摘要:在"喧嚣的20年代的背景下,辛克莱·刘易斯通过《巴比特》这一作品,敏锐地揭示了美国中产阶级消费观的变化。由于战后劳动力的大量补充,经济迅猛回温,人们已经不再仅仅满足于保证温饱的生活。相反,美国公民尤其是中产阶级开始追求物质主义和奢侈的娱乐生活。一些年轻人更加推崇新的开放思想,新旧一辈的矛盾也不断加深。本文通过深入的分析以男主人公巴比特为代表,在美国公民的生活中体现的形形色色的时尚细节,如建筑时尚,着装时尚,聚会时尚等,总结出中产阶级的消费观念已经从传统的节俭请教主义转变为浮夸的物质至上主义。同时展现出二十世纪美国社会唯利是图,金钱至上的生活方式以及揭露了人性中虚荣浮夸的一面。
关键词: 巴比特;时尚细节;物质至上
Abstract:Against the background of "the Roaring Twenties", Sinclair Lewis acutely reveals the changed consumption concept of the middle class in the U.S. through the masterpiece Babbitt. Due to the great supplement of labor force after the war, the economy went through a rapid recovery. People were no longer satisfied with simply having adequate food and clothing, rather, citizens, the middle class in particular, were converted to pursue a material lifestyleof extravagant and wild entertainment. Young generations were inclined to embrace novel ideas and the breach between the old and the young was exacerbated. This paper focuses on classification and analysis of fashion details depicted in the daily life of the middle class, such as their building fashion, dressing fashion, party fashion, etc. In summarizing the representative lifestyle of the protagonist Babbitt, this paper illustrate show the consumption notion of the middle class has transformed from the conventional Puritanic system of frugality to flashy materialism. At the same time, it uncovers an epitome of vanity, hypocrisy and corruptness in society.
Key words: Babbitt; fashion details; materialism
Contents
中文摘要
Abstract
Introduction-1
1. Brief introduction to social backgrounds-2
1.1 General economic progress in the 1920s-2
1.2 Social changes-3
2. Analysis of fashion details-3
2.1 Material fashion-3
2.1.1 The way people dress-4
2.1.2 Interior decoration-5
2.1.3 Building fashion-6
2.1.4 Organizing for a party-8
2.1.5 Modern devices-8
2.1.6 Private transportation-10
2.1.7 Advertisement-10
2.2 Spiritual fashion-11
2.2.1 Relationship-11
2.2.2 Novel ideas-13
2.2.3 Education-14
2.2.4 Entertainment activities-14
2.2.5 Cigarette-17
2.2.6 Prohibition-17
2.2.7 Women’s lives-17
2.2.8 Religion-18
2.2.9 Belonging to a certain club-19
Conclusion-19