活动主题：文学作品中的社会变革

活动时间：4月2日（周五）19:00-20:30

活动平台：腾讯会议

会议链接：https://meeting.tencent.com/s/kXl2HwrUp6Q0

会议 ID：722 231 941

论文一：Brave New World: The Prediction and Criticism of the Consumer Society

主讲人：于若涵，英语学院2020级英语专业人文实验班学生及卓越学院外交外事人才实验班学生。

指导教师：肖一之博士

Abstract：In 20th century, with the transition from the era of production to the era of consumption, the Capitalist society had a roundly social change. The great changes were reflected in all literature and art. Aldous Huxley's Brave New World is one of the most classical dystopian literatures. The novel anticipates a new world with sufficient material conditions and huge scientific advancements in reproductive technology, psychological manipulation and classical conditioning, which has lots of differences with today’s society. Despite the various differences, the two have a lot in common in essence. The paper mainly focuses on the social consumption to discuss about the external differences and the internal similarities of the two societies. From this book, we are left with revelations of our present world and the warnings of our future.

Keywords：Brave New World, dystopian, consumer society, consumerism

论文二：Friendship and Nationalism in Wartime—An Analysis on Guests of the Nation   

主讲人：杨悦，英语学院2019级翻译专业及人文实验班学生，曾任翻译三班班长，现任英语学院学生会组织部组长。获奖学金若干。

指导教师：肖一之博士

Abstract: Frank O’Connor is one of the greatest Irish short story writers in the 20th century, In his work, Guests of the Nation, we see a conflict between humanity and duty, between friendship and nationalism. Against the backdrop of the English-Irish war, three main characters in the story—Bonaparte, Noble and Jeremiah Donavan—are forced to choose between the friendship among themselves and the prisoners of war they are guarding, and their supposed loyalty to the nation. This paper reveals that distinct opinions on whether life should be equal or not in wartime lead to the conflict between nationalism and friendship. During the war, friendship established between adversary soldiers is a consensus that they exist as equal humans, while the nature of nationalism demands people to go against this equality by violating the opposite’s rights to life. 

Keywords: Guests of the Nation, Friendship, Nationalism, War, Equality of Life

论文三：Margaret Hale: An Unconventional Domestic Angel

主讲人: 蒋婧辰，英语学院2019级翻译专业及人文实验班学生，担任翻译2班班长，曾获全国大学生英语竞赛三等奖，两获一等奖学金。

指导教师：符梦醒博士

Abstract: Women’s duties and position in the society are always hot topics in literature, and in Victorian novels the ideal type of women are submissive and considerate domestic angels. Margaret Hale, the heroine in North and South, also falls in that category. She follows social norms and takes her responsibility as a caretaker at home. However, Margaret is also unconventional, and she does not blindly follow all the regulations for women at that time. She has independent thoughts, and she also devotes herself to philanthropy and does some actual work to help the poor. The paper mainly discusses Margaret Hale’s role as an unconventional though not a rebellious female character, and social norms and possible social engagements for women in Victorian time.

Keywords: domestic angel, convention, independent thinking, social engagement

主持人：符梦醒老师

香港城市大学博士，主要研究领域为十九世纪英国文学，哥特、志怪文学比较研究，女性写作。担任英语学院人文实验班“原典阅读与批评”课程主讲教师和2020级英语语言文学班班导师。

特约点评人：曹思宇老师

英国华威大学英语与比较文学博士，主要研究领域为现当代英国文学，战后新经典化运动，东西方政治哲学比较研究。现担任英语学院2018级英语语言文学班翻译课教师。