An Analysis of Richard Yates' Loneliness in Light of Trauma Theory_英语论文

摘要

钱钟书先生认为：“成功的、重要的作品极少是歌功颂德之作，而多是作者身心受到创伤，苦闷、发愤之下的产品”。理查德耶茨的作品可以说是这类文学作品的代表作，他通过描写当代人的孤独形象，形成了自己独特的作品风格。理查德·耶茨定义了焦虑时代人普遍的孤独和失落：创伤体验造成了个体孤独的处境，而孤独造成的内心隔绝和封闭是普遍又无法逃离的。

“孤独”作为当代人普遍的心理特征，现代文学的重要主题，具有极为丰富的研究意义。因此本文力图从《十一种孤独》这本作品入手，通过创伤理论解读耶茨塑造的孤独形象——社会中最普通的人群，分析“孤独”形成的原因以及探究解决孤独方法，希望对解决现代人孤独、焦虑问题有一定的启发。

关键词：理查德·耶茨  孤独  创伤   

Abstract

Mr. Qian Zhongshu considered that most of the successful and important works were the products of anguish, which were produced after the authors went through physical and mental trauma instead of that written for praises. Richard Yates’ stories are the representatives of such kind of literary works with his special portrayals of loneliness of contemporary people. Yates has defined the general loneliness and loss of people in the Age of Anxiety: traumatic experience caused the loneliness of the individual and the inner isolation and closure caused by loneliness are universal and inescapable.

As a universal psychological characteristic of contemporary people and an important theme of modern literature, “loneliness” has extremely great research significance. Therefore, this article aims at interpreting the lonely images created by Yates in his short story collection — Eleven Kinds of Loneliness and analyzing the reasons for the formation of “loneliness” in light of Trauma Theory. By this, the author hopes to provide readers some inspirations for solving the problem of loneliness and anxiety in modern life.

Key words: Richard Yates  loneliness  trauma

Contents

Chapter One  Introduction 1

1.1  A Brief Introduction to Richard Yates 1

1.2  A Brief Introduction to Eleven Kinds of Loneliness 1

1.3  Purpose of the Thesis 2

1.4  Structure of the Thesis 2

Chapter Two  Literature Review 4

Chapter Three  Truama Theory and Its Formation and Development 7

3.1  Definition of Trauma 7

3.2  Formation and Development of Trauma Theory 7

Chapter Four  Analyses of Yates's Stories under Trauma Theory 11

4.1  Characters' Symptoms of Suffering Trauma 11

4.1.1 Isolation 11

4.1.2 Repression 12

4.1.3 Loneliness and Depression 14

4.1.4 Repetition Compulsion 15

4.2  Causes of Truama in Different Characters 16

4.2.1 Childhood Memory 16

4.2.2 Lack of Love 17

4.2.3 Physical Wound 18

4.3  Sources of Trauma in Yates 19

4.3.1 Yates' Family 19

4.3.2 Yates' Marriage 20

4.3.3 Yates' Military Experience 21

Chapter Five  Conclusion 22

Bibliography

Acknowledgements