Actually, the revolt of the young people was a logical outcome of conditions in the age: First of all, it must be remembered that the rebellion was not confined to the Unit- ed States, but affected the entire Western world as a result of the aftermath of the first serious war in a century. Second, in the United States it was reluctantly realized by some- subconsciously if not openly -- that our country was no longer isolated in either politics or tradition and that we had reached an international stature that would forever prevent us from retreating behind the artificial walls of a provincial morality or the geographical protection of our two bordering oceans.
The rejection of Victorian gentility was, in any case, inevitable. The booming of American industry, with its gigantic, roaring factories, its corporate impersonality, and its largescale aggressiveness, no longer left any room for the code of polite behavior and well-bred morality fashioned in a quieter and less competitive age. War or no war, as the generations passed, it became increasingly difficult for our young people to accept
standards of behavior that bore no relationship to the bustling business medium in which they were expected to battle for success. The war acted merely as a catalytic agent in this breakdown of the Victorian social structure, and by precipitating our young people into a pattern of mass murder it released their inhibited violent energies which, after the shooting was over, were turned in both Europe and America to the destruction of an obsolescent nineteenth-century society.
二十年代社会生活的各个方面中，被人们评论得最多、渲染得最厉害的，莫过于青年一代的叛逆之行了。只要有只言片语提到那个时期，就会勾起中年人怀旧的回忆和青年人好奇的提问。中年人会回忆起第一次光顾非法酒店时的那种既高兴又不安的违法犯罪的刺激感，回忆起对清教徒式的道德规范的勇猛抨击，回忆起停在乡间小路上的小轿车里颠鸾倒凤的时髦爱情试验方式；青年人则会问起有关那时的一些纵情狂欢的爵士舞会，问起那成天背着酒葫芦、勾引得女人团团转的“美男子”，问起那些“时髦少女”和“闲荡牛仔”的奇装异服和古怪行为等等的情况。“那时的青年果真这样狂放不羁吗?”今天的青年学生们不禁好奇地向他们的师长问起这样的问题。“那时真的有过青年一代的问题吗?”对这类问题的回答必然只能是既“对”又“不对”——说“对，，是因为人的成长过程中一贯就存在着所谓青年一代的问题；说“不对”是因为在当时的社会看来似乎是那么狂野。那么不负责任，那么不讲道德的行为，若是用今天的正确眼光去看的话，却远远没有今天的一些迷恋爵士乐的狂荡青年的堕落行为那么耸人听闻。
实际上，青年一代的叛逆行为是当时的时代条件的必然结果。首先，值得记住的是，这种叛逆行为并不局限于美国，而是作为百年之中第一次惨烈的战争的后遗症影响到整个西方世
界。其次，在美国，有一些人已经很不情愿地认识到——如果不是明明白白地认识到，至少是下意识地认识到——无论在政治方面还是在传统方面，我们的国家已不再是与世隔绝的了；我们所取得的国际地位使我们永远也不能再退缩到狭隘道德规范的人造围墙之后，或是躲在相邻的两大洋的地理保护之中了。
在当时的美国，摒弃维多利亚式的温文尔雅无论如何都已经是无可避免的了。美国工业的飞速发展及其所带来的庞大的、机器轰鸣的工厂的出现，社会化大生产的非人格性，以及争强好胜意识的空前高涨，使得在较为平静而少竞争的年代里所形成的温文尔雅的礼貌行为和谦谦忍让的道德风范完全没有半点栖身之地。不论是否发生战争，随着时代的变化．要我们的年轻一代接受与他们必须在其中拼搏求胜的这个喧嚣的商业化社会格格不入的行为准则已经变得越来越难了。战争只不过起了一种催化剂的作用，加速了维多利亚式社会结构的崩溃。战争把年轻一代一下子推向一种大规模的屠杀战场，从而使他们体内潜藏的压抑已久的狂暴力量得以释放出来，待到战争一结束，这些被释放出来的狂暴力量便在欧洲和美国掉转矛头，去摧毁那日渐衰朽的十九世纪的社会了。
Detailed Study of the Text
P 1: §What is the function of the first para? How do these writers develop this para? The first para is an introductory one, beginning by mentioning the interest in the Twenties by young people today. In addition, these writers discuss the questions that present-day students are asking their parents and teachers: Was there really a Younger Generation problem? Were young people really so wild?
sensationally romanticized: was treated in a passionate, idealized manner to shock thrill and rouse the interest of people
No aspect of life…more commented…than: After WWI, during the 1920s, every aspect of life in the U. S. has been commented upon, but the so-called Revolt of the Younger Generation has been more commented upon than all the other aspect. revolt: an act of protest or rejection
nostalgic: bittersweet longing for things, persons, or situations of the past
middle-aged: middle-aged people lived through the Twenties so they can recall what life was like then
the young: the young people have only heard about all this and were very curious about the lives of young people of another generation
nostalgic, curious: both are transferred epithets. They really modify “the middle-aged” and “the young” respectively
The slightest mention…by the young: At the very mention of this post-war period, middle-aged people begin to think about it longingly and young people become curious and start asking all kinds of questions. thrill: a source or cause of excitement or emotion
deliciously illicit thrill: an improper action but very enjoyable and exciting. A visit to a speakeasy was improper or prohibited because these places sold alcoholic drinks illegally. This explains the “illicit thrill”.
speakeasy: a place for the illegal sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks, as during Prohibition in the United States (the period 1923-33)
denunciation: the act or an instance of denouncing, especially a public condemnation or censure驳斥
Puritan morality: extreme or excessive strictness in matters of morals. Strict Puritans even regarded drinking, gambling and participation if theatrical performances as punishable offences.
amour: a love affair, especially an illicit one
experimentation: the act, process, or practice of experimenting
fashionable experimentations in amour: trying out new ways of lovemaking as everyone was doing at that time
sedan: a closed automobile having two or four doors and a front and rear seat parked sedan: in a sedan car parked on lonely country roads
§What is been talked about in noun phrase “memories of…country road”? And the following noun phrase “questions about…drugstore cowboy”?
The long noun phrases are the nostalgic recollections of the middle-aged, the following noun phrase are some of the questions asked by curious young people. naughty: mildly indecent jazzy: playing jazz music
sheik: a leader of an Arab family or village 酋长; a masterful man to whom women are supposed to be irresistibly attracted; a romantically alluring man moral and stylistic vagaries: odd and eccentric dress and conduct
flapper: in the 1920s, a young woman considered bold and unconventional in action and dress; a young woman, esp. one in the 1920's who showed disdain for conventional dress and behavior
drugstore cowboy: a western movie extra 临时演员who loafs/idle in front of drugstores between pictures
of necessity: because of necessity
The answers…and no: The answer to such questions must because of necessity be both “yes” and “no”.
§Why do they think the answers to such questions must necessarily be both “yes” and “no”?
People cannot give a simply “yes” or “no” answer to such questions
“yes”…Problem: In the process of growing up, during the period when children grow up to become adults, there always exists a Younger Generation Problem. In this sense the answer must be “yes”.
see in perspective: to view or judge things or events in a way that show their true relations to one another
sensational: arousing/intended to arouse strong curiosity, interest, or reaction, esp. by exaggerated or lurid details耸人听闻的 degeneration: moral corruption, depravity
jazzmad: blindly and foolishly fond of jazz music
“no”…jazzmad youth: when we look back now to those days and view things in
their true relations to one another, we see that the social behavior of the young people was not very wild, irresponsible, and immoral. Their behaviour was far from being as sensational as the degeneration of jazzmad youth. Therefore, on this sense, the answer must be “no”.
P 2: logical outcome: necessary or expected result or consequence
§Why do they think the revolt of the youths was an expected result? How many reasons do they list?
Western world: all the countries in the western hemisphere and Europe aftermath: a consequence, esp. of a disaster or misfortune
§Which war are they referring to by “the first serious war in a country”?
The writer, perhaps, is referring to the WWI as the last serious war that took place almost a hundred years ago.
the rebellion was no confined…century: the revolt of the young did not take place only in the U. S., but affected all the countries in the Western world. Their revolt was the result or consequence of WWI—the biggest and most serious war in a hundred years.
Actually…in the age: Actually, the revolt of the young people was a necessary and expected consequence of the conditions that existed in this period of history.
subconscious: occurring without conscious perception, or with only slight perception, on the part of the individual
tradition: stories, beliefs, customs, etc handed down orally from generation to generation
it was reluctantly…or tradition: some people in the U. S. fully understood, though unwillingly, that the U. S. could no longer remain isolated politically or in matters of social customs and practices. If these people did not state their views openly, at least, they understood it subconsciously.
to reach international stature: to develop and grow into a nation respected and esteemed by all other nations in the world
artificial: produced rather than natural; brought about/caused by sociopolitical/other human-generated forces/influences 人为的
provincial: narrow, limited like that of rural provinces. Here the word means narrow like that of a single country—the U. S.
We had reached…bordering oceans: metaphor, comparing “provincial morality” to “artificial walls” We have become a world power so we can no longer on our action just follow the principles of right and wrong as accepted in our own country, nor can we remain isolated geographically protected by the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In other words, the U. S. can no longer pursue a policy of isolationism.
P 3: Victorian: showing the middle-class respectability, prudery, bigotry, etc, generally attributed to Victorian England
gentility: the quality of being genteel; now, esp. excessive or affected refinement and
elegance
The rejection…inevitable: In any case, America could not avoid casting aside its middle-class respectability and affected refinement. boom v.: to grow or develop rapidly; flourish roar v. : to make or produce a loud noise roaring: very active or successful; brisk;
impersonality: the lack or absence of a personal or human character; the quality or state of not involving personal feelings or the emotions
aggressive: implies a bold and energetic pursuit of one’s ends, connoting, in derogatory usage, a ruthless desire to dominate and, in a favorable sense, enterprise, initiative, etc.
code: any set of principles or rules of conduct; a moral code well-bred: of good upbringing; well-mannered and refined
The booming…competitive age: After WWI, America became a highly industrialized country. There were big successful factories operating everywhere. Business became huge corporations devoid of any human feelings and the ruthless desire to dominate was exercised on a large scale. In this new atmosphere, the principles of polite, courteous and considerate behaviour and conduct that were formed in a quieter and less competitive age (before WWI) could no longer exist. medium: environment
to battle for success: metaphor, they had to fight as in a battle in order to become successful
War or no war…for success: With or without a war, as one generation followed another, the young people found it increasingly difficult to accept standards of behaviour that seemed in no way to be related to the noisy, busy world of business, and it was in this bustling business world that they were expected to become successful
catalytic agent: a person or thing acting as the stimulus in bringing about or hastening a result
agent: an active force or substance producing an effect; a chemical agent breakdown n.: the act or process of failing to function/continue
The war acted…social structure: The war only helped to speed up the breakdown of the Victorian social structure. It’s a metaphor, the war being compared to a catalytic agent
precipitate v.: to throw from or as if from a great height; to cause to happen, esp. suddenly/prematurely
by precipitating…violent energies: by throwing our young people suddenly and unexpectedly into a World War, which was a form of mass murder, we released the violent energies which the young people has so far held in check or repressed obsolescent adj.: being in the process of passing out of use or usefulness
which, after the shooting…society: when the war was over, the young people used their newly released violent energies, both in Europe and America, to destroy the 19th century society that was getting old and becoming unacceptable
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