Norman Mailer's Anti-Conventional Complex

Norman Mailer is a famous contemporary American writer with the publications of nearly thirty literary works. He was awarded Pulitzer Prize for literature twice and American National Book Award once. What's more, he was conferred Lifetime Achievement Award by National Book Award Committee. Throughout Mailer's life, there emits an obviously anti-conventional complex. Not only did he show his anti-conventional character in real life, create a series of anti-conventional heroes and adopt some anti-conventional narrative strategies, such as New Journalism, Nonfiction Novel, Intertextuality, etc., but he also attacked the traditional value system by way of his anti-conventional"White Negro"theory to alert people of his time, especially, the 1960s and 1970s. This thesis will analyze Mailer's anti-conventional complex from three perspectives, i.e., his anti-conventional individual behavior, his anti-conventional"White Negro"theory, and his anti-conventional artistic expressions.This thesis is composed of five parts.The first part is the Introduction. It briefly introduces Mailer's anti-conventional complex exhibited in his personal experiences and literary activities. In addition, through a comprehensive review on Mailer study both at home and abroad, the first part points out the meaning of the present study.Second part is the first chapter. It indicates the anti-conventionalism of Mailer's individual behavior. In personality, he changed from a tractable Brooklyn boy to a tough guy like Hemingway; in artistic invention, he developed a Picasso-style creativity; in daily life, he cultivated a Don Quixote-style bravery. Mailer tried to highlight his anti-conventionalism in a singular way.Third part is the second chapter. It shows that Norman Mailer's anti-conventional idea came of age gradually, which progressed and matured with the interaction of his"White Negro"concept, social background, and the Freudian and Marxist existentialism. After the analysis of Mailer's novels, we can see that his anti-conventionalism was actually established after the release of"The White Negro". The fourth part is the third chapter. It mainly analyzes the artistic expressions of Norman Mailer's anti-conventionalism. Not only did Mailer create a series of"White Negro"heroes, but also he helped to establish anti-conventional New Journalism and Nonfictional Novel as the new literary genre. Moreover, he employed such postmodernist narrative devices as Intertextuality and metafictional methods to tell his stories. Finally, he made use of self-liberating and subversive foul l language to challenge the established literary tradition.The fifth part is the Conclusion. It elaborates that it is his participation in some historical events and his great artistic achievements that make Norman Mailer a great and influential figure in American literary history. However, his greatness lies more in his anti-conventional"White Negro"idea. Because this idea inherits the literary tradition, represents the American spirit in new time, moreover, it gives a powerful blow on the conventional value system in Mailer's time.