文本意义的瓦解与衍生——重读经典短篇小说《好人难寻》

The Interpretive Power of Texts:Reconstructing "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"

经典解读是一种文化行为,不同文化背景的读者会把自己对文学作品的理解融入解读过程之中,个性化的感受可以丰富文本的释义空间。本文通过重读美国女作家弗兰纳里.奥康纳短篇小说《好人难寻》,试图展现文本意义不断衍生的可能性及经典文学作品的无穷魅力。奥康纳对反面人物“逆子”的同情令众人费解,但是,通过对他童年体验的分析,我们可以找到潜在愿望与有悖常理的行为之间的逻辑链,解释作者某些怪诞思想的合理性。

The reinterpretation of classic literature is a cultural act. Readers of different cultural backgrounds will certainly bring their own understanding of the text into the process of interpretation, thus expanding the space of meaning. The present author intends to reread one of the most frequently anthologized American short story ＂A Good Man Is Hard to Find＂ by Flannery O＇ Connor, in an attempt to show that the great power of literature lies in its postponement of meaning. Numerous readers feel puzzled over O＇ Connor＇ s sympathetic attitude towards ＂the Misfit＂, a criminal at large. But through analyzing traces of her early life experience, we may find a logic link between the author＇ s hidden intention and the rendering of the character in the story.