中文摘要:一战迎来了欧洲中心主义的黄昏时代。毛姆作为一位思想深邃的文学家,将目光投向东方,寻求精神救赎,其作品《刀锋》在此时代背景下应运而生。该小说观照现实,揭露出战后的西方世界已沦为物欲横流和信仰缺失的精神荒原。在战友的死亡阴影下,主人公拉里开始对人生感到失落迷惘,苦苦求索生命意义。本文引入杂合理论中“他者”、“模拟”和“杂合”三个重要概念,逐步分析拉里的得救之道。本文认为,拉里通过逃离西方文明、遁入东方文化和回归西方社会最终获得自我认同,这一方面使拉里实现了自我救赎以及唤起了社会对人类命运的深层关怀;另一方面,拉里难免产生疏离社会的偏颇,成为文化边缘人。
关键词:身份认同; 杂合理论; 精神救赎; 文化边缘人
TABLE OF CONTENTS
中文摘要
ABSTRACT
Chapter One Introduction-1
Chapter Two Homi K. Bhabha’s Hybridity Theory-3
2.1 Other-3
2.2 Mimicry-3
2.3 Hybridity-4
2.4 Bhabha’s Hybridity Theory and literary critique-4
Chapter Three Evasion, Conversion, Regression: Larry’s Path to Spiritual Perfection-5
3.1 An other evasion from western civilization-5
3.1.1 External cause: the crisis of western civilization-5
3.1.2 Internal cause: the “Other” of western identity-6
3.2 A mimetic conversion to oriental culture-7
3.2.1 A mimetic conversion to Hinduism-7
3.2.2 A mimetic conversion to oriental philosophy-8
3.3 A hybrid regression to western society-9
3.3.1 A hybrid identity in western society-9
3.3.2 A regression for spiritual perfection-10
Chapter Four Superiority and Inferiority: Double Influence of Larry’s Experience-12
4.1 Superiority: spiritual salvation-12
4.2 Inferiority: marginalized status-13
Chapter Five Conclusion-15
REFERENCES-16
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS-17