「浮華與浪蕩」：《國家習俗》中的名流文化

歷來學者討論沃頓（Edith Wharton）的《國家習俗》（The Custom of the Country），多把小說中的社會階級關係看做世家與新富之間的消長，認為作家諷刺新富攀附上流社會的社交野心，並批判新富帶來的新興文化反映了當代美國企業文化的現實庸俗。本篇論文跳脫世家優於新富的階層觀念，以兩個社群的競合關係看待女主角在書中的四段感情，且將女主角最後擁抱的階級文化歸類為名流文化。以時尚、名流的角度理解女主角，可以更精確的解釋她對物質享樂與公眾目光的追求，也將她從傳統文化的破壞者，重新定位為時代潮流的先驅。

關鍵字

沃頓；《國家習俗》；社會階級；世家；新富；名流

並列摘要

The class relations in The Custom of the Country are usually seen as a struggle between Old Money and New, while Edith Wharton is believed to satirize the social ambition of the parvenu, whose vulgar, mercenary culture eclipses the moral ideals of the Brahmins. This paper questions the hierarchy between the two classes and regards them instead as equals striving for social prominence. The final victory, as chronicled through the four romantic relationships of the female protagonist, belongs to the soon-to-arise celebrity culture, however. By appreciating Undine's pursuits in terms of fashion and celebrity, we gain a better understanding of her attraction to luxury, amusement and public attention. She is also elevated from a destroyer of an established culture to the pioneer of a cultural development.