美国人的性格特点及成因

本科生毕业论文（申请学士学位）

论文题目美国人的性格特点及其成因作者姓名陶雨晴

所学专业名称英语师范

指导教师金艳

2014年12月10日

I

美国人的性格特点及其成因分析

陶雨晴

滁州学院外国语学院

二〇一四年十二月十日

Analysis of the American Characters and Forming

Reasons

By

Tao Yuqing

Under the supervision of

Associate Professor Jin Yan

A Thesis

Submitted to the School of Foreign Languages In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement

For the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in English

At Chuzhou University

December 10, 2014

Acknowledgements

I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to all these who helped me in one way or another in the completion of this thesis.

First of all, I owe great indebtedness to my supervisor, Associate Professor J i n Ya n whose strict demands and insightful suggestions are indispensable through all the stages of development and revision of the thesis. He has made lots of corrections and suggestions while reading my drafts of the thesis. Without his patience and wisdom the present thesis would be unthinkable.

Special thanks should also be extended to all of the teachers who taught me during my four years of study in Chuzhou University, in particular, associate professors Jin Yan for their enlightening instructions.

At last, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to my family and dear friends. With their consistent support and encouragement, I would be able to carry on my study and complete this thesis.

Abstract

When it comes to the American culture, more issues are talked about American geography, politics, and economy , instead of its people. As a matter of fact, American people is also a significant part of its national culture. This paper mainly talks about characters of American people and many forming reasons. Different nationalities have different characters due to variously cultural backgrounds, such as, Chinese modesty, French romance, German strictness and so on. Certainly American people has its own unique characters:openness, directness, independence, self-reliance, hard work, etc. Although American people are amiable, they resist the fate. However, All these characters are not haphazard, they are formed from a variety of factors, including history, geography, culture, religion, and eating habits.

Key words: American people; American characters; forming reasons.

I

摘要

提到美国文化，人们谈论更多的是美国的地理，政治，经济，而非她的人民。事实上，美国的人民也是其文化的重要组成部分，本文就将讨论美国人的性格特点及其诸多形成的原因。不同的民族有着不同的性格特征。人们常常谈及中国人的含蓄，法国人的浪漫，德国人的严谨等等。当然，美国人也拥有其鲜明的性格特征。美国人奔放，随和，坦率和独立进取，自立，自动，抗拒命运。所有的这些特点不是偶然的，是受其历史，地理，文化，宗教及饮食习惯等各种因素共同形成的结果。

关键词：美国人；美国人的性格特点；形成原因。

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements………………………………………………....…I Abstract................................................................................................II 摘要…………………………………………….…….…………………III Table of contents…………………………………………...…………IV

1. Introduction (1)

2.Ameri can characters (1)

2.1 Openness (1)

2.2 Informality (2)

2.3 Success as a goal (2)

2.4 Independence and self-reliance (2)

2.5 Spirit of resisting the fate (2)

3. Reasons for forming American characters (3)

3.1 Historical factor (3)

3.2 Geographical factor. (3)

3.3 Climatic factor (4)

3.4 Cultural factor (5)

3.5 Religious factor (6)

4. Conclusion (7)

5.Bibliography (8)

Analysis of the American Characters and

Forming Reasons

1.Introduction

Every nation has its own unique personality. People often talk about Chinese modesty, French romance, and German strictness etc. The American character equally has its own distinctive features. Americans are generally cheerful, sociable, and they have informal etiquette. The first meeting is not necessary to shake hands. Sometimes, they just smile, and say”Hi”or “Hello”,which they considered is polite. Americans generally shake hands with women gently. In farewell, they just wave to you and say “Goodbye”or “See you tomorrow”. But if others bow to them, they also use the appropriate etiquette to express their respect, such as shaking hands, nodding,hugging and so on. When you first make a American friend, he may talk with you all the time. When you walk in the street, glancing to strangers with no intention, he may smile or nod to you, or say “Hello”. If your car breaks down on the road, enthusiastic American people will help you to repair. If you get lost in the street, they will be eager to help you.

Americans do not like to be subordinated to others when dealing with each other. They either do not like those who are too polite to compliment themselves. Therefore, Americans make friends and hope to give people a good impression, but often lack the kind of heart-familiar. Besides, they are independent and enterprising. They do not like to depend on their parents and others. On the street, every morning you will see a boy delivering morning newspapers door to door regardless of the wind and rain. They will get their return by their effort. To most American students, they earn their tuition by doing park-time job and struggling for scholarships. They have to leave their parents to live on their own when they are in adulthood.

Everything in the world has its origin. There is no exception. Certainly culture also has it history, let alone the American characters. American characters are not haphazard, and they have their origin. They are formed from a variety of factors, including history, geography, culture, religion, and eating habits.

2.American characters

2.1 openness

Americans are open and outgoing. They are easier to approach. American people like to talk with each other both acquaintances and strangers. However, they dislike keeping silence, and they are not good at hiding their opinions. When you see a few Americans who are talking actively in the street, actually maybe they just know each other one hour ago. People who have ever contact with Americans will have the same feeling that Americans in the western people are the most outgoing , and the most amiable. Certainly it is also the American loveliness.

2.2 informality

Americans are well-known for their informality in the world. We can find this character from their dress and their way of greeting when they meet. Americans dress very casually. In their eyes, comfort is the most important and they consider it unnecessary to do those flashy and superficial items. In the office building, you will find those white-collar workers without a coat and a tie work in their offices. In addition, in university campus,you will see American professors who often wear jeans and Nike shoes in their classes. Their dress is very normal in American campus. Last but not least, in the name, whether subordinates see their bosses, or students meet their teachers, Americans generally just need to smile, or say “Hi” and “Hello”. It is not necessary to add to any titles.

2.3 Success as a goal

In the eyes of Americans, what is the most important is not the family background of one person, but his own talent and ability. Even a child, he also wants to perform very prominently in the school to win his parents favor. They also seem to understand that love of their parents is not their birthright, but their spoils through their efforts. That Americans place a very high valuation upon success is agreed on by almost every Americans. Success for them does not necessarily mean material rewards, but recognition of some sort which is preferably measurable. If the boy turns out to be a preacher instead of a business man. That is all right. But if the bigger his church and congregation are, the more successful he will be.

2.4 Independence and self-reliance

Americans do not like rely on others, equally they either dislike others relying on themselves. Every morning you will see a eleven-year-old boy who will deliver morning newspapers door to door, and some girls at the same age will go to the neighbors to help looking after little children. Their parents consider that independence for their children from childhood will have great benefits on their future social life. Besides, Americans are particular about “DO IT YOUSELF”. In America, they generally do their own cooking, their own washing, their own marketing and other tasks whoever they may be a doctor, professor, lawyer, businessman and so on. They have a certain of social status, but they do not think that doing chores will reduce their decent identity. They have enough economic power to employ a housekeeper, but they do not think that they need to do this.

2.5 Spirit of resisting the fate

Americans do not believe the power of the fate. They think those who believe the fate are backward, naive and barbaric. The fatalism is the representative of superstition, laziness and unwillingness of taking active action. Americans are very active. There is an article called “American on the move”, which talks about American history, actually American history of immigration. In America, 40 million families will move every year, and average one family in five families will move once

every three years. This frequent immigration in a certain reflect that they are not used to live ordinary daily life, and they are eager to find a new place, looking for new job opportunities, and gain a new character.

3. Reasons for forming American characters

3.1 Historical factor

The development and change of everything are the product of a certain historical period. The forming of American character has a profoundly social and historical origin. Americans do not experience the feudal society. Before the invasion, America is a primitive society ruled by Indians. They do not experience the feudal society which is characterized by autocratic rule. Therefore, Americans are not influenced and controlled by feudal thought. As a consequence, American characters are open and free. The people of North America have traditional character of freedom. Indians are the master of America. They are free and independent all the time. They consider that the world is the common home of all things, and all animals and plants in the world like human beings equally share the same and equal right. They are polite and generous with strangers, and they want to get along with strangers like friends. Besides, the colonists invading the North America are mainly English, and most of them are puritans. They came to North America to get rid of feudal rule and pursue speech and life freedom.

There is a long historical origin. The early immigrants came to the savage lands of North America from their homeland. The harsh environment require them to be independent and self-reliance and firm. Only in this way, can they survive in the lands.

A significant western movement in American history, require them to be more firm faith, and they must believe their fate, which is controlled in their own hands. As long as they believe human can defeat the God, they can defeat nature,conquer nature, change nature, and improve their life condition. Therefore, Americans form this kind of character that they do not believe the fate and the fate is mastered in their own hands.

3.2 Geographic factor

The development of everything in the world is not only the product of history, but it also has an essential relationship with natural geographic environment. To a certain extent, American characters are also the product of special American geographic environment. There are irregular coast lines, endless mountains, vast plains, wavy hills, desolate deserts , flat plateaus and low-lying swamps and basins in American large land. Various landscapes are distributed.

Humans are a kind of animal with a strong adaptability. When they have settled in a place, they begin to adapt to and change this kind of natural environment. In the process of adaptation, people in different terrains will form their own unique social production and character traits. The region with influence of blue ocean civilization is based on the sea, therefore, their character is free and open. There are close to 23 thousand kilometers coastlines in America between the hug of two oceans. The big

trait of the ocean civilization is openness and instability. People inside ocean want to get the nourishment of ocean. They want to catch abundant fishes and frequently overseas trade. They dare to think deeply, take adventures, broaden their horizons, as a consequence, American characters are open and free, with the spirits of aggressiveness. Plain encourages people to pursue the knowledge, exploit new thoughts. Therefore, those people who live in the plain of the east of Appalachian and the Middle plain are good at business and trade because of predominantly natural condition. Hence , they are cheerful ,open, broad-minded, and generous. In a word, complicated American natural landscape produces a variety of characters.

3.3 climatic factor

There are complicated and diversified climates and a big difference between them because of vast population and complicated landscapes. Climatic diversity leads to different character traits in those living different regions. In the Spirit of the Laws, Montesquieu wrote: “in cold countries, people are less happy; in warmer countries, people are more happy than in cold countries; however, in hot countries, people are very sensitive to happiness.”There are more outdoors activities in tropic areas. therefore, they are hot-tempered. However, people living in cold areas have more indoors activities, hence they are strong and tolerant, with the spirit of aggressiveness. In Politics, Aristotle said:”people in cold European countries are brave and have more freedom than other countries.” On the contrast, those people who live in warm and wet areas are easy and comfortable, but they are smart and free. Thereby, various climates have a certain influence on different American characters, which leads to the diversity in American character.

3.4 Cultural factor

Population and nation. America is a country of immigration, therefore, those immigrants who come from all over the world bring their own history, culture, lifestyle, religion, as well as value into America, which forms American diversification. Certainly, the process of collision and exchange between different cultures is also the process of free speech and individuality. Therefore, people in north America have a profound understanding in individual’s life, freedom, and interest.

Culture. As we all know, there is not a period of feudal society in the process of American history. Nobility, poor men, rank, crown, which are popular among European continent, are no practical meaning in America.They do not pay mare attention to family, status, and identity. However, what they attach importance to is their own realistic achievements. This kind of concept which began in early American original period to a certain degree has become the precipitate of American cultural tradition. Everyone cherishes their own equal right, therefore,when they get along with each other, it is not necessary to be critical about all kinds of red-tapes. For this reason, it has formed this kind of American character without ceremony. Informality is to make people in the process of communication more relaxed and comfortable, so that it is quick to shorten the distance between them. This may be one of reason for American character of openness.

Diet. American behavior psychologists have prove that personality has a close relationship with taste through a large number of facts. It shows that those people who like to eat fried foods usually like to take adventures and want to do a big business. But when they are confronted with obstacles, it is easier for them to be disheartened. For Americans, their food is mainly fried food, such as hamburgers, hot dogs etc. Therefore, they prefer to new things, stimulative things, but they do not like relying on others, equally they do not like others rely on them. Besides, they quietly attach importance to the value of success.

3.5 Religious factor

The faith of puritans has a huge influence on American culture.”God helps those who help themselves.”this is the voice of American faith. Indeed, in the track of American lifestyle, the spirit of endeavoring and struggling scatters into everywhere. There are full of competitions in American society. They believe that one person who struggles to making a living, will be well-being in the future because it is the gift from God. American confidence is the motivation of success in their competition. Today they are not afraid of terrible conditions and obstacles, as they are in the past. What is more, Americans are hard working all the time to keep up the number one in the world.

4.Conclusion

Watching Americans in action, foreigners sometimes see behavior that seems to be rude, misguided, or just plain silly. Among them are the following other traits, which are characteristic, but certainly not exclusive Americans. Hurry. Almost every American wears a watch, and in nearly every room in American home, there is a clock.”Be on time.”“Do not waste time.”“Time is money.”“Time waits for no one.” . All these familiar sayings reflect the American obsession with promptness and efficiency. Students displease their teachers, and employees displease their boss when they are late. This desire to get the every minute often makes Americans impatient when they have to wait. The pressure to make every moment count , sometimes makes it difficult for Americans to relax. The desire to save time and do work more quickly and easily leads Americans to buy many kinds of machines. These range from office, such as calculators, photocopy machines, and computers to dozens of home and personal appliances, such as microwave ovens.

The importance of money. After visiting America in the 1830s, the French historian Alexis de Tocqueville wrote, “I know of no country...where the love money has taken strangers hold..”Americans are often accused of being materialistic, of valuing wealth and possessions all above else. Money is valued as a symbol of success and also for a more obvious reason--its purchasing power. Many items that did not exist 50 years are now considered necessities in the American home. In addition, purchases are made in order to keep up with times,to show friends that one can afford a bigger house or a fancier car. Also, advertising encourages people to keep buying things far beyond what they need. In the mid-nineteenth century, the American author Henry David Thoreau advised his countrymen,”simplify your needs!” however,

Americans have moved in the opposite direction. Now, just as Thoreau predicted, many find that their possessions own them. They must work hard to earn enough money to buy and maintain many possessions they consider necessities.

The need of winning. The extremely competitive nature of Americans is often criticized,.of course, competition is not always bad. As a matter of fact, it promotes excellence by encouraging individuals(and business) to try to do their best. But the desire to get ahead of others sometimes causes people to do things that are unkind and even dishonest. In spite of these traits, many foreigners may view as faults, Americans usually considered very likable. Most friends are friendly, kind, and warmhearted, and eager to help visitors and immigrants. In this nation of immigrants, foreigners do not remain an outsider for long.

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