从生态女性主义角度解读《愤怒的葡萄》中的女性形象.doc

学号：2012010283

哈尔滨师范大学
学士学位论文

题 目 从生态女性主义角度解读《愤怒的葡萄》中的女性形象
学 生 陈敬
指导教师 陆春香 副教授
年 级 2012级 1 班
专 业 英语教育
系 别 英语教育系
学 院 西语学院

哈 尔 滨 师 范 大 学
学士学位论文开题报告

论文题目 从生态女性主义角度解读《愤怒的葡萄》中的女性形象
学生姓名 陈敬
指导教师 陆春香 副教授
年 级 2012级 1 班
专 业 英 语 教 育

2016年 3 月

说 明

本表需在指导教师和有关领导审查批准的情况下，要求学生认真填写。
说明课题的来源（自拟题目或指导教师承担的科研任务）、课题研究的目的和意义、课题在国内外研究现状和发展趋势。
若课题因故变动时，应向指导教师提出申请，提交题目变动论证报告。

课题来源：导师指导下自拟题目。

课题研究的目的和意义：

目的：本课题以《愤怒的葡萄》中的女性形象分析为主线，试图剖析女性人物精神在生态女性主义角度下的内涵意义。 乔德妈是本书中最精彩的角色，她看似一个普通的家庭妇女，但在家庭遭遇变故，先是被拖拉机赶出家园，又遭受亲人离世颠沛流离之苦，她逐渐变成了家族的中心，家族的灵魂。失去了工作的男人脆弱不堪，看似柔弱的母亲却用女性坚韧的力量支撑起这个家，使它免于分崩离析。也是乔德妈引导支持了乔德为了人民进行斗争，从小我上升到大我。乔德的妹妹罗莎夏原本是个心中只有自己的小家的不成熟的女性，在经历了被丈夫抛弃孩子夭折的悲痛后成长了起来，成为了一个坚强的，无私的女性。她不再只关注自己，而是更加注重别人的感受，愿意用自己的力量帮助别人。在他给一位素不相识的饿的奄奄一息的人喂奶这一场景中，体现出了劳动人民之间深厚的情谊，也是本书中的亮点。

意义：约翰·斯坦贝克通过对乔德的母亲，乔德的妹妹罗莎夏等的性格描写，刻画了乔德家女性形象在经济大萧条时期的转变，彰显出女性的伟大精神力量。劳动妇女无私的奉献精神以及大无畏的革命精神得到了充分的突出。诺贝尔文学奖授奖者赞扬斯坦贝克“通过现实主义的，富于想象的创作，表现出蕴含同情的幽默和对社会的敏锐的观察。”斯坦贝克通过这一系列的人物形象充分的表现了从“我”到“我们”的主题，反映美国一代破产农民怎样向工人阶级转化。这其中的血泪愤慨和斗争不仅对美国社会具有深刻的意义，对当今世界其他国家与社会也具有深刻的启示。
国内外同类课题研究现状及发展趋势：

国外：长期以来，外国评论家因《愤怒的葡萄》习惯于把斯坦贝克称之为愤怒的作家或左翼作家，而忽略了其在生态主义领域的贡献。他们主要从原形批评、后殖民主义批评及结构主义等多个角度出发，对其进行深刻的剖析，如Martin Shockley的The Reception of The Grapes of Wrath和Christian Symbolism in The Grapes of Wrath.现代研究主要集中于从自然主义、女性主义和新历史主义来研究，如Peter Lisca的The Wide World of John Steinbeck.

国内: 和国外相比，国内的研究还处于初始阶段。主要集中于人物形象的分析，作品主题的解读，还有从生态角度和女性主义角度分析斯坦贝克的生态观。如：陈晓的论《愤怒的葡萄》中的生态女性主义思想，李晓梅的论《愤怒的葡萄》中的象征主义
发展趋势：国内外学者对《愤怒的葡萄》的研究，呈现出联系作者亲身经历对作者生态主义思想观的探究和其作品对美国三、四十年代的影响的趋势。也有学者从圣经角度解读其中人物的象征意义。

课题研究的主要内容和方法，研究过程中的主要问题和解决办法：
主要内容：本课题旨在在生态女性主义角度下研究愤怒的葡萄中的女性形象及性格特点。本课题在了解约翰·斯坦贝克的愤怒的葡萄的社会背景的情况下对人物性格进行剖析。首先，通过对生态女性主义的介绍了解其基本含义和主要观点；其次，简要分析小说中的人物关系。第三，通过对比剖析乔德妈的珍贵品质，如：冷静果断勇敢理性。分析这些品质对家族及个人的影响。第四，分析家族权利从乔德爸向乔德妈转变及其原因。最后，分析罗萨夏的性格转变及原因。

研究方法：本文采用了文献法和资料分析法。

主要问题： 1.文献不足
2.由于个人的经验和能力有限，使对本文女性形象性格及行为背后的内涵分析的不够具体、全面和深刻。对生态女性主义的理解不够透彻

解决方法：从图书馆书籍、期刊、大量搜集资料，并不断与导师交流，阅读相关资料文献，归纳整理，筛选出主要信息和参考资料信息，从而更好的完成本篇论文。

课题研究起止时间和进度安排：

1. 2015年11月9日至11月27日：选导师及撰写论文方向。
2. 2015年11月28日至12月31日：与导师商榷论文题目。
3. 2016年1月1日至2016年3月15日：撰写并提交开题报告。
4. 2016年3月16日至2016年4月22日：撰写并提交毕业论文。
5. 2016年4月23日至2016年5月6日：准备参加毕业论文答辩。

课题研究所需主要设备、仪器及药品：无

外出调研主要单位，访问学者姓名：

外出调研主要单位：
1. 哈尔滨师范大学图书馆
2. 黑龙江省图书馆
3. 哈尔滨中央书城

指导教师审查意见：

指导教师 （签字）
2016年3月 15日
教研室（研究室）评审意见：

系主任 （签字）
2016年3月 15日
系（部）主任审查意见：

教学院长 （签字）
　2016年3月 15日

GRADUATION PAPER
FOR BACHELOR DEGREE

HARBIN NORMAL UNIVERSITY

TITLE: An Analysis of the Female Images in The Grapes of Wrath in Ecofeminism
STUDENT: CHEN Jing
TUTOR: LU Chun-xiang （Associate Prof.）
GRADE: Grade 2012
MAJOR: English Education
DEPARTMENT: English Education Department
COLLEGE: Faculty of Western Languages
and Literatures

May, 2016
HARBIN NORMAL UNIVERSITY
An Analysis of the Female Images in The Grapes of Wrath in Ecofeminism
Chen Jing

Abstract: The Grapes of Wrath is the masterpiece of John Steinbeck ,who is the famous American writer and the owner of the Nobel prize. During the American economic crisis in 1930s, a large number of farmers have become bankrupt. The author had followed the Oklahoma farmers wandering to California, along the way he was shocked by what he had seen. A typical representative of the fleeting farmers, the Joad was described in this novel. In the book, the most vivid description is the transformation of these two female images, Ma Joad and Rose of Sharon. This paper aims to reflect the ecofeminist awareness revealed in the novel, by analyzing the two major female characters. Then the thesis explores the influence of females on Steinbeck’s life and writing career. It will profound analyze the damage to women and nature caused by the male-dominated idea in1930s, the collapse of the patriarchal ideology in the ecological crisis and the awaking of the female consciousness.
Key Words: The Grapes of Wrath; John Steinbeck; female; Ecofeminism

1. Introduction

1.1 An introduction to the author
John Steinbeck was one of the best-known American novelists of the 20th century. He won Pulitzer Prize for his masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath and Nobel Prize for outstanding contribution to the field of literature.
John Steinbeck was born in February 27, 1902 in a miller family of Salinas in Monterey County California. Being brought up and nurtured by his mother, he was contact with European classical literature in his early time, and greatly influenced by the ancient Greek literature, Bible and the fifteenth Century British legend of King Arthur. From 1920 to1925, he studied in Stanford University taking as electives course of English literature and marine biology, and made a living in various physical labor. By repairing roads, measuring over the land, picking fruit, catching fish, he had a great number of contacts with the working people.
John Steinbeck started writing and published his first novel cup of gold during his study at the University, a swashbuckling historical romance based on the life of seventeen-century welsh buccaneer Henry Morgan, give no indication that Steinbeck would eventually be capable of producing a graphic novel with the startling originality, magnitude, compassion, and power of The Grapes of Wrath. After marriage and a move to Pacific Grove, he published two Californian fictions, The Pastures of Heaven and To a God Unknown. Popular success and financial security came only with Tortilla Flat, stories about Monterey’s paisanos. A ceaseless experimenter throughout his career, Steinbeck changed course regularly. Three powerful novels of the late 1930s focused on the Californian laboring class: In Dubious Battle, Of Mice and Men and the book considered by many of his finest, The Grapes of Wrath. The author adapted Of Mice and Men into drama stage in New York, and won the critics award. In 1938 he published a collection of short stories named Long Valley. These work reproduced the passions of people living in the western small town where the author born from the aspect of life, in which you can feel valuable features of his work. His writing style is sharp and concise, full of great ingenuity. He works with strong ecological consciousness, and at the same time ecological thoughts in his mind was ingrained.

1.2 The basic introduction to The Grapes of Wrath
In 1937 farmers in Oklahoma were expelled out of land by the bank and the landlords. Nothing to do to make a living, they were forced to move to California. Shocked by the suffering and the stubborn sense of survival of these poor men, Steinbeck decided to write the book The Grapes of Wrath. The publication of this work is like a heavy bomb caused great panic in the state governors. Some states even banned its publication. All propaganda also took great pains to deny the achievement of The Grapes of Wrath. However, The Grapes of Wrath still won acclaim with its true and moving story, and received high praise.
In 1963 Steinbeck told Caskie Stinnett:”I wrote The Grapes of Wrath in one hundred days, but many years of preparation preceded it. I take a hell of a long time to get started. The actual writing is the last process.” Though Steinbeck actually wrote the novel in ninety-three sittings, it was his way of saying that The Grapes of Wrath was an intuited whole that embodied the form of his devotion.
On the Nobel Prize for literature award, John Steinbeck said: “the writer is delegated to declare and to celebrate man’s proven capacity for greatness of heart and spirit---for gallantry in defeat---for courage compassion love. In the endless war against weakness and despair. These are the bright rally-flags of hope and of emulation. I hold that a writer who does not passionately believe in the perfectibility of man---has neither dedication nor any membership in literature.”
The Grapes of Wrath is based on the story of Joads take a drive to California to find a way out, using Joads’ a variety of experiences and knowledge on the way west to reflect the sin and suffering of the era. Fortunately, the work for readers not the abandoned poor, but the immigrants who accept suffering life still march forward courageously. Even though they could not see the dawn, cannot see the hope, they also with a strong sense of survival, full of hope for a better life.

2. An overview of Ecofeminism

2.1 The basic knowledge of Ecofeminism
In1974, French ecofeminist Francoise d’Eaubonne brought forward the term “ecofeminism” in her book le feminism ou la mort. This marks the beginning of the study on western ecofeminism theory.
Ecofeminism is a concept that connects ecology with feminism. The principal exponents of the ecofeminism are Francoise d’Eaubonne, Carolyn Merchant, Susan Griffin, Karen J Warren, Vandana Ahivel and so on. Although the point of view of ecofeminism is diverse, against the domination and oppression of the patriarchal world view and way of thinking of the world in the two dimension toward women and nature. Revealing the natural, straightforward and intrinsic connection between nature and women is the core point of view, patriarchal worldview is the origin of domination and oppression of women and nature. Ecofeminism mainly includes two arguments. Firstly, it believes a feminist must also be an ecologist, for the nature and female have some certain connections. Secondly, it considers the life on the earth as an interconnected web, not a hierarchical pyramid.
Eco-feminists believe that women and nature are the origin of existence and development of human beings. The earth which is closer to the female is the foundation of human existence and development. With the two main performances is: in traditional culture, people often regard the earth as a mother, pregnant women and the function nature of the earth has striking similarities. Women use their flesh and blood to produce life and use sweet milk to feed human beings. The earth produces abundant products circularly, and provides a complex biosphere to accommodate the life. Thus, the emotional intimacy of the earth and the women mainly reflected that they both The Great Mother for the cultivation of human being. In The Grapes of Wrath, The Great Mother of this novel is distinctive image, she is a symbol of the nature and earth, a manifestation of primitive matriarchal society cultural values, a mysterious force to change of man and nature.
Ecofeminism is committed to the elimination of the patriarchal society in two opposite thinking models and grade rule system, extend domination over nature and women to challenge other social governance form, such as racism, capitalism, colonialism, tries to establish a new concept of value based on love, mutual benefit and the principle of responsibility construction. Man and nature, the equality of men and women, and the harmonious society.

2.2 Ecofeminism in The Grapes of Wrath
Steinbeck is considered one of the male writers with the strong female consciousness. He noticed that the relationship between the change of traditional life and women's personality consciousness and personality liberation. In the travel notes Steinbeck: travels with charley: In search of America, he writes: “ if the most versatile form of life, man, use the same way as they used to exist, they will not only destroy themselves, but also ruin other life.” By using the documentary method, Steinbeck records the real situation of ecological crisis happened in the American central states in history: yellow sand flying all over the sky, to put the earth on a thick layer of blanket. the entire central becomes a desert which is unable to survive . A large number of farmers have to go out to flee from famine. In the first chapter of the novel, the author describes the land of arid desert and the influence which has brought to people's life. “ In the water-cut gullies the earth dusted down in dry little streams. Gophers and ant lions started small avalanches. And as the sharp sun struck day after day, the leaves of the young corn became less stiff and erect; they bent in a curve at first, and then, as the central ribs of strength grew weak, each leaf tilted downward. Then it was June, and the sun shone more fiercely. The brown lines on the corn leaves widened and moved in on the central ribs. The weeds frayed and edged back toward their roots. The air was thin and the sky more pale; and every day the earth paled.” “And the women came out of the house s to stand beside their men---to feel whether this time the men would break. The women studied the men’s faces secretly, for the corn could go, as long as something else remained.” At that time, women's main concern is whether their husbands can endure, whether they can insist to struggle against the adversity. When the men discussed about the family moved to the west, the women stood behind them acting as the audience. At that time, including the mother, women had no consciousness of independent personality and the consciousness of women in power; they strictly observe the wife’s way and respect the male patriarchal.
The damage to the economy weakened men’s power of dominating their family. They are no longer able to assume the role as the pillar of the family. When the crisis coming, they tried to overcome difficulties, only to find that all the efforts were in vain. Because they cannot support the family, their self-esteem and self-confidence were greatly insulted. The financial crisis again cause a double blow on the two aspects of material and spirit to men, they gave up, and seemed no longer stand, no longer able to shoulder the burden of family, led their family members to the future.
After arriving in California, hopes were broken. Father was at a loss what to do, just sniff his nose and said “the world has changed.” In this case, the women worried for the family, for the children, for her husband. They gradually realized that if they give up, their home will really collapse. In this case, the female walked from the behind of the male to the front of the family members, motivated people who lost hope to see life in light, making the right choice when they lost direction, taking place of men as a pillar of the family. In The Grapes of Wrath, even the father had to admit her leading position in the family. The two female images in The Grapes of Wrath, Joad Ma and Rose of Sharon, are the best examples.

3. Female images in The Grapes of Wrath

3.1The excellent characters of Joad Ma
In The Grapes of Wrath, Steinbeck created a classic character Joad Ma. a strong woman