the sad young men 课文和翻译.docx

the sad young men 课文和翻译.docx

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thesadyoungmen课文和翻译

TheSadYoungMen

RodW.HortonandHerbertW.Edwards

　　1NoaspectoflifeintheTwentieshasbeenmorecommenteduponandsensationallyromanticizedthantheso-calledRevoltoftheYoungerGeneration.Theslightestmentionofthedecadebringsnostalgicrecollectionstothemiddle-agedandcuriousquestioningsbytheyoung:

memoriesofthedeliciouslyillicitthrillofthefirstvisittoaspeakeasy,ofthebravedenunciationofPuritanmorality,andofthefashionableexperimentationsinamourintheparkedsedanonacountryroad;questionsaboutthenaughty,jazzyparties,theflask-toting"sheik,"andthemoralandstylisticvagariesofthe"flapper"andthe"drug-storecowboy.""Wereyoungpeoplereallysowild?

"present-daystudentsasktheirparentsandteachers."WastherereallyaYoungerGenerationproblem?

"Theanswerstosuchinquiriesmustofnecessitybe"yes"and"no"--"Yes"becausethebusinessofgrowingupisalwaysaccompaniedbyaYoungerGenerationProblem;"no"becausewhatseemedsowild,irresponsible,andimmoralinsocialbehavioratthetimecannowbeseeninperspectiveasbeingsomethingconsiderablylesssensationalthanthedegenerauonofourjazzmadyouth.

　　2Actually,therevoltoftheyoungpeoplewasalogicaloutcomeofconditionsintheage:

Firstofall,itmustberememberedthattherebellionwasnotconfinedtotheUnit-edStates,butaffectedtheentireWesternworldasaresultoftheaftermathofthefirstseriouswarinacentury.Second,intheUnitedStatesitwasreluctantlyrealizedbysome-subconsciouslyifnotopenly--thatourcountrywasnolongerisolatedineitherpoliticsortraditionandthatwehadreachedaninternationalstaturethatwouldforeverpreventusfromretreatingbehindtheartificialwallsofaprovincialmoralityorthegeographicalprotectionofourtwoborderingoceans.

　　3TherejectionofVictoriangentilitywas,inanycase,inevitable.TheboomingofAmericanindustry,withitsgigantic,roaringfactories,itscorporateimpersonality,anditslargescaleaggressiveness,nolongerleftanyroomforthecodeofpolitebehaviorandwell-bredmoralityfashionedinaquieterandlesscompetitiveage.Warornowar,asthegenerationspassed,itbecameincreasinglydifficultforouryoungpeopletoacceptstandardsofbehaviorthatborenorelationshiptothebustlingbusinessmediuminwhichtheywereexpectedtobattleforsuccess.ThewaractedmerelyasacatalyticagentinthisbreakdownoftheVictoriansocialstructure,andbyprecipitatingouryoungpeopleintoapatternofmassmurderitreleasedtheirinhibitedviolentenergieswhich,aftertheshootingwasover,wereturnedinbothEuropeandAmericatothedestructionofanobsolescentnineteenth-centurysociety.

　　4Thusinachangingworldyouthwasfacedwiththechallengeofbringingourmoresuptodate.Butatthesametimeitwastempted,inAmericaatleast,toescapeitsresponsibilitiesandretreatbehindanairofnaughtyalcoholicsophisticationandaposeofBohemianimmorality.Thefaddishness,thewildspendingofmoneyontransitorypleasuresandmomentarynovelties,thehecticairofgaiety,theexperimentationinsensation--sex,drugs,alcohol,perversions--wereallpartofthepatternofescape,anescapemadepossiblebyageneralprosperityandapost-warfatiguewithpolitics,economicrestrictions,andinternationalresponsibilities.Prohibitionaffordedtheyoungtheadditionalopportunityofmakingtheirpleasuresillicit,andthemuch-publicizedorgiesanddefiantmanifestoesoftheintellectualscrowdingintoGreenwichVillagegavethemapatternandaphilosophicdefensefortheirescapism.Andlikemostescapistsprees,thisonelasteduntilthemoneyranout,untilthecrashoftheworldeconomicstructureattheendofthedecadecalledthepartytoahaltandforcedtherevelerstosoberupandfacetheproblemsofthenewage.

　　5TherebellionstartedwithWorldWarI.Theprolongedstalemateof1915--1916,theincreasinginsolenceofGermanytowardtheUnitedStates,andourofficialreluctancetodeclareourstatusasabelligerentwereintolerabletomanyofouridealisticcitizens,andwithtypicalAmericanadventurousnessenhancedsomewhatbythestrenuous　jingoismofTheodoreRoosevelt,ouryoungmenbegantoenlistunderforeignflags.InthewordsofJoeWilliams,inJohnDosPassos'U.S.A.,they"wantedtogetintothefunbeforethewholethingturnedbellyup."Formilitaryservice,in1916--1917,wasstillaromanticoccupation.Theyoungmenofcollegeagein1917knewnothingofmodernwarfare.Thestrifeof1861--1865hadpopularlybecome,inmotionpictureandstory,amagnolia-scentedsoapopera,whiletheonehundred-days'fracaswithSpainin1898haddissolvedintoaone-sidedvictoryatManilaandacinematicchargeupSanJuanHill.Furthermore,therewereenoughhighschoolassemblyoratorsproclaimingthecharacter-formingforceofthestrenuouslifetoconvincemorethanenoughotherwisesensibleboysthatserviceintheEuropeanconflictwouldbeofgreatpersonalvalue,inadditiontobeingidealisticandexciting.Accordingly,theybegantojointhevariousarmiesinincreasingnumbers,the"intellectuals"intheambulancecorps,othersintheinfantry,merchantmarine,orwhereverelsetheycouldfindaplace.ThosewhowerereluctanttoserveinaforeignarmytalkedexcitedlyaboutPreparedness,occasionallyconsideredjoiningtheNationalGuard,andrushedtoenlistwhenwefinallydidentertheconflict.Sotremendouswasthestormingofrecruitmentcentersthatharassedsergeantsactuallypleadedwithvolunteersto"gohomeandwaitforthedraft,"butsincenoself-respectingpersonwantedtosufferthedisgraceofbeingdrafted,theenlistmentcrazecontinuedunabated.

　　6Naturally,thespiritofcarnivalandtheenthusiasmforhighmilitaryadventureweresoondissipatedoncetheeageryoungmenhadreceivedagoodtasteoftwentieth-centurywarfare.Totheirlastingglory,theyfoughtwithdistinction,butitwasamuchalteredgroupofsoldierswhoreturnedfromthebattlefieldsin1919.Especiallywasthistrueofthecollegecontingent,whoseidealismhadledthemtoenlistearlyandwhohadgenerallyseenaconsiderableamountofaction.Tothem,itwasbittertoreturntoahometownvirtuallyuntouchedbytheconflict,wherecitizensstilltalkedwiththenaiveFourth-of-dulybombasttheythemselveshadbeenguiltyoftwoorthreeyearsearlier.Itwasevenmorebittertofindthattheiroldjobshadbeentakenbythestay-at-homes,thatbusinesswassufferingarecessionthatpreventedtheopeningupofnewjobs,andthatveteranswereconsideredproblemchildrenandlessdesirablethannon-veteransforwhateverbusinessopportunitiesthatdidexist.Theirveryhomeswereoftenuncomfortabletothem;theyhadoutgrowntownandfamiliesandhaddevelopedasuddenbewilderingworld-wearinesswhichneithertheynortheirrelativescouldunderstand.Theirenergieshadbeenwhippedupandtheirnaivetedestroyedbythewarandnow,insleepyGopherPrairiesalloverthecountry,theywerebeingaskedtocurbthoseenergiesandresumetheposeofself-deceivingVictorianinnocencethattheynowfelttobeasoutmodedasthenotionthattheirfightinghad"madetheworldsafefordemocracy."And,asifhometownconditionswerenotenough,thereturningveteranalsohadtofacethesodden,NapoleoniccynicismofVersailles,thehypocriticaldo-goodismofProhibition,andthesmugpatriotismofthewarprofiteers.Somethinginthetension-riddenyouthofAmericahadto"give"and,afterashortperiodofbitterresentment,it"gave"intheformofacompleteoverthrowofgenteelstandardsofbehavior.

　　7GreenwichVillagesetthepattern.SincetheSeven-tiesadwellingplaceforartistsandwriterswhosettledtherebecauselivingwascheap,thevillagehadlongenjoyedadubiousreputationforBohemianismandeccentricity.Ithadalsoharboredenoughmajorwriters,especiallyinthedecadebeforeWorldWarI,tosupportitsclaimtobeingtheintellectualcenterofthenation.Afterthewar,itwasonlynaturalthathopefulyoungwriters,theirmindsandpensinflamedagainstwar,Babbittry,and"Puritanical"gentility,,shouldflocktothetraditionalartisticcenter（wherelivingwasstillcheapin1919）topourouttheirnew-foundcreativestrength,toteardowntheoldworld,tofloutthemoralityoftheirgrandfathers,andtogivealltoart,love,andsensation.

　　8Soontheyfoundtheirimitatorsamongthenon-intellectuals.Asitbecamemoreandmorefashionablethroughoutthecountryforyoungpersonstodefythelawandtheconventionsandtoaddtheirownlittlematchstickstotheconflagrationof"flamingyouth",itwasGreenwichVillagethatfannedtheflames."Bohemian"livingbecameafad.Eachtownhadits"fast"setwhichprideditselfonitsunconventionality,althoughinrealitythisself-consciousunconventionalitywasrapidlybecomingastandardfeatureofthecountryclubclass--anditslessaffluentimitators--throughoutthenation.Beforelongthemovementhadbe-comeofficiallyrecognizedbythepulpit（whichdenouncedit）,bythemoviesandmagazines（whichmadeitattractivelynaughtywhilepretendingtodenounceit）,andbyadvertising（whichobliquelyencourageditby'sellingeverythingfromcigarettestoautomobileswiththeimpliedpromisethattheirownerswouldberenderedsexuallyirresistible）.Youngerbrothersandsistersofthewargeneration,whohadbeenplayingwithmarblesanddollsduringthebattlesofBelleauWoodandChateau-Thierry,andwhohadsufferednorealdisillusionmentorsenseofloss,nowbegantoimitatethemannersoftheireldersandplaywiththetoysofvulgarrebellion.