摘要
《五号屠场》是美国作家冯内古特的代表作,以其独特的叙事技巧和鲜明的反战主题而著称,然而小说中众多的动物意象却一直未引起关注。本文借助新兴的动物研究理论对这些动物意象进行深入挖掘,探寻它们背后的主题蕴含。笔者发现,这些动物承载着多重意义。作为隐喻符号,它们是展现人性的镜子,揭示了人在战争面前的尴尬无助,打破了"人乃万物之尊"的神话。它们同时又是鲜活的生命主体,代表着战争中动物的悲惨命运,反映了作家深沉博大的人道主义思想。此外,小说将动物、战俘、地球人在动物园和屠宰场被巧妙地平行并置、交叉错位,消解了人与动物之间的边界,是对西方文明中根深蒂固的人类中心主义和物种歧视主义的尖锐批判,因而使小说超越了反战小说的意义。
Slaughterhouse-Five is the masterpiece of American author Kurt Vonnegut and is well-known for its unique narrative techniques and strong anti-war theme.However,the rich animal images in the novel have long been ignored.In light of the newly rising animal studies,this article explores the meaning of the animal images in an effort to find out their significant meaning.We find that they serve several roles.Firstly,as metaphorical symbols,they function as mirrors,reflecting the human predicament of embarrassment and helplessness in face of war,and thus deflating the myth of'the paragon of animals'.Secondly,they are independent subjects of life and stand for their own sufferings in war,which reflects Vonnegut’s extended humanitarianism.Thirdly,by paralleling and displacing animals,prisoners of war,and earthlings in the slaughterhouse in Dresden and the Tralfamadore zoo,the novel blurs species boundaries and trespasses the'insuperable line'between humans and animals that has long been regarded sacred in the western culture.Thus,Slaughterhouse-Five transcends the genre of war novel and launches its critique at the entire western civilization,its anthropocentricism and speciesism in particular.
出处
《北京第二外国语学院学报》
2017年第2期102-116,共15页
Journal of Beijing International Studies University
基金
北京市教育委员会社科计划一般项目阶段性成果(项目编号:SM201710031003)
"北京文化对外传播研究基地(文学方向)"阶段性成果
