《人性的污穢》作為菲利普·羅斯新現實主義代表作,鮮明地體現出作者在創作中注重從身體意識角度對人性問題進行深入探究的思想方法。作者在作品中強調,身體污穢與人性道德之間存在著一種悖論式的邏輯思辨關系。從文化層面看,這是對人類社會中兩種相互依存的思維范式進行探討:由"幽靈"事件引發的"放逐"行為,到底是對身體意識進行"規訓與懲罰"的凈化儀式,還是對人類"文明的空殼"和種族主義殘留思想剝離,發現個體自身存在的身體美學。從作者的立場來看,身體意識作為身體美學的核心,是20世紀社會、歷史、文化發展對個體意識產生壓抑和束縛,以及個體對自身身份進行選擇的雙重思考。羅斯這樣所為,是為了還原身體意識中瘋狂行為與欲望表達的主體性,從而確定身體意識是身份建構的主體,并在兩者之間形成統一的邏輯關系。

The Human Stain is Philip Roth’s representative work of new realism,which reflects his exploration of human nature from the perspective of body consciousness. The relationship between the human stain and human morality is paradoxical and logical in his works. Seen from the cultural perspective the novel is a discussion of two mutually dependent paradigms of the human. Is the exile resulting from the "ghost" incident a purifying ritual to punish and discipline the body,or a somaesthetics affirming individual existence that is rid of the hollowness of civillzation and racist prejudice? The present author believes that the core of Roth’s somaesthetics is body consciousness,which challenges the oppression of the 20 th century social,historical and cultural development on individual consciousness,and at the same time enables the individual to choose his own self. The affirmation of body consciousness emphasizes the subjectivity of madness and desire in body consciousness,thus confirming the active role of body consciousness in identity construction.