[doc] Class Awareness in The Rise of Silas Lapham

[doc] Class Awareness in The Rise of Silas Lapham Class Awareness in The Rise of Silas Lapham Sep.2006,Volume4,No.9(SerialNo36)US?ChinaForeignLanguage,ISSN1539—8080,USA ClassAwarenessinTheRiseofSilasLapham MeiZhang?YunnanUniversity Abstract:Revolvingaroundthecollisionbetweenthedivergentnotionsofthenouveauxrichesandthe cultivatedelite,WilliamDeanHowells?TheRiseofSilasLaphammirrorsvividlythecontemporarysocietyand exploresthegradualprocessofclassintegrationoftheUnitedStatesattheendofthenineteenthcentury. Keywords:classawareness;classintegration;realism 1.IntrOductiOn ThenineteenthcenturysawatremendouschangeintheeconomyandsocietyoftheUnitedStatesasthe resultofindustrializationandurbanization.Theincreasingprosperitygaverisetoshiftingclassesdivisions.The nouveauxrichesattemptedtoestablishthemselvesintheupper—classworld. Meanwhilethecultivatedelitehadto adjusthissnobbishviewofthesenewlyrichpeople.Amongmanyliteraryworksdealingwiththisclassawareness isWilliamDeanHowells?TheRiseofSilasLapha~Revolvingaroundthecollisionbetweenthedivergent notionsofthesetwoclasses,thenovelmirrorsvividlythecontemporarysocietyandexploresthegradualprocess ofclassintegrationofAmericaattheendofthenineteenthcentury.SilasLapham?sstruggletoclimbupthesocial ladderparallelstheCoreys?reluctancetoidentifytheLaphamsastheirequals.Thecatalystoftheprogressoftheir relationshipliesintheiryoungergeneration?smarriage.ThemarriageofTomCoreyandPenelopeLapham becomesasymbolicbridgethatcoverstheriftbetweenthetwosides. 2.SilasLapham?sMoralIntegrityDespiteHisFinancialSuccess Asarepresentativeofthenewlyrich,SilasLaphamironicallyundergoesthecontradictions:risingfinancially, heundergoesamoraldecline,whilerisingmorally,heisconfrontedwithfinancialdecline.Hisstoryfromragsto fichesistypicallythatofaself-mademan.Asasonofapoorfarmer.hesucceedshisfatherinthefamily?s mineralpaintmineandmakesafortunethroughhisowneffortratherthanthefamily?sinfluence.Hedisplaysan extremepassionandsentimentforhiscareer.Byputting??hisheartandsoul”intothemineralpa.mt,”hemakesita religion”(Howells,1986:20)andcannot??beartoletanybodyelseshareinitsb lessings”(:47).Hisself-made experiencedoesnotallowhimtoacceptthatTomCorey,auniversitygraduate,livesoffhisparents.Heargues thatamanshouldworklikeaman. Despitehisgreatwealth,SilasLapham,atfirst,retainshisownmoralqualitieswithsomeapparentcountry hues.InBartley?seyes,heis?~simple,clear,boldandstraightforwardinmindandaction”(ibid:20).Henotonly regularlyattendstheRev.Dr.Langworthy?schurch.butalso”subscribesliberallytotheassociatedCharities” (ibid).HougharguesthatLaphamhas??self-respect,anintegrity,andkindness thatareendearing??(Hough,1965: 77).AftermovingfromthefarminVermontintoNankeenSquareinBoston,heandhisfamilylifearefarfrom leadingtheluxuriouslireofbigcities.Withoutasociallife,they~olatethemselvesfromtheoutsidecommunity „MeiZhang(1972 一),female,M.A.,lecturerofCollegeEnglishDepartment,YunnanUniversity;researchfields:Americanliterature, Englishteaching;address:CollegeEnglishDepartment,YunnanUniversity,Kunming,YunnanProvince,P.R.China,postcode:650091? — C—lassAwarenessinTheRiseofSUas inthis??unfashionableneighborhood??(Howells,1986:24).Theirmutualaffectionenablesthemtobecontentwith confiningtheiractivitiestothedomesticsphere.Mrs.Laphamistoo?rusty??toknowhowtoattractothers? companyin??thesophisticatedcityfashion??(ibid:26)andthetwodaughtersd onotcareforitatall,either. Moreover,theydonoteventhinkof??spendingtheirsuperfluityonservantswh o【can】berungfor?„(ib-d:164). 3.Lapham?sGradualMoralFallwithHisDeliberateEffortstoEntertheUpper-class 黝rid Undertheirquietlyruralstyleoflivinginthecosmopolitancity,however,lurksLapham?srestlessdesiretoclaim apositionintheupper-classworld.Heisawareofthesignificanceofmoneyforhisestablishmentinsociety.ffhehad nomoney,hislifewouldfailtoappealtoBartleywhochoosestoreporthisfifeinamagazine.Thematerialsuccess endowsLaphamwithaself-complacentfeelingsomuchsothathecannothelpbraggingabouthimselfinpublic. However,healsofindshimselfcompletelysegregatedfromthecircleoftheelite.Therefore,aself-contradictory mentalitybeginstotorturehim.RegardlessofhisdeepadmirationfortheCoreys,hestillstubbomlystickstohispride inhimselfanddenieshisintentiontomakehisacquaintancewiththatfamily.Infact,beingiealousof??theirnanleasa symbolofsplendor?”healwayspayscloseaaentiontothisfamily”(ibid:92).WhenTomCoreyappliesforworkinhis company,Silaspretendstobecriticaloftheyoungman,cautiousenoughnottorevealhisinnerrejoicing.Later, however,heshowsoffTom?spresenceinhiscompany.??Didyounoticethatfellowatthedeskfacingmytype-writer girl?Well,Sir,that?sthesonofBromfieldCorey---oldPhillipsCorey?sgrands on??(ibid:108). Mrs.LaphamexhibitsthesamedualmentalityintermsoftheCoreys:self-prideandself-denia1.Thefamily?s humbleoriginresultsinself-denialwhichleadstoself-prideagain.Shetriestormskherownhumblenesswitha sensitiveattitudeofself-pride.AfterbeingtoldabouttheapplicationofTom,Mrs.Lapham?sisgreatlyconcerned aboutwhetherTom?sactionisoutofhisownfleewillorwhetherhehasbeenurgedtodosobyLapham.Mrs. Corey?svisittoherhomealsomakeshernervousanduneasysinceshefeelsinferiortoher.Cringinginwardly,she tremblesandevenfailstoconveygreetingscoherently.However,beforethedinnerparty,sheattachesgreat importancetoherdress,whichbetraysherdesiretomakeastanceintheupper-classworld. LaphammakesdeliberateeffortstoclimbupsocialladderbybuildinganewhouseontheBackBaybehind BeaconStreet,whichmarksaturningpointinhismoralpursuit.TheBackBaywasatthetimeregardedas”a centerofcivilizationandrefinement??andisthe?”classicexampleofthechanning,cosmopolitanenvironment?? (Boyer:388).Itseemstobeanappropriateplaceforapersontogetconnectedwiththesocialelite.Lapham, havingrealizedthedisadvantageoflivinginNankeenSquare,managestopersuadehisfamilytoagreetohisplan. Guidedbythedoctrinethatthemoremoneyisgiventothearchitect,thenicerhousehewillbuild,heisgenerous enoughtoplantospendfortythousanddollarsonit.BuildingthehousebecomesasymbolofLapham?squestfor socialstatus.Heisactuallyattemptingtoemploymoneytoqualifyhimselfasamemberoftheeliteworld, ignoringhisownfamilybackground.Hehopestheamountofthemoneyinvestedisproportionatetothedegreeof hispenetrationintotheupper-classworld.ThisideadSitsvividexpressioninhisremarks:?”It?sjustlike orderingapictureofapainter.Youpayhimenoughandhecanaffordtopaintyouafirst-classpicture;卸[1difyou don?t,hecan?t?(Howells,1986:55). TomCoreyisa?”tangible??aristocratwhowalksintoLapham?slife.Laphammutelypromotestheyoung man?srelationshipwithhisdaughterIreneinthehopeofgettingconnectedtohi sfamily.AdmittingTomCorey intohisbusinessisoneofthemanyeffortsofLaphamtohelpTomgetclosertohisdaughter.InvitingTomasa ClassAwarenessinTheRiseofSilasLapham guestathishomeand??thepossiblesuitorofhisdaughter?is”oneofthesweetest flavors”thathehastastedinhis success0bid:98).1heCoreys?invitationforthedinnerpartymakesLaphamsoelatedthathegraduallyloses touchwithhisnormalself.ExceptforPenelope,thewholefamilymakesabigf ussoverthepreparationforthe dinnerparty.Laphamevenbuysabookofetiquettetosettlethequestionofdress.Atthedinnerparty,hemakes himselfaspectaclebywearinggloves,getcingdrunkandbraggingtoomuchabouthisexperiencesinthewar. Worstofall,onthenextdaywhenhemeetsTomCoreyinthecompany,Laphamshowsextremehumilitythat greatlyshocksTom.Lapham,besidesconstantlyapologizingforhisbeingdrunkattheparty,desperatelyasserts thatheisnotagentlemanandnotqualifiedtomixwiththeCoreys.ThisconfessionshedslightonLapham?s psychologicalpainresultingfromhisdislocation.. 4.TheCoreys?SnobbishAttitudeTowardstheLaphams LiketheLaphams,theCoreysbelongtoagroupofpeoplewhoareboundtobeconfrontedwithshiftingclass boundaries.WhiletheLaphamstrytoassociatewiththem,theCoreys,theoldrich,withawell—cultivatedelite familybackground,revealtheirsnobberytowardsthem.TheCoreyshaveinheritedalargefortunewithout undergoingthesameself-makingprocessasLapham.Thoughtheymaynotbeaswealthyasthenewlyrich,they aleunquestionablyentitledtoahighsocialstatusandalestillcapableoflivingi nthemannerofthesocialeliteby givingparties,readingbooksandenjoyingvacationsonthebeach.?Thenouve auxfiches??suchastheLaphams poseathreattothem.Ontheonehand,theyalefascinatedbyLapham?smoney.Theyaretemptedbythepossible marriageoftheirsonandIrenesincethe??paintprincess”willhaveplentyofmoney(Howells:95).Ontheother hand,theycannothelpbeinghostiletotheLaphamsoutofprejudice.BromfieldCoreysaysthatLaphamis suitabletohis”conscience”butnottohis??taste”andthatLapham?sbusinessis”hideous”and”nasty”(iI)id:73,94). Theybelieveth她 without??thehabitofreading??or??atleastanoddingacquaintancewithliterature”,theLaphams liveina”bestialdarkness”because,tothem,apersonwhodoesnotreadisbarbarian(ibid:117).RegardingTom?s associationwiththefamilyasdevaluatinghimself,theyhopeTomwilldatewithabetter—bredandmorecultivated gir1.But,afterrealizingthatitisinvaintostoptheirson,theydecide,asBromfieldsays,to??makethebestofthe inevitable”(ibid:170).TheirinvitationofLaphamtothedinnerpartyisacompromiseBromfieldmakes.Despite thisadjustmentoftheirattitudes,theirsuspicionabouttheLaphamsstilllingersontowardtheendofthenove1. AfterLapham?sfinancialfall,Mr.Coreysaystohiswife:”Theyareuncultivatedpeople,and,sofarasIhaveseen them,I?mnotabletobelievethatpovertywillimprovethem.Still,itmay.??(ib:346) 5.TomCoreyandPenelopeLaphamBridgingtheGapthroughTheirMarriage Thecollisionofthetwofamilies?differentconceptionsaboutclassmakesitdi师culttoeliminatethe divergenceonceandforal1.Theintegrationofthetwoclasses,however,isfulfilledthroughtheyounger generationofthefamilies:TomCoreyandPenelopeLapham.Theyareguidedbydifferentnotionsaboutclass. Tom,withatolerantmind,isdevoidofanyprejudiceagainsttheLaphams.Inhiseyes,Laphamis”simple—hearted andratherwholesome”fibid:67).Inresponsetohisfather?sexpectationthatL aphamsare”grammatical”,he arguesitistoomuchto”expectpeoplewhohavebeenstrictlydevotedtobusinesstobegrammatical”(ibid:68). HeappreciatesthemeritsoftheLaphams:theyareintelligent,quick,shrewd,andsensible.Mlenapplyingfor workinLapham?scompany,he,showingnoclasssuperiority,expresseshissin cerityandmodesty.Moreover, uponknowingLaphamisill,hepersonallyvisitshim,whichsurprisesandmovesLapham;whenLaphamgoes 24 ClassAwarenessinTheR/seo/SOns姗 bankrupt,hegenerouslyofferstohelpfinancially. LikeTom,Penelopedistinguishesherselffromothersofherfamilybecauseofherdifferentmentalityabout classdifferences.Unliketheothermembersofherfamily,sheneveradmirestheworldthatTomComyrepresents. Thusshecanalwaysassertherself,whichinturnenableshertobeindependent.WhileIrenereadsbookstocaterto Tom?sfavor,Penelopereadsbooksmerelyforenjoyment.ContrarytoIrenewholosesherselfwhenfacetoface withTom,shealwayspreservesherownidentity.AsTomputsit,she?aSmoremind??(蹴:159).Shehasthe capacitytomockwhatturnsupinherlifeandmakegooduseofhersenseofhumor.Shepreserves??her imperturbability”whileherfamilyareastonishedwhenbeingtoldthatTomisgoingintoherfather?sbusiness(ibid: 87).BeingstaredatsharplybyMrs.Coreywhovisitsherfamily,Peneloperem ainssotranquilthathermothercan eventakecouragefromher.RatherthanpleasingMrs.Corey,sheaimstomakeherselfashatefultoMrs.Comyas Mrs.Coreymakesherselftoher.Mrs.Coreyregardsherasa??thoroughlydisagreeableyoungwoman”(ibid:169). HerreactiontotheComys?dinnerinvitationisan??impassiveface”.sharplycontrastingtoIrene?s”eagereyes?? (ibid:178).InordertoretainequalitywithTom,shedeliberatelyavoidsgettinghimfinanciallyinvolvedinher family?sbusinessevenatthepriceofherloveforTom.ShewritestoTomtellinghimthereasonwhysherefusesto Seehim:?youmustnotthinkthatifanythinghappenedtomyfather,Ishouldshyoutohelphim”(I1斌:305). ThedistinctivecharacteristicsofTomComyandPenelopemakelhemstandoutinthetwofamiliesandthus justifythepossibilityoftheirmarriage.ThemarriagefunctionsasasymbolwhichGonnectsthetwoclassesthat arecompetingfortheirsocialposition.AccordingtoAllenF.Stein,Howellconcludesthat??theultimateimpactof agoodmarriageonsocietyisabeneficial,evenifindirect,one”(Stein,1977:504).TomandPenelope?smarriage isofgreatsignificanceforitindicatesthatclassshiftsareinevitable;afterthevi olentcollision,theoriginally adverseclassesareboundtome唱eintoone. 6.Lapham?sMoralRiseSecuringtheProbabilityofIntegration Afterthedinnerparty,SUasLaphambeginstoexperiencehisfinancialfal1.Neverthelessthiscalamitysaves himfromamoralfal1.Intheprocessofpreventinghisbankruptcy,hesuccessfullyresistsdifferenttemptations. HewonldeasilyavoidhislossofmoneyifhesoldhisdevaluedWestempropertyeithertotheEnglishmenorto RoggersordeceivedNewYorkertoinvestmoneyinthecompany.However,hismoralstrengthgetstheupper handandhechoosestosufferfinancialruininsteadofmoralfailure.Thusheemergesasapersonwithmoral strengthandspiritualintegrityattheendofthenovel,whichisanindispensablepreconditionforhimtome唱e withthesocialelite. Afterthebankruptcy,theLaphamsresulnetherurallifeinVermontwithhisfamily.Itappearstobeacircle, butitarousesdifferentemotionsinthefamily.Mrs.Laphamisverypleasedsincetheycanenjoymoreaffection withoutthedistractionofbusiness.Moreoversheisproudthatherhusbandisthe??noblestandgrandest??mall becauseheresistsallthetemptations.Whentheactualbankruptcybefalls,Laphamfeelsrelievedsincehehas “comeoutwithcleanhands”(Howells.1986:362).Heconcludesthathehasbeen?”noman?senemybuthisown?? (ibid:361).WhenSewellseeshimagaininthecountry,Lapham,in”shabbyandslovenly”clothes,exhibitsthe countryfashionObid:363).However,theeconomicruinmakesLaphamcompletelysoberandrendershismoral identityintegrated.Beingaskedwhetherheregretshisfinancialruinornot,heresponds:”Well,itdon?talways seemasifIdoneit….Seemssometimesasifitwasaholeopenedforme,andIcreptoutofit??(:365). (tobecontinuedtoPage TheEchoingSHenceinRichardJefferies?TheAcorn—Gatherer villagers?reactionandattitudestowardstheboy:adeaddogorjustascarecrow. Inthatsocialclimate,the mainstreamsocietywaslargelyindifferenttothemiseryofillegitimate , abandonedchildren,andunrulylower classyouthweretreatedwithdisdain.Itisbecauseoftheunsurpassedapplicationoftheutteranceofdifferent charactersthatthereaderscouldfeeltheauthor?shiddenstrongpassionandsincereconcemforthedeniedand abandonedchildreninruralareas. 3.Conclusion Bykeepingtheprotagonistsilent,theauthorseemedverycruelindetachinghisfeelinganddisguisinghis standpoint.Butthecontrastbetweensilenceandutterancegivesreaderstobreakupthesilencewithstronger emotion.Rooks,whichhadshoutedforfun,andforfreedom,wereshotdeadastheScarecrows.Conspicuously theinnocentboydiedinsilence,nevershoutingorprotesting.Socialprejudiceandso-called??rightcodeof behavior??istheshootingguntoendthetinylire.Fromthisp0intheisevenworsethantherooks.11leboy?s silencesymbolizesthemiserableexistenceofthoseimpoverishedchildren,becomingtheloudestvoiceandcryin theearsofthereaders.Readersareplungedintothestory,unabletoconcealthesympathyandthought.Andthis silenceevencanbeheardinourrealworld,wherestereotypedconceptsarestillkillingchildren,adultsandthe wholesociety.Thusallthepurposesofwritingandro