Inspiration and Realistic Meaning of Love of Life
【Abstract】: Jack London is the U.S novelist and short story writer of critical realism .He has left abundant masterpieces．Love of life is the most famous short story of the “Northern tales” series. The paper generally analyzes the story ; Compare Love of Life with The Old Man and the Sea and Robinson Crusoe in order to dig out the theme on a broader stage. Finally, it deepens the version into the real life, talking about its realistic meaning.
【摘要】：杰克伦敦是美国最富有批判精神的现实主义作家，他的一生著述颇丰。《热爱生命》是他的“北方故事”中最著名的一篇。本论文在简要介绍小说的基础上将该文与《老人与海》、《鲁宾孙漂流记》比较，以在更加广阔的平台上挖掘文章的主题。最后文章从纵向入手，将视角延伸至现实生活，深度剖析小说的现实意义，使读者从中受益。
【Key words】: love of life; fighting, comparison; realistic meaning
【关键字】: 《热爱生命》；斗争；比较；现实意义
Jack London (1876~1916), whose life symbolized the power of will, was the most successf
ul writer in America in the early 20th Century. His vigorous stories of men and animals against the environment, and survival against hardships inspired so many readers .Love of life, written by the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th ,was his best short story and was highly appreciated by Lenin, Vladimir . This paper focus on analyzing the theme ,inspiration and realistic meaning.
1.General analysis of the story
People who have read the novel all knows that though the plot is simple, it is rather exciting: the story of a man in the wilderness with hunger, wild animals and despair, totally a fighting against death . At the beginning of the novel, because of a sprained foot of the hero, he was abandoned by his companions. Therefore he became lost and lived outdoors . There he could only survive by chewing a white marshes or the rush root in order to maintain the day to day journey of suffering. Afterward, there appeared a sick wolf, and therefore staged a even more breathtaking tragedy . A patient crawling, a sick wolf limping, two creatures dragging their dying in the wilderness , hunting each other at t
he risk of each other's lives. When the blood flows out from the wolf , we knew that he certainly would go out of the wilderness and it really was .
The desire for survival is one distinct feature of love of life. The character never got lost because he had a strong desire—go back lively. In his mind there was a clear route: found bullets, food ,cools and boat. Along with all the difficulties, he had always having hope and imaginary that Bill was still waiting for him. “But hard as he stove with his body ,he strove with his mind, trying to think that Bill had not deserted him, that Bill would surely wait for him at cache .He was compelled to think this thought,otherwsie there would not be any use to strive, and he would have lain down and died .”It was no other than such a kind of belief that encouraged and supported him to fight for life.
The story itself is not a moving plot, but reading the text somehow gives a strong shock. Faced with threat of starvation and the wolf, as well as the even more terrible environment. the dedication, persistence, tenacity reflected a miracle of life . Beyond the external danger, the miracle of desire and ability to survive is shocking. But it also convey
s the necessity of the love of life . The book actually tells us a simple truth: As long as the idea is still living in mind, do not give up easily.
2. Writing technique and writing style
热爱生命杰克伦敦2.1Taking advantage of the scene to express the emotion
When abandoned by his partner Bill, the descriptions of the natural environment appeared twice, respectively ”Near the horizon the sun was smouldering dimly, almost obscured by formless mists and vapors ,which gives an impression of mass and density without outline and tangibility.” This description perfectly echoed with the man’s phychological feelings ,he almost couldn’t believe that Bill had abandoned him and left him alone wounded. How much he wished that everything was just his illusion which dim weather bought forth. The second time is ”It was not a heartening spectacle. Everywhere was soft sky-line. The hills were all low-lying. There were no trees, no shrubs ,no grass-naught but a tremendous and terrible desolation that sent fear swiftly dawning into his eyes.” This bleak and desolated environment echoed with the man’s situation ,enabled th
e readers to sense the man’s fear and disappointment .
2.2 Using abundant vocabulary to express
limp, reel ,totter  all mean” to tremble or rock as if about to fall”
2.3 Using figurative language
Simile: “His joints were like rusty hinges .They worked harshly in their sockets, with much friction, and each bending or unbending was accomplished only through a sheer exertion of will” ,vividly explains hardness for the man to walk with his twisted leg
Repetition: The description of the man’s heart beating and how he counted matches and wound etc. all appeared several times to emphasis the importance.
Parataxis: “Then followed the wild upward leap and tattoo of flutters, the pressing as of an iron band about his forehead, the creeping of the dizziness into his brain.” The compound sentences forcefully showed the fierce physical torture the man suffered.