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i 的冲击, 梅尔文伯吉斯 takes on several key social and philosophical issues: political corruption, 药物滥用/使用, social class and power disparities, and measuring life’s value. When the world begins to spin out of control and all hope seems lost, we look for an escape. For seventeen-year-old Adam, who can only see hard work ahead and never earning enough to do what he wants, that escape is the drug called Death. Death started out as a euthanasia drug, one that would give the terminally ill a week of bliss. 但 when the young began to look at it as “the biggest high”—a way to improve mentally, 身体上的, and sexually—suicide escalates. 有实力, 健身, 信仰, 遗愿清单, and minimal consequences to pay, Death seems like an alternative to pain.
Until his dad had an accident, Adam used to be one of the rich kids going to a rich school wi a rich lunch in his bag, and a rich education at the other end. 但 unable to afford to send two children to university, Adam’s older brother Jess, who is the better bet educationally, gets his parents’ support.
Early on in the book, wi the mention of rat masks, the Zealots as a revolutionary force, 还有他们的标志 “an angry rat wi a pot of paint” (38), I guessed that this was a 班克斯 故事的启发. 班克斯 is a pseudonymous England-based graffiti artist, political activist, 电影导演, 和画家. Known for his contempt for the government, for being controversial, and for his philosophy “freedom and food for all” (16), 班克斯 inspires admiration and provokes outrage in equal measure. 班克斯 made his name wi his trademark stencil-style ‘guerrilla’ art in public spaces. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine irreverent dark humor. Such artistic works of political and social commentary have been featured on streets, 墙, and bridges of cities throughout the world.
When Jess is reported dead, the little hope and optimism that Adam knows turns to despair. The brother he thought he looked down on, Adam realizes he in fact admired above all others. Now, the future leers at Adam “like a rotting skull—stinking, filthy, and full of fear” (73). Pumped up on Death, Adam believes himself to be “witty, attractive, full of ideas and 笑话. . . . 他的问题 . . . all [disappear] into a sparkling fountain of happiness and well-being” (56). 与 heightened senses, Adam experiences life like he never has before. He has a sense of power and feels capable of anything. After taking Death, he gets his life back in spades! 与 Lizzie’s help, he creates 遗愿清单 and begins to complete it. 但, early on he realizes that life oscillates between being a total adrenaline rush and utter boredom. 与 his life ticking away, he also takes stock of what is important to him: trees, 巧克力, 新鲜的空气, 汽车, 苹果, 梨, 音乐, 笑话, falling in love, “the whole damn adventure” (278) his mum described. Like Jess, Adam also realizes the importance of standing up for what he believes in. He decides to fight against the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer, and the youth killing themselves for a good time.
Set in Manchester,England, this isn’t just a philosophical tale; this is a culture jammer’s tale about revolution and social change. And it is not wiout its villains. The key villains are Florence Ballantine, his psychotic son Christian, and a body guard named Vince. All three use their money and their power to bully others—and their brand of bullying is gruesome and violent.
与 的冲击, Burgess wakes his readers up, making them think:
- Would I take Death?
- What would be on my bucket list?
- What do I value in life?
- How bad does life/society have to get before I act?
- Do I fight against the forces of evil?
- Is love enough to call life fulfilling?
- Posted by 唐娜