摘 要

从古至今，关于人性与动物性一直是人们讨论的焦点，人们对于人性与动物性的说法也没有一个明确的结论。但人性与动物性在个人发展或社会的发展中扮演着重要的角色。每个人都有动物性的部分，也有人性的部分，但就一个人的一生中是人性大于动物性，还是动物性优于人性仍然没有一个明确的结论。动物性向人性的转化，主要依靠个人成长的阅历和后天教育以及来自于信仰、家庭、和社会的控制和约束。本文主要通过对德莱赛两部作品中的两位主人公的人性与动物性的分析来阐明人性对于个人及社会的重要性。以及家庭，信仰，和社会及他人对于个人成长的影响。

关键词：人性；命运；嘉莉妹妹；珍妮姑娘

Abstract

Humanity and animanity has been a topic of discussion for last many decades. This topic “humanity and animanity” is much complicated so reseachers are digging to have a clear conclusion. But humanity and animanity play an important role in personal development or social development. Everyone has a part of animanity as well as humanity in his social life. The part of humanity and animanity in person’s life which is humanity greater than animanity or animanity greater than humanity is still not a clear conclusion. We still don’t any clear concept that which part have more influence in our life. The transformation of animanity into humanity relies on the experience of personal growth acquired education and from the control and restraint of faith, family, and society. This article is comparing the two works of Dresser’s which are two heroes in novels of Sister Carrie and Jennie Gerhardt to clarify the importance of the true nature for the individual and society by analyzing the humanity and animanity as well as the influence of family, belief, and society and others on personal growth.

Key Words: The true nature; influence; Sister Carrie; Jennie Gerhardt

Contents

1 Introduction 1

2 Values for Life of Families Affect Kid's Growing up 2

2.1 The relationship between Carrie and her families 2

2.2 The relationship of Jennie and her families 3

3 The Influence of Circumustances for Human Beings 5

3.1 The nature and life attitudes of Sister Carrie 5

3.2 Jennie's nature in dazzling cities 6

4 The Importance of Personal Faith 8

4.1 The belief of Sister Carrie 8

4.2 Moral character and belief of Jennie 9

5 The Ending of Getting Happiness or Losing Oneself 10

6 Conclusions 12

References 14

Acknowledgements 15

Comparison of Humanity and Animality

Analysis of Sister Carrie and Jennie Gerhardt

1 Introduction

Ludwig Feuerbach said that “humanity is half an angel, half an beast.” The human nature is divided into two category of humanity and animanity in society. Human nature refers to the truth which shows on human behavior. The one’s conscience will provide an equality of minds when individual shows nature with rational expression. According to Charles Darwin’s view that “human nature can be regarded as both a source of norms of conduct and ways of life, as well as presenting obstacles or constraints on living a good life.” One’s desire will go back to beautiful and kind-hearted expression and people will get some satisfaction on character. The concept of human nature is love. The love is man and woman yearn for sincerity, goodwill and beauty.

Animanity is for the purpose of survivla and unrestrained behavior that seeking a quik way to fulfill a desire. According to the bible “Adam’s disobedience corrupted human nature.” By Adam’s fall into sin, human nature became corrupt. The result is caused by Adam’s animanity. The animanity is the behavior which breaks the basic morals. Animanity includes pure animanity, moral dimension of animanity and animanity under the specific conditions. The pure animanity shows one’s animanity in any cases. It shows harm for others in one’s body or mind. There are full of morals in personal behavior and social relations in traditional culture of China. Each social relation has its concrete standards of humanity and animanity, for instance, making friends with good faith, that is humanity. On the contrary, making friends with perfidy, that is animanity. The purpose of all personal activities is to meet the human requirements. What’s one’s needs in social life? The needs are generally divided into two parts, one part is material requirements and another is cultural needs. It is the needs to show the essence of the human being. Dreiser through two novels of Sister Carrie and Jennie Gerhardt to show human nature is half a goodness, half an evil. Sister Carrie’s nature tends towards Animanity, Jennie Gerhardt’s nature tends to humanity.