David Morrell, a former professor of American literature at Iowa State University in the United States, wrote a new work "Extreme Denial" in 1996. The title of the translated version should be said to be less accurate than the original name, because "extreme" in the original English text means "extreme". , "resolute", and "denial" means "refusing to believe", "refusing to accept", "refusing to give" and has the meaning of "restraining oneself".However, judging from the content of the novel, this title is appropriate.It is very dynamic and captures the central content of the work and the theme that the author wants to show, that is: comprehend life and reshape oneself.

Heroes with great skills, beauties, and the struggle and struggle against power and the underworld seem to be the indispensable characters and plots of any popular novel.However, it is no easy task to arrange the plot reasonably so that it can deeply attract the readers, make the characters described be true and believable, and move the readers.There are frequent suspense throughout the book, which sometimes makes people worry about the protagonist's situation, and sometimes is surprised by the sudden emergence of the plot.No matter in terms of ideology or artistic technique, it can be regarded as a masterpiece among similar works.This article intends to talk about the uniqueness of the theme and artistic techniques based on the three focus points of life, love and self in the works.

Excellent foreign popular novels are generally good at finding hidden social crises, human nature crises and sharp conflicts from the prosperous western civilization and luxurious material life, lashing out at corrupt power systems, and exploring serious life ideals.It also shows this deep thinking.And the uniqueness lies in that it highlights the conflict between the protagonist's inner and outer contradictions, and shows the protagonist's passivity and compulsion to get involved in world disputes.The protagonist's perception of life and deep reflection on life in this world are reflected in the process of the characters' love interpretation and self-reshaping.

The first chapter of the novel is an introduction, explaining the causes and consequences of the failure of the CIA’s secret activities in Rome, Italy: due to Brian’s great success and incompetence, more than 20 American tourists were killed by terrorists, and in the end Decker Forced to take full responsibility, he resigned angrily.Resigning is not an impulsive move.From the beginning of the work, there is a foreshadowing for this.When Decker first arrived in Rome, he had already had a deep introspection about his current life. "He travels around all the year round, but no matter where he goes, he always feels that he is an outsider." "The only thing left in his life is work." This kind of lost self-existing state is a theme that is constantly being performed in modern and contemporary Western literature and art.The Rome incident was only a trigger, but it became a turning point in Decker's life: tired of his ten-year career as an intelligence agent ("doing this line of work is costing his life") The deep introspection of life made him long to get rid of the past and find a new life.

This kind of reflection and attention to life, on the surface, involves the issue of "how to live", but it may not be too much to call it Hamlet's "To be or not to be" (to be or not to be) contemporary thinking , because what it actually explores is the meaning of life.However, starting over is not easy.This difficulty comes from two pressures: internal and external.The so-called internal pressure is the long-standing habit of the protagonist that is difficult to change easily.The dull life of the past two decades was so deeply imprinted that he was at a loss and "felt unsure".However, instead of returning to his previous apartment after resigning, Decker chose a place that was new to him: Santa Fe.This choice is highly symbolic, it shows Decker's determination to work hard to get rid of the past.in more than a year.Decker finally calmed down his restless mood, found his own position, and became a successful real estate agent.

The author does not spend too much ink on the transformation of the protagonist's heart, but focuses more on the extrusion and confrontation from the outside that the protagonist suffers.When Decker just started a peaceful life, especially when he found his sweetheart Beth, the external harassment came at the same time.When he went to the opera with Bess, Brian's flash immediately brought Decker back to the memories of his past life and destroyed his mood; when Decker and Bess just started to know each other, a scene The sudden "night attack" shattered his dream of "about to have everything (love, family, children)"; what followed was that the residence was bombed, Beth was picked up mysteriously, and events followed one after another. One, made his peaceful life suddenly turbulent.He had to accept this harsh reality: struggle.

It is worth noting that this struggle is not voluntary.Our common heroes often stand up at critical moments. They often make extraordinary shots and are invincible.Decker was completely passive in this contest.When he had to face the reality, he painfully realized that he was in a dilemma: although he was tired of the outside world's interference and harm to his life, he couldn't sit still.In desperation, he had no choice but to "return to the original state", and "had no other choice" other than that.On the other hand, this forced choice also comes from inner doubts: whether Beth has used herself, whether she has loved herself, and so on.So the struggle also becomes at the same time bound up with his love, with his beliefs, with his whole life.At this moment, action becomes the whole of life.Decker, who found the value of his own existence in the almost idyllic quiet life and short-lived love, had to fight again.This is not only for love, for self-esteem, for faith, but also for the meaning of life.

Perhaps the tragedy of human beings lies in their inability to control their own destiny.It fully describes the embarrassment and helplessness of people when they compete with the outside world. People have many ways to perceive and experience life, and love is undoubtedly an important link.Using an almost "polyphonic" artistic approach, it shows the "three" love clues, overt or implicit: Decker and Beth; Brian and Renata; Esperanza and his non-appearing wife.The author praises the love between Decker and Beth in a romantic style.Decker's love for Beth is sincere and moving: Whether it was the "night attack", the residence being bombed, or various confusing events later, the first thing Decker thought of was: don't hurt Beth.The whole meaning of his battles and fights is for Beth.The sincere love they pursue together is undoubtedly the most touching to readers.

Brian and Renata are another pair of characters described by the author, and they are in sharp contrast to Decker and Beth.Today, when people can look at and evaluate the world with a normal heart, probably no one will doubt the same emotion that exists between them, especially for Brian.From the moment he appeared, Brian was betrayed by his "loved person" Renata, ruining all his plans in Rome.How angry he had been, how madly he had pursued the woman and her accomplice who had deceived him.However, as events unfold, he reunites with Renata because Renata convinces him that she loves him.From a certain point of view, Brian's "credulity" has its cute side, however, as far as his love with Renata is concerned, there is too much utilitarianism and mutual exploitation (and this is what Decker said. Strongly opposed and intolerable), these are entangled with perverted revenge psychology and crazy pursuit, which makes people see the ugly side of their life and self.Their emotional clues reflect Decker and Beth's serious, serious and sincere attitude towards love from one side.

Esperanza's married life was certainly sympathetic.The author tells the whole story in a few pens: he is unwilling to give up his identity as a police officer, and his wife complains that he is "married to work"-apparently only work is in his life.This kind of life attitude and way of life prevented him from having a complete family, and eventually his wife ran away from home.Compared with Decker, we are surprised to find that this is not the epitome of Decker's life in the past?Here, the author seems to want to tell people: life without love is obviously flawed; while "love" full of utilitarianism and deceit can only lead to destruction; In order to deeply understand the true meaning of life.

Reinventing oneself is another focus of the author's description.The novel does not describe the colorful urban life too much, breaks through the old frame that Western popular novels often describe, and casts its perspective on Santa Fe, which seems to be far away from the hustle and bustle.It is precisely because of dissatisfaction with the world that Decker came to this small town full of natural customs.He longs to return to nature, to be an ordinary person, to start a new life, and to find himself again.In order to enhance the artistic effect of the work, the author adopts a technique close to the stream of consciousness, skillfully combining the protagonist's psychological portrayal and free association, which makes Decker's image fresh and realistic.Beth is also looking for a new life, and her dream is to completely abandon the past, get rid of the black shadow in her heart, and open up a new future.McKittrick is a villain that the author strives to portray. He is backed by his father who occupies a prominent position, and he also hopes to do something big.However, those who are eager for quick success often encounter a slight obstacle, they will be desperate, and even turn into madness.But the author did not vilify him. In a sense, this ridiculous McKittrick is also trying to break free from the past in order to prove his ability.His strong desire to win, his unwillingness to fail in his struggle and pursuit may prove this point.However, the enlightenment of this character image is: for those who go astray and go crazy, the more persistent they are, the more terrible and hateful they are.In the author's writing, Decker's integrity, bravery and decisiveness, McKittrick's brutality, violence and cunning, and Esparanza's kindness, loyalty and dedication are all performed appropriately, and the characters are vivid on paper. Also worth mentioning is the civilian image of the protagonist in the novel.Images of "non-heroes" and "anti-heroes" have appeared in serious literature, popular literature, and even film and television art in the West after World War II.They are no longer the idols in people's minds who are divorced from the worldly life in previous works.However, we can still see their otherworldliness from them.In recent years, this "anti-hero" image has tended to become more "civilian".They are no longer seemingly mediocre but actually extraordinary characters, but have the emotions and lives that ordinary people should have, and also cherish and pursue beautiful ideals of the world.That was the case with Decker.He refuses to admit that he is a hero.When Beth said that he is the hero in his mind, he replied: "Heroes are fools. Heroes always kill themselves." In fact, we have also seen that he not only persistently pursues love, At the same time, he will be jealous and angry like ordinary people (to break up with Beth).It is these complex and unspeakable emotions that show his loveliness and make the characters more believable. It shows people's earnest feelings for realizing life and moving towards freedom and peace.Perhaps, in the embrace of nature, the selfless and fearless pursuit can give people eternal stability. This is not the beauty of nothingness and disillusionment, but the fulfillment of the strong beyond reality.