死是古今中外文学作品中常见的主题。死,可以唤起对生的热爱和眷念,可以显示出人的品格和气节,也可以反映出某种哲学观和人生观。美国当代著名作家厄普代克的《疏远的朋友之死》也是表现死这一主题的。本篇选自美国1982年的《全国最佳短篇小说选集》,据篇选者说,它是她初选之下一眼就看中的最好的三篇中的一篇。要问它到底好在什么地方,毋宁探究一下它到底反映了当代西方人什么样的思想观念,以致引起了社会普遍而强烈 Death is a common theme in ancient and modern literary works. To die can arouse the love and respect of life, which can show people’s character and integrity, and also reflect some kind of philosophy and outlook on life. Updike’s death by estranged friends, the famous contemporary American writer, is also the theme of death. This article is from the 1982 National Selected Best Short Stories Anthology in the United States. According to the selected articles, it is one of the three best articles to watch at a glance under her primaries. It is better to ask where it is, rather to explore what it reflects the contemporary Western ideas, which has aroused widespread and strong social