【奧麗芙基特里奇中主人公的形象分析（英語）（論文）】

iii《奧麗芙基特里奇》中主人公的形象分析目錄TOC\o"1-3"\h\u4944Chapter1Introduction 120671.1Researchbackground 1158501.2Significanceoftheresearch 221935Chapter2LiteratureReview 3167522.1Relevantresearchinforeigncountry 320952.2RelevantresearchesinChina 527739Chapter3AnalysisoftheFemaleImageandPersonalityCharacteristicsofOliveKittridge 7213273.1AnalysisofOliveKitteridge'sFeminineCharacteristics 7281513.1.1Indifferencetoothers 7209023.1.2Olive`sIndependence 8258743.1.3Olive`sTendernesstotheChildren 989793.2Olive`sFeministConsciousness 1195233.2.1TheResistancetoTradition 11152583.2.2ThePursuitofLove 13282843.2.3TheConcessiontoFamily 1420033Chapter4Conclusion 1623460Reference 1817568Acknowledgements 19Chapter1Introduction1.1ResearchbackgroundElizabethStrout(1956-)wonthePulitzerPrizeforliteraturein2009forhernoveloliveKitteridge.Comparedwithhisearlierworks,thisnovelnotonlyreflectsthesincerehumanisticfeelingsanddelicatefemaleconsciousness,butalsoanewbreakthrough.Firstofall,itisuniqueinform.TheNewYorkTimescommentedthatitsuccessfullycombinesthecontinuousintertwiningtechniqueofnovelswiththebrilliantinsightofshortstories.The13storiesthatseemtobeindependentformathree-dimensionaltownstylepainting.OliverKittridgehasarousedpeople'sthinkingaboutimmortalpropositionssuchaslove,loneliness,sadnessanddeath.Itisnoexaggerationtosaythatthisnovelhasgreatpotentialinformandart.Throughthedelicate,feminineandslightlycruelstrokesofthefemalewriters,theheroines'livingconditionsaredeplorableandhelpless,andpeoplecan'thelpthinking.Withthehigheconomicdevelopment,women'sroadtoseekdignityandhappinessisstillbumpy,andtheindustrialcivilizationandbarbarismhavechangednature,andalsochangedusinnature.Theauthorusesthisworktore-examinetherelationshipbetweenmanandnature,menandwomen,whichcoincideswithecofeminism.OliverKittridgeissetinasmallseasidetowninMaine,NewEngland,USA.IttellsthelifeofpeopleofallwalksoflifeanddifferentagesinthesmalltownofKlesbyindelicateandplainwords,"showingabeautifulandquietbutflowingNewEnglandtownstylepainting".InStrauss'sworks,thereisnobigcitynoise,noupsanddownsoflife,butthecalmof"accumulatedemotionisdeeplyshocking.".Herworksdonothavetheabsurdity,magic,blackhumorandtrivialdisorderhighlightedinpostmodernismliterature,butuse"elegantwriting"toleadliterarycreationfrommodernismandPostmodernismtothereturnofrealism,Atthesametime,thepluralisticthemeandnarrativestructureintegratetheelementsofpostmodernism,whichreflectstheliterarytendencyofNeorealismproposedbyMalcolmBradbury.1.2SignificanceoftheresearchThestoryofthenoveltakesplaceintheauthor'shometown.Thereare13shortstoriesinthenovel,nearlyhalfofwhichstarOlive,withtherestbeingmere'passers-by'ofthestory.Butputtogether,these13storiesallowthereadertoseeanOlivewhoisstrong,venomous,sensitive,cynicalanddesperateforlife,aswellasanOlivewhoiskind,gentleandinasensehopefulforlife.Thedualityoftheheroineisareflectionofthedualityofthenovel'sthemes.Thenovelhastwothemes:surfacedespairanddeephope.Whenoneunderstandsthiswork,itiseasytobeblindedbythenegativeemotions.Thispaperthereforeanalyseshercharacterisationandfeminineconsciousnessinordertoidentifytheauthor'sintentionsincreatingthatimage.Chapter2LiteratureReview2.1RelevantresearchinforeigncountryEcofeminismistoputwomenandnaturetogetherforconsideration,andtomakeananalogybetweenhumanbeings'oppressionofnatureandmen'soppressionofwomen,soastopromoteandimprovetheirowntheory.However,amongthebranchesofhistheory,differentschoolshavetheirownviewsonwhethertostrengthenorweakentheconnectionbetweenthem.Bothculturalandspiritualecofeminismemphasizethattheconnectionbetweenthemshouldbestrengthened.Forexample,inherwork,culturalecofeministSusanGriffinarguesthatnaturealsohasintrinsicvalueandthatitshouldbeonaparwithman(Susan2008).Naturecannotbevaluedonlyintermsofitshumanuse,justasawoman'svaluecannotbereflectedinaman.Socialecofeminismemphasizesthattherelationshipbetweennatureandwomenmustberelaxed.Itarguesthatnatureandwomenshouldbeviewedinadifferentsocio-historicalrelationship.Socialecofeminismarguesthattherelationshipbetweenthetwoissociallyconditioned,andthattheoppressionanddestructionofnatureisrootedinthepatriarchalideologyoftheeconomicdevelopmentmodel.Itshouldreducetheconnectionbetweenwomenandnatureandrestoreabenevolentsocietywithouthierarchy.Thisiswhysomecallitconstructivistecofeminism.Thedestructionofnaturewilleventuallyleadtothecatastropheofhumanity(Griffin,2010).Women'ssocialstatusdependsontheirethicalrelationshipsinsociety,whicharedeterminedbysocialstructure,andthedecisionisbasedontheuniquecharacteristicsoffemalepregnancy,childbirth,andparenting.Becauseoftheirlowersocialstatusandgreatercontactwithnature,bothinproductionandinlife,womenareclosertonature,whilemenarecorrespondinglyfurtherawayfromit.Therefore,menwanttomakewomenandnaturetheobjectsoftheirdominationinordertocompensatefortheiralienationfromnature.Philosophicalfeminismalsoadvocatesaweakeningofthenaturalconnectionbetweenwomenandnature.Itarguesthatmenarejustasconnectedtonatureaswomenare,andthatgenderhasnomeaningoutsideofsociety.AmericanfeministKarenWarenne,forexample,arguesthatitisthiskindofideologyofdominationovernatureandwomenthathasledtoagrowingecologicalcrisis.Toendthecurrentoppressionandtrivializationofnature,wemusteliminatethedualisticthinkingthathasdevelopedovertime.Herideasremainthecoretheoryofcontemporaryecofeminism(Warenn,2010).Foreignecofeminismmainlyfocusesonthetheoreticalandhistoricaloriginsoftheoppressionofwomenandnature,tryingtochangethewaypeoplethink,improvetheirbehaviorandformnewhabitstomitigatetheconflictbetweenhumansandnatureandachieveharmonybetweenhumansandnature.Overall,however,ecofeminismisacomplexschoolofthought.Differentschoolsofthoughthavecloserelationshipsanddifferentvoices.KarenWarrendetailsthisinherworksEcofeminismandEcofeministPhilosophy.SheoncesaidthatIonlyrepresentmyownviewsonecofeminism.Shedoesnotpresentherownviewsasabasicsummaryofecofeminism.Thisviewalsoillustrateshowcolorfulthetheoryis(Warren,2010).InhisbookReadingforPlot'sSake,theAmericanliterarycriticPeterBrooks(1984)citesthefollowingthreecharacteristicsformaleplotofambitioninthetraditionalsenseAsiftobreakthroughthebarriersoftraditionalmalenarrative,OliverKittridge,scarecrow,highlightsthedifferencesoffeministnarrativesintermsofchronologicalarrangementofplot,representationandrepresentationofmaincharacters,developmentofplotandlayoutofoverallstructure.Themostcharacteristicoftheseisitsstructuralarrangement(Brooks,1984).ForeignresearcherSusanGriffin(2019)analyzesOliverKittridgefromanecofeministperspective.Shearguesthatasshereflectsontherelationshipbetweenwomenandnatureandcritiquesmasculocentrism,sheismoreintentoncreatinganecofeministculture.Thiscultureisclearlyanewunderstandingofwomen'semancipation.OliviaKittridgeskillfullycombinesthemacroperspectiveofthelongnovelwiththegeneralcharacteristicsoftheshortstory.Shedemonstratesastrongenvironmentalconcernandexploreswaysforwomentogrowandthrive(Griffin,2019).TheresearchonthistopicinChinamostlyfocusesonthestatusofwomeninthesocietyandtheanalysisoftheheroine'spersonalityinthebook,becausetherearemanydescriptionsaboutwomen'sindependenceinthebook,andthebookencourageswomentofindtheirownhappydestination.2.2RelevantresearchesinChinaChinesescholarLiuQing(2014)analyzedthecharacterofthebook.Sheelaboratedherviewsinthearticle.Shebelievesthatwomenhavetheabilitytocompetewithmenintermsofpolitical,economic,culturalandsocialstatus.Today,womenlikeOlivemustearnacomfortableoldagewithadecentcareeranduniqueknowledge.Thenovel'soppressiveatmosphere,however,isunrelenting.Oliveandthewomenofthetownarenotincontroloftheirhappiness.LiuQiao(2014),saidoftheheroineOlive"Thiswitty,wiseandsadladyisafreshandcompellingforceoflife,abeautifulcharacterfulloflife.Inadditiontohervibrantcharacter,sheisawisepersonwhohasexperiencedallkindsofhopelessness,painandconfusionandiscomfortablysettledinlife.Althoughshelaughswithtears,shehascourageandhope."Thelittletownbythebayhaslostitspreciousinnocenceandnature,butitisstillawanderer'shome,anolivedeathparadise.It'sapreciouspositiveenergythatStroutwantstoconveythroughthewomenofthetownandthesurroundingbayou.FanXiangping(2018)analyzestheliteraryvalueofthework,andElizabethStrout'sOliveKitchisamasterpieceofcontemporaryAmericanneorealistfiction.ThegenderidentityoftheauthorandprotagonistmakesthefeministnarrativeofthisnovelasubjectofstudyincontemporaryAmericanneorealistfiction.Withthisinmind,FanXiangpingcitesrelevanttheoriesofnarratologytointerprettheworkfromthreeangles.First,intermsofnarrativestructure,theworkexamineshowtheauthor'suniquenarrativeoffemaleidentitybreaksthroughtheplotofmaledesire;drawingonRobinWarhol'sprincipleofuntoldeventsandMortimer'sconceptofsecondstorynarrative,theworkexaminesStrouth'sperceptionofuntoldeventsintermsofthehiddensecondstoryinOliverKitchandreadsStrouth'suniversalethicsintermsofrhetoricalnarrativethemes(Fan,2018).InadditiontobeingclumsyaboutloveWangpan(2019)believesthatoliveisasharpandoutspokenpersonwhoalwayspointsoutotherpeople'sshortcomingsmercilesslyorexposesthetruthoflife.Butthatdoesn'tmeanshe'saviciousperson,shejusthateshypocrisy.Onthecontrary,shesavedyoungpeoplewhoattemptedsuicide,helpedgirlswithanorexia,andsincerelycomfortedeveryfriendwhoconfidedtoher.Sheiscoldoutsideandwarminside.Sheisverysensitivetootherpeople'semotionsandhasaclearunderstandingoflife.Herbehaviorisshiningwiththewarmthofhumannature(Wang,2019).Chapter3AnalysisoftheFemaleImageandPersonalityCharacteristicsofOliveKittridge3.1AnalysisofOliveKitteridge'sFeminineCharacteristics3.1.1IndifferencetoothersOlive'sindifferenceisbecauseshevaluesrealitymorethanillusoryemotion.Sometimesoliveisrealistic,andherskepticismabouthappinessisfrightening,butshehastoagreewithit.Shedidn'tlikethelifeofaffectation.WhenshesawthatHenrywasworriedaboutthe"helpless"Denise,shefeltridiculousandjoked“thewidowcomfortexpertisback.Howisshe?”“she'sstillstruggling.”O(jiān)livesaidcoldly,"whoisn't?"(Straut,2008:48)shewon'tmournatDenise'shusband'sfuneralanddoesn'tliketobemovedbytheformalbouquet.Henrypursuedhisfaithandpaidattentiontohisimage."Youdon'tgotochurchwithme,justlikeexposingourfamily'sfailureinpublic.(Straut,2008:25)"olivewasstillunmovedanddidn'tworryaboutotherpeople'seyes.Wearingahand-madefloraldress,sherarelyexcitedlyattendsherson'swedding,butsheisworriedbecausesherationallyforeseesthat"arrogantandconfident"daughter-in-lawcannotgivehersonhappiness.Inthebanquet,whenthewindblows,shewouldratherpickuptheusedtissueregardlessoftheimage,notwantthebeautifulcoastalscenerytobepolluted,andnotwanttohaveanydisguise.Shefelttheironybehindthehypocrisy.Shedidn'twanttocare,butshewasangry.So,thereisnotinlinewithherage,absurdbutunderstandablebehavior-shestoleherdaughter-in-law'searringsandashoe.Olive,sheismeanbutfullofwisdom,coldandfullofwarmth.Intherisingtide,Kevin,whogothismedicaldegree,goesbacktothe"homeheneverenjoyed,butnowheismostnostalgic",intendingtocommitsuicide.Seeingolivecomingtowardshim,"hecouldhavedrivenaway,buthisrespectandloveforherkepthim."(Straut,2008:39).Next,inolive'sseeminglycasualchat,wefeelherrarevulnerability,warmthandkindness.SheknowsKevin'spainwell,andtakeshimtofacethepainoflife.Shetellsthestoryoftherichsecondgenerationwhowasimprisoned,Bertie'sabortion,Kevin'smother'sdepressionandbraveryuntilherfather'ssuicide,andevenexpressesherconcernandthoughtforKevin.ShepullsKevinbackfromthecliffofsuicide.Moresymbolically,KevinsavesBettyfromfallingoffthecliffandregainshisdesiretosurvive.OlivehascompletedthelifetaskinJohnBrightman'spoem"let'sgetridofthegunandfather'ssuicide."(Straut,2008:51).3.1.2Olive`sIndependenceOlive`sindependenceismainlyonherstruggletowardsthelife.AsfortheimageofOliveKittridge,thenoveldescribesitlikethis"SheisalwaysverytallandoftengivespeoplethefeelingofclumsinessAsshegrowsolder,strongsignsshowup:bulgingankles,wideback,wristsandhandsseemtobecomeasbigasmen."(Straut,2008:61)Olive'sstrongfigureimpliesheraggressiveandpowerfulfemalecharacter,thatis,sheishottempered,domineeringandinformal.ThelunchforDennisandhernewhusbandatHenry'sdrugstorewascookedbyoliveherself.Althoughshedidn'tlikeit,shehadallkindsofstaplefoodanddesserts.Shehasnoromanticside.It'stheruleofherlife.Afterretiring,oliveandHenry'smarriagelifeisstillinstumbling.Whenthecouple'soldagewasjustontherighttrack,Henrysufferedastrokeandhemiplegia.EventhougholivesaidthatshewasfedupwiththelifewithHenry,shestilltookcareofHenrywholosttheabilitytoactandspeakeverydayuntilhedied.Sheisloyaltoherhusband.AlthoughshemetJimO'Caseywhoshockedherinthemonotonousandmediocrelife,theirPlatonicloveeventuallydiedbecauseoftheirrespectivefamilyresponsibilities."Theyneverkissorhaveanyphysicalcontact,onlywhentheywalkintohisoffice,theyrubeachotherandgetclosetoeachother."(Straut,2008:68)OliveoncepromisedJimtogoawaywithhim,butsincethen,olivehasbeenlivinginfear,evenallnight.OlivereallyfellinlovewithJim,butshedidn'tabandonherhusbandandson.Iftheaboveisthefamilyproofofolive'sself-existence,thenolive'sidentityasajuniorhighschoolmathematicsteacherinCrosbytownisthesocialbasisforhertoproveherself-existence.It'sworthmentioningthatafterherretirement,olivestillusedherspareenergytoraisemoneyfortheRedCross.3.1.3Olive`sTendernesstotheChildrenOliver'slifebeforeretirementwasshuttlebetweenschoolandhome.Liketheboringmachineproductionontheassemblyline,therewasnotrouble."Youdon'tknowhowtiredIam.Teachalldaylongclasses,holdstupidmeetingshostedbytheheadmasteroffools!Buyfood,cook,washclothes,ironclothes,anddohomeworkwithChristopher!Oh,I'mfedup.I'mtired,too."(Straut,2008:93)Ontheotherhand,OliverisHenry'swife,anditisherdutytotakeonfamilyresponsibilities.Oralcomplaintsareonlythewaytogetridofherirritability.Hertonecalmeddown,'it'stotallyenough.Oliversaidshecouldn'tstandthemonotonouslife,butafterthemoodwasreleased,shedidn'tchangeherboringlifebecauseoftheboredominfrontofher,suchasleavingHenry.Afterhisretirement,hissonChristopherleftOliverandHenryaftertheirmarriage,tookalongtriptoCalifornia,divorcedandremarriedinNewYork.Theywereleftwithtwo"eartoear"couplesintheirlives.Theoldman'slifewassettled,too.Henrydidtheshopping,andOlivedidthecooking,laundry,andotherhouseholdchores.Thatdidn'tlastlong,however,whenHenrysufferedaparaplegicstrokeandhadtobeplacedinanursinghome.Oliver'slifewasmoresimpleandroutine:wakeupearly,walkthedog,walkbytheriver,buydonutsatDunkinDonuts,andreadthenewspaperinthecar.Oliver'slifeincareofHenrywasmoreuniform:"atfour,shewentbacktotheold-agehomeandfedhimdinnerspoonfulbyspoon.Nextweek,it'sthesame.Nextweek,it'sstillthesame.Autumniscoming;soonafter,it'sdarkwhenshefeedsHenrytoeat."(Straut,2008:105)Sheunderstoodthatlifeisthesame.Indecadesoflifelikeaday,sherealizedthatonlywhensheacceptedthereallife,shecouldnotbedefeated,andcouldescapetheprisonconstructedbyothersandappreciatethecoloroflife.ThegapbetweenOliverandhersonisthemoststriking.Afterseeingherfathershootinghisheadwithagun,Oliverbegantoovercontrolhisson'slife,andtreatedKerrywithallhiswordsandwords,insulting,satirizingandlaughingateverything.Oliver'sbehaviornotonlycastashadowonherteenageson,butalsotheprimarycauseofdepressioninhisadultlife.OliverwasinvitedtoNewYorktotakecareofKerry'sremarriedandpregnantwife,andthemotherandsonhadanotherquarrel.Kerryaccusedhermotherof"youhaveaveryviolenttemper.YouwillbeafraidIdon'twanttoliveinyourfear"(Straut,2008:107).TheseshortsentenceshaveexplainedthereasonforKerry'sescape,anddestroyedOliver'shopeofrepairinghisrelationshipwithhersononthisNewYorktrip.Sartrethinksthatpeoplecannotgetridoftwokindsofdifficulties:beingsurpassedandbeyondothers.BeforeKerrylefthome,helivedintheprisonthathismotherbuiltforhim.Beingthreatenedandimprisonedbyhismother,Kerrywassurmounted.So,Kerry'sdeparturemeansheisgoingtoescapeprisonandsurpasshismother.ButafterKerrylefthome,Oliverlivedinthepainofmissingherson,especiallyafterHenry'sstroke.Althoughshewasangrywithherindifferentattitudetowardsherson,shewaseagertoseeherson.Themotherandthesonaretorturedeachotherinthe"prison"constructedbyeachother.Althoughtherelationshipbetweentheindividualandtheotherinthe"situation"showstherealitythatitisdifficulttocommunicatewitheachother,thishellishrelationshipisnotabsoluteandinevitable.Sartrebelievesthat"iftherelationshipwithothersisdistortedanddestroyed,thenotherscanonlybehell."Howtoescapefromthehellconstructedbyothers?Inthefinalanalysis,heemphasized"freechoice".Oliver,facedwiththeboringlifeandtiredHenry,expressedherlanguageandgraduallyacceptedit.Shechangedherfamilyrelationship.Kerrylefthishome,divorcedandremarriedtosettleinNewYork.HeaskedOlivertohelphislifeinNewYork,butsoonchosetolethermothergohomeandreturntoherownplace.Inhersecondrelationshipwithherson,Olivergraduallyunderstoodthatthegapbetweenmotherandsoncouldnotbeeliminated,soshechosetokeeptheoriginalstatusandletthetwopeoplereturntotheirowntracks.Oliverthinksthatmaybethebestwaytodealwithit."Afteronehasaccumulatedthesescars,hewillcontinuetolive.Assheliveswithhersonnow."(Straut,2008:115)Oliverwitnessedherfathershoothimselfinfrontofher.Herfather,tall,unsmilingandsilentallhislife,isbeautifullyportrayedinthisphotograph-Oliverconsideredhimthegreatestmysteryintheworld."(Straut,2008:129).167Herfather'smysterioussuicidecastashadowoverOliver'smind.Perhapsfearingthesuddendeathofherlovedoneslikeherfather,Olivewantedtokeepeveryoneimportanttoherunderstrictcontrol,andhersonKeriwasundoubtedlyavictimofhercontrollingnature.Afterherfather'ssuicide,Olive"hascompletecontroloverhis[Keri's]lifeandleaveshimnoroom"(Straut,2008:150).Thus,herfather'sabsurdsuicideisdirectlyrelatedtoOlive'sdysfunctionaldesireforcontrol.Inthefaceofadystopianworld,onecanonlyresistbyactingevenmoredystopian.Olive'sexcessivecontroloverherson'slife,thisdysfunctionalmaternalpreoccupation,alsoleddirectlytoCary'sdepression.Thissectionfocusesontheweddingsceneof38-year-oldCarey.Carey'swife,Suzanne,holdsadoubledoctorate.Sheisstrongandknowseverything.HercharacterissimilartoOliver's.OliverisjealousbecausehethinksthatCarey'slifewillbecontrolledbytheyoungwomaninfrontofherandthatshewillbewithhersonandnotherself.Tomaketheolderintellectualsuspicious,Olivecommitsaridiculousact:stealingSusanna'sunderwearandshoesanddrawingamarkermarkeronSusanna'sbeigesweater.IfthiswasOliviaCarey'sact,itcanonlybeexplainedbyherfearoflosingCarey.Herfather'sabsurdsuicideleadstoOlive'sabsurdmotherhood,whichultimatelydestroysthelovebetweenmotherandson.Therefore,absurditycanonlyleadtotragedy.Asaresultofherfather'sviolentsuicide,Olive'stemperamentchangeddramaticallybecauseshecouldnotaccepttheshockanddidnotadjustwellmentally.Herperformancefallsintothecategoryofmentalsuicide.Caryrealizesthathesuffersfromdepressionand,afterremarrying,undergoespsychologicaltreatmentwithhiswifetofighthisillness,sohedecidestofightback.3.2Olive`sFeministConsciousness3.2.1TheResistancetoTraditionNomatterhowmuchIhopethiscoastalcityissimpleandwarm,itisalsoapartofmodernsociety.Itisinevitablydefiledanderodedbymoneyanddesire.Oliverdeclaredsharply,"wearegoingtodestructionliketheRomans.Americancheeseismoldy."(Straut,2008:49)thePuritantraditioninheritedfromancestorshasbeenhandeddownfromgenerationtogeneration,butafteryearsofbaptism,thefaithhasgraduallyweakened,andevenweeklyprayercannotbringrealcomforttopeople.TheIraqwarandtheeventsofSeptember11didnotseemtohavebroughtanysignificantchangestoKlesby'slife,buttheinnerpassion,gustsandexcitement,fearandanxietysurroundedallthefamiliesinthecity.Typically,afamilyoffoursitsinabottleonaboat.Fishermen'ssimplelifestyleovertheyearsdoesnotsoothetheirexcitement.Intheeraofdailyneeds,thereisahugecrisis.Safetyisaluxuryinacalmbay"Specialtravel"tellsthecrisissituationofoliveloversTherealreactionleftindeliblescarsonbothsides.Infact,crisisadvisoryservicesdevelopedintheUnitedStatescanhelpeasethepaniccausedbytrafficaccidentsandschoolgunfights.Buthowlongwillittaketorebuildlove,respectandtrustbetweenpeopleandtheworld?Theseasidetownisstillbeautiful,butthewomenwholiveherecan'tgobacktothepast.Theyareworriedabouttheirhusbands'infidelityinmarriage,theirchildren'sgrowth,andthesuppressionofdissatisfieddesiresbymodernpeople,leadingtovariouslifecrises.One'shistoryofconqueringnatureandcreatingcivilizationisthehistoryofconquering,controllingandchangingwomen.Womenareliketulipsonthebeach.Althoughtheyarestillcharacterizedbycolorfulprosperityandbeauty,theybloomso"absurdly"intheeyesoflonely,sadandsadpeople.InStraut'sworks,thenon-humannaturallandscapeintheGulfcityismarkedbyvarioussignsofcomplacency,suchashumaninterferenceordestruction.Tosomeextent,thisisconsistentwithmen'sselfishnessandwillfulnessinwomen'sphysicalandmentaleducation.Intermsofmalecentralism,inordertoformself-awareness,allthesalientfeaturesdifferentfrom"self-esteem"areconsidered"foreign",butalsodespised,foreignandcontrollable.Asaresult,natureisasmarginalizedaswomen.Itisundeniablethatinwesternculture,theruleofwomenandnatureisdeeplyrooted.ThechangesdescribedinCrosby'snovelswillinevitablyleadtochangesintherelationshipbetweenmanandnatureandbetweenmenandwomen.3.2.2ThePursuitofLoveFamilyandmarriagearetheeternalthemesofliterarycreation.The13seeminglydifferentshortstoriesinOliverKittridgecoverawiderangeoflifethemes:husbandwiferelationship,familytrauma,parent-childconflict,marriagefear,marriagebetrayalandreturn,crisisandvisionofmiddle-agedandelderlypeople,faithcrisis,etc."Iliketotellthesecretsbetweenmiddle-agedandelderlycouples,"Stuartsaid,soinsteadoftellingthestoryoflifefromthebeginningofmarriage,thenoveldirectlycutsthroughthefaultoflifeandtellsthestoryofOliveKittridgefrommiddleagetooldage,whichbelongstoherselfandothers.Nowadays,theagingpopulationintheUnitedStatesisbecomingmoreandmoreserious.Thenovelfocusesonthelove,familyandparent-childrelationshipofthemiddle-agedandoldpeople,facesthelonelinessandheavinessofreality,andgivespeopleafirmbeliefinlife.Thisisanewperspectivegiventothenovelbythenewerabackground.Inthedrugstore,HenryKittridgeisalifelovingandgentlepharmacist.Althoughheisnearly50yearsold,hewillstillpreparelovecardsandcandyboxesforhiswifeonValentine'sday.However,OliviaKittridgeseemstobetiredofthisboringsenseofceremony,andperfunctorilysays"youtoo,Henry"oreventhrowsawaythecards,sothewarmthdisappearsinstantly.WhenHenrygotoffwork,hesawhiswifeinthegardenandwantedto"stretchouthisarmstoembraceher,buthefeltasifshewasstandingbesideher-adarkshadow,lingering."Whenpeoplereachmiddleage,theweaknessandfrustrationofmarriageareprominent.Henryoncehadanemotionalinfidelity,butthepowerofmoralityandtheattachmenttohisfamilymadehimdevelopfromaffectiontocourtesy.OliveisalsotiredofHenry.Whatshe"loves"isJim,who"looksateachotherandfeelslikeafamiliarperson".Jim'sdeathinacaraccidentmadehercryfordays.EvenafterHenryhadastroke,shewenttoherson'shomeinNewYorkandwonderedwhetherhistenantwasJim'sdescendant.Asaresult,shewasteasedbyherson.InHenry'sfamily,wecanclearlyseetheloveofmiddle-agedandoldpeople,andfeeltheloveu