美国文学选读 论自助分析

Self-Reliance By Ralph Waldo Emerson (1817-1862) 通常认为,美德完全是意外之举,而非规则。人跟他的品德是两码事。人做的那些所谓的善举,如见义勇为、扶危济困之类,就跟他们必须为不参加日常的游行而缴纳罚金作为抵偿一样。他们干这种事只算是他们在这个世界上生活的一种赔罪或掩饰——好比病人和精神病患者交的巨额的伙食费一样。他们的美德就是苦修赎罪。我不想赎罪,我只想生活。我只为生活而生活,并非为了观赏。我更希望它能低调一些,好能真实而平等,而不愿意它光彩照人,动荡不安。我希望它健康甜美,不必去忍受饥饿和病痛。我要的是“你是个人”这样主要的证据,而不是脱离了人只论及他的行动。我知道,对于那些所谓的高明行动,无论我是做了还是避免,于我本身来说其实无关紧要。我拒绝在我已经拥有权力的地方再购买特权。我虽然无德无能,却是一个真实的存在,因此没必要为了让我自己或我的同伴安心而要求别人给予保证。(类比、比喻:analogy ) 人们所想的事与我无关,我必须做的只是与我有关的事。这一规定,在现实生活和精神生活中同样至关重要,所以伟大和渺小完全可以据此来区分。因为你总会发现一些这样的人,他们觉得他们比你还清楚你自己的 职责 岗位职责下载项目部各岗位职责下载项目部各岗位职责下载建筑公司岗位职责下载社工督导职责.docx 是什么,因此,这一规定显得更加严厉了。在世界上,以世人的观点生活很容易;在隐居时,以自己的想法生活也不难;可是伟人之所以是伟人,就在于他能在无数俗人之中完美的保持了特立独行的个性。(排比:parallel construction)因为不顺从,世人就对你处处不满,大加鞭笞。因此一个人必须学会判断别人的脸色。无论在街上还是朋友的客厅里,他都会遭人白眼。假如这种反感像他自己一样也来自鄙视和抵触,他不如耷拉着脸回家算了。但是人民生气的脸孔跟他们欢喜的脸孔一样,并没有什么深层的原因,而只是随着社会舆论的导向而被操纵着转换。不过比起议院和学校的不满,群情激愤要可怕多了。一个有丰富阅历的坚强人物,忍受有教养的阶级的愤怒算不上难事。他们的愤怒有所节制,因为他们本身胆小如鼠,本来就不堪一击。但是,如果在他们阴沉的愤怒之外再加上人民的愤怒,如果再有被鼓动起来的无知的穷人,如果还有被激发起来嗷嗷咆哮,龇牙咧嘴的社会最底层的野蛮势力,那么就只能需要极大的胸怀和宗教修养大显身手,把它大事化小小事化了的对待了。 尽管人的行为千差万别,但是总会存在着一种一致性,这样,任何一个行动都会在它们的关键时刻显得实实在在。因为都是出于同一个意愿,所以无论行为看上去有多大差别,结果必将是和谐统一的。在一定距离、一定高度的时候,那种行为上的多样性就看不出来了。一种趋势让它们都连为一体了。最好的船只的航线也都是蜿蜒曲折的。如果从远处看这条航线,它就趋于笔直了。你真正的行动会解释明白你自己,也会解释明白你其他的真正行动。墨守陈规不能解释任何事情。独立行动吧,你独立做的事情从现在开始就会证明你的正确。伟大诉诸于未来。如果我今天确信自己做对了事情,并且蔑视别人的眼光,那就表明我先前的正确行为正在为今天的自己做辩护。不管未来什么样,现在就把事情做对。如果你能永远蔑视外表,那么你就能永远把事情做对。人格的力量是不断积累的。以前的种种善举都会让今天的我们受益。是什么造就了议会和战场中的英雄们让人心潮澎湃的威严。是因为过去曾经拥有的光辉岁月和辉煌战绩。这些光辉岁月和辉煌战绩汇成一束光辉,把勇往直前的行动者照亮。仿佛一队看得见的天使在护送着他。正是这个东西让查塔姆伯爵声如雷鸣,让华盛顿的举止威严,让美国进入了亚当斯的眼睛。荣誉之所以让我们充满敬意,是因为它不是转瞬即逝的东西。它一直是传统的美德。今天我们之所以崇拜它,恰恰因为它不属于今天。我们对它热爱、敬仰,只因为它不是为捕捉我们的热爱与敬仰所布下的陷阱,而是自力更生,因而具有一种古老纯洁的血统,即使在一个年轻人身上表现出来,也是这样。(暗喻: metaphor) Themes 爱默生的作品深深地吸引着读者, 特别是《论自助》这篇文章。它来自于爱默生的散文集,表达了他的超验主义 思想 教师资格思想品德鉴定表下载浅论红楼梦的主题思想员工思想动态调查问卷论语教育思想学生思想教育讲话稿 。“相信自己”是它的核心点。爱默生反对一切形式的模仿作品。他认为人应该相信自己, 真正的人应该学会如何拒绝随波逐流。如果一个人害怕民意, 而迫使他做一些改变,他将可能失去导致他成功的创新能力。如果一个人不想让他自己或社会失望, 就必须遵守在他内心的原则。但人们谁遵守权威、传统或当前的系统, 意味着打破了这个原则。最重要的是, 他相信个人主义、独立和自力更生。他的作品是不容易被理解的。他重建了文学写作技能的共同形象, 赋予作品新的想法。一般来说, 读者有一个共同的观点, 即他的思想是特殊的, 独一无二的。 Throughout the essay he gives a defense For his famous catch-phrase “trust thyself.” This argument follows three major points: the self-contained genius, the disapproval of the world, and the value of self-worth. Throughout this essay, Emerson argues against conformity with the world. He gives an archetype for his own transcendental beliefs, but also argues for his slogan “trust thyself.” For someOne to transcend their current state, one must lean only on their own understanding, hold a certain level of disregard for the opinions and currents of society, and most importantly hold a respect for self regardless of circumstances and society's opinions. Trust Your Own Inner Voice .......Emerson urges his readers to retain the outspokenness(坦白)of a small child who freely speaks his mind. A child he has not yet been corrupted by adults who tell him to do otherwise. He also urges readers to avoid envying or imitating others viewed as models of perfection; instead, he says, readers should take pride in their own individuality and never be afraid to express their own original ideas. In addition, he says, they should refuse to conform to the ways of the popular culture and its shallow ideals; rather they should live up to their own ideals, even if doing so reaps them criticism and denunciation(谴责). Avoid Consistency as an End in Itsel f .......Being consistent is not always wise. An idea or regimen to which you stubbornly cling can become outmoded tomorrow. Emerson and Transcendentalism .......Emerson believed every human being has inborn knowledge that enables him to recognize and understand moral truth without benefit of knowledge obtained through the physical senses. Using this inborn knowledge, a gift of God, an individual can make a moral decision without relying on information gained through everyday living, education, and experimentation. One may liken this inborn knowledge to conscience or intuition. 超验主义的主要思想观点有三。首先,超验主义者强调精神,或超灵,认为这是宇宙至为重要的存在因素。超灵是一种无所不容、无所不在、扬善抑恶的力量,是万物之本、万物之所属,它存在于人和自然界内。其二,超验主义者强调个人的重要性。他们认为个人是社会的最重要的组成部分,社会的革新只能通过个人的修养和完善才能实现。因此人的首要责任就是自我完善,而不是刻意追求金玉富贵。理想的人是依靠自己的人。其三,超验主义者以全新的目光看待自然,认为自然界是超灵或上帝的象征。在他们看来,自然界不只是物质而已。它有生命,上帝的精神充溢其中,它是超灵的外衣。因此,它对人的思想具有一种健康的滋补作用。超验主义主张回归自然,接受它的影响,以在精神上成为完人。这种观点的自然内涵是,自然界万物具象征意义,外部世界是精神世界的体现。 Summary of the Essay .......However, if you want to be a man, you must be a nonconFormist. Unfortunately, though, we let others have too much influence over us. These may be men of vanity(虚荣)and malice(恶意,怨恨,预谋)who take up philanthropic(仁慈的,博爱的)or noble causes–a bigot(顽固者), for example, who says he supports abolition but keeps black people at a distance. He loves from afar. .......Many men think virtue is the exception rather than the rule. They perform acts of charity(慈善)as if they were paying a fine or doing a penance(苦行,忏悔)."I do not wish to expiate(赎罪), but to live. My life is for itself and not for a spectacle. I much prefer that it should be of a lower strain, so it be genuine and equal, than that it should be glittering and unsteady." .......I do not need or want the approval of other men. What I believe I should do is what concerns me, not what other people think I should do. Of course, it is not easy to follow your own inner voice, for there are always those who will try to make you conform to the public will. It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude(独居)to live after our own; but the great "man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude." .......I wish we could do away with consistency and conformity. Men who listen to themselves rather than to the common herd are true men. And it is true men who leave their mark on history. .......If all men became self-reliant, then all of their activities and institutions would be better: religion, education, the way they live, the way they think.