借“他者”构建自我形象——析《群芳亭》中赛珍珠的“反观自身”

The Self-Image Constructed by the "Other": Pearl S.Buck's "Self-Perception" in Pavilion of Women

促进中西文化的平等对话是赛珍珠创作的一个永恒的主题。为了抨击西方文明凌驾于中国“他者”之上的姿态,赛氏在其中国题材小说中采取从中国人的视角出发来构建西方人自我形象的手法。其后期作品《群芳亭》即以中国主人公吴太太的视角来解读夏小姐、安德雷两位西方传教士,典型体现了赛氏借“他者”之镜反观自身的创作手法,这对强势文化来说不失为一种值得推崇的反思策略。

A most recurring theme of Pearl S. Buck is the promotion of equal dialogue between the Chinese and western culture. To lash out at the western self-assured superiority over the other non-Christian culture, Buck developed the strategy of ＂self-image-constructed-by-the-other＂, that is, the western images in her Chinese novels are perceived from the Chinese protagonist＇s viewpoint. The idea of self-perception and self-examination is typically embodied in Pavilion of Women in which Sister Shirley and Father Andre are depicted from the angle of the Chinese protagonist, Madame Wu. This kind of creation is a re-examining strategy for the hegemonous culture that deserves commendation.