_消失的地平线_的生态主义解读_丛伯全.doc

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1、 University Code ： 10225 Register Code ： SI0657 Dissertation for the Degree of Master AN ECOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF LOST HORIZON Candidate: Supervisor: Academic Degree Applied for: Speciality: Date of Oral Examination: University: Cong Boquan Professor Zhao Li Master of Arts English Linguistics an

2、d Literature June, 2010 Northeast Forestry University 摘要 1933 年，英国伦敦麦克米兰出版公司出版了英国著名小说家詹姆斯希尔顿 (James Hilton)的长篇小说消失的地平线。令出版商和作家本人始料不及的是，这部小说一 经出版立刻在欧美引起了轰动，并赢得文学评论家的褒奖，最终还为作者赢得了相当于 美国普利策文学奖的诺桑顿文学奖；小说讲述的是主人公康威等四名西方人在战时从南 亚的巴斯库乘机去白沙瓦过程中，被一个神秘的东方人劫持到香格里拉蓝月山谷的神奇 经历。在书中希尔顿为英语语言创造了世外桃源的同义词 - 香格里拉 （ Shangri

3、-La)， 更重要的是他为读者表述了一个和谐宁静、沁人心脾的生态乐园。然而，自问世以来关 于消失的地平线的诸多评论研究多被 束缚在乌托邦小说 (Utopian Novels)的狭隘范 畴内。人们对其文学及社会价值的更深层挖掘还远远不足，其在新世纪下的新功用仍有 待于更多批评家及学者运用新理论，选择新视角来重新解读并深刻考量。 生态批评作为文学批评理论形成于上世纪 70 年代。它的主要任务是通过文学视角来 重新审视人类文明，进行文化批判从而深入探索人类思想、文化及社会生活模式是如何 影响乃至决定人类对自然的态度和行为的，是如何导致可境恶化和生态危机等诸多问题 的。这同时也揭示了生态批评在 21

4、世纪最重要的任务和最关键的本质特征。 本文作者 试图从生态批评这一全新的文学批评视角对消失的地平线进行重新解 读，对战争、人性和自然之间的复杂关系进行生态主义诠释，旨在探究希尔顿鲜为人知 的生态意识和他在小说中表达的更深层的生态思想内涵，从而向人们展示这位伟大作家 超前的生态哲学思想，以及他对人类危机和生态危机等问题的担忧；同时作者深入挖掘， 力图在新世纪伊始让小说在唤起人们对日益恶化的生态环境进行自我反思和自我完善等 方面做出新贡献。 本论文从战争对自然生态、社会生态和精神生态产生的负面影响出发，对作品进行 解读，揭示了希尔顿对战争、暴力、工业化文 明的批判，以及他对自然的敬畏和对人与 自然

5、和谐相处的期盼；论文共分为五章。 第一章介绍作家作品。 第二章概述生态批评理论的起源发展及其目的意义。 第三章首先剖析生态危机的根源：二元论和人类中心论。然后分别分析其在小说中 的具体体现 战争及因它所导致的人类精神危机和社会危机。 第四章运用生态批评理论深入探讨消失的地平线中所体现出的积极生态主义内 涵，包括解读文本中体现的人类回归自然后对自然的敬畏、陌生、热爱等复杂的感情及 人类所应有的责任感；浅谈香格里拉“中庸观”所反映出的中西方人在与自然相处时表 现出 的不同哲学思想；最后是小说留给后人思考的主题：香格里拉的生态意义、它对人 类的生态启示等。 第五部分概括总结，得出结论：消失的地平线不

6、只是一本简单的畅销书，它更是 一本蕴含着丰富生态主义内涵的伟大文学作品，作者希尔顿是一位拥有生态主义思想的 文学家。 关键词消失的地平线；生态危机；生态批评；战争；和谐的香格里拉 Abstract In 1933, Macmillan published Lost Horizon written by James Hilton, and to the surprise of both the publisher and the writer, this novel had no sooner come out than great popularity was strongly and une

7、xpectedly gained. It was so successful that not only did many critics express a warm welcome，but it also made the writer win a Hawthornden Prize， a prize equivalent to Pulitzer Prize. The novel tells a mysterious story about the fantastic journey of four westerners led by Conway in Shangri-La after

8、their plane has been hijacked flying from Baskul towards Tibet， China. In this book， Hilton coined a word， “Shangri-La， a paradise-resembling place. More importantly, Shangri-La is represented to readers as an ecological paradise full of harmony, peace and breath-taking natural beauty. However， sinc

9、e its birth, most of the study and criticism of the fiction has been narrowly confined to the domain of utopianism, some much deeper underlying meanings and more precious contributions beneath this masterpiece still remain even untouched. Further study and more creative interpretation of the book an

10、d its new functions in the 21st century are still needed. More scholars and critics ought to study it from new perspectives and in terms of newly emerged literary theories. Ecocriticism is a relatively new literary theory formed in 1970s. Its mission is to reevaluate and criticize human civilization

11、 to discover how human mind, culture and social pattern are influencing and even determining human behaviors and attitudes towards nature. Meanwhile, this focus also reveals the essential quality and the most important task of ecocriticism as a literary theory in the 21st century. The writer of this

12、 dissertation intends to try to interpret this work in terms of ecocriticism so that a wider and deeper understanding of the writer ecological worries could be built and enriched to a greater degree. An equally remarkable attention is paid to the complex relationship of wars, humanity and nature in

13、terms of ecocriticism so as to bring to light Hilton?s undiscovered awareness of ecology and his ecological thought which is deeply expressed in Lost Horizon. By doing so, it could be justified that Hilton is not only a scriptwriter but also a writer of great ecological thinking with a predictive wo

14、rry about ecocrisis. Moreover, the book5s potential ecological contribution to the new century could also be considered valuable in wakening and urging people to reconsider the issue of the increasingly degenerating ecological environment and to refine themselves as well. This paper is intended to s

15、tress the negative influences that the two World Wars brought about to natural ecology, social ecology and spiritual ecology. Then it goes on to reveal HiIton7s criticism over wars, violence and industrialization, his reverence to nature, and his m- desire for a harmonious relationship between human

16、s and nature. The whole thesis is divided into five chapters. Chapter one gives a general introduction to the author and his novel. Chapter two emphasizes an overview of the origin and development of ecocriticism as well as its purpose and significance. Chapter Three first talks about the root of ec

17、ocrisis: dualism and anthropocentrism. Then it goes further to study the influences and consequences of dualism and anthropocentrism: wars and its harm to humans in terms of spiritual and social ecology. Chapter Four mainly discusses the positive ecocritical meanings in Lost Horizon. Firstly, it str

18、esses the representation of human beings5 complex emotions towards nature such as reverence, alienation, love, and responsibility. Secondly, it discusses the distinctions revealed by Shangri-Las “moderation” theory between Eastern and Western philosophy on how to get along with nature. Finally it hi

19、ghlights the significance and enlightenment Shangri-La means to human beings in terms of ecocriticism. Accordingly in the last section the conclusion is drawn: Lost Horizon is more than just a bestseller, it ought to be regarded as a particular ecological text. Hilton is a great writer of ecological

20、 awareness. Key words Lost Horizon ecocrisis; ecocriticism; war; harmonious Shangri-La / Contents 麟 . i Abstract . .” . . . . . Ill 1 Introduction . . . . . 1 1.1 James Hilton and His Lost Horizon. . . 1 1.2 Literature Review . 3 2 An Overview of Ecocriticism . . . . 6 2.1 The Origin of Ecocriticism

21、 . 6 2.2 Theoretical Resources of Ecocriticism . 7 2.2.1 Land Ethic . 7 2.2.2 Deep Ecology . 8 2.3 Definition of Ecocriticism . 10 2.4 Goals and Significance of Ecocriticism . . 11 3 Ecocrisis in Lost Horizon . 13 3.1 The Two Main Causes of Ecocrisis . 13 3.1.1 Western Dualism . 13 3.1.2 Anthropocen

22、trism . 15 3.2 Humanitys Alienation from Nature . 17 3.2.1 The Two World Wars and the Natural Shelter . 17 3.2.2 Spiritual Hostility Against Nature . 19 3.3 Spiritual Alienation Between Human Beings . 21 3.3.1 Conways Deliberate Alienation from Others . 22 3.3.2 Others Disturbed Attitudes . 26 4 Eco

23、-harmony in Shangri-La . . 31 4.1 Return to Natural Beauty . 31 4.1.1 Return to Nature Respectfully . 33 4.1.2 Return to Nature with Responsibility . . . 36 4.2 Oriental Philosophy of Nature-human Relationship . 37 4.2.1 Oriental Thoughts on Human-nature Relationship . 37 4.2.2 The Significance of M

24、oderation Theory in Shangri-La . 39 4.3 Shangri-La an Ecological Noahs Ark for Refugees. 41 Conclusion . 46 Notes . 49 References . . . 54 Papers Published in the Period of M.A. Education . 57 Acknowledgements . . 58 1 Introduction 1.1 James Hilton and His Lost Horizon James Hilton, an eminent novel

25、ist and scriptwriter, was bom on September 9th, 1900 in Leigh, Lancashire and died of liver cancer in a hospital in Long Beach, California on December 20th, 1954* He rose from obscurity and finally became the author of several bestsellers such as Lost Horizon Goodbye, Mr, Chips and Random Harvest. A

26、t the age of 14, James became a pupil at The Leys School in Cambridge where he was very active as an editor of a school magazine. In 1918 Hilton won a scholarship to Christ9 s College in Cambridge. Hilton published his first novel, Catherine Herself m 1920, while still an undergraduate. After Cambri

27、dge, he became a journalist, earning his living by writing articles and book reviews. In 1931 he enjoyed his first popular success with And Now Goodbye, a tender love story. However it was Lost Horizon, a Hawthomden Prize winner published in 1937, which not only stabilized his reputation firmly in t

28、he world of literature but also ad4ed the word “Shangri-La” to the English Language. Shangri-La which has come to mean an ideal retreat from the confusing realistic world is much closer to people and more vivid to readers than paradise or Eden. “Shangri-La” must be one of the most popular household

29、words used worldwide. Lost Horizon, a marvelous fiction tells a fascinating story that hidden somewhere beyond the Himalayan Mountains is a mysterious valley which is inhabited by people of different origins and ethnics who have achieved an ideal balance in life with natural surrounding. Hilton name

30、d this imaginative valley Shangri-La, an idyllic and untouched paradise protected by the surrounding mountains of great height from the madding world outside where the clouds of World War II are gathering. What is fantastic about this remote and amazing place is that aging takes a long time there. S

31、hangri-La provides a fascinating shelter for war-weary Conway who is representing all the peace-loving people. The book gets started with the reunion of the narrator, an anonymous neurologist and his two schoolmates. At Tempelhof, Berlin, the neurologist and his novelist friend, Rutherford, are bein

32、g treated dinner by their old schoolmate, Wyland， a secretary at the British embassy. A chance remark by an airman named Sanders triggers the topic of Conway, an ex-British consul in Baskul, who had disappeared under odd circumstances. Later in the evening, Rutherford reveals to the narrator that, a

33、fter his disappearance, he discovered Conway suffering from . . ， amnesia at a French mission hospital in Chongqing, China. Later on, however, Conway somehow recovered his memory and unveiled to Rutherford his fantastic experience in Shangri-La. and then he unexpectedly vanished again. Rutherford wr

34、ote down Conway dictation and formed a manuscript which he gives to the neurologist. It finally becomes the mainbody of Lost Horizon: The story takes place in 1935, when China was suffering from wars. In the war-tom city of Baskul close to border of China and India, Conway has been instructed to eva

35、cuate some white people for fear that they would be killed in the local chaos. Aboard the airplane were Conway, the British consul aging 37; Mallinson, his young vice-consul; an American, Barnard and a British missionary, Miss Brinklow, The plane is hijacked by a Mongolian pilot armed with a handgun

36、 and flown west towards the mountainous Himalayas in Tibet, China. When the plane runs out of fuel, it crashes into the deep snow of the mountains, and the pilot is fatally injured and later died. It also seems to be the end of their lives in the remote, hostile， freezing cold until the “sudden” app

37、earance of a hiking caravan. The caravan is led by a soft-spoken, well-bred and seemingly middle-aged Chinese man named Chang who is able to speak fluent English. Soon, the survivors are rescued and provided with food and warm clothing. Having no other options, they join this strange caravan and aft

38、er being tied up to a rope they are led over a long distance through the rough and treacherous snow-covered domain. Eventually， th6y reach a remote， secret pass and suddenly find themselves in sort of paradise-like mirage. Through the portal, they are greeted by the sunny, snowless and beautiful lan

39、d of fertiUty which is called “the Valley of the Blue Moon.” They fmd that they have arrived at the enchanted, uncharted Himalayan mountains of Shangri-La. Malinson, sensing that they are virtually imprisoned, remains suspicious and anxious to leave in order to get back to human civilization, but Chang, a benevolent and dignified Chinese, politely puts him off since there is fi6no means of communication with the outside world， ” because of the mountains surrounding， the others eventually become determined to stay. Miss Brinklow decides to teach the local people