梅•萨藤《七十岁》日记中老年生活的幸福(2)

菜单

4.1. Positive Factors 12

4.2. Negative Factors 14

5. Conclusion 15

References 16

1. Introduction

May Sarton is the pen name of Eleanore Marie Sarton (May 3, 1912 - July 16, 1995), an American poet, novelist and memoirist. Despite the quality of some of her many novels and poems, Sarton's best and most enduring work probably lies in her journals and memoirs, particularly Plant Dreaming Deep (about her early years at Nelson, ca. 1958-68), Journal of a Solitude (1972-1973, often considered her best), The House by the Sea (1974-1976), Recovering (1978-1979) and At Seventy (1982-1983). She is a prolific author who has been considered by her very loyal readers to be a gifted and sensitive writer of poetry, novels, and journals. Although at first she was overlooked by literary critics, reviewers and feminist academics began to discover Sarton's work in the later part of her career, lauding her as an important contemporary American author.

Critics have found Sarton's poetry, fiction, and autobiographical writings to be inspirational, touching, honest, and thought-provoking. She examines such universally appealing themes as love, friendship, relationships, and the search for self-knowledge, personal fulfillment, and inner peace. In her many books, Sarton also explores many social and political concerns, including issues of feminism and sexuality. Sarton at 72 was “still getting foot-stamping angry at the injustices of her times, still answering letters from readers, still writing complicated things very simply”. (Klaich, 2013: 21)

Nowadays, with the increasing number of the elders, the population aging has been a common problem in many countries. But there are few works of literature exploring the aged in depth, much less with sympathy. Moreover, “the anti-thesis is everywhere: the lecherous old man or woman, the shrew, and the ever-present addle-brained female--the list of stereotypes could go on.” (Springer, 1980:46) “Old age is literally being eliminated. In proportion as the living live longer, as they 'win' over death, they cease to be symbolically acknowledged. Condemned to a forever receding death, this age group loses its status and its prerogatives”.(Baudrillard, 2000: 163)

Literary works and even the whole society should pay more attention to the elders. Sarton is one of the few writers who writes about the elderly in a positive way.

Sarton’s journals emphasize the costs and rewards of a life devoted to art, the strengths and risks of female bonding, the advantages of growing into age. Sarton is increasingly conscious of moving from solitary experience into dialogue with a reader, making her experience available as a lens of empathy. (Mumford ＆Swartzlander, 1992: 163)

Sarton’s journal At Seventy displayed her happiness in old age, including enjoying the pretty and peaceful fresh morning, fond of staying with friends, looking after the flowers and plants, reading poems in excitement, traveling around at ease, etc. Although there were some bad news making her feel in great sorrow, too many activities for her to participate, piles of letters to answer, and many other suffering things troubled her, she always knew how to calm herself down and let herself back to the good mood. She, who lived in solitude at her seventy, led a happy, healthy and fulfilling old life, which was different to the traditional Chinese elders’ life in my mind. When it comes to the elders who live alone in China, I can’t help thinking of the related negative words like “lonely’, “helpless”, “ill” and “boring”, etc. So I hope to analyze Sarton’s happiness in her old life and figure out her ways to achieve happiness.