论文总字数：33913字

摘 要

美国剧作家和小说家桑顿·怀尔德其作品《我们的小镇》为他赢得了普利策奖。在整部戏中，怀尔德通过聚焦生死共存的人生哲学、中西方文化的融合、以及生死共存的人生哲学的现实意义三个纬度来探讨生死主题。本文对剧中生死的主题的解析将有助于我们更深层次的把握该剧。

关键词: 现实意义；生和死；中西方文化融合；我们的小镇

　　　　　　　　　　　　Contents

1. Introduction………………...…………………………………………………..1

2. Literature Review…………………………………………………………....…1

3. The Theme of Life and Death in Our Town...………………………….……...2

3.1 The philosophy of coexistence of life and death in the play……….…………..3

3.2 The fusion between Chinese and western culture in the play………………..4

3.3 The practical significance of coexistence of life and death in the play……...…9

4. Conclusion .10

Works Cited………………………………………………………….…………...11

1. Introduction

Our Town was first produced and published in 1938 to wide acclaim. This Pulitzer Prize–winning drama of life in the small village of Grover. An allegorical representation of all life, has become a classic. It is Thornton Wilder. Most renowned and most frequently performed play. Our Town mainly describes the season"s booth and Webb two family"s daily life, to emphasize the value of the ordinary life and the meaning of life, Our Town is a three acts drama, but time is not long span is very big, many people in the first act has been died in the third act. Wilder, adopted is present different scene at the same time, or in the same scene in different time, to promote the development of the whole story skills comparable to connect is the stage layout of one content is multi-purpose, streamlining the props and rapid conversion time and space background, such as the church wedding guests seats quickly become hallmarks of mounds, s funeral, and so on. While on the subject, nothing more than small town story dating marriage, physical, called specific "we", but with all the people, not to speak of the universality of the theme

Especially, Wilder, shaped the omnipotent "stage manager" in the play, but to the audience when he introduced the background of the narrator, sometimes the guest all kinds of soy sauce bit player. Under his comments, or suggest that the conversion plays the pivotal role of time and space. But he is more important is that he always interrupted suddenly plot, plot revealed ahead of time, in the first two acts "daily life", "love and marriage" on a light background, apply a thick layer of shadow. When George and Emily hand in hand into marriage halls, guest priest blessing "stage manager" as she said: "the farmhouse, baby stroller, driving a ford travel on Sunday afternoon, the first time, rheumatism, two generations, the second rheumatism, last time, will read - life is dull, nine times out of ten." The ceremony of funeral monologue, both forecast the tone for the third act, but also to the whole play from ordinary trivial daily slowly into a concentrated the height of the many grand proposition, until all the problems of philosophy on the ultimate question: death

2. Literature Review

Domestic research on Our Town can be divided into two main categories. The first category is mainly for the style of Our Town effect of extremely unique style of expression, mainly including the novel artistic achievement and performance skill and study from the perspective of drama, comparison and analysis. The second type is mainly the study of the theme of Our town. As an American novelist and playwright, Thornton Wilder, the highest achievement of theatrical creation Our Town, has long been theatre enjoys a good reputation in the west. For decades, numerous professional and amateur troupe staged the play in the United States, pomp is always long... The drama creation in the 1830s, new yorkers have just out of your depression lecture, for simple happiness of ordinary life. The author from the perspective of the common people, mainly describes the 1901 ~ 1931, state town residents" daily life and to highlight the beauty of ordinary life, reveals the meaning of life, and has certain practical significance. Among them，the Xinhua studied the technique of our town， he dug from the perspective of drama. Mention the subject of the novel and the very different, it is based on the reality of contemporary American life， let us see the possibility of application of narrative drama to liquidate real life. Research on the topic in our town also has a lot of, first of all, on the one hand, it is the universality of the value of daily life and durability of certainly, on the other hand, it is based on the transcendentalist thoughts, symbolism is pointed out that human was used as part of the universe has the eternal value, affirmed the human spirit and immortal. Third, how should we spend a meaningful life is discussed. The study of the novel"s greatness lies in it is of profound insight into human existence state. I focus on the life and death theme of the novel and understand the view of China, and contrast analysis of Chinese and western view, and understand the meaning of raw, cherish life. In the highly developed material civilization, materialism, nihilism and skepticism of modern society, human beings still more need to explore and prove the significance of human existence. In our town, denies nothing, denying the fateful prophecy, it reaffirms common people in a positive way existence value and the goodness of ordinary life, and try to rebuild the dignity of the people. Its theme connotation and its practical significance is worth us to think of the new century

3. The Theme of Life and Death in Our Town

He let dystopia died of Emily"s dead weight to swim at the age of 12 at the scene of the birthday, parents, brothers and friends feelings of warm finally made her collapse, and the living bear a grudge and miss more made her heart, because it is a love without return can"t return. She realized that the dead man"s task is to forget the living, always closed between life and death the bridge of "love". Wilder said "the dead" a complete reversal of the usual we see the living to learn to forget the dead live old routines, but in the end is still to the living of torture: we have a "during her lifetime, realize the meaning of life - every point, every second?

3.1 The philosophy of coexistence of life and death in the play

Our Town is a three acts drama, but time is not long span is very big, many people in the first act has been died in the third act. Wilder, adopted is present different scene at the same time or in the same scene in different time, to promote the development of the whole story. Skills comparable to connect is the stage layout of one content is multi-purpose, streamlining the props and rapid conversion time and space background, such as the church wedding guests seats quickly become hallmarks of mounds, s funeral, and so on. However, on the subject, nothing more than small town story dating marriage, physical, called specific we, but with all the people, not to speak of the universality of the theme.

Especially, Wilder, shaped the omnipotent "stage manager" in the play, but to the audience when he introduced the background of the narrator, sometimes the guest all kinds of soy sauce bit player. Under his comments, or suggest that the conversion plays the pivotal role of time and space. But he is more important is that he always interrupted suddenly plot, plot revealed ahead of time, in the first two acts daily life, "love and marriage" on a light background, apply a thick layer of shadow. When George and Emily hand in hand into marriage halls, guest priest blessing "stage manager" as she said: "the farmhouse, baby stroller, driving a ford travel on Sunday afternoon, the first time, rheumatism, two generations, the second rheumatism, last time, will read - life is dull, nine times out of ten." The ceremony of funeral monologue, both forecast the tone for the third act, but also to the whole play from ordinary trivial daily slowly into a concentrated the height of the many grand proposition, until all the problems of philosophy on the ultimate question: death.

This time, the Wilder went further; he let the dystopias died of Emily"s dead weight to swim at the age of 12 at the scene of the birthday, parents, brothers and friends feelings of warm finally made her collapse, and the living bear a grudge and miss more made her heart, because it is a love without return can"t return. She realized that the dead man"s task is to forget the living, always closed between life and death the bridge of "love". Wilder said "the dead" a complete reversal of the usual we see the living to learn to forget the dead live old routines, but in the end is still to the living of torture: we have a "during her lifetime, realize the meaning of life - every point, every second?"

Wilder made answers for us. He borrowed the alcoholic neck Simon scolds our "live in ignorance to go, always immersed in the self-centered passion cannot extricate oneself...

3.2 The fusion between Chinese and western culture in the play

Because of the different cultural traditions, Chinese and western view also shows a different implication. View of Chinese traditional culture, Confucianism and Taoism was typical of Confucianism from the perspective of life, is a view of the two; Taoism emphasizes the let nature take its course, is the natural view. And the view in the western culture mainly from the perspective of the ultimate (death) view of life, so the direction of the different view reflects the Chinese and western different.

The understanding of life and death is a key", all about themselves and the world, save in understanding only through this key to open it. Life and death is inevitable major life issues, it is an important problem of the human ultimate concern, is one of the questions must be between Chinese and western philosophy. Chinese traditional culture is a kind of positive lashing culture, emphasizes the significance of life lies in the now, and the unknown world far state degrees, and seeking the afterlife with Christian concern different features.

The formation of the Chinese traditional view, is the result of integration in the development thought and their exponents. With respect to its social influence, view of Confucianism and Taoism influenced generations of people of faith and practice to establish the life and death, influence of value pursuit of the life and death, has affected the development of social cultural spirit production process, are still in different extent affect people"s thinking and activities. Confucian view of mainly from the perspective of life view of life is a kind of view of the two. Confucianism does not pay attention to death itself, but to pay attention to sheen, advocated that year’s life attitude hold out until the last possible moment. Body has the value of life, but for some principles we should give up life. The view can be mainly divided into two points: first is the survival of heavy people born again. Season road Wen Shi ghosts and gods, Confucius said: "not thing, how can the ghost?" "Dead?" Yue: "even unknown, how dead?" ! This paragraph of words, Confucius road, just want to tell season for survival, not to think of you, for life after death, think about it and what is the point? In a positive consideration, shall all the attention focused on the present reality of life, don"t distraction to think about death and after the death of the world"s problems. Mencius put forward "mandate" don"t stand on the dangerous slope beneath, says that although people"s lifespan is determined by the mandate of heaven, but each individual should be born again, to avoid danger, properly maintain oneself, years to enjoy day. The second is "killed" not ", the image of life values, the moral value of life is more precious than life. Alive, should be "in a way, according to virtue, in accordance with the union special, swim in the art". Committed to creating the social value of life, spend a substantial moral life. When human life and society advocated by moral conflict, individuals should sacrifice little of my life, the dignity of social "higher self". A man"s life because of "benevolence", "righteousness" and have value, individual life compared with "benevolence", " in order to take" righteousness "s individual" life ", in order to "not", "body" can give individuals.

Taoism to people"s life and death, emphasize let nature take its course, concept of death is the natural way of life. Die of accident of people is natural, is a way of returning to nature and obedience. So in the ancient Chinese philosopher has never been there, send also; dead, be also ". This is like the bible had warned: "because you came from dust, you still want to go back to dust." First, on the question of life and death, but want to accord with the "", born on, not evil, living without music, die without sorrow, don"t mind of life and death, it does not hurt Zhi Le temperament. Zhuangzi said: "born to die, life is also, its often have night denier, no; also has not to, all content of love also." Think something beyond life and death is a natural and free, as well as the change of day and night. Have had the night during the day, born to death, this is the operation of natural avenue. A natural eye for death, to people"s thoughts in the main view death as the life of a home to return to nature, the reasonable development, no hatred without regret to accept down, thereby gaining a philosophical view of death. "Death, no gentleman in, no next, also have no matter of the four, even if the heavens and the earth as the spring and autumn, although Na Mianwang, can"t also." Death is but out of all the CARES of life and bother, free, free and unfettered, is the most comfortable but, so people should be born, the father of death, when death. This view of life and death into the natural way, showing the Taoist view contains the let nature take its course, person, abstinent, ignorant, life is worth an attitude to life. This is a kind of seizing quansheng, eligibility rebirth precious little view of life. Secondly, in the spirit level, Taoist pursuit of individual freedom, equality, life in harmony with nature; Advocate people to stay with equal mind everything, for the existence of all things consistently recognized value equality. Again, carry forward to of Zhuangzi "sitting to forget", "mind-heart", "Ying ning" mentality to face life. The so-called "sitting to forget" will be no knowledge of all respectively, forget them, so as to achieve the psychological state of chaos; So-called "mind-heart" is to heart is single-minded, to the thing without the ear to listen attentively to understand, then gas to induction, chooses in order to achieve a state of mind. The so-called "Ying ning" is to keep stability in ado, calmly, no desire.

Anyhow, view of Taoism, that men don"t too narrowly attached to life when the "I", rather than from the background of the cosmic nature of the eternal life to experience the individual life eternal foundation, achieve things I, Tong Shengsi, the mental state of nature and man. This is a kind of intrinsic value of the life subjective spiritual aesthetic experience of the eternal.

Western culture has different Chinese history and tradition, perception of life and death is mainly from the perspective of the ultimate (death) view of life. View of the ancient Greek period mainly includes the following two aspects: first, a man"s life is rational, the meaning of life, the need to thoroughly self-reflection, to live out more value. People face death, after "reflection", where it is supposed to die, die its method, die at that time, can die. Life is not measured in the length of the natural life of life value of the size, but need to introspection, need to stand on its own, and the deepening of the self life, people must be a rational existence. The time, life must be based on standards of behavior of right and wrong, good and evil. Socrates said, "make track for a good life, life is far too much." The so-called good life, is the "right and wrong, good and evil, good and evil," the credit. He also said that ": life valuable people, not only care about the safety of life. His only concern, only lies in the behavior of right and wrong, good and evil." That is to say, the person must be able to with lofty values as a standard of introspection, can sacrifice life, when necessary to defend justice, right from wrong. Only a life lived according to fairness, justice and to be living well, live beautiful. Otherwise, even if live was rich and expensive, but live there is no right and wrong, there is no justice, live without meaning and value, then were dead. In the middle ages, Christianity made a dominant position in the west, its view Can be summarized into two points: first, people have original sin, man is not perfect, so must die at last. Only believe in Jesus Christ, the secular, doing good to death and resurrection, victory over death. If the secular evil will still be convicted after the resurrection. Second, the more don"t want to die, selfish man, the more likely the loss of life. In this world only love Jesus Christ, and for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, life and wealth of people, to get eternal life. Chapter 8 of the horse can be Gospel, Jesus told ": everyone who wants to save his life will lose life. Everyone who lost life for my sake and the Gospel will save it." For individual life existence, Christian thought: the secular life value lies in dedication, sacrifice, for others, for all their dedication Jesus. The meaning of survival is not available, but is given, will be "love" heart to others, Jesus, to mend together, get the eternal life. People must eliminate their physiological, natural desire, do more good deeds, PuAi beings, believe in Jesus, will in the world to come back to the temple of god, to be happier than this world. After the baptism of the Renaissance, the great development of science and technology in modern times, the modern western philosophy to the person"s life also had a more profound and comprehensive understanding. Nature of man, Schopenhauer is not rational, but will, also is a kind of "not know" "blind impulse, not deterred. The biggest characteristic of the impulse is strong desire of life, for people, the most important way to save

First of all, death is the inevitable end of life. Schopenhauer thought for death in life, is an inevitable fact. Despite a experience death, but will defend the life, or for ever, was to protect nature. Life will is a kind of individual life activity of the original driving force, in the face of death Should not fear, because death is not a touch life will. Although not afraid of death, but life is painful and boring, is a tragedy. Life and death is: the relationship between life in death. For the Christian people died after birth, the immortality of the soul, he hold a negative attitude, think the immortality of the soul is untenable, absurd. He denies the immortality of the soul, he said no Christian preached by the secular, the afterlife, to have a more objective understanding of the existence of human life. Second, his view with strong pessimism color, he said: "desires and struggles All is man"s nature, can and can"t completely lifted a thirsty compared. But is the base of all desires is need, defects, is pain. Therefore, people from to is painful In fact both painful and boring, that is, the two finally ingredients of life." Again, "view of" abstinence ". In his view, the desire is the root cause of our pain and fear of death, because if we don"t have the desire to survive, no pleasure desire, then everything will be natural. Abandon the desire, will be able to do the real "life" in death.

For Schopenhauer"s tragedy theory of life, theory of Nietzsche, with its passion life shall be discarded. Statements about the view of people in the philosophy of Nietzsche, the first is the criticism of the Christian, his view is a view of realism. In Nietzsche"s opinion, death is life of nothingness, he denies the existence of another soul world, what also have no to recognize things of god, the gods limit to the life and death, death is the end of life. In the said zarathustra, tula, Nietzsche borrowed zarathustra stu spoken of to ": not the devil and hell, your soul even better than your flesh body fails." The second is the view of "superman". Nietzsche is the first time publicly announced "god is dead," only god down, we can become the new full of vitality of human itself, to have a new life, new life, the realization of human value is back. "God is dead", we human beings can only relying on their own. The value of young life, facing death bravely.

All in all, Nietzsche"s view can be summed up as the view of the young individual lives the values of passion. Nietzsche use metaphor life "spirit", which is from "camel", lion ", and the last to the baby"s life. Strong life represented by "camel" yi load "to the lion" the spirit of freedom "and even babies represented by the spirit of" creation "of life. Baby as a symbol of life a "new beginning", "an initial movement", a sacred sure ". Nietzsche: "the will to power" is individual evolution of superhuman strength; the individual should have the will to power performance incisively and vividly in the life course. The individual has a tenacious life will, to be able in any case acceptance and affirmation, life with a strong creative impulse, create unlimited in life or immortality. Such a person, is "creating human goals and give the earth with meaning and the future". The individual value of life lies in constant row In addition to themselves to death, gives new meaning to life through their creative activities, create eternal things.

View between Chinese and western traditional culture, has the same side. Its performance, the value of one is belonging to the individual life consciousness. China"s Confucian culture while 10 points and pay attention to "fame" for the meaning of life, but special advocate is characterized by view of life is immortal. Represented by Christian view of western also emphasizes person"s value lies in earthly life dedication. Second, the Chinese and western culture are see life as a natural process, but in how to improve the life, the question of how to grasp the true life, Chinese and western cultural differences. And their differences, the main table now: one is the view of Chinese traditional culture is based on the "conclusion" die life, will people"s life is limited within this category. While the western people"s secular life continued into the afterlife, continue to "heaven". Second view is the Chinese traditional culture "group identity" tend to be very bright, and the "DE", "the ritual" status in the personal life accomplishment is outstanding, the west emphasizes the rationality of individual life existence, emphasize individual after reflect on the meaning of life. Three is a body in Chinese traditional culture construction is the value of the life in the real life of achievements. And the west through the human original sin, the kingdom of heaven to reflect on the behavior of individual responsibility, thus make the world, the life has some kind of moral order and meaning, and thus meet the basic needs of the people of meaning.

In a word, because of the different cultural traditions, the connotation of Chinese and western view both the content of the agreement, also have a different way. Complete and accurate grasp of Chinese and western view is intrinsic, critically absorb, no matter in theory for building modern bioethics, or in the practice of life education has important positive meaning.

First practical significance: to praise the beauty of everyday life

This series is divided into three acts, each scene filled with description of daily life. In the first act, the author mainly describes Emily and George some growth segments, then they two are still in school children. As time goes on, they gradually grow, and become friends. In the second act, the author introduces the Emily and George"s love and marriage. In the third act, the author describes the spirit back to her after the death of Emily was 12 years old birthday. In fact, the development of the three acts has like this life, from birth, growth, to marriage, to death, it was everyone to experience life process.

The author"s praise of the ordinary life is also reflected in courtship and marriage of Emily and George"s admiration. George and Emily have graduated from school, and decided to get married. The author firstly introduces George and Emily to prepare for the wedding process, on the eve of marriage, George was extremely excited, then the author by the mouth of the stage manager interleave after George and Emily"s love. Although these pieces is very ordinary, but let a person feel very good. Marriage as a part of daily life, it has eternal value.

In today"s era of rapid development of economy and society, people with the accelerating pace of life, some people are immersed in the pursuit of success and money, they work hard to achieve their goals. In their eyes, the meaning of life lies in the pursuit of success, the pursuit of fame and wealth, they are not aware that with family life is happiness. In life, there are also some people are always complaining about the life of the plain and boring work, they think all day in repeating the same life, was unaware of the trivial daily life is the eternal value.

Like a xanadu, small town life in the small town of people live a happy life every day, stable life. Care about each other, the relationship between family members. In the first act, the author mainly describes the booth and Webb season two families. Two families of daily life seem very similar: in the morning, two family hostess preparing breakfast for my family; The children go to school after breakfast. These pictures are seemed very trivial, each is very ordinary, but very warm.

In the small town, neighborhood mutual care, get along. The author many times in the play shows the town people care about each other, between the harmonious relation between felt. In Emily and George"s wedding, Mrs. Summers expressed her heartfelt praise: "perfect lovely wedding, I have seen the most beautiful wedding!" , "wasn"t it a lovely lover? Oh, I have never seen such a beautiful wedding! I am sure they will be happy, I always say: happy, this is a great word! The most important thing is happy." These reveal town neighborhood praise all thick love.

Nowadays, with the continuous development of science and technology, mobile phone and network become necessities of people"s life. A lot of people are willing to indulge in the network world, through the role of virtual communication with people. In the long run, they will feel with people is a very difficult thing to do, gradually, they will be out of contact with family and friends in real society, there are no more intimate relationship. Maybe they don"t realize is that, with the harmonious relationship between relatives and friends and love is life in a beautiful place.

3.3 The practical significance of coexistence of life and death in the play

The practical significance inspired human reflections on life .In the third act, the author proceed with unique perspective about Emily died of dystopia, soul returns to her feelings after twelve years old birthday and her back. She thought to restart their lives, but let her thought is back after life has made her very unhappy. Emily loudly say: "I can"t, I can"t again down! Oh, oh! Fast! We don"t have a little time to look at each other. I never realized that all this is still going on, but we never pay attention to, how good this ordinary life, how beautiful!" Emily realized life goes by so fast that she no longer back to the once upon a time, can no longer talk with their parents as at the age of 12. But for this, alive .But never feel that they always in carelessly between wasting time and life. At the same time, they also realize that the goodness of ordinary life and value. When Emily found that people can"t appreciate and cherish life, her despair, she decided to return to the world of death. With tears in the stage, the manager asked: "when people alive, whether they are aware of the meaning of life? Every minute, every minute of the meaning of life?"

In this era of in a hurry, people seem to be always busy with achieve their goals, but few people can feel the life"s precious and the passage of time. In fact, life itself is a miracle, but few people can appreciate it.

4. Conclusion

Our Town is a play wrote by Thornton Wilder , written in the last century. It tells the story of a group of happy people in a warm town live a ordinary but happy life. In this era of highly developed material civilization, it has positive practical significance. When people complain that life is meaningless, people lack of trust, it must be to provide some positive revelation of many people.

The first is the cycle of life. As previously mentioned, Wilder, foresight, don"t focus on a particular individual state of life, but to reveal the sentient beings of the whole life. From the first act as "dawn, this town is the only light... from... shine polish family, a polish mother just gave birth to twins." To George and Emily married in the second act, and then to the third act Emily back from the dead, they represent the various stages of life, thus constituted the cycle of life. Such as stage manager said: "this is our growth, marriage, life, way of life and death." The first act also said: "we want to tell people after one thousand, when we the beginning of the 20th century, in the province, north of New York, people eat three meals a day, the sun came out, and then at noon, and after the sun goes down. The town residents life as a microcosm, alluding to the life situation of living beings.

The second is the harmonious community relations. Here refers to harmony, not only refers to the neighbors, family members, and the relationship between man and nature. Mr. Booth asked the child what did he fell about his knee; Mrs. Webb and Mrs. Season booth help each other; Mr. Booth let his son help his mother do housework, Mrs. Season booth, let the children don"t interrupt their father to rest, The warm dialogue between Emily and Mr. Webb ; The residents in the town care about the rising sun, bird crow, trees and plants, and Mrs. Season booth said: "you are not my chicken," where are you from, although she shake shake her apron driving it, and said, "don"t be afraid. No one can hurt you." This kind is nifty and lovely, all without exception is permeated with harmonious atmosphere.

Maybe the first two chapters is diluted the trivial daily life interest in it, but want to carefully, will feel the goodness of life. As Emily in return to the grave of the said: "I never realized that all this is still going on, but we never pay attention to how good this ordinary life, how beautiful!" And Simon is the first Vincent proved from the reverse side of Emily"s point of view, he thought that living in a waste of time, endlessly always intoxicated in the meaningless things. These people is ignorant, does not understand the ordinary life is actually very beautiful.

Works cited

Adler, Thomas. Mirror on the stage: The Pulitzer Plays as an Approach to American Drama [M]. Indiana: Purdue University Press,1987

Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative [M]. New York: Basic Book, 1981

Confucius，The Analects of Confucius.Zhonghua,2013

Rosenberg, Michael. A Glossary of Literary Terms, Thomson Wadsworth, 2005

Shen Min, Tang jian." The study of foreign literature study of expressionism [J].town scenery", 2002

Wilder，Thornton. Three Plays [M] . New York: Bantam， 1972 

Wilder, Thornton. Our Town [Z] . New York：Avon Books， 1975

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