本篇論文旨在提供讀者一個全新的視野來閱讀莎拉．費爾汀的小說《大衛新波歷險記》以及其續集《大衛新波: 最終卷》，以展現小說中烏托幫夢想的幻滅與理想家庭的衰敗。在本部小說中，除了明白點出的正面人際關系外，讀者常忽略了其它被刻意輕描淡寫的細節；然而，這些角色弱點卻是導致烏托幫美夢破滅的主要原因。其中，包括了大衛等人以女性美德建立的烏托幫中數項致命的盲點，以及領導人大衛在友誼的包裝下真正的意圖，這些原因都導致了這個美麗良善的社群敗亡的命運。

本論文共分為五章。第一章概論綜括了論文中重要的論點，另外也清楚說明題目的內含意義與論文的研究方法。如同論文題目揭示，本篇論文意圖揭開「美德」與「良善」在為人津津樂道的面紗下從未被提出的黑暗面。此類的懷疑論在其它探討大衛新波的論述中，無疑是一股全新的思潮。第二章主旨為探討烏托邦主義，並深論《大衛新波》與其關聯性。在小說中，莎拉．費爾汀不只採用了烏托幫文學的傳統，另外也加進了許多她個人對理想社會的新概念，使得這本小說有別於以往我們所熟知的烏托幫文學。然而，小說中的一些新想法卻為未知的幻滅埋下了伏筆。第三章則是以女性主義的角度重新審視小說中的美麗新世界：雖然大衛及其家人擁有著人人稱羨的美德及快樂，但在這新家庭背後隱藏的卻是個重新粉墨登場的迷你型父權主義社會。在小說中，新的父權主義無法帶出它與外在世界的平衡，也因此引發了家中一連串的死亡與烏托邦社群的淪落。第四章把視角拉到了主角們人際關係的互動。首先，大衛總是先以金錢援助來認識所有的朋友，之後再交心分享私人的經歷；而隨著小說情節的發展，讀者會吃驚地發現，大衛所痴心追求的並不是他對外宣稱的益友，而是另一個理想的家庭。大衛成功地「買」到了許多和他一樣善良的朋友並順利的組成了家庭，但同時，他也令讀者們失望了；在二本小說相繼出版的九年期間，讀者們衷心期待看到的的其實是理想的友誼，而不是大衛的私人願望的遠成。在結論中，說明了以合理的懷疑論來重新解讀本小說的必要性。它不只合理地為莎拉、費爾丁解釋了小說中黑暗負面意象的由來，也再次強調作者在文壇中的成就。

Providing a new perspective on The Adventures of David Simple and its sequel David Simple: Volume the Last, this thesis reveals the utopian disillusion that causes the collapse of the ideal community in Sarah Fielding’s novels. David Simple idealizes human relationships, but at a price of glossing the weakness in David and his family members that stains their ideal utopia. The problematic feminine utopia and the simulated intention of the utopian leader—David Simple—give rise to the ruin of this benevolent community.

The thesis consists of five chapters. The first chapter attempts to interpret the novel by emphasizing what it glosses over rather than by celebrating the admirable virtues in the David family; such a skeptical frame of mind with respect to Sarah Fielding’s David Simple is rarely seen. Chapter Two connects Utopianism further with Sarah Fielding’s novels. Sarah Fielding adopts not only the traditions of the utopian genre but also innovates it in David Simple. Some features of it, however, develop utopian disillusions that can hardly be overcome. In the third chapter, we switch our focus to the feminine perspective, reading the novels as a feminine utopia. The ambiguities within their feminine utopia within the utopian community bring on its final failure. Chapter Four investigates the human relationships of the David family, exhibiting the unspoken intentions of the protagonist—David Simple. Both in The Adventures of David Simple and in Volume the Last, money is an essential instrument for plot movement; David wisely uses money to exchange it for friendship and a new-styled family. We are stunned to find that, what David searches for, however, is not true friendship. He attempts to reconstruct an ideal family by collecting friends. At the end of the novels, David successfully purchases a new family, but he disappoints the expectant readers who shared his adventure for more than nine years in searching for and believing in true friendship. The conclusion of this thesis indicates the need of a suspicious attitude in reading David Simple. Such an attitude does justice to the growing darkness in Fielding’s own vision, and deepens her achievement as a writer.

Abstract
Chapter One: Introduction 1
Chapter Two: The Adventures of David Simple and the Concept of Utopia 9
Chapter Three: Feminine Utopia and the Coming Disillusion 33
Chapter Four: The Psychology of Friendship and Family 62
Chapter Five: Conclusion 86
Works Cited 91

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