Social Role Of Intellectuals In The Post-industrial Society-A Case Study Of Saul Bellow's Three Novels

Saul Bellow is among the most acclaimed and celebrated writers of his generation in America. Novel Laureate (1976) and winner of numerous awards, by now, Bellow is undoubtedly one of the most written-about fiction writers of the contemporary American period. Most protagonists in Bellow's novels are intellectuals, and the issues concerned them are often discussed in theorists' masterpieces. In his novels Bellow reveals intellectuals' impotence and persistence in post-industrial society and represents the process in which intellectuals re-examine their social role after losing the precedent privilege.This thesis commences on Bellow's three novels which are typical in exposing intellectuals' issues. Herzog investigates the possibility whether intellectuals could survive in a traditional way in this money-oriented society. Humboldt's gift exhibits that if an intellectual compromises with the reality completely, he will lose his independent soul. The Dean's December indicates that there is another way for intellectuals to take: to be a confident and independent public intellectual.This thesis consists of six parts:Part one is an introduction, including a brief introduction to Saul Bellow and the three novels, literature review of Bellow's works and the significance of the study are also stated in this part.The following part, Chapter One, is a literature review of relevant theories. According to the theory on knowledge and power and scholarly essays on intellectuals as well, this part explores the transformation of intellectuals' social role from the pre-industrial society to the post-industrial society.Part three focuses on Herzog's hero Herzog. It analyzes his character and ideas as a traditional intellectual, and represents his frustration in dealing with family as well as academic affairs. Finally, Herzog comes out of the confinement of ideas and begins to face life with a peaceful heart.Part four examines Humboldt's gift's hero Citrine, whose conciliation with money and power leads him to a miserable condition. The paper probes the deep reasons for intellectuals' secularization and demonstrates that the most important thing for an artist is his vigorous imagination which cannot be produced by money.Part five displays a new image Corde in The Dean's December. Combined with the theories of public intellectuals, the study provides the evidence which proves that Corde has grown into a responsible public intellectual. Accordingly, Corde is not only a specialist in his academy but also a warrior who dare to speak truth to power.The last part ends with a conclusion for the present thesis, which shows us the three novels is a complete development in which each hero obtains new understanding of society. The thesis suggests that in this post-industrial society in which grand narratives have lost its credibility, knowledge has been high-specialized, intellectuals should recognize that their social role has changed and they should find their suitable position.