作为最后边疆文学的西部小说

自从第二次世界大战结束以来 ,美国许多作家一直想重新创造美国社会中的“边疆”概念。事实上 ,西部边疆的定居标志着盎格鲁撒克逊人往西的大规模迁居运动已经结束。虽然地理的边疆已经结束 ,但是人们有一种强烈的感觉 ,至少对美国人而言 ,西部是这个行星上具有意义的最后边疆 ,不仅仍然可能继续进行探讨和重新阐释文学中的那个边疆 ,而且仍然可能拓展涉及社会和人类问题的文学。

The Western Novel as Literature of the Last Frontier

Since the conclusion of the Second World War,many American writers have made attempts to re-create the "frontier" concept in American society. In fact,the settlement of the western frontier marked the end of the mass-movement of Anglo-Saxons toward the West. Although the geographical frontier has closed,there is a strong sense that the West was,for Americans at least,the last meaningful frontier on this planet and the possibilities remain great not only for the continued exploration and reinterpretation of that frontier in literature,but for an expansion of literature in the social and human problems.