofchildhoodinallliterature.Ittellsastoryofaboy’sadventure-filledcuriosity,fantasyworldandhistendencytoheroismandidealism.Meanwhile,itismorethanaboy’sbook,andtherealkeytoitssuccesscanbesoughtinitspopularityamongyoungreaders.Throughhisprofoundunderstandingofanordinaryboyandthenormalhistoryofboyhood,MarkTwainexpresseshisunconventionalpointofviewonthepresumedbadboywhofinallybecomesahero.1.TheIntroductionofMarkTwainSamuelLanghorneClemens(November30,1835 –April21,1910),betterknownbetterknownbyhispennameMarkTwain,wasanAmericanauthorandhumorist.Heismostnotedforhisnovels,TheAdventuresofTomSawyer(1876),anditssequel,AdventuresofHuckleberryFinn(1885),thelatteroftencalled"theGreatAmericanNovel."TwaingrewupinHannibal,Missouri,whichwouldlaterprovidethesettingforHuckleberryFinnandTomSawyer.Heapprenticedwithaprinter.HealsoworkedasatypesetterandcontributedarticlestohisolderbrotherOrion'snewspaper.Aftertoilingasaprinterinvariouscities,hebecameamasterriverboatpilotontheMississippiRiver,beforeheadingwesttojoinOrion.Hewasafailureatgoldmining,sohenextturnedtojournalism.Whileareporter,hewroteahumorousstory,TheCelebratedJumpingFrogofCalaverasCounty,whichbecameverypopularandbroughtnationwideattention.Histravelogueswerealsowell-received.Twainhadfoundhiscalling.Heachievedgreatsuccessasawriterandpublicspeaker.Hiswitandsatireearnedpraisefromcriticsandpeers,andhewasafriendtopresidents,artists,industrialists,andEuropeanroyalty.BornduringavisitbyHalley'sComet,hediedonitsreturn.Hewaslaudedasthe"greatestAmericanhumoristofhisage,"andWilliamFaulknercalledTwain"thefatherofAmericanliterature."2.Children’sNaivetéandInnocence2.1GeneralAnalysis7 Naivetéandinnocencearethecommoncharacteristicsofchildren.Theyalwayscomprehendtheworldaroundthemwiththeirsimpleheartanddealwithaproblemwiththeirchildishinnocence.Inthisway,MarkTwainmakesTomSawyeraprofessionalboy,whohasthecharacteristicsofchildreningeneral.Nomatterwhatcasehemeets,hecanfaceithilariouslytoshowhisingenuity,bravenessandmischief.2.1Tom’sBoyishStyleofDoingThings2.1.1PlayingTruantMondaymorningsalwaysfindTomSawyerinlowspiritsbecauseanotherweek’sslowsufferinginschoolcomes.Tomtriestolookoverhissystemtogetsomesymptomstoshowhisillnesssothathecanstayhomefromschool.Hefindsthatoneofhisupperfrontteethisloose.HestartstogroanandexpectsSid,hisyoungerbrother,whosleepsbesidehis,towakeupandruntotellAuntPollyabouthissymptoms.SidwakesupandbecomessofrightenedthathefliesdownstairstotellAuntPollythatTomisdying.ThisliemakesSidbelievehimbutcannotdeceiveAuntPolly.It’stoosimple,acheaptrickbychildren.AndthestoryendswithTom’sloosetoothpulledoutandhestillhastogotoschool.WecanfindthatTomisanalertandresourcefulchildwithoutlosinghisnaivetéandinnocenceinchildhood.Afterall,kidsarekids.Theycanneverbedeliberateandcarefullikeadults.Theycanonlytakeeverythingwiththeirchildishandsimpleways.Thisisthedifferencebetweenchildren’sworldandadults’world.2.1.2Love-affairMarkTwainalsowritesaboutchildren’sfeelingaboutthoseoftheoppositesexduringthepsychologicaldevelopmentofchildren.AndhereflectsitthroughTomSawyer.ThereisadetaileddescriptionaboutTom’sloveforBecky.OnceTomseesanewgirlwithfurtiveeyeinthegarden,hefellinlovewithherimmediately.Hebeginsto“showoff”inallsortsofabsurdwaystowinherheart.Manychildrenhavesuchinclinationtoshowoffbeforethoseoftheoppositesexsoastocatchtheirattention.Buttheso-calledlovecannotgobeyondthelimitofimmaturityofTom’sage.Forthem,theloveisonlysometrickorgame.MarkTwaingraspsthechildren’spsychologyandwritesaboutTom’slove-affaironlytoshoethatitisaboy’slove-affair.Italsoremindsmanyyoungreadersoftheirownlove-affairs,whichissimpleandinnocent.2.1.3Children’sImitationAsiswell-knownthatchildrenareverygoodatimitation.Theyobtainknowledge,skillsandcustomsfromthesociety,schoolandfamilythroughtheirimitation.Theyfindthattheyareinanotyet7 familiarworldandneedhelpfromwhattheyread,listen,speakandwritetolearnthingsandtestifythemthroughtheirchildishimitation,thoughtheydon’tactuallyunderstandtherealconnotationcontainedbythesethings.ThesameistruewhenTomasksBeckytokisshimonlybecauseTomknowsfromthebookhehasreadaboutthatamankissesawomentoshowtheirengagement.Tom’ssuchchildishimitationisabsurdandridiculousinadults’eyes.However,itisanactofheroismtohispeers.BecauseTomSawyerdarestoimitateandheactsitout.Childrenlookuponbooksandadultsastheirguideswhichhelpthemportrayallaspectsoflifewithlittlesocialexperience.AfterHuckleberryhearsfromanadultthatdeadcatcancuredisease,TomandHuckcarryadeadcatandgotothegraveyardatnight.Theythinktheycancontrolforcesofdarkness,dreadandviolence.Andtheyaresuperstitiousaboutmanythings.Thisshowsthattheyarescaredandchildishaswell.2.1SummaryNaivetéandinnocencearetypicalcharacteristicsofchildrenandmanyeventsinthisstoryshowthem.Duringthereading,youngreaderssharetheexperienceofTomSawyer.Theyareremindedofwhattheythemselvesare,howtheyfeelandthink,andwhatqueerenterprisestheyengagein,allofwhichcannotgobeyondthelimitofchildren’signorance.1.Children’sCuriosity3.1GeneralAnalysisCuriosityisanothercommoncharacteristicofchildren.Itmakeschildrenbeinterestedinallkindsofthingsaroundthem,exploretheunknownworldandtrynewthingsconstantly.Inotherwords,curiosityisveryimportanttochildrenanditistheinnermotiveofchildren’saction.Theworldismysterious,fascinating,richandcolorfulforchildren.Theyusuallysparenoeffortstotrytounderstandeverythingorexperiencetheyareinterestedin.MarkTwaingivesprominencetochildren’scuriositywhenhecreatesTomSawyer,attemptingtocapturethegeneralfeelingofyoungreaders.3.2CuriosityBehaviorsintheStory3.2.1Tom’sWhitewashingtheFenceInthisstory,oneoftheclassicalexamplesofchildrencanbefound.TomispunishedtopaintallthefenceofAuntPollywhiteonSaturdaymorningwhenotherchildrencangooutandplay.Whenhethinksabouthowtogooutandplaytohiscontent,agreat,significantideaburstsuponhim.Hetriestomakehispaintingworkverynovelthatmayarousethecuriosityofthechildrenwhopassbythefence.Hepretendstorefuseoneofhisfriends’requestsofhavingatry.Thustheworkseemstobethefirsttoenjoythe7 privilegeofwhitewashing.3.1.1CuriosityastheInnerMotiveofActionFromthebeginningtotheend,Tomcantakeotherchildrenintodoingthingshewants.Becausenoonereallysharestheexperiencehehasreadaboutinbooks.HetriestopersuadeHuckandJoetotakeadventuresonJackson’sIslandwithhim.Becauseitappearssonovelthattheycannotresisthavingatry.Curiosityplayssuchagreatroleinchildren’spsychologythatifnotcompelledbycuriosity,TomSawyerandothercharactersinthestorywouldnothaveepisodesofthechildishimitation,thesuperstitioustriptothegraveyard,theadventuresontheisolatedislandandthediscoveryofthehiddentreasureinthecavewhichcomprisemostpartofthestorytoyoungreaders’delight.1.Children’sFantasyWorldandHeroism4.1FantasyWorld4.1.1GeneralAnalysisChildren’sfantasyworldandpersonalheroismfantasyaresomekindofpersonaldesireandaim,whichdrivespeopletomoveforwardtowardstheirobjectives.Therefore,Tomalwaysimagineshisadventurewhenhereadsthestoriesaboutknights,outlawsandpirates.Hedreamsofbeingahero,havingexcitinglifeanddifferentexperience.4.1.2Tom’sFantasyWorldInTom’sfantasyworld,thesmallvillageofSt.Petersburgisanidealplacewherehecantakeexcitingadventures;CadiffHillistheSherwoodForestinRobinHood.Jackson’sIslandisthehomeofpirates.Hewantstobeapirate.Fantasyplaysaconsiderablepartinachild’slife.ItisinTomSawyerthatyoungreadersfindtheirownsimilarfantasyworldinwhichalloftheimaginationsstarthemselvesasheroicfigures.Tomistiredofthespiritlesslifeinthevillage,andhefindsrefugeinhisfantasyworld.Althoughitisimaginaryandfarawayfromourreallife,itcanarousetheheroicspiritsinyoungreaders’minds.4.2HeroismChildrenallhopetobecomeheroeswhoarerespectedandadmiredbyallpeople.Likemostchildren,Tomiseagertocauseastirinthecommunity.Hewishestotravelaroundtheworld,tobeasoldier,aplainman,apiratesoastostrollintotheSt.PetersburgchurchsomeSundaymorningandbaskintherespectofthevillage.Tomgrowsintoaheroattheendofthisstory,disguisedasamischievousanddisobedientboy.Tomcangetitbecausewhateverhehasreadofthatworldbeyondthevillage,hemustactout.AndTom’sdominanttraitleadstothesuccessofhisheroicconduct.Otherboysliketo7 followhimbecausetheycannotresistTom’sfancy.Andtom’sboldimaginationandheroicbehaviorsareactuallyoneofthecharmsofthisstoryintheeyesofyoungreaders.Besides,everyadventuredescribedbyMarkTwainislongedforbyallteenagers.1.UnconventionalWritingSuitableforChildrenThefourthelementofthebook’scharmsisthatitisdifferentfrompreviouschildrenbookswhichbreakawayfromchildren’sinnerworldandonlyreflectsomesuperficialandinherentsocialphenomenon.WemaysaythatTheAdventuresofTomSawyerisakindofcriticismtochildrenworksinthepast.Becauseitisfullofharangue,inanethingsandclichésinearlychildrenbooks,whichislackofsomethingnew.What’smore,thecharacterizationofthosebookstochildrenisverysimple:Eithergoodorbad,andchildrenhavenopersonalcharacteristics.BeforethepublicationofTheAdventuresofTomSawyer,peopledidn’tthinkhighlyofsuchchildrenstorywhosecharacterhasatwo-sidedcharacteristicofbothgoodnessandrebellion.Someevensaidthatsuchstorydoesnotmeettherealityandnoonewillapproveit.However,MarkTwaingetsit.UnliketheSundayschoolauthor,Twainhasmuchprofoundunderstandingofwhatanordinaryboyandthenormalhistoryofboyhoodshouldbelike.InTomSawyer,Twaintriestoeliminatethoseincongruitiesbetweenfictionandthereallifeofaboysoastomakethestoryeasiertobeacceptedbyyoungreaders.ThebeginningTomSawyerrevealsTom,who,intermsofmoralizingjuvenileliterature,isabsolutelya“badboy”.TwainpilesupmanyhorribledeedsofTomforwhichtheSundayschoolauthorwillwritepagesofadmonitions.YetTwainmakesnothingofthegoodopportunityofsermonizing.ThecomplexityofTom’scharacterizationmakeshimabelievablecharacter.AndyoungreaderscanfindsimilaritiesbetweenTomandthemselves.Theendingofthestorydepartsasdeterminedlyfromthepatternsofjuvenilefiction.2.ConclusionTheAdventuresofTomSawyerpresentsuswithaseriesoffreshandexcitingadventuretales.Tom’spersonalheroismandidealismexactlyfitsthepsychologyofyoungreaders,andthisisthemainreasonofitslongexistence.Readingthisnovelcanmakespaciousteenagerssetupfirmbelief,overcomevariesdifficultiesandtrytheirbesttoachievetheirgoals.Thoughtherearemanyotherbooks,asTheAdventuresofTomSawyer,describingtheexperienceofacommonboy’sunusualexploration,onlyMarkTwaincanusehisunconventionalsighttogiveTomchangeableandcomplexcharacteristicsstandfor7 juvenile’saspirationsachievethedreamofheroicadventure.Andjustbecauseofthis,thepresumedbadboyinourstraightwaylanguagestyle,andunconventionalcontent,thisbook’scharmwillsurebepasseddownfromgenerationtogeneration.7 Reference1马克•吐温[美]，毛荣贵、吴丹译，2007年1月，《汤姆•索亚历险记》，航空工业出版社2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Twain3http://www.daixie.org.cn/wenshi/wenxue/37023.html7