身份隐喻背后的生存悖论——读菲利普·罗斯的《人性的污秽》

The Existential Paradox behind the Metaphor of Identity:On Philip Roth's The Human Stain

《人性的污秽》是菲利普.罗斯创作的美国三部曲中最后的一部,小说以幽灵作为主人公身份的隐喻,探讨了种族和道德双重语境下的个体生存悖论,并对时代的道德现状、社会偏见、人性的污秽进行了深度的阐释,在探索当下社会问题的同时也在洞察人性的不同层面。作者通过描写西尔克身份的转变所带来的自我满足与最终的精神放逐乃至血债血偿的悲惨境遇,表明了在一个种族和身份至关重要的国度里,任何形式的逃离和逾越都无法到达安宁的精神家园。小说展示了一个现代美国的希腊式悲剧,塑造了一个无法逃脱自我命运的当代俄狄浦斯。

Using ＂Spook＂ as the metaphor of protagonistowed＇ s identity, Philip Roth investigates into the existential paradox of individuals in the ethnical and moral contexts, analyzes the present moralities, social prejudices and human stains and discusses the different aspects of human nature while probing into the present social problems in the last novel of his American Trilogy, The Human Stain. By presenting Silk＇s self-satisfaction owing to the identity transformation and miserable circumstances of ultimate spiritual exile and revenge, the author tells us that no kind of escape and transgression can bring silk to the serene spiritual homes in an ethnic-mattered society. The novel displays a Greek Tragedy of modern America and creates a modern Oedipus who has no way to escape from his destiny.