反叛的路鲁修
《马丁·伊登》是美国的优秀作家杰克·伦敦（1876-1916）的代表作，发表于1909年。前半部带有自传性，取材于他早年经历和后来的成名过程，主要故事情节如下：
水手马丁·伊登由于偶然的机会撞进摩斯律师的家庭。这个资产阶级小姐罗丝喜欢这个精力充沛、才智过人的无产者；马丁·伊登觉得罗丝“纯洁”、“高尚”，有文化教养，也爱上了她。马丁·伊登在罗丝的爱情鼓励下刻苦写作。他象杰克·伦敦开始写作时一样，一边打短工一边读书写作，有时穷得吃不上饭。马丁写的稿子一次次被退回，但他并不气馁，继续奋斗。罗丝在父母的反对下，同马丁断绝了来往。马丁经过极大的努力终于成名。过去看不起他的人一个个都跑来拉拢他，罗丝哭哭啼啼跑来要求恢复关系，然而马丁爬上社会“顶峰”后，发现一切都是空虚的，他的精神垮了，以自杀结束了自己的生命。
小说以生动的形象批判了资产阶级社会的腐朽和空虚。当马丁还是普通水手、初次进入罗丝的资产阶级家庭时，他十分羡慕这样的“高等社会”，以为那里都是“公允无私的人”，“具有纯洁而高尚的思想，过着热烈的精神生活”。他一心想超越自己的社会地位，挤进这个上层社会。但是一深入交往，发现他们“象是驯养的鹦鹉”，愚昧无知，卑劣龌龊，“全是俗物”。他受尽资产阶级的冷落，终于成名后，才看透了这些律师、银行家和教授，剥开他们漂亮的外衣，一个个都是势利的市侩。尤其是他发现他曾经认为是“纯洁高尚”化身的罗丝，同样是一个心地狭窄、目光短浅的资产阶级小姐。他所梦想的一切都是虚幻的，他感到“受了骗”，陷入可怕的失望。
huangmanjing
AbstractThis paper examines two works, F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" and Langston Hughes' "The Big Sea" and the theme expressed in both novels about man's search for an edenic world and the myth that America represents this world.From the Paper:"The search for Eden has always had an eternal quality since the development of primordial man. At times, this search has manifested itself as a quest for a promised land full of natural resources, while at others, it has taken the form of a journey seeking social acceptance and harmony. Either which way, man's search for Eden has always been motivated by a desire to secure material and emotional well-being. Though this search is not unique to the people of America, the promise held out by a vast, virgin continent and new beginnings led to the belief that a life in the pursuit of wealth and happiness was possible here. This great 'American Dream,' however, soon proved as susceptible to human greed, bigotry, and the struggle for power as any other settled society, destroying the innocence and hopes of many 'New Adams' in the process. It is this story that forms a repetitive theme in American literature with different variations. For instance, there is Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby, in whom the New Adam takes the avatar of an innocent who believes that securing material wealth will lead to achieving his dream. As compared to this, Langston Hughes's version of the New Adam in The Big Sea is an African-American who hopes that America would, one day, truly accept his people. Fitzgerald and Hughes's New Adam, thus, take the shape of two entirely different folks, separated by ancestral heritage and color, employing vastly different strokes in their search for an Edenic world. Jay Gatsby chooses to use material wealth as a stepping-stone to securing his emotional happiness, whereas Langston Hughes approaches his quest for Eden by seeking social acceptance and harmony to secure the emotional well-being of his people."
