| Saul Bellow is one of the most prominent American writers in the 20th century.Published in 1953,The Adventures of Augie March is Bellow’s masterpiece and his first work winning National Book Award.The novel relates Augie March’s quest for the self in his over-20-year life experience and presents a panorama of life in post-war Chicago at the same time.American psychologist Robert M.Lindner holds that with the development of modern civilization and social stratification,man is no more master of his society but is dominated by the gigantic machine and its ruling class,which endangered the self.The tension was further enhanced in American society in the 20th century following the rules of capitalism and materialism.The thesis finds that in his quest for the self,the protagonist Augie March was in the first place bothered by his original family with his absent father and weak-minded mother,which always made him doubt whether he had an inherent good nature.Augie was also faced with coercion from the authority and the modern city logic.Claiming to be his life guides,the seniors and his own brother all tried to plan the future for Augie while interfering in and manipulating his selfhood.The Chicago city where Augie grew up and lived set money and interests as its priorities with snobbism and indifference permeating it,which once made him at a loss.Both others and the society tried to absorb Augie,putting his freedom and autonomy in danger.Adopting relevant theories of liberty,the thesis is going to reveal obstacles besetting Augie’s quest,illustrate that the way those Machiavellians treated Augie is actually paternalism,interference in the name of goodness and oppression,and focus on Augie’s struggle in his quest and its consequences.The present research holds that though in the end Augie went into the services and gave up his hard-won freedom to attain the sense of security by eliminating the gap between the world and himself,the significance of his quest cannot be denied.Bellow’s protagonist displayed gestures of hope and optimism.Though submitted to the real world,Augie always believed in the existence of his ideal self and the higher,independent fate. |
