传统文化与现代文学的冲突

——论贾平凹《高老庄》人物形象

《高老庄》是一部有着丰富文化意蕴的小说。作家在这部小说中为我们塑造了蔡老黑、子路等人物形象，他们是传统文化不同类型的代表。小说也为人们展现了市场经济社会中特具现代都市文化的人物。如苏红、王文龙。其中小说还塑造了代表外来文化的西夏。

一、 传统文化不同类型的代表——高子路、蔡老黑

（一）、代表城乡结合型文化的高子路

在《高老庄》中，男主人公高子路无疑是给让人留下了深刻印象的。他有着高老庄拥有的与生俱来的矮小身材，是深受高老庄传统腐朽文化的影响，但同时，他也是高老庄中走向城市的一份子，是一名大学生，甚至是一名大学教师。在他的人生道路上，曾经有过在城里工作的机会，但自身的矮小身材以及与前妻生下的天生就瘫痪的儿子使高子路无形之中感觉自己比别人矮了一等，这种情绪也一直困扰着他，是他与前妻离婚的一个重要因素。由此，当他在城里工作后，他对妻子愈发不满，最终与妻子离婚。与此同时，作为一名现代大学生，他亦深知高老庄不准与外族人员通婚的习俗是多么的愚昧，他迫切的希望改变这种现状，改变自己后代的命运。在这个时候，异族女孩西夏闯进了他的视野，在他眼中，西夏是一种精神气质极佳的马种。于是，他对西夏展开了狂热的追求，并顺利与之过上了婚姻生活。在高子路带着西夏回到高老庄后，本想着借此改变高老庄的后代，却发现自己的生育已然出现问题，改变后代的想法成了一个梦。子路觉得，或许再过10年或20年，高老庄所面临的最大问题不是吃饭问题而是人种问题了??其实我想，在高子路身上所反映的后代问题归根结底就是农村思想落后的问题。因为思想的落后，他们固守着自身的血统，不允许外来人员的玷污，单纯的内部繁衍后代，而这中传统文化的封闭也直接导致了这里的人足不出户的落后守旧思想。当然，高子路与异族女孩西夏的结合则在这种落后的思想中打开了一个缺口，使得现代文化融入了这个落后的小村庄，为这个小村庄注入了一丝新鲜的血液。

通过高子路的眼，我们可以了解到，历史上的高老庄人身材高大，能文能武，而现在的高老庄人身材矮小。他们没有大智慧、没有理想、没有作为、没有志气，是浅薄无知的愚昧农民。为了获取利益，他们把因运木头上山而不幸死亡的菊娃的哥哥的尸体运到厂里，要求索赔。同时，他们使用暴力砸坏了厂里的设备，又目无王法，将场子给围了起来，并用粗俗不堪的语言羞辱苏红。这只是其中一个很小的方面，却也反映了高老庄人民在社会主义市场经济下淳朴、勤劳的劳动人民形象的彻底颠覆。在他们眼中，利益永远是第一位的。同时，由于文化水平的低下，暴力也成了他们最常使用的手段，根本就不顾仁义道德的指责。同时，我们的主人公高子路——一个受过高等教育的知识分子，也改变不了这种文化对他的影响。在这片土地上成长的他，在重新回归之后，也渐渐失去了一个大学生应该有的气质，还原了农民的本性。他好面子，在给他爹扫墓时摆足了场面。同时，

他又是一个小气自私的人。在替家里伯父修理坟墓时，将平均给工人的一条烟缩为一人一根，并躲避着与高老庄有关的一切事，害怕惹祸上身。而在处理与前妻的问题上，他亦表现的嫉妒抠门。即使在离婚以后他对前妻算百般照顾，但这样亦是为了与前妻保持着不明关系。高子路，一个从大学走出来的人，最终又回归了高老庄的人物角色中，这是传统与现代文化的激烈碰撞。一方面，高子路不愿沉浸在都市生活的无尽空虚中；另一方面，他又对高家庄的愚昧、无知的思想和行为感到无可奈何，这样的子路承受着物质与精神的双重矛盾。在这样的背景下，高子路的性格也呼之欲出，他代表的是农村孩子走向城市，被城市侵染的城乡结合型文化。在他的性格中，既有着高老庄人式的劣根性、胆小怕事和典型的家长制作风，又有着作为知识分子的先进性。二者结合使得子路的形象分明，更是体现了传统文化与现代文化的冲突。

（二）、代表反抗传统保守文化的蔡老黑

当然，除却了子路这个由高老庄走向城市的大学生以外，蔡老黑这个自始至终生活在高老庄的人物，却让我们看到了传统文化中的勇敢和反叛精神，充满了生命的力量。这种生命力量来自于对传统文化中最原始生命内涵的体认和传承。他勇敢敢于探索，开办了高老庄首个民营企业——在高老庄种植葡萄园。然而，在葡萄园的经营中，由于对外界信息的闭塞，对旧的思维模式刻板的固守以及蔡老黑与生俱来的狭隘的思维模式刻板。具有自发性，且有极大的破坏性，甚至会用自己的生命作为赌注等原因，使得葡萄园渐已日落西山。这与其对外界信息的闭塞，对旧的思维模式刻板的固守是有关系的，最终使其企业无法正常运营而濒临破产。在这种情况下，蔡老黑这个鲜活的背叛者和拓宽者采取极端的不正当的手段打击竞争对手，暗中指使高老庄民众对地板厂进行疯狂地砸打，但最终并没有达到置对手于死地的目的，反而使自己身陷困境。这是一个开拓者也是一个保守者，是一个拓荒者更是一个破坏者所面临的悲惨命运。当然，蔡老黑的勇敢和无畏还表现在他与地方实力派的较量与抗争，表现在他善于用朴质的语言直接挑明人们言行中暗藏的玄机，比如说他一针见血地指出了地板厂对高老庄资源的掠夺。更重要的是，在对爱情的追求上，蔡老黑更是胆大且毫不掩饰。面对菊娃，他的真诚和诚恳在高老庄是不多见的，最终，他亦通过自己的真诚获得了菊娃的芳心。蔡老黑——一个敢于开阔，敢于追求但却又保守狭隘的鲜活的高老庄农民形象，表现了传统文化在面对现代文化的冲击下所作出的努力！

二、 富有生活气息的女性代表——西夏、菊娃、竹青

（一）、代表现代文化的西夏

当然，在高老庄中，除了子路和高老黑这两个男性以外，更多的是对于女性的描写，她们更富有生活气息。而子路的妻子西夏是其中的一个代表。西夏作为一个异族女孩，代表的是现代文化。她虽然来自城里，可是却跟随子路来到高老庄，一言一行中都凸显出现代文明气质。身材匀称而又美丽大方，展现现代人大气、开阔的胸怀，同时还具有着善良的心理品质。作为子路后进门的妻子，她很聪明的选择了以正确的方式处理。无论是面对子路的前妻还是他瘫痪的儿子，以及他的亲朋好友都会主动示好。当西夏和菊娃相遇时，面对竹青的帮衬：“到底是城里人开通，菊娃倒应该来见你的，她现在不是当家的人了，你虽小，可你是正经的高家媳妇呀！她咋好意思回来呢？”“她对高家有啥好处，生个娃娃还是

残疾！你什么时候了，生一个让她瞧瞧??。”西夏并没有对竹青的帮衬感激涕零，反而表现出了不爱听的意思，弄得竹青只得暗自咕咙了一句：“个子高的人傻。”同时，西夏还是一个具有独特价值观与是非观标准的人，在对待人和事物上有自己的一套原则。作为一名现代化的女性，她对高老庄的乡村文化表现出极大的学习兴趣，并且全心全意的融入到高老庄的画砖收集中，对乡村的乡土气息亦洋溢出浓厚的喜爱之情。面对高老庄落后的社会生活状态、混乱的社会环境，她没有嫌弃没有不满，反而用好奇的心理状态来接受、宽容的胸怀来接纳。她来到这个村庄，仿佛是正义的化身，不屈服在淫威之下。她同情善良柔弱的人们，不畏强权的压迫。还记得当村民在大众面前讽刺苏红时，站出来说话的是西夏；当有外国人来观赏葡萄园时，是西夏主动为蔡老黑做翻译。对于西夏这个人物，我想贾平凹是想通过她表达村社文化的落后与保守、愚昧与迷信势必受到现代科学的冲击、陶治或引导，而村社文化的有益成份将自然地为现代文明所吸收。城市可能皈依农村，如由于西夏对蔡老黑的敬佩与感动，她已决定留在高老庄，就是一个证明。与此同时，农村必然向城市靠拢。当蔡老黑的企业经营一筹莫展时西夏给他的谋划与指导以及事后城里的几家单位联合开发的来信就是例证，未来的社会就是一个城乡共进共存共荣共建的社会。

（二）、代表传统文化的菊娃

当然，菊娃也是《高老庄》中一个典型的女性形象。她是一个典型的高老庄妇女形象，在她的身上、思想上都充满了传统的高老庄文化气息。但她也是与时俱进的一代，面临新文化的冲击时也逐渐改变自己的意识观念。有人说她傻，子路可是一个教授，而她居然答应了和子路离婚，这不是明摆着犯傻嘛。可是菊娃却清楚的知道，她与子路在思想上的不同，和子路在一起不会幸福。同时，她是自主、独立的，对待周边人都是以一颗真心实意的心。这样一位独立自主的女性，在面对爱情时，可以为了坚守一份真爱而放弃一切。几经辗转，仍为爱而痴迷彷徨。即使，那个人只是她的过去式，是她的前夫。她还是会因为子路妈对她变得客气而心酸。使她感受到了自己回来已经不属于这家人了，是熟悉的旁人、是客人，以致“头晕”。面对子路时，她亦说出了：“??怪谁呢，就怪你，我走不出你的阴影，这心还在你的身上。我知道我傻，事情已到什么地步了我还这样，但我没办法??几时心上全都没有你了，我再说嫁人的话。”同时，面对西夏，菊娃更是表现了她的宽容与大度，这样的菊娃也得到了来自蔡老黑和王文龙争逐的焦点。在这里面，蔡老黑对菊娃的追求，不仅是心愿，有宣言、更有行动，坚决、剧烈而不妥协，充满野性。而地板厂厂长王文龙以现代的方式爱着菊娃，地板厂所需草绳全部归菊娃一个人收购。面对这样纠缠不清的感情生活，菊娃矛盾了，而她最终将心交付给了真爱着她却也是有着妻子的蔡老头，这不得不说这也是一个悲剧。在这场传统文化与现代文学的冲突中，菊娃显然是传统女性中的先驱者。她的魅力表现在她既具有传统女性的善良又有着现代女性的勇敢与担当！

（三）、代表农村落后传统文化的竹青

另外，在《高老庄》中，还有一个女性给我留下了难以磨灭的印象——竹青。她刻薄、言馋口满、喜说是非、好爱面子、思想正统，是农村那种落后的讨人厌的妇女。她的观念落后，认为女人地位低贱或不公平是天经地义的。女子本来就应该是伺候男子的，如若男子伺候女子才是真正的大逆不道。所以，她看不惯子路对西夏的低声下气，她认为西夏图的就是子路的钱和教授的头衔。因为在她的

观念里，谁有钱就嫁给谁，人是其次的。这实际上是农村人从古到今一直延续的陈腐观念，每一个女子都希望找着有钱的人家，至于对象的才貌人品都在其次。而在生活中，她的表达也往往是辞不达意，明明出发点应该是善良的却总得不到好的回报。比如，她好心提醒子路娘让子路以后不要太娇惯了西夏，但让子路娘听起来是竹青嫌她儿子配不上西夏，故而给了她一个冷屁股：“你操心！子路日后不指望她指望谁。”又如，她明明是好心安慰哄抢树林事件发生后，后悔不已的护林员迷糊叔：“迷糊叔你多亏喝醉了酒，你白刀子进红刀子出算什么，恐怕你被捆在树上，狼吃不了你，蚊子也把你一夜叮死了！”可是这话怎么听怎么别扭。最终，在这件事上，以她挨了自己丈夫一个耳光而结束。她是竹青，一个尖酸刻薄观念陈腐的女人。我想，竹青的悲剧正是中国传统文化产物下的一个悲剧。真实如她，能说会道、能察言观色、是个聪明的女人。可惜，她将自己固步在了那个传统的文化中，不能自拔。她是在现代文化产物下一个被淘汰被牺牲的悲剧。

贾平凹是个写实的作家，就像他在这部小说的后记中所写的那样：“长期以来，商州的乡下和西安的城镇是我写作的根据地，我不会写历史演义的故事，也写不出科学幻想。那样的小说属于别人去写，我的情绪始终在当代，我的出生和我生存的环境决定了我的平民地位和写作的民间视角、关怀和忧患时下的中国是我的尽职。”忧患社会的贾平凹凭着其文人特有的敏捷视角抒发着对充满焦躁情绪的世纪末中国的认识。其一，对现代文明和传统文明激烈冲突着并艰难融合着的世纪末，中国部分人的生存状态的精细描绘和深刻批判。其二，揭示了当前普遍存在的人们对生态的破坏、对未来的丢弃，及从历史高度对“种族进化”这一命题的思索。

结 语

自然，在《高老庄》里面，还有许许多多的人物给我留下了难以磨灭的印象，他们或许是如高晨堂一般猪样的人物，脏、淫、馋、赖。他是生活在二十世纪九十年代的当代农民，他务实卑琐、狡滑幽默、既讨人喜欢又让人蔑视。他是中国几千年来传统农民世俗欲望的化身，是当代农民的代表。或许是如半香一样的老实人，可怜却清醒，是传统女性悲剧的化身。在要不，就是如苏红一般农村出身，但她的观念和行为却很超前以致连正宗的城市人西夏有时也望尘莫及。她独立、坚强，不愿依附任何人。也不顾忌别人怎么描绘他，我行我素、潇洒自在、活得有声有色，有滋有味。在这些人物的塑造中，体现了贾平凹对于传统文化与现代文学的深深思考，体现了传统文化在面临现代文学的冲击时所表现的种种迹象。而贾平凹作为表现主体，他的自我解剖、自我反省、自我批判和自我否定，及自私、封建、农民意识、一夫多妻，这种自审、自醒、自我批判意识非常突出。同时通过对人物的剖析，也让我们清楚的了解了大背景下现代文化和传统文化得相互影响。 参考文献：

[1]、陈思和：《中国当代文学史教程》第 279页，复旦大学出版社，1999.9。

[2]、《高老庄》第6页

[3] 、《高老庄》评注

[4]、《高老庄》后记

[5]、李星、孙见喜《贾平凹评传》，郑州大学出版社，2004.10

第二篇：论文定稿

1 Introduction

1.1 Background

In our society, males and females are treated differently. Chairman, doctor, politician, policeman, and spokesman are titles to males, while baby sister, nurse, housewife, flower girl, and flag girl are to females. It reflects the stereotype images which people hold on to respective genders. Although we are still in male dominated society, things are changing. More and more women go to work force and politics after World War Two. They put on trousers instead of skirts; curse more in public; and put foreword a divorce if their marriages are unhappy. All in all, females are trying to get rid of the situation of being second-class citizens. “Social movements such as feminism can provide the ideology and impetus to question existing arrangements of the images of male and female, and the social support for individuals to explore alternatives to them” (146), said by West and Zimmerman. Female cursing mirrors the great changes of their behaviors under the inflections of feminism. Four-letter words like fuck, shit, and damn are clichés in women’s conversations now. But thing was different many years age, in which a woman should act as a lady who had to speak graciously, let alone cursing.

Cursing is a kind of speech act. Gender cursing features in perlocutionary act and in illocutionary act are studied in this essay. Perlocutionary act of gender cursing includs quantity of cursing and the specific swear words. Illocutionary act of gender cursing means intentions of cursing.

Cursing differs from gender to gender, so does it from time to time. Many researchers have done studies in gender cursing, like Ruth Wajnryb, Wen Mengjun, and Zhao Ronghui but most of their studies concentrated on the general differences between women’s and men’s cursing, seldom observe their changes in different periods of history. For this reason, my research will take those previous findings as the foundations and study changes of gender cursing in history. The data are from two representative American films, which can represent the real situations of that time. Films are like mirrors which reflect social development and changes, as well as the language features of the corresponding time.

1.2 Objective of the Study

There are many productive fruits of gender cursing research overseas and at 1

home. Nevertheless, nowadays, most scholars pay close attention to the differences of male and female cursing and study them in a static context. Moreover, few researchers would conclude the new features of gender cursing in nowadays and make a comparison with the old ones.

This research is to be conducted in comparison and contrast method to find out the process of the changes of gender cursing from the conversations in two American films---Gone with the Wind and Thelma and Louise. Suppose there are some changes of gender cursing features and there are new differences of gender cursing. The following two questions will be carefully studied in this paper: what are the changes of gender cursing by comparing it in the Second -wave Feminism with the First-wave Feminism and what factors cause such changes.

2

2 Literature Review

2.1 Definition of Gender

Seeing that this thesis is studying gender cursing phenomenon, defining of

“gender” becomes necessary. What is gender? According to Advanced Learner’s

English-Chinese Dictionary ,“Gender is the fact of being male or female”(726). “ Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females , particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them”, and Zmmerman have claimed that “a person’s gender is not simply an aspect of what one is, but more fundamentally it is something that one dose, and dose recurrently, in interaction with others” (140).

According to the definitions mentioned above, gender is the term to describe

socially constructed categories based on biological sex. It reflects a kind of stereotype on man and women. For instance, a woman will be thought dissolute if she speaks four-letter words in public, while that dose not matter when it comes to a man.

As the core concept in the theory of feminism, gender was first brought forward

during the Second-wave Feminism in western society. It is the inevitable result of the feminist movement.

2.2 Definition of Cursing

As Wen Mengjun elucidates, cursing is a sort of vocal acts by using varied vulgar

and malicious words and phrases to express one’s anger, hate, detestation, envy, and suchlike on the other entities (3).

Varied vulgar and malicious words refer to curses or swear words. Wen divided

curses into six classifications, according to their senses and connotative meanings. The first one is Sexual Curse including sexual organs, sexual behaviors, incest, and physiological discharge. The second one is Invective which disparages the acceptor by lowering its status. The third one is Narrative Curse, for example, to call a person “nerd” if he or she has slow wit. The forth one is Dislodging Words, like “Shut up!” The fifth one is Threatening Words. And the last one is Curse. "Curse" there refers to a wish that harms or hurts will be inflicted by any supernatural powers (51 to 92).

Wen’s classifying shining with lots of rationality, but it is not still rigorous

enough. First of all, the third one should not be an independent part, for it means the 3

same with the second category. When one is not as clever as another, to call him “nerd” is definitely a kind of disparaging and discrimination, because everyone differs from the others. The label “nerd” does not belong to the slow wit. It is a discriminatory and derogatory tag put forward by the speaker. Then, some curses, like “god”, “Jesus” do not belong to any of the six classifications. The Old Testament says that it is irreverent to god, if human being call god’s name directly. Therefore, these words are blasphemes.

Depending on most of Wen’s classifications, this article will put curses into six categories: Sexual Curse, Invective, Dislodging Words, Threatening Words, Curse, and Blasphemy.

Wen’s definition also indicates the intentions of cursing----to express anger, hate, envy, and so on. Famous Australian linguist, Ruth Wajnryb, said that “when words are put into a certain context, their meanings and achievements can be discussed” (49). Achievement there means intentions of cursing in a particular situation. Cursing, a vocal act, is sorted into three achievements: catharsis, aggression, and social connection by Ruth (49). According to her, catharsis is the simplest and most direct way to air one’s grievances, and vent one’s pressure (50). For example, when one bumps his head against wall heavily, he shouts that, “oh shit!” His cursing there functions as catharsis. Wen Mengjun also came up with aggression as one of the functions of cursing. His explanation is clear and easy to understand. He claimed that aggression is the main function of cursing, which is that one uses swear words to offend and hurt the acceptor, and to make him or her feel sad, angry, and humiliated and some other attacked feelings (110). Social connection is that one curses when he or she is in relaxing social atmosphere, like “indegoddampendent” (独该死的立) and “absobloodylutely” (绝天杀的对) (Wajnryb 58).

To sum up, cursing has three main intentions and swears can be divided into six categories. Both of them are important to the study of gender cursing.

2.3 The Waves of Feminism in America

Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights for women. In addition, feminism seeks to establish equal opportunities for women in education and employment (/wiki/Feminism).

The movement began in the western world in the late 18th century and has gone 4

through three waves: the First-wave refers to a period of feminist activity during the nineteenth century and early twentieth century. It oriented around the station of middle or upper-class white women, and suffrage and political equality. The Second-wave feminism attempted to further combat social and cultural inequalities. It began in the early 1960s and lasting through the late 1980s. The second-wave Feminism has existed continuously since then, and continues to coexist with what some people call the Third-wave Feminism. The Third-wave feminism began in the early 1990s. The movement arose as responses to perceived failures of the Second-wave. It was also a response to the backlash against initiatives and movements created by the Second-wave. Therefore, this essay only studies gender cursing features in the First and Second-wave Feminisms.

Social movements such as feminisms can provide the ideology and impetus to question existing arrangements of the images of male and female, and the social support for individuals to explore alternatives to them, said by West and Zimmerman (146). According to Wikipedia, the feminist movement brought changes in Western society, including women's suffrage, the right to initiate divorce proceedings and “no fault” divorce, the right of women to make individual decisions regarding pregnancy, and the right to own property. It has also led to broad employment for women at more equitable wages, and access to university education. Feminisms had tremendous impacts on American films. According to Duan Muyiwang, Thelma and Louise (1991) and Kramer VS Kramer are two typical feminist films (187). 2.4 General Review on the Studies of Gender Cursing With the progress of sociolinguistics and the development of the feminist social movements in the west, a systematic study of gender differences has sprung since the 1960s. The relationship between gender and language has attracted more and more attentions and been wildly discussed by more and more scholars. Jespersen, a Danish linguist, studies gender differences first. He discusses features of female language and finds out gender languages differences in the use of vocabulary and syntax (Xu 7). Australian linguist Ruth Wajnryb has done an all-sided job of cursing in her book named language most foul. Firstly, she point out the existence of sexual discrimination in curses, for words related to women are more likely used as swear words than those of men’s. For example, bird, dish, vamp, hag, and femme fatale. Secondly, she points out that it is the social circumstance that brings about differences 5

and changes of gender cursing (171). Wen Mengjun indicates that cursing differences lie in genders, classes, cultures, and times (26). It is the conventional view that men are superior to women that result in cursing differences between men and women (40). Moreover, he claims that female cursing is vague and euphemistic, while male cursing is outright and crude. Chinese linguist---Zhao Ronghui analyses the differences of gender cursing, and she also points out reasons that why women’s cursing differs from that of men’s briefly. Men curse more than women, and the curses they use are more direct and vulgar (179), summarized by her too. In terms of purposes of cursing, Zhao said that mainly men curse for derogating others and unbosoming themselves, while besides that two proposes women also curse for expressing intimacy (179). The study of gender cursing has made many achievements overseas and at home. Scholars have studies much on gender cursing by using the methodologies of sociolinguistics, pragmatics, lexicology, semantics, intercultural communication, psychology, etc. Furthermore, researchers also have made a detailed description and explanation about the reasons for gender cursing from the aspects of psychology, cultural, and so on.

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3 Analysis on the Features of Gender Cursing

This section mainly talks about possible differences and changes of American people’s cursing in fictional speech. It has three parts. The first two parts deal with the features of gender cursing in the First and Second-wave Feminism. Two main aspects are talked about in them. The first one talks about gender cursing differences in perlocutionary act, including quantity of cursing and the specific swear words which are spoken. The second one goes to gender cursing differences in illocutionary act that means intentions of cursing. The third part makes a comparison between the two periods.

3.1 Features of Gender cursing in the First-wave Feminism

In the early age of this period, the civil war broke out, and the country was in ferment. Although the economy was about to rocket and the society would be in a more fair state, the whole nation were not civilized enough to give women a right position and men were still powerful at that time. The standard that the whole society judged a “real woman” was that whether she was devout, pure, obedient, keeping house, which was constructed on the basis of male dominance faith.

This session is to analyze gender cursing features in the First-wave Feminism by a representative movie: Gone with the Wind. Cursing is a kind of speech act. According to British philosopher John Austin, speech act theory includes locutionary act, illocutionary act, and perlocutionary act (123). Gender cursing features in locutionary act and illocutionary act are chosen to be studied. The reason why perlocutionary act of gender cursing is excluded is that this essay mainly studies males and female’s cursing features when they are cursing, while perlocutionary act of cursing mainly relates to the people who are cursed.

3.1.1 Case Study of Gone with the Wind

Gone with the wind is a 1939 American historical epic film adapted from Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer-winning 1936 novel of the same name. Set in American Civil War, it vividly describes the growth history of a rebellious and independent beauty named Scarlett O’hara. This film is not only humanity’s pinnacle of poetic creation, but a reflection of the politics, the economy, and the morals of that time.

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The reasons why the author chooses this film as the representative material in First-wave Feminism are as follows: to start with, the film reflects feminism through the adamant and rebellious heroine, Scarlett. Moreover, since the film sets in American Civil War (1861-1865), which happened during the First-Wave Feminism, the data gathered from this film can present the corresponding corpus. Last but not least, it is classical film whose language is very precise, vivid and worthy of studying, and it depicts American people’s daily life.

The research materials are subtitles of this film, which are downloaded from Shooter (/xml/sub/182/182883.xml). 3.1.2 Gender Cursing Features in Locutionary Act of Cursing According to John Austin, a locucutionary act is the act of uttering words, phrase, or clause. It is the act of conveying literal meaning by means of syntax; lexicon and phonology (123). In term of locutionary act of cursing, quantity of cursing and the specific swear words which are spoken are included.

3.1.2.1 Quantity

There are twenty times of female cursing and thirteen times for male in Gone with the Wind, which includes about 860 dialogues, 470 of which are said by females. It can be conclude that both genders cursed very little. The reason is that this film sets in the southern feudalism, in which men were expected to act like gentlemen and women like ladies. Breaking out of the war triggered the collapse of this rule. That is why women and men curse, but the quantity is little. In female cursing, seventeen pieces of expletives are spoken by Scarlett, who represents the new women in the old time. She was an exception. She dared to curse a lot to protect herself and her family, in which we could see the hint of social changes. “Yankee” is a derogatory title to the northerners during the Civil War. It occupies over three fourths of male cursing in the film. From this we can see that hasty to the enemy during war time makes males curse more.

3.1.2.2 Swear words

Depending on most of Wen’s classifications, this article puts curses into six categories: Sexual Curse (性语), Invective (贬称语), Dislodging Words (驱逐语), Threatening Words (威胁语), Curse (诅咒语), and Blasphemy (渎神语).Only four 8

kinds of swear words can be found in Gone with the Wind. They are Invective, Dislodging Words, Threatening Words, and Curse. The four sentences are respective examples of Invective, Dislodging Words, Threatening Words, and Curse. What the specific data of swear words appeared in the film are? Let us look at the statistics shown below.

Table 1: Distribution of swear words in Gone with the Wind

In table 1, we can find that invective kind of swear words are mostly used for both men and women in Gone with the Wind. Because this film sets in the war time, in which people tend to be of hostility when they have to mention their enemies. Using derogatory terms to describe ones’ foes is a direct and useful way to give vent to their bitter hate. During war time, people incline to be in nervous and anxious state, they easily to curse, such like, you fool. Scarlett is a new woman. She dared to speak dislodging words and threatening kind of cursing to express her and to protect herself and her family, though in southern feudalism.

3.1.3 Gender Cursing Features in Illocutionary Act of Cursing 9

John Austin said, an illocutionary act is the act of expressing the speaker’s intention. According to Australian linguist, Ruth Wajnryb, cursing can be sorted into three intentions: Catharsis, Aggression, and Social Connection. In Gone with the Wind, only cathartic and aggressive kinds of cursing can be found.

(1) Mr. O'HARA: We've borne enough insults from the . Cathartic kind of cursing is that people speak dirty words to express disaffection, hasty, and so on, especially instinctive reflections of some hurtful accidents and when the people who are cursed being off the occasions. The intention of sentence (1) is catharsis. Aggression is the main intention of cursing, which is that one curse to offend and hurt the acceptor, and to make him or her feel sad, angry, and humiliated and some other attacked feelings. Sentence (2) is a piece of aggressive cursing. Below is a chart showing the two intentions of cursing in Gone with the Wind.

Table 2: Distribution of cursing intentions in Gone with the Wind

Table 2 shows that in Gone with the Wind males mainly curse for catharsis, while females for aggression. In the old days, politics and military are men’s topics. In Gone with the wind, there are several scenes in which men get together to talks about war. Therefore, there is no doubt that cathartic cursing, like “Yankee” occupied a big portion of male cursing. Scarlett is a rebellious woman. She is strong and brave when handling some sticky businesses. As a result, many aggressive swear words are spoken by her.

3.2 Features of Gender Cursing in the Second -wave Feminism

The second-wave Feminism refers to a period of feminist activity beginning in the early 1960s and lasting through the late 1980s. It saw cultural and political 10

inequalities as inextricably linked. The movement encouraged women to understand aspects of their own personal lives as deeply politicized, and reflective of a sexist structure of power.

Having experienced the Great Depression of the 1930s, the American government sought every feasible way to recover its economy; since 1971, the U.S. economy has been characterized by somewhat slower growth. It is till 1985 that American regained its confidence as an economically strong country in the world, thus it became the only world wide super country in the 1990s, with high-techs and manufactures’ rocketing. Feminism, behalf of women’s rights and interests, reached a high tide in the early 1970s. An Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution was passed by Congress in 1972, declaring, “Equality of rights under the law should not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex” (Ryan 57-58). The court also promoted sexual equality.

Now that women’s rights were guaranteed by the law, they wanted to be treated as what they had asked for in the society. During the 1950s and 1960s, increasing numbers of married entered the labor force, through which they gained their financial independence. Then, women’s independence on finance makes them break away their attachment to men, which gives women the same position as men. Therefore, they dare say taboo words that were supposed to run counter of “a real woman”.

3.2.1 Case Study of Thelma and Louise

In this section, the American film, Thelma and Louise, is chosen in the case study. Thelma and Louise (1991) is a controversial film which is a product of the second wave of feminism in the 1990’s. Plots of the film revolve around Thelma and Louise’s escape from their troubled and caged lives. The Last Journey is another name of the movie.

The reasons why the author chooses Thelma and Louise (1991) as the research sample are as follows: firstly, its authentic language gives us abundant resources in the research of gender cursing. Secondly, it shows how feminism impacted the film industry by challenging Hollywood and the social patriarchy, providing women a voice, and changing how spectators view how women are looked at through women’s eyes and their experiences.

The research materials are subtitles of this film, which are downloaded from Shooter (/xml/sub/188/188363.xml ).

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3.2.2 Gender Cursing Features in Locutionary Act of Cursing Language is closely related to society. As Chen Yuan said, language is a kind of social phenomenon and the development and changes of society could influence language and input fresh blood into language (9-13). In the Second-wave Feminism, which is a new period compared with the First-wave Feminism, what new features will icon gender cursing in Locutionary Act of Cursing? The following parts will deal with this question.

3.2.2.1 Quantity

There are about fifty-six times of male cursing and seventy times of female cursing in Thelma and Louise, which includes about 1390 dialogues, and one third of which are said by males and the rest two thirds are spoken by females. From the data we can figure out that male cursing counts twelve parentages in their speech, while female is seven parentages. Quantity of both genders’ cursing increased a lot compared with that in Gone with the Wind, and men still curse a little bit more than women do. As the development of economy and the influence of Feminisms, more and more American people get involved in labor force. The life pattern became a rapid one. Life overwhelmed with pressure for Americans. Additionally, a casual and uninhabited life style was advocated by them instead of the traditional one. What’s more, the Sexual Liberation shocked their traditional concept on sex. Therefore, Americans cursed a lot, at that period. 3.2.2.2 Swear words

In Thelma and Louise, all the six kinds of swear word can be found. Table 2 distributes swear words’ classifications in the representative film.

Table 2: Distribution of swear words in Thelma and Louise

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Sexual Curse and Blasphemy are the two new kinds of expletives compared with that in Gone with the Wind.

Sexual Curse includes sexual organs, sexual behaviors, incest, and physiological discharge. For example, “Fuck you!” From table 2, we can see sexual curse occupies the most portion of both genders’ cursing in the movie. Why people curse a lot in sexual swear words in that period? Mencius said, the desire for food and sex is part of human nature, but Europe went though a long Medieval Age in which religion was put in the sovereign position, and human nature was ignored. So language related to sex was prohibited and became a kind of taboo. The more be banned use of the word, the more there is a mysterious allure (Wen 55). After the Renaissance, humanism is advocated by people, and under the impact of Sexual Liberation, people talk about sexual knowledge, sexual encounter and so on in public (/view/138790.htm). The words that once were taboo used in social intercourse possess a kind of power, by which people can give vent to anger and dissatisfaction impassionedly and forcefully (Wen 55). Day by day, in fact, sexual expletives, like “fuck” have lost their original sexual meanings and vary in taboo level, though the sense of taboo still exists (Wajnryb 41).

Swear words which are blasphemous, like “oh, Jesus Christ!” are Blasphemy. “God knows”, “Christ knows”, and such like are used as interjections. They belong to weak expletives. In the Old Testament, that god’s name can not be addressed directly is one of the Ten Commandments. As Jay said, a man’s attitude towards blasphemy depends on his view of god (107). People’s religious beliefs have gradually declined. God has died (Jay 167), and words like “hell”, “devil”, and “Jesus” are just seasoning in dialogues (114). So, there is no wander that why more and more blasphemous words are used.

There is a large scale of curse in Thelma and Louise. Nearly all the curses are “goddamn”, and “damn”. “DAMN” originally was used to “announce a judge”. It shined with superpower and imprecatory power. But when a nation no longer sure that curse may succeed, swearing grows rapidly (Montagu 48).

3.2.3 Gender Cursing Features in Illocutionary Act of Cursing 13

Besides catharsis and aggression, cursing for social connection appeared in Thelma and Louise. Social connected kind of cursing is that one curses when he or she is in relaxing social atmosphere and the cursing is not spiteful.

(1) We're in goddamn Mexico? (2) You robbed the goddamn store?

Sentence (1) and (2) are examples for social connected swearing. The following table illustrates intentions of cursing in Thelma and Louise.

Social connected kind of swearing takes an important part in the film’s dialogues. Its form is same with that of baleful cursing, but its intention is contrary. Social connected cursing is just like a lubricant, which can help to shorten distance between chatting people. As the development of economy and impacts of feminisms, males and females have their respective social circles. Through social connected swearing, they gain sense of belonging and relax themselves.

3.3 Comparison Between the Two Periods

Part 3.1 and 3.2 have illustrates gender cursing features in First-wave Feminism and in Second-wave Feminism, through two representative movies--- Gone with the Wind and Thelma and Louise.

What are the differences and changes between the two periods in gender cursing? This essay mainly talks about possible differences and changes of gender cursing in fictional speech. Cursing features in perlocutionary act and illocutionary act are studied. Through comparing the features of these two periods, the following conclusions are made:

(1) In the past, males and females all tried their best to avoid swearing; but now males tend to curse a lot and more and more women have such tendencies too.

(2) In terms of the swear words, both genders choose to use strong expletives,

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like “fuck”, “damn” rather than weak ones, such as “you fool” they used before. Sexual curse, curse, and blasphemy words are the top three kinds of swear words used frequently, in nowadays.

(3) Men still curse a little dirtier than women do, although both of them tend to use strong expletives.

(4) Social connected cursing is a new one compared with the past.

To sum up, the cursing language between males and females were different and they changed greatly with the changes of society.

4 Conclusion

In summary, this paper mainly studies differences and changes of female and male cursing under the influences of two times’ Women Movements, with the oral discourses which are selected from two American films, Thelma and Louise and Gone with the Wind.

Concerning the deep causes of differences and changes of gender cursing in perlocutionary act and illocutionary act, comparison and contrast method is used in this thesis.

Various factors, including social background, feminism, and so on are combined to interpret differences and changes of gender cursing. When we put those factors into consideration, it turns out that males and females all tried their best to avoid swearing in the old days; but now males tend to curse a lot and more and more women have such tendencies too. Strong swear words are used by males and females nowadays, but men use comparatively dirtier expletives than women do. Besides cursing for catharsis and aggression, social connected swearing increases greatly after the Second-wave Feminism.

Changes of language related to the development and changes of society, closely. Cursing will ruin one’s good image and trigger possible quarrels but it is not always bad. It can release pressure, anger, hate without fighting and it is also an effective way to get involved in a social unit quickly.

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Works cited

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Jay, T. Cursing in American. Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Co., 1992.

Montagu, A. The Anatomy of swearing. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2001. Wajnryb, Ruth. Language Most Foul. 2nd ed. Shang Hai: Wenhui Publishing House, 2008. West, Candace and Zimmerman, Don.H. Gender and society. 1987, Sage Publication .Inc Sheildlower, J. The F-word, New York: Random House, 1999.

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Xu ronghua. Study of the Changes of gender Language in American Films and TV Series.

MA thesis. Nanchang Hangkong University,2010.

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赵蓉晖. 《语言与性别---口语的社会语言学研究》 .上海: 上海外语教育出版社, 2003 端木义万主编. 《美国传媒文化》. 北京:北京大学出版社, 2001

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Acknowledgements

My deepest gratitude goes first and foremost to Mrs. Shi xiaojing, my supervisor, for her constant encouragement and insightful guidance. She has earnestly helped me all through the searching, analysis and paper-writing stages. Without her consistent and illuminating instruction, this thesis could not have reached its present form.

Second, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the teachers at the English Department of Foreign Languages College in Xinjiang University. Their patient and insightful instructions and invaluable help in my four-year study in this department have provided me with an important preparation for working out this paper. I am greatly indebted to those professors and teachers at the English Department who have instructed and helped me a lot in the past four years.

Last my thanks would go to my beloved parents for their loving considerations and great confidence in me all through these years. My gratitude also goes to my dear brother who always gives his constant encouragement and love to me. I also owe my sincere gratitude to my friends and my fellow classmates who gave me their help and time in listening to me and helping me work out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis.

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