Introduction：“Death in the Woods”chronicles the deceptively simple story of the life and death of a poor and downtrodden farm woman。The narrator，an adolescent boy at the time of these events，observes her dead body—a formative moment in his development as a man and an artist。He puts together the pieces of herstory，which takes on mystery and mythic meaning as he reflects back on it years later。
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1 She was an old woman and lived on a farm near the town in which I lived。All country and small-town people have seen such old women，but no one knows much about them。Such an old woman comes into town driving an old worn-out horse or shecomes afoot carrying a basket。She may own a few hens and have eggs to sell。She brings them in a basket and takes them to a grocer。There she trades them in。She gets some salt pork and some beans。Then she gets a pound or two of sugar and some flour。
评注：作者虽然被认为是美国现代主义文学的先驱，但他的题材依然是旧式的。这个故事的发生地很可能是在美国中西部俄亥俄的一个小城，也就是安德森生活的地方。
2 Afterwards she goes to the butcher’s and asks for some dog-meat。She may spendten or fifteen cents，but when she does she asks for something。Formerly the butchers gave liver to anyone who wanted to carry it away。In our family we were always having it。Once one of my brothers got a whole cow’s liver at the slaughterhouse near the fairgrounds in our town。We had it until we were sick of it。It never cost a cent。I have hated the thought of it ever since。
3 The old farm woman got some liver and a soup-bone。She never visited with anyone，and as soon as she got what she wanted she lit out for home。It made quite aload for such an old body。No one gave her a lift。People drive right down a road and never notice an old woman like that。
4 There was such an old woman who used to come into town past our house one summer and fall when I was a young boy and was sick with what was called inflammatory rheumatism。She went home later carrying a heavy packon her back。Two or three large gaunt-looking dogs followed at her heels。
5 The old woman was nothing special。She was one of the nameless ones that hardly anyone knows，but she got into my thoughts。I have just suddenly now，after all these years，remembered her and what happened。It is a story。Her name was Grimes，and she lived with her husband and son in a small unpainted house on the bank of a small creek four miles from town。
评注：故事中的“我”即是叙事者，同时也是参与者。安德森此处故意暴露了“我”在讲述或创造这个老妇人的故事时的元小说性。
6 The husband and son were a tough lot。Although the son was but twenty-one，hehad already served a term in jail。It was whispered about that the woman’s husband stole horses and ran them off to some other county。Now and then，when a horse turned up missing，the man had also disappeared。No one ever caught him。Once，when I was loafing at Tom Whitehead’s livery barn，the man came there and saton the bench in front。Two or three other men were there，but no one spoke to him。He sat for a few minutes and then got up and went away。When he was leaving he turned around and stared at the men。There was a look of defiance in his eyes。“Well，I have tried to be friendly。You don’t want to talk to me。It has been so wherever I have gone in this town。If，some day，one of your fine horses turns up missing，well，then what？”He did not say anything actually。“I’d like to bust one of you on the jaw，”was about what his eyes said。I remember how the look inhis eyes made me shiver。
7 The old man belonged to a family that had had money once。His namewas Jake Grimes。It all comes back clearly now。His father，John Grimes，had owned a sawmill when the country was new，and had made money。Then he got to drinking and running after women。When he died there wasn’t much left。
8 Jake blew in the rest。Pretty soon there wasn’t anymore lumber to cut and his land was nearlyall gone。
9 He got his wife off a German farmer，for whom he went to work one June day inthe wheat harvest。She was a young thing then and scared to death。You see，thefarmer was up to something with the girl—she was，I think，a bound girl and his wife had her suspicions。She took it out on the girl when the man wasn’t around。Then，when the wife had to go off to town for supplies，the farmer got after her。She told young Jake that nothing really ever happened，but he didn’t know whether to believe it or not。
light out：[美俚]匆匆离去
inflammatory：adj。发炎的
rheumatism：n。风湿病
loaf：v。闲逛
defiance：n。蔑视，挑衅
bust：v。以拳重击
lumber：n。木材
be up to sth。with sb。：对某人有意思
bound：adj。被寄养的
suspicion：n。猜疑，怀疑
take it out on sb。：向某人出气
10 He got her pretty easy himself，the first time he was out with her。He wouldn’t have married her if the German farmer hadn’t tried to tell him where to getoff。He got her to go riding with him in his buggy one night when he was threshing on the place，and then he came for her the next Sunday night。
11 She managed to get out of the house without her employer’s seeing，but when she was getting into the buggy he showed up。It was almost dark，and he just popped up suddenly at the horse’s head。He grabbed the horse by the bridle and Jake got out his buggy-whip。
12 They had it out all right！The German was a tough one。Maybe he didn’t carewhether his wife knew or not。Jake hit him over the face and shoulders with thebuggy-whip，but the horse got to acting up and he had to get out。
13 Then the two men went for it。The girl didn’t see it。The horse started to run away and went nearly a mile down the road before the girl got him stopped。Then she managed to tie him to a tree beside the road。（I wonder how I know all this。It must have stuck in my mind from small-town tales when I was a boy。）Jakefound her there after he got through with the German。She was huddled up in thebuggy seat，crying，scared to death。She told Jake a lot of stuff，how the German had tried to get her，how he chased her once into the barn，how another time，when they happened to be alone in the house together，he tore her dress open clear down the front。The German，she said，might have got her that time if he hadn’t heard his old woman drive in at the gate。She had been off to town for supplies。Well，she would be putting the horse in the barn。The German managed to sneak off to the fields without his wife seeing。He told the girl he would kill herif she told。What could she do？She told a lie about ripping her dress in the barn when she was feeding the stock。I remember now that she was a bound girl anddid not know where her father and mother were。Maybe she did not have any father。You know what I mean。
buggy：n。[俚]双轮单座的轻马车
thresh：v。打谷子
huddle up：蜷缩
sneak off：偷偷溜走
14 Such bound children were often enough cruelly treated。They were children who had no parents，slaves really。There were very few orphan homes then。They were legally bound into some home。It was a matter of pure luck how it came out。
评注：老妇人年轻时的故事是通过“我”的记忆片断组合在一起的，这其中当然也有不可靠的成分。需要注意的是，老妇人从一开始就是被奴役的对象，她总是在服侍、喂养男性，从那个德国雇主到后来自己的丈夫和儿子。她所代表的悲剧性性别象征意义，是此文的一个重要主题。
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15 She married Jake and had a son and daughter，but the daughter died。
16 Then she settled down to feed stock。That was her job。At the German’s placeshe had cooked the food for the German and his wife。The wife was a strong woman with big hips and worked most of the time in the fields with her husband。She fed them and fed the cows in the barn，fed the pigs，the horses and the chickens。Every moment of every day，as a young girl，was spent feeding something。
17 Then she married Jake Grimes and he had to be fed。She was a slight thing，and when she had been married for three or four years，and after the two childrenwere born，her slender shoulders became stooped。
18 Jake always had a lot of big dogs around the house，that stood near the unused sawmill near the creek。He was always trading horses when he wasn’t stealingsomething and had a lot of poop bony ones about。Also he kept three or four pigsand a cow。They were all pastured in the few acres left of the Grimes place andJake did little enough work。
19 He went into debt for a threshing outfit and ran it for several years，but it did not pay。People did not trust him。They were afraid he would steal the grain at night。He had to go a long way off to get work and it cost too much to getthere。In the winter he hunted and cut a little firewood，to be sold in some nearby town。When the son grew up he was just like the father。They got drunk together。If there wasn’t anything to eat in the house when they came home the old man gave his old woman a cut over the head。She had a few chickens of her own andhad to kill one of them in a hurry。When they were all killed she wouldn’t have any eggs to sell when she went to town，and then what would she do？
20 She had to scheme all her life about getting things fed，getting the pigsfed so they would grow fat and could be butchered in the fall。When they were butchered her husband took most of the meat off to town and sold it。If he did not do it first the boy did。They fought sometimes and when they fought the old womanstood aside trembling。
21 She had got the habit of silence anyway—that was fixed。Sometimes，when shebegan to look old—she wasn’t forty yet—and when the husband and son wereboth off，trading horses or drinking or hunting or stealing，she went around the house and the barnyard muttering to herself。
stoop：v。弯曲
mutter：v。嘀嘀咕咕
ow was she going to get everything fed？—That was her problem。The dogs hadto be fed。There wasn’t enough hay in the barn for the horses and the cow。If she didn’t feed the chickens how could they lay eggs？Without eggs to sell how could she get things in town，things she had to have to keep the life of the farm going？Thank heaven，she did not have to feed her husband—in a certain way。That hadn’t lasted long after their marriage and after the babies came。Where he went on his long trips she did not know。Sometimes he was gone from home for weeks，and after the boy grew up they went off together。
23 They left everything at home for her to manage and she had no money。She knew no one。No one ever talked to her in town。When it was winter she had to gather sticks of wood for her fire，had to try to keep the stock fed with very littlegrain。
24 The stock in the barn cried to her hungrily，the dogs followed her about。Inthe winter the hens laid few enough eggs。They huddled in the corners of the barn and she kept watching them。If a hen lays an egg in the barn in the winter and you do not find it，it freezes and breaks。
25 One day in winter the old woman went off to town with a few eggs and the dogs followed her。She did not get started until nearly three o’clock and the snowwas heavy。She hadn’t been feeling very well for several days and so she went muttering along，scantily clad，her shoulders stooped。She had an old grain bag inwhich she carried her eggs，tucked away down in the bottom。There weren’t manyof them，but in winter the price of eggs is up。She would get a little meat in exchange for the eggs，some salt pork，a little sugar，and some coffee perhaps。It might be the butcher would give her a piece of liver。
26 When she had got to town and was trading in her eggs the dogs lay by the door outside。She did pretty well，got the things she needed，more than she had hoped。Then she went to the butcher and he gave her some liver and some dog meat。
27 It was the first time anyone had spoken to her in a friendly way for a long time。The butcher was alone in his shop when she came in and was annoyed by the thought of such a sick-looking old woman out on such a day。It was bitter cold and the snow，that had let up during the afternoon，was falling again。The butcher said something about her husband and her son，swore at them，and the old womanstared at him，a look of mild surprise in her eyes as he talked。He said that if either the husband or the son were going to get any of the liver or the heavy bones with scraps of meat hanging to them that he had put into the grain bag，he’d see him starve first。
28 Starve，eh？Well，things had to be fed。Men had to be fed，and the horses that weren’t any good but maybe could be traded off，and the poor thin cow that hadn’t given any milk for three months。
29 Horses，cows，pigs，dogs，men。
评注：安德森运用的语言都非常直白简单，以符合叙事者“我”的口语化特征。老妇人需要喂养的不仅仅是男性，还包括各种牲畜，这进一步强化了她作为母亲的哺乳形象。
Ⅲ
30 The old woman had to get back before darkness came if she could。The dogsfollowed at her heels，sniffing at the heavy grain bag she had fastened on her back。When she got to the edge of town she stopped by a fence and tied the bag on her back with a piece of rope she had carried in her dress-pocket for just that purpose。That was an easier way to carry it。Her arms ached。It was hard when shehad to crawl over fences and once she fell over and landed in the snow。The dogs went frisking about。She had to struggle to get to her feet again，but she made it。The point of climbing over the fences was that there was a short cut over ahill and through a woods。She might have gone around by the road，but it was a mile farther that way。She was afraid she couldn’t make it。And then，besides，the stock had to be fed。There was a little hay left and a little corn。Perhaps her husband and son would bring some home when they came。They had driven off in the only buggy the Grimes family had，a rickety thing，a rickety horse hitched to the buggy，two other rickety horses led by halters。They were going to trade horses，get a little money if they could。They might come home drunk。It would bewell to have something in the house when they came back。
31 The son had an affair on with a woman at the county seat，fifteenmiles away。She was a rough enough woman，a tough one。Once，in the summer，the son had brought her to the house。Both she and the son had been drinking。Jake Grimes was away and the son and his woman ordered the old woman about like a servant。She didn’t mind muchshe was used to it。Whatever happened she never said anything。That was her way of getting along。She had managed that way when she was a young girl at the German’s and ever since she had married Jake。That time her son brought his woman to the house they stayed all night，sleeping together just as though they were married。It hadn’t shocked the old woman，not much。She had got past being shocked early in life。
32 With the pack on her back she went painfully along across an openfield，wading in the deep snow，and got into the woods。
33 There was a path，but it was hard to follow。Just beyond the top of the hill，where the woods were thickest，there was a small clearing。Had someone once thought of building a house there？The clearing was as large as a building lot in town，large enough for a house and a garden。The path ran along the side of the clearing，and when she got there the old woman sat down to rest at the foot of a tree。
34 It was a foolish thing to do。When she got herself placed，the pack against the tree’s trunk，it was nice，but what about getting up again？She worried about that for a moment and then quietly closed her eyes。
35 She must have slept for a time。When you are about so cold you can’t get anycolder。The afternoon grew a little warmer and the snow came thicker than ever。Then after a time the weather cleared。The moon even came out。
36 There were four Grimes dogs that had followed Mrs。Grimes into town，all tall gaunt fellows。Such men as Jake Grimes and his son always keep just such dogs。They kick and abuse them，but they stay。The Grimes dogs，in order to keep fromstarving，had to do a lot of foraging for themselves，and they had been at it while the old woman slept with her back to the tree at the side of the clearing。They had been chasing rabbits in the woods and in adjoining fields and in their ranging had picked up three other farm dogs。
37 After a time all the dogs came back to the clearing。They were excited aboutsomething。Such nights，cold and clear and with a moon，do things to dogs。It may be that some old instinct，come down from the time when they were wolves and ranged the woods in packs on winter nights，comes back into them。
38 The dogs in the clearing，before the old woman，had caught two orthree rabbits and their immediate hunger had been satisfied。They began to play，running in circles in the clearing。Round and round they ran，each dog’s nose at the tailof the next dog。In the clearing，under the snow-laden trees and under the wintry moon，they made a strange picture，running thus silently，in a circle their running had beaten in the soft snow。The dogs made no sound。They ran around and around in the circle。
39 It may have been that the old woman saw them doing that before she died。Shemay have awakened once or twice and looked at the strange sight with dim old eyes。
40 She wouldn’t be very cold now，just drowsy。Life hangs on a long time。Perhaps the old woman was out of her head。She may have dreamed of her girlhood，at the German’s，and before that，when she was a child and before her mother lit out and left her。
41 Her dreams couldn’t have been very pleasant。Not many pleasant things had happened to her。Now and then one of the Grimes dogs left the running circle and came to stand before her。The dog thrust his face close to her face。His red tongue was hanging out。
42 The running of the dogs may have been a kind of death ceremony。It may have been that the primitive instinct of the wolf，having been aroused in the dogs bythe night and the running，made them somehow afraid。
sniff：v。闻
frisk：v。欢跃，蹦跳
forage：v。寻食
adjoining：adj。邻接的
ceremony：n。仪式
primitive：adj。原始的
43 “Now we are no longer wolves。We are dogs，the servants of men。Keep alive，man！When man dies we become wolves again。”
评注：老妇人冻死后这些狗的反应颇耐人寻味。他们有狼的遗传基因，但在吃完兔子之后，他们似乎在用一种原始的仪式来纪念这位喂养他们的“母亲”。按照常理，他们饿急了也是会吃掉老妇人尸体的，但似乎最后“兽性”还是输给了这些畜生们感恩的“人性”。这对那些奴役、凌辱她一辈子的男人们来说构成了巨大的讽刺。
44 When one of the dogs came to where the old woman sat with her back against the tree and thrust his nose close to her face，he seemed satisfied and went backto run with the pack。All the Grimes dogs did it at some time during the evening，before she died。I knew all about it afterward，when I grew to be a man，because once in a woods in Illinois，on another winter night，I saw a pack of dogs act just like that。The dogs were waiting for me to die as they had waited for the old woman that night when I was a child，but when it happened to me I was a young man and had no intention whatever of dying。
评注：“我”这个不可靠的叙事者已经自我暴露给读者说，这段关于老妇人临死前的一幕其实是他根据其他的经历嫁接到这个故事中的。这说明，对于这个故事，“我”不仅是见证者，也是一个创作者。
45 The old woman died softly and quietly。When she was dead and whenone of theGrimes dogs had come to her and had found her dead，all the dogs stopped running。
46 They gathered about her。
47 Well，she was dead now。She had fed the Grimes dogs when she was alive，what about now？
48 There was the pack on her back，the grain bag containing the piece of salt pork，the liver the butcher had given her，the dog-meat，the soup bones。The butcher in town，having been suddenly overcome with a feeling of pity，had loaded her grain bag heavily。It had been a big haul for the old woman。
49 It was a big haul for the dogs now。
Ⅳ
50 One of the Grimes dogs sprang suddenly out from among the others and began worrying the pack on the old woman’s back。Had the dogs really been wolves，thatone would have been the leader of the pack。What he did，all the others did。
51 All of them sank their teeth into the grain bag the old woman hadfastened with ropes to her back。
52 They dragged the old woman’s body out into the open clearing。The worn-out dress was quickly torn from her shoulders。When she was found a day or two later，the dress had been torn from her body clear to the hips，but the dogs had not touched her body。They had got the meat out of the grain bag，that was all。Her body was frozen stiff when it was found，and the shoulders were so narrow and the body so slight that in death it looked like the body of some charming young girl。
53 Such things happened in towns of the Middle West，on farms near town，when Iwas a boy。A hunter out after rabbits found the old woman’s body and did not touch it。Something，the beaten round path in the little snow-covered clearing，the silence of the place，the place where the dogs had worried the body trying to pull the grain bag away or tear it open—something startled the man and he hurried off to town。
54 I was in Main Street with one of my brothers who was town newsboyand who was taking the afternoon papers to the stores。It was almost night。
55 The hunter came into a grocery and told his story。Then he went to a hardware shop and into a drugstore。Men began to gather on the sidewalks。Then they started out along the road to the place in the woods。
56 My brother should have gone on about his business of distributingpapers buthe didn’t。Everyone was going to the woods。The undertaker went and the town marshal。Several men got on a dray and rode out to where the path left the road and went into the woods，but the horses weren’t very sharply shod and slid about on the slippery roads。They made no better time than those of us who walked。
57 The town marshal was a large man whose leg had been injured in the Civil War。He carried a heavy cane and limped rapidly along the road。My brother and I followed at his heels，and as we went other men and boys joined the crowd。
58 It had grown dark by the time we got to where the old woman had left the road but the moon had come out。The marshal was thinking there might have been a murder。He kept asking the hunter questions。The hunter went along with his gun across his shoulders，a dog following at his heels。It isn’t often a rabbit hunterhas a chance to be so conspicuous。He was taking full advantage of it，leading the procession with the town marshal。“I didn’t see any wounds。She was a beautiful young girl。Her face was buried in the snow。No，I didn’t know her。”As a matter of fact，the hunter had not looked closely at the body。He had been frightened。She might have been murdered and someone might spring out from behind a tree andmurder him。In the woods，in the late afternoon，when the trees are all bare and there is white snow on the ground，whenall is silent，something creepy steals over the mind and body。If something strange or uncanny has happened in the neighborhood all you think about is getting away from there as fast as you can。
undertaker：n。殡仪员
marshal：n。治安官
dray：n。马车
uncanny：adj。离奇的
59 The crowd of men and boys had got to where the old woman had crossed the field and went，following the marshal and the hunter，up the slight incline and into the woods。
60 My brother and I were silent。He had his bundle of papers in a bag slung across his shoulder。When he got back to town he would have to go on distributing his papers before he went home to supper。If I went along，as he had no doubt already determined I should，we would both be late。Either mother or our older sister would have to warm our supper。
61 Well，we would have something to tell。A boy did not get such a chance very often。It was lucky we just happened to go into the grocery when the hunter camein。The hunter was a country fellow。Neither of us had ever seen him before。
62 Now the crowd of men and boys had got to the clearing。Darkness comes quickly on such winter nights，but the full moon made everything clear。My brother andI stood near the tree beneath which the old woman had died。
63 She did not look old，lying there in that light，frozen and still。One of the men turned her over in the snow and I saw everything。My body trembled with some strange mystical feeling and so did my brother’s。It might have been the cold。
64 Neither of us had ever seen a woman’s body before。It may have been the snow，clinging to the frozen flesh，which made it look so white and lovely，so like marble。No woman had come with the party from townbut one of the men，he was thetown blacksmith，took off his overcoat and spread it over her。Then he gatheredher into his arms and started off to town，all the others following silently。Atthat time no one knew who she was。
Ⅴ
65 I had seen everything，had seen the oval in the snow，like a miniature race crack，where the dogs had run，had seen how the men were mystified after seeingthe white bare young-looking shoulders，had heard the whispered comments of the men。
66 The men were simply mystified。They took the body to the undertakers and when the blacksmith，the hunter，the marshal and several others had got inside theyclosed the door。If father had been there perhaps he could have got in，but we boys couldn’t。
67 I went with my brother to distribute the rest of his papers and when we got home it was my brother who told the story。
68 I kept silent and went to bed early。It may have been I was not satisfied with the way he told it。
评注：这个故事由“我”的哥哥讲过一遍，然后“我”感到不满意。所以这个故事可以看成是“我”对老妇人一生经历的“重述”。
69 Later，in the town，I must have heard other fragments of the old woman’s story。She was recognized the next day and there was an investigation。
70 The husband and son were found somewhere and brought to town and there was an attempt to connect them with the woman’s death，but it did not work。They hadperfect enough alibis。
alibis：n。不在场证据71However，the town was against them。They had to get out。Where they went I never heard。
72 I remember only the picture there in the forest，the men seen dirty about，the naked girlish-looking figure，face down in the snow，the cracks made by the running dogs and the dear cold winter sky above。White fragments of clouds were drifting across the sky。They went racing across the little open space among the trees。
73 The scene in the forest had become for me，without my knowing it，the foundation for the real story I am now trying to tell。The fragments，you see，had to be picked up slowly，long afterwards。
评注：自我瓦解了叙事者对故事叙述的权威性，这是安德森叙事技巧现代性的体现。而作者从多个角度来聚焦老妇人，既有第三人称的转述，又有第一人称的直接叙事。这种将多重视角拼贴在一起的做法，很可能是受到了当时塞尚、梵高等人的绘画立体主义的影响。
74 Things happened。When I was a young man I worked on the farm of aGerman。The hired girl was afraid of her employer。The farmer’s wife hated her。
75 I saw things at that place。Once later，I had a half-uncanny，mystical adventure with dogs in an Illinois forest on a clear，moonlit winter night。When I was a schoolboy，and on a summer day，I went with a boy friend out along a creek some miles from town and came to the house where the old woman had lived。No one had lived in the house since her death。The doors were broken from the hingesthe window lights were all broken。As the boy and I stood in the road outside，two dogs，just roving farm dogs no doubt，came running around the corner of the house。The dogs were tall，gaunt fellows and came down to the fence and glared through at us，standing in the road。
76 The whole thing，the story of the old woman’s death，was to me asI grew older like music heard from far off。The notes had to be picked up slowly one at a time。Something had to be understood。
77 The woman who died was one destined to feed animal life。Anyway，that is allshe ever did。She was feeding animal life before she was born，as a child，as ayoung woman working on the farm of the German，after she married，when she grewold and when she died。She fed animal life in cows，in chickens，in pigs，in horses，in dogs，in men。Her daughter had died in childhood and with her one son she had no articulate relations。On the night when she was hurrying homeward，bearing on her body food for animal life。
78 She died in the clearing in the woods and even after her death continued feeding animal life。
79 You see it is likely that，when my brother told the story，that night when wegot home and my mother and sister sat listening，I did not think he got the point。He was too young and so was I。A thing so complete has its own beauty。
80 I shall not try to emphasize the point。I am only explaining why I was dissatisfied then and have been ever since。I speak of that only that you may understand why I have been impelled to try to tell the simple story over again。
Comprehension Exercises：
1.Do you find Mrs。Grimes a sympathetic character？Why or why not？Cite specific passages from the text to support your point of view。
2.The narrator states that it was the woman’s destiny to“feed animal life”。Do you feel that this adequately explains the significance of the story？What are some of the other ideas and themes present in“Death in the Woods”？
3.In his preface to Winesburg，Sherwood Anderson describes his characters as“grotesques”。Research some critical responses to Anderson’s idea of“the grotesque”and relate your findings to“Death in the Woods”。How does this concept help you to understand Anderson’s portrayal of the old woman？
舍伍德·安德森（1876—1941）：美国小说家，主要从事短篇小说创作。他最著名的作品有短篇小说集《俄亥俄州瓦恩斯堡镇》、《鸡蛋的胜利》和自传体小说《讲故事者的故事》等。安德森曾在美国现代文学史上享有特殊重要的地位。威廉·福克纳曾将他誉为“我们这一代作家的父亲”，因为他的创作影响了一大批美国现当代作家，如海明威，福克纳，托马斯·伍尔夫，约翰·斯坦贝克等等。他坚持探讨爱的失落这一主题，努力发掘造成人性扭曲的深层次原因，执著地探索人性的本质。《林中之死》是安德森短篇小说的代表作之一。在小说看似简单的语言风格背后是安德森对人类生存状态和人性的探讨，具有心理的和形而上学的深度。此外，安德森在该小说中大胆地尝试多重叙事视角和散文风格，挑战了以往墨守成规的小说叙事形式。