个性与共振——论惠特曼作品中双重身份建构-individuality and resonance - on the construction of dual identities in whitmans works.docx

Introductiontradition, Whitman finds a way to complete the construction of his personal identity—that is, to construct a great image for America, and make himself a part of this great nation, and through these constructions to obtain acknowledgement of his own personal value. And the double construction totally conform to the psychological principle—introjection, a kind of defense mechanism whereby people incorporate positive qualities of another person into their own ego. The ego takes in “goodness from other sources, and thus be enriched by the whole process”. Introjection consists of three elemental components: 1) the image of an object, 2) the image of the self in interaction with the object, and 3) the affective coloring of both the object-image and the self-image.Under the influence of this psychological mechanism –introjection, through his poet writing, especially Leaves of Grass, Whitman constructs a great image for America—a democratic and free country with absolute equality and fraternity and all of the people in different colors living in harmony. In the meanwhile, this is still a vast country which owns increasingly expanding territory and rapid developing industry and science. With the construction of the great image for America, Walt Whitman, the American Singer mixes himself with this great nation by “Sing for Myself”, “every atom of my blood” is “form’d from this soil”. He is a part of this great nation, and then he completes the construction of his personal identity.As is discussed above, through the analysis of the historical and cultural background of Whitman’s literary creation, and the research into Whitman’s life experience and works, this thesis probes into the ultimate motivation and social-cultural influence through the perspective of psychology. Just under the influence of this psychological mechanism—introjection, Whitman achieves the double construction of the identities for America and his own. This resonance exerts great influence in Am