读《贪欲与代价》有感（精选7篇）
篇1：读《贪欲与代价》有感
读《贪欲与代价》有感
物腐虫必生，贪欲毁前程。防危杜渐而禁于未然，沉重代价强烈警示。在读了《贪欲与代价》——温州市“村官”违法违纪案例选编这本书后，我感触颇多。
这本书给我最大体会就——立足本职、善待工作争做一名优秀的社区干部。
该书收录了近年来温州地区“村官”的二十多起较典型的选举贿选案、腐败案等违法违纪案件。通过对案件进行深刻反思，深入剖析违法违纪村干部的思想根源，深刻揭露各种以权谋私、权钱交易的手段，使我切实从中受到启发和警醒，教育警示一批是非观念不清的“糊涂人”，拯救一批徘徊在守纪与违纪临界线的“边缘人”，做到政治上明白、经济上清白，深刻认识到手中的权力是居民赋予的，只能用来为居民谋利益，决不允许心存贪欲、以权谋私，否则必将付出沉重的代价。
通过接受警示教育，深刻反思自己，查找自身在理想信念方面、在工作作风方面、在改造自己主观方面存在问题和不足。一是强化职业道德，以“忠诚、公正、清廉、文明”作为行为准则。二是强化公仆意识。要正确看待、把握和运用人民所赋予的权力，树立正确的群
众观念，坚持为人民谋利益、做好事、办实事、作奉献。三是强化廉洁意识。牢记“两个务必”的要求，大力发扬艰苦奋斗、勤俭节约的优良传统，严于律己，克己奉公。坚持从小事做起，从点滴做起，防微杜渐，保持一名社区干部清正廉洁的形象。
篇2：读《贪欲与代价》有感
根据上级安排我校组织全体干部收看警示教育片《贪欲的代价》，看完以后，我的心灵受到了强烈的震撼。
我明白，以这样一种方式对我们党员干部进行洗心醒脑的教育，是对我们政治上最大的关怀和爱护。通过警示教育片看到，曾经生活在我们赤壁市商务局的几位职务犯罪服刑人员以忏悔的心情，讲述了他们走上违法犯罪道路的深刻原因和惨痛教训，令人震惊，发人深省。
他们原来都是担任过领导职务的党员干部，能走上领导岗位，饱含着组织的培养、同事的支持、自己的努力、家人的付出。他们也曾有过理想、有过追求、有过奋斗，也曾有过鲜花、有过掌声、有过辉煌，最终却一失足成千古恨，成了腐败分子，走向党和人民的对立面，确实让人痛惜。对他们本人来说，得不偿失，悔之晚矣；对我们来讲，也为大家提供了一面明断得失的镜子，敲响了警钟。警示教育片中的几起典型案例，最突出的共同特征，就是滥用权力，谋取私利。身为领导干部一定要保持清醒的头脑，勤于自警，珍惜自己的历史和荣誉，珍重自己的人格和形象，善始善终走好人生的每一步。这些反面的典型案例现身说法告诫我们，前车之辙，后车之鉴。要吸取深刻教训，时刻保持高度的警惕，不断增强拒腐防变的自觉性。
看了警示教育片，剖析了这些案例，有三条警示值得记取。
第一，要牢固树立正确的权力观。事实告诉我们，腐败行为的发生，首先是思想道德防线出了问题，尤其是权力观发生扭曲。从今天的警示教育片案例可以看出，领导干部不论职位多高、岗位多重要，一旦权力观出了问题，就会私欲膨胀，置党纪国法于脑后，身不由己地跌入腐败的深渊。作为党员干部，我们要时刻牢记权力是党和人民赋予的，只能用来为人民谋利益；权力是一把“双刃剑”，用权为公可以造福社会，以权谋私必然导致身败名裂；权力越大，责任越大，预防腐败的警惕性应当越高。身为村书记，一定要不断加强学习，加强党性锻炼，树立正确的世界观、人生观、价值观，增强党性修养。
第二，要自觉接受党和人民的监督。权力不受监督，就将导致腐败；干部拒绝监督，就会出现问题；权力暗箱操作，往往弊案丛生；权力阳光运行，就是最有效的监督。警示教育片中列举的案件，虽然情节不同、手段各异，但缺乏有效监督而导致滥用公共权力，是一些 干部走向犯罪的重要因素。领导干部大都掌握着一定的权力，求你办事的人多，诱惑和陷阱也多，腐败的危险性更大，只有主动地接受各个方面的监督，既严格“自律”，又接受“他律”，才能拒腐蚀、永不沾。
篇3：读吾国与吾民有感
以上这些人的作品一直不被中国文坛所承认,不被中国民众所认识。除了他们在政治立场方面的原因以外,主要是他们的作品与当时的时代不相符合,具体到作品就是缺乏批判性。而当时文坛所看重的是鲁迅式的批判,文章要起到匕首与投枪的作用,或者是延安式的歌颂类型。而林语堂等人的作品恰恰不是上面提到的两种类型,所以不被重视也就在所难免了。
最近读了他的吾国与吾民后,对他又有进一步了解,从书的题目来看就知道这是写关于中国人的事情,再看书的目录:中国人民、中国人之德行、中国人的心灵等,到后面的文学生活、艺术家生活、生活的艺术等,可以知道这本书是他对中国人及中国文化的认识,正如书中赛珍珠在序言中所说:对于古往今来都有透彻的了解与体会,我想这一本书是历来有关中国著作中最真实、最完备、最重要的成绩,因为中国人常重视精细和恰当的美,只有中国人才能写这么一本书。从作者本人的闲话开场中可以看到作者对中国现状之不满,认为地球上最糟乱、最失败的国家最无告的国家,也发自内心的问:中国的命运将怎样、她是否能生存下去、看出作者对中国的热爱,真心希望中国和平、富强、政通而人和,在南方与北方中以幽默的口吻说出了南方人与北方人的发音习惯例如检阅苏籍军队,也阐述了三种恶劣的德性如忍耐、无可无不可、老猾俏皮,也描绘和检讨了民族德性:为稳健、为淳朴、为爱好自然、为保守、为好色……在保守中又说到:保守性是以实在为一种内在的丰富之表征,是一种值得羡妒的恩赐物,在智慧中写道中华民族受了过分聪明的累,像表现于他们的老猾俏皮,表现于他们的冷淡无是非心,表现于他们的和平性格者,此等性格已跟怯弱相差无几。从以上这些可以看出作者悲天悯人的情怀,入目三分的揭示出中国人的弱点与劣根性并进行了深刻的反省,并将缺点与不足血淋淋的展示出来藉以警醒国人。这些文字和想法事隔多年以后现在看来还是有它的现实意义和作用的。
相比较而言,作者在道教、佛教和宗教中的论述与观点较为片面且有失偏颇,毕竟每个人都有他的强项和不足也总有个人不了解和不熟悉的领域,在个人不了解的领域片面的发泄式的阐述自己的观点不免要贻笑大方。如他所言:在一个混乱的国家,一个宗教以世界为空虚可能提供逃避尘世悲痛多变之生活的去处。而作者不知道的是信奉基督教的国家是受上帝祝福的,如美国、欧洲、以色列等,而亚洲、非洲等国家多少年来战乱不断、经济萧条,这也是不争的事实。
我个人更喜欢他的文学生活、艺术家生活和生活的艺术,而这几方面也是中国文人学者所喜欢和擅长的,他对政治、政策、权力、妇女生活等可以发出个人的声音,但毕竟是一介文人只是较为理想化,不会很喜欢政治,而不喜欢的话对政治、权力等又能真正懂得多少呢?在这方面胡适当年竞选台湾总统不仅失败而成笑话就是最好的例子。
林语堂在这本书中所写的最好的还是生活的艺术,写的详实、全面、亲切、有趣味而又充满了对生活细腻的感受与真切的热爱。但多看几遍后在字里行间总能感觉到一种酸腐文人的冷嘲热讽,基本态度总是那么消极,如文中说:有了极度的闲暇,中国人还有什么事情未曾干过你?他们会嚼蟹、啜茗、尝醇泉、喂鸽子、焚香、服春药、磕头作揖、生儿子、睡觉……字面表达的直观意思是中国人不务正业,就是玩、拜佛、服春药、生儿子,不读书、迷信、迷恋雕虫小技等等,但他不知道这也是生活的一部分,是很重要的一部分,甚至是生活的本真。文人总以为他们能读书、有文化、有品位、会生活、善于思考,其它人也就是行尸走肉和动物差不多,这是典型的文人思想,过于清高和孤傲,而这也是文人们被其它阶层所轻看和鄙视的原因之一。
鲁迅在文章中有讽刺也有批判,但读起来一针见血,而且还能鼓舞人的士气与斗志,使人从文中感到对人对事的哀其不幸和怒其不争。而在林语堂的文中也有讽刺也有批判,但是总夹杂着怪言怪语,甚至有种幸灾乐祸,很明显的感觉到自我满足与自我欣赏,还有种众人皆醉我独醒的意味。尽管文章流畅、亲切,也娓娓道来,但所站的角度和立场不一样,读来总感觉隔着一层什么。再看文章写作的年代和针对的人群,二十年代至四十年代在中国大地上进行着风气云涌、波澜壮阔的斗争和革命,正在进行着战争、夺权、土改等一系列轰轰烈烈的大事,在这个时候津津乐道的谈论饮食、建筑、绘画、娱乐等等,肯定是不合时宜的,也是进入不了文坛主流和社会主流的,所以遭到批判也就不足为奇了。
摘要：悲天悯人的情怀,入目三分的揭示出中国人的弱点与劣根性并进行了深刻的反省,缺点与不足展示出来警醒国人。现在看来还是有它的现实意义和作用的。但过于清高和孤傲,很明显的感觉到自我满足与自我欣赏
关键词：林语堂,鲁迅,批判,讽刺
参考文献
[1]王亚蓉.《沈从文晚年口述》.西安:[M]陕西师范大学出版社,2004.
[2]张秀枫.《鲁迅杂文精编》.北京:[M]北京工业大学出版社,2006.
篇4：《贪欲的代价》警示片观后感
为了进一步加强对全体党员干部反腐倡廉的宣传教育，实现自我教育，自我提高，做到警钟长鸣，不断筑拒腐防变的思想道德防线。2014年12 月9日，全体党员及行政人员共同参加了“以案为戒，警钟长鸣”朝阳区教育系统警示教育活动。活动中全体参会人员观看了《贪欲的代价》警示片，该片将原孙河乡党委书记因不能抵制权力、金钱、美色的诱惑，而堕入犯罪深渊的违纪违法案例展现出来，剖析了他走上违纪违法道路的思想根源，提醒广大党员干部要认真吸取教训，深刻反思，引以为戒，在思想上牢固树立反腐败意识，树立正确的世界观、人生观和价值观，自觉遵守党的纪律，自觉拒腐防变，筑牢思想防线，清清白白做人，干干净净做事。
我从《贪欲的代价》中看到很多东西，也想到了很多东西。从我国目前的实际情况看，国民经济正在高速发展，党风廉政建设、反腐倡廉是加强党风建设的重中之重。新形势、新任务向我们提出了新的挑战和更高的要求，在这充满机遇与挑战的新时期我们都应该认真自觉地学习、贯彻、落实党风廉政建设的有关政策方针，大力加强反腐倡廉工作，树立良好的行业作风，切实履行好监督职能。
一个人世界观、人生观和价值观的形成与自己对客观事物的思维趋向和对客观事物的反应密切相关。因此，作为一名共产党员的我，要树立正确的世界观、人生观和价值观，必须坚定共产主义信念，始终坚持全心全意为人民服务的根本宗旨。所有这一切就要求我们必须立足岗位、踏实工作、爱岗敬业，把做好本职工作作为我们实现共产主义理想的实际行动，让理想和信念在岗位上闪光。
我们还应该保持良好的学习习惯。学习是每一名党员干部的必修课，也是我们储备知识最好的方式。只有不断加强学习才能提高自身素质和能力，不学习，思想就无法进步，能力就无法提高，活生生的事实还告诉我们，不学习，思想就得不到改造，心就不静，心不静，欲望就容易膨胀，就拒绝不了诱惑，一遇到诱惑就容易乱了方寸，就容易被诱惑的绳索绊倒。作为一名教师党员要持续加强作风建设，深化群众路线教育活动的成果，要强化纪律意识，筑牢拒腐防变的防线，要增强自律意识，干好本职工作。认清形势，以身作则，高度重视反腐倡廉工作；坚定信念，率先垂范，争做群众信赖的合格党员；甘于奉献，勇于开拓，立足本职岗位争先创优。以案为鉴，时刻牢记一个共产党员的标准，强化政治意识、大局意识、奉献意识、服务意识、勤政意识，忠实践行党章赋予的责任和义务，遵守廉洁自律的规章制度，杜绝腐败现象的滋生，永葆共产党员的光荣本色。
篇5：读《贪欲与代价》有感
什么?不信?瞧, 政坛有王弼、何晏、夏侯玄、山阳。我最近所读的竹林七贤, 还有后来的陶渊明、王羲之之流, 当然那是后话了。
他们是一群“另类”的人;他们是时代的叛逆者;他们是中国人文的觉醒;他们第一次喊出了“人要为自己活”;他们和严酷的政治发生了惊心动魄的撞击;他们是魏晋风流的先驱者, 他们在中国历史上划出了一笔绝无仅有的“人”的时代。
打开中国历史, 许多文人都有一个共识“人生无乐, 唯独爱这杯中之物”。那么谁是它虔诚的信徒呢?陶潜?李白?不, 是刘伶。那些嗜酒的骚人墨客, 比刘伶酒量大得多, 但是他们大多是境遇不佳, 满腹牢骚无处宣泄, “借酒浇胸中块垒”不过是一种消愁的手段罢了。刘伶则不同, 酒是他灵魂的主宰;是他人生的目标;是他的最高信仰。“天生刘伶, 以酒为名”完全可以证明他已与酒浑然一体了。他当过官, 也爱好玄学, 但他不愿与他人争论, 也不愿写文章。为什么呢?因为刘伶认为有那时间和心情, 还不如去喝酒, 就连他唯一的留世之作也是为酒而写的, 就是《酒德颂》了。这哪是寻常酒徒能达到的境界啊!也许刘伶就是因为竹林没有规矩, 还有人一起喝酒才来竹林的。那也说不定呢?
说到喝酒, 竹林里总和刘伶一起泡酒缸的还有王戎, 阮籍和阮咸。先说说这中国的葛朗台吧。他, 就是王戎, 七贤中最吝啬, 最奸诈的非他莫属了, 他也是最英勇的, 竹林里只有他一人驰骋过沙场, 不像阮籍做了一辈子的燕然梦。但他从来不为朝廷办一件正直的事, 当竹林之士纷纷落难, 他的官场之旅也不亦乐乎地开始了。随着一路的顺利升迁, 他对钱财的爱好也逐渐超过了一切。望着那半辈子都数不完的家产, 他一定每晚都睡得很香吧!无论天下发生什么, 王戎始终是快乐的。仿佛人生的意义只在眼前, 除此之外再无其他留恋。
阮籍, 虽然他是竹林的支柱之一, 是一代名士, 但我对他只有同情。他胆小、懦弱, 最终还是向权势低下了头, 所以阮籍不过是一只在暗流涌动的政坛上苟且偷生的寄生虫罢了。反抗却不能站起来, 只是默默练着他的“青白眼”。他仿佛一辈子都被别人利用着, 至死还为司马昭写下了《劝进文》。他也喝酒, 喝得也不比刘伶少。如果说刘伶是酒仙, 他则是个十足的酒鬼。妄想从酒中挣脱现实的牢笼, 回到那“昔年十四五, 尚志好读书”的光阴。但那可能吗?可怜之人必有可恨之处, 他好像一个空壳公司, 扛着名士的大旗, 却帮着那些谋权篡位的佞臣为事。总觉得他还不如他侄儿洒脱。
因为刘伶的酒, 竹林一下子热闹了起来;而后因为一个小朋友的到来, 竹林, 不, 是历史出现了一种乐器“阮”, 对, 他就是阮咸。他爱音乐, 在阴错阳差下他真正做到了以乐为名。
说完了几个小朋友, 再说说竹林里的长者吧。山涛, 山巨源, 因为一封名传千古的《与山巨源绝交书》使他倍受后人非议, 他是一个伟大的政治家与玄学家。五千年的历史长河中也只有他将玄学与政治融合得天衣无缝。他, 晋国的开国元老, 官告三公, 正直公正。真不知道竹林怎容得下同为三公, 却仕道相背的山涛与王戎。山涛是牛, 一只任劳任怨的老牛。他只为做好本职工作, 十余次的辞职, 却将官位越辞越高, 也不枉与之绝交的叔夜临死前却将爱子嵇邵托付与他了。
说到叔夜, 他是竹林真正的主人。他仿佛是画中人, 本不该存在于世。从山阳到洛阳, 谁人不知嵇康风流倜傥, 才华横溢。他的死也引起了当时文坛与政坛的一番动荡。广陵绝唱, 他真正升华到了天人。
篇6：读《贪欲与代价》有感
《报任安书》是司马迁写给任安的一封书信。司马迁担任太史令十年, 《史记》尚未完成, 他就遭李陵之祸, 受刑入狱二年零两个月。出狱之后, 被汉武帝任命为中书令。这个官职看起来很容易接近皇帝, 其实是个通常由宦官担任的官职。和所遭受的宫刑一样, 是令人难堪的位置。就在这个时候, 司马迁写了这封书信。
杨恽是汉丞相杨敞的儿子, 他的母亲, 就是司马迁的女儿司马英。他以父荫得补常侍郎, 又因揭发霍氏谋反有功, 封平通侯, 迁中郎将。后被人上书告发诽谤朝廷, 无人臣之礼, 贬为庶人。这封信就写于他从大臣废为庶民之时。祖孙二人在朝在野都是落魄失意, 含垢蒙辱。
司马迁以“口语遭此祸”。当时被判死刑可以出五十万钱免于一死, 或者选择腐刑可以偷生。司马迁因为“家贫, 货赂不足以自赎, 交游莫救, 左右亲近, 不为一言”, 只能选择了腐刑。而受刑后处境艰难:“负下未易居, 下流多谤议, 重为乡党所笑, 以污辱先人”, 所以在书信中表达了他的愤怒:“祸莫惨于欲利, 悲莫痛于伤心, 行莫丑于辱先, 诟莫大于宫刑”, “虽累百世, 垢弥甚耳!”也表达了他悲愤的心情:“肠一日而九回, 居则忽忽若有所亡, 出则不知其所往”, “每念斯耻, 汗未尝不发背沾衣也”。杨恽被太仆戴长乐告发, “横被口语”, “身幽北阙, 妻子满狱”, 幸得“圣主之恩”, “得全首领”。看起来, 他似乎应该闭门思过, 以报不杀之恩, 不料他却“身率妻子, 戮力农桑, 灌园治产”, 生活得十分张扬。在书信中他不仅流露出对当今圣上的大不敬:“君父至尊亲, 送其终也, 有时而既”;更赋诗一首对朝政荒乱进行讽刺:“田彼南山, 芜秽不治。种一顷豆, 落而为箕。”
二人文章中都淋漓尽致地把自己心中的抑郁不平之气尽情宣泄, 不愧为“书愤之作”。
在中国文学史上, 纯粹的抒情散文, 是从私人书信这一体裁中开始形成的, 而司马迁的《报任安书》可以说直接启发了这一传统。这篇文章直抒胸臆, 悲愤满腔, 表现出一个具有高尚人格、独立个性的知识者在强大的专制制度迫害下巨大的内心痛苦, 是汉代散文中难得的抒发情感之作。杨恽的《报孙会宗书》亦颇有其外祖的遗风, 直抒胸臆, 率性为文, 喜怒哀乐, 都在笔间汩汩涌出。刘勰《文心雕龙·书记篇》说:“汉来笔札, 辞气纷纭。观司马迁之《报任安》……杨恽之《酬会宗》……志气槃桓, 各含殊采;并杼轴乎尺素, 抑扬乎寸心。”正是对这两封书信抒情特色的确当评价。
篇7：读《贪欲与代价》有感
Eco-criticism is a form of literary criticism based on an ecological perspective, which investigates the relation between humans and the natural world in literature (Wikipedia, 2011) .When it comes to the definition of eco-criticism, opinions vary among scholars in the academia.However, the oft-quoted version comes from Cheryl Glotfelty, who is a well-known professor of literature and environment in America.Glotfelty defines the term eco-criticism in The Eco-criticism Reader as follows:“eco-criticism is the study of the relationship between literature and the physical environment….takes an earth-centered approach to literary studies. (Glotfelty, 1996) ”Another defi nition is offered by Greg Garrard as“the ability to investigate cultural artifacts from an ecological perspective. (Garrard, 2004) ”Despite the disputes over a unifi ed standard definition, underlying the claims of eco-critics is the belief that human culture is interconnected with the physical world.This interconnectedness between the human and the nonhuman nourishes eco-critical studies.
The fundamental reason behind the emergence of eco-criticism is the deteriorating ecological crisis of the contemporary world.To counter this deepening trend of ecological crisis, swift responses have to be made politically, economically and culturally.Since the inception of this concept, eco-criticism has assumed the“problemsolving”role in redressing the grave ecological disorder and degradation.At the same time, eco-criticism bears an intense color of deconstructionism and seeks to smash into smithereens the dogged ideology of anthropocentrism.Thus the aims that eco-critics pursue are mainly three-fold (Chen&Qin, 2004) .First, by studying the ecological philosophy embodied in literary works, eco-critics seeks to reinterpre how nature is represented or oppressed in the works and to criticize the anthropocentric philosophy.Second, eco-criticism strives for a harmonious atmosphere in which man and nature can stay in compatibleness.Third, eco-criticism also pays attention to the social ecology and spiritual sphere of human beings themselves.As an integral part of the biological chain human beings also face the problem of ecological balance from within, which include both social ecology and spiritua ecology (Wang, 2005) .The progress of human civilization is more often than not achieved at the expense of the ruin of natural ecology, which in turn leads to the alienation among human beings due to survival rivalry under deteriorated natural conditions.Then, the collapse of natural and socia ecologies will inevitably cause spiritual alienation to human beings.Therefore, social ecology and spiritual ecology also belong to the realm of eco-critical studies.Based on the theoretical framework of eco-criticism, this paper attempts to give a reinterpretation of The Scarlet Letter with a view to unveiling the spirit of humanism in the novel.
2 An Eco-critical Interpretation of The Scarlet Letter
2.1 Criticism of Extreme Scientism
In his novel The Scarlet Letter, Hawthorne harshly criticizes extreme scientism.The eco-critical theory maintains that the progress of human civilization is achieved at the cost of the degradation of the ecological environment.The ecological disturbance will in turn result in the disturbance of social ecology.Then, the collapse of natural and social ecologies will inevitably cause spiritual alienation to human beings, that is, the disturbance of the spiritual ecology.Hawthorne pays a great deal of attention to the harm caused by extreme scientism to human beings including those who uphold extreme scientism.As one of the leading characters in the novel, Roger Chillingworth is a typical man of extreme scientism, who believes in the omnipotent power of science.Roger Chillingworth, who immerses himself in academic knowledge, loses the ability to love.Being a man already in decay and misshaped from his birth hour, he marries Hester, a woman with youth and beauty, deluding himself with the idea that“intellectual gifts might veil physical deformity in a young girl’s fantasy” (Hawthorne, 1902:67) .He marries Hester not because he loves her but because he wants to light a household fire in his lonely and chilly heart.When he realizes that his wife has committed adultery with someone whom she refuses to identify, he begins his journey of discovery and revenge.He used to be a scholar, who has dedicated his best years“to feed the hungry dream of knowledge” (Hawthorne, 1902:67) , but he goes to every expedient to fi nd out the man who seduces his wife and whom he would take reprisals against.When he does discover the secret on Mr.Dimmesdale’s bosom, his abnormal psychology is impressively revealed to the fullest by the author:
“With what a ghastly rapture, as it were, too mighty to be expressed only by the eye and features, and therefore bursting forth through the whole ugliness of his figure, and making itself even riotously manifest by the extravagant gestures with which he threw up his arms towards the ceiling, and stamped his foot upon the floor!Had a man seen old Roger Chillingworth, at that moment of his ecstasy, he would have had no need to ask how Satan comports himself, when a precious human soul is lost to heaven, and won into his kingdom.” (Hawthorne, 1902:128)
Then, instead of making reconciliations with his wife Hester, Roger Chillingworth capitalizes on his so-called“knowledge and professional learning”to carry on his vicious revenge on Mr.Dimmesdale while disguising himself as one trust friend of the minister and attaching himself to him as a parishioner.Roger Chillingworth attempts to conquer his enemy resorting to extreme scientism but eventually becomes a martyr of it himself.This shows that the path shown by extreme scientism and anthropocentrism of conquering nature and other beings will lead to nowhere but an impasse.
As a representative of extreme scientism, Roger Chillingworth is obsessed with the concept of the supremacy of science and thought that science as a rational tool could help one achieve whatever one desired.In this way, his more sophisticated and subtler spiritual instincts have been materialized.In other words, those people like Roger Chillingworth have gone too far from their moral senses.The result of such is“old Roger Chillingworth was a striking evidence of man’s faculty of transforming himself into a devil, if he will only, for a reasonable space of time, undertake a devil's offi ce.” (Hawthorne, 1902:158) Through the portrait of Roger Chillingworth, Hawthorne reaffi rms one of the themes of his novel:extreme scientism may lead to the spiritual alienation of human beings.Extreme scientism poses menaces to the entire humanity.
2.2 Condemnation over Human Beings’Unbridled Desires
In his novel, Hawthorne also condemns human beings’unbridled desires which might lead to disasters.Wild human desires will not only hurt natural surroundings but also damage human beings themselves, depriving them of their innocence and pure souls.
To illustrate, we shall examine the uncontrolled desires of two protagonists in the novel:Roger Chillingworth and Mr.Dimmesdale.Roger Chillingworth early characterized himself as“isolated from human interests” (Hawthorne, 1902:69) , and Hawthorne describs him as having chosen“to withdraw his name from the roll of mankind” (Hawthorne, 1902:108) .Chillingworth ignits his flames for revenge at the time he fi rst comes across Hester in his capacity as an onlooker in the scaffold.Chillingworth possesses in abundance the pride and the ambition of the man of science;we see his stark desire for revenge in his arrogant self-confidence during his first meeting with Hester when he tells her:
“I shall seek this man, as I have sought truth in books;as I have sought gold in alchemy.There is a sympathy that will make me conscious of him.I shall see him tremble.I shall feel myself shudder, suddenly and unawares.Sooner or later, he must needs be mine!” (Hawthorne, 1902:69)
Suspecting that the minister is Hester’s fellow sinner, Chillingworth attaches himself to the ailing minister, Mr.Dimmesdale, and eventually moves in with him so that he could provide his patient with“round-the-clock care”.When he proves that Mr.Dimmesdale is an accomplice in the adultery with Hester, he then keeps inventing tortures to add to Mr.Dimmesdale’s self-torment.The desire for revenge remains Chillingworth’s sole spiritual pursuit.However, Chillingworth’s revenge scheme not only ruins Mr.Dimmesdale but also leads to his own ruin in the end.Chilingworth neglects his responsibilities as a husband, a doctor, and a“friend”as he seeks vengeance.The man of science ultimately suffers direly as a consequence of his sin, but he clearly knows the cause of his own destruction.It is Chillingworth’s desire for revenge that consumes his life.Just as the saying goes, “A desire-goer will become his own gravedigger.”
For Mr.Dimmesdale, because of his inability to control his fl esh and blood, he goes against the severe doctrines and social ethics of that time and became an adulterate partner with Hester.He has to undertake all the responsibilities of his reckless corporeal desire.Mr.Dimmesdale is a coward and a masochist who tries to mortify his fl eshes to avoid humiliation being made public but ends in failure.Therefore, death is the right way for his final relief.We can see that it is also Mr.Dimmesdale’s unbridled desire that eventually drives him to doom.
2.3 Ideal for Harmony Between Man and Nature
Besides criticizing human beings’blinded scientism and unbridled desire, Hawthorne also extols the mysterious beauty of Mother Nature and shows his ideal for a harmonious relationship between human beings and nature, calling for returning to the original simplicity of nature.The work The Scarlet Letter is full of“green thinking”, which embodies Hawthorne’s ideology of the relationship between human and nature.Hawthorne maintains that nature is a free place for those who want to seek a peaceful state of mind away from the clamors of the temporal world, an asylum for those who want to shake off the shackles of social, legal and religious codes of conduct.
In social realities, people have to abide by rigorous Puritanical laws and commandments, any violation of which is liable to severe punishments, even death.However, in nature, people can freely give vent to their pent-up emotions of whatever kind, disclosing their“true-self”, listening to their true voices and palpating their true desire, while at the same time neglecting the fetters that society has imposed upon them.Only in nature can people truly heal their traumatized hearts and purify their souls.Therefore, when describing the severe social oppressions imposed by the Puritanical authoritarianism, Hawthorne also synchronously creates a free and restful sphere for his protagonists to search and heal their souls, which, to a certain extent, reflects the author’s humanistic care.The protagonist, little Pearl, seems to be innately incompatible with the human world.Only in the forest can she behave like a jolly and care-free genie.She loves flowers, grasses, brooks…all the landscape endowed by nature.The forest, especially, is Pearl’s Garden of Eden, and she tends to blend perfectly with it as the author depicts:
“Pearl gathered the violets, and anemones, and columbines, and some twigs of the freshest green, which the old trees held down before her eyes.With these she decorates her hair, and her young waist, and became a nymph-child or an infant dryad, or whatever else was in closest sympathy with the antique wood.” (Hawthorne, 1902:194)
Similarly, nature also bestows Hester the privilege to present her true-self.Only in nature can the two spirits, Hester and the minister, intimately connect with each other, feeling“one another’s actual and bodily existence” (Hawthorne1902:178) .Social prejudices, Puritanical severities, status disparities, etc., all become null and void when they firs encounter each other in the forest.To Hester, the immense wilderness is where her happiness dwells on, as evidenced in her suggestion to Mr.Dimmesdale to fl ee Boston, the den of oppression:
“Deeper it goes, and deeper, into the wilderness, less plainly to be seen at every step;until, some few miles hence the yellow leaves will show no vestige of the white man's tread.There thou art free!So brief a journey would bring thee from a world where thou hast been most wretched, to one where thou mayest still be happy!” (Hawthorne, 1902185-186)
Pondering over Hester’s suggestions, the minister eventually makes up his decision to fl ee the Puritan Boston and he feels unprecedented joy and relief:
“Do I feel joy again?”cried he, wondering at himself“Methought the germ of it was dead in me!...” (Hawthorne1902:190)
Both Hester and Mr.Dimmesdale can find a balanced state of mind in nature under the circumstances of the alienation of both social and spiritual ecologies.By depicting the imagery of nature in his work, Hawthorne presents before us a harmonious scene of man and nature staying in peace Nature is no respecter of human beings.In the natural forest there are no government ordinances, no religious doctrines, no temporal pressures...Any species can pursue their own course of evolution in their distinct and natural ways.In nature, no one cares about what one is doing.Little Pearl can skip to the shades of sunshine;Hester can confide her souls to her beloved;Dimmesdale can give vent to his helplessness and sorrow…Only in nature can one feel the blessings of God and experience the pure pleasure of reincarnation.Even the vengeance-seeking fiend, Roger Chillingworth, can engage himself at leisure in gathering roots and herbs to concoct his medicines, thus having his temporary balanced state of mind amid the alienation of his spiritual ecology.What marvelous nature!
3 Conclusion
Though a new approach to literary criticism, ecocriticism is gradually grabbing the attention of literary critics Inspired by a range of ecological movements, eco-criticism explores the ways in which we imagine and portrays the relationship between humans and the environment in all areas of cultural production.In this paper, after combining the purports of eco-criticism with the analysis of the protagonists in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter with a view to unveiling Hawthorne’s humanistic care for his characters, his harsh criticism over extreme scientism, his condemnation over human beings’unbridled desires, and his lofty aspirations for harmony between human and nature, we come to understand that extreme scientism and human beings’unbridled desires will lead to a vicious circle of the alienation of natura ecology, social ecology and spiritual ecology.We human beings should blend with and meditate upon our Mother Nature in order to achieve harmony between human and nature.Similarly, we should care, respect and protect our equal beings with a benevolent heart in order to gain a balanced state of mind in our alienated spiritual ecology.
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