Abstract

Earnest Hemingway, the winner of Nobel Prize in Literature, is an outstanding American novelist in the twentieth century. His writings are noted for profound thoughts and abundant connotations, which are quite popular among readers. As a representative of the Lost Generation, his works are based on his own special experiences, the environment and the age he lives in. One of his early short stories A Clean, Well-Lighted Place is a quintessential novel with nihilism while in The Old Man and the Sea the tough man’s spirit is closely connected with nihilism. The thesis seeks to explore the similarities and differences of the nihilism in the two works from three aspects: the theme of death, relations between characters, and the heroes' acts. Death is the direct source of nihilism, which is reflected in the two works. Interpersonal relationship is a way of manifestation of nihilism and the heroes’ acts show different life attitudes when heroes facing nihilism.

Key words: Hemingway; nihilism; death

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction-1

 1.1 Background of the study-1

  1.2 Objectives and methods of the study-2

  1.3 Structure of the thesis-2

2 Literature Review-3

3 Similarities and Differences of the Nihilism in A Clean, Well-Lighted Place and The Old Man and the Sea-4

  3.1 An brief introduction to nihilism4

  3.2 Similarities and differences of the nihilism in the two works.4 

 3.2.1 Theme of death-4

 3.2.2 Relations between characters-7

 3.2.3 Heroes’ acts-9

4 Conclusion-11

References-13