穿梭在身份之网中——评布雷德伯里的《兑换率》

On Bradbury's Rates of Exchange

马尔科姆·布雷德伯里的学院派小说《兑换率》暗含"我是谁?"的哲学命题,无限推延人物身份的定位,突出地体现了当代语言、文学、批评理论对人们的冲击,揭示出那些抽象复杂的理论带给人们的身份困惑和理解障碍。小说表面上以游戏的态度"实践"着以后结构主义为代表的语言、文学理论,以滑稽和幽默的形式引导读者穿梭在作者、叙述者、主人公身份的网络中并反思自己的身份,字里行间却渗透着作者对相关理论的深层次思考和理性批判。

Malcolm Bradbury's academic fiction Rates of Exchange,with 'Who am I?' as an implicit question,reveals the impact theories of language,literature and criticism have on the public,as well as the difficulty and obstacle these theories impose on people in identifying themselves or understanding each other.On the surface,the fiction playfully puts into practice the linguistic and literary theories represented by Post-structuralism,humorously and even farcically presents its protagonist inquiring the riddle of his identity.Between the lines,however,is infused with Bradbury's deep thinking and rational critique on relevant theories as well as his persistence and belief in fiction's social functions.