史作檉在哲學、散文、美學和詩方面的著作，占了他作品中的大多數，但長篇小說，《墮落的老人》是最早單獨出版的小說作品。如此，必然成為探討史作檉作品時，一定要處理的重點。如果活著不能成聖，那麼人類就是活在墮落之中嗎？如果不為了自己的夢想犧牲，那麼青春便毫無價值可言嗎？這本《墮落的老人》中，提出來的人生觀，是如何的一條崎嶇之路？而走在這條崎嶇路上之人，又是以著怎麼樣的心情和態度在面對他的人生？他終究能不能超脫命運，乃至於「成聖」？筆者希望以本文，能較為深入的探討此本小說中的人生觀，藉著探討情節、象徵手法和小說中的人物等等，看出這個老人的生命在如此的努力與掙扎之下，為何仍顯得渺小、墮落且悲劇，並於最後結論處討論此本小說之成聖、墮落之概念，以及小說主角老人的人生觀，並提出個人對此本小說的心得與拙見。

Philosophy, prose, aesthetics and poem are the main works in Shih Tso-Cheng’s works. However, The Old Man of Depravation is Shih Tso-Cheng’s first novel. Therefore, when talking about Shih Tso-Cheng, “The Old Man of Depravation” must be analyzed. Do we live in depravation if we cannot become sage? Are our youths and dreams worthless if we don’t sacrifice something? 1. How difficult does the perspective of life appear in The Old Man of Depravation? When talking about his life, what sentiment and attitude does the master in the novel have? And does the master overcome his destiny to be sage? The writer expects to observe the master’s perspective of life according to the texts. By observing the plots, the symbolisms and the actors, we will know the reason why the master is always small, reprobate and tragedy even if the master try to effort to live hardly. In the conclusion, the writer will discuss the concept of being sage and being a sinner, the perspective of life and the writer’s reflection and thought. The discussion and the introspection from the master’s perspective of life in Shih Tso-Cheng’sThe Old Man of Depravation.