主体的确立与丧失——保罗·奥斯特《密室中的旅行》的语言与主体性问题探析

The Establishment and Loss of Subjects in Paul Auster's Travels in the Scriptorium

索绪尔符号理论的矛盾在于能指与所指之间有无固定联系,这表征着人们对语言、小说和人物主体身份的不同看法。如果能指与所指紧密联系,那么语言与小说就具有确定意义,小说人物也具有明确的主体身份。反之,语言与小说就失去确定的意义,人物主体身份也变得模糊不清。奥斯特小说《密室中的旅行》的格拉夫故事和布兰克故事分别对应着这两种逻辑,较好地诠释了语言和主体性之间的关系。

The contradiction in Saussure's theory lies in whether a signifier has a fixed signified, which represents people's different ideas about language, fiction and characters. If a signifier has a fixed signified, language and fiction will possess definite meanings, and characters, fixed identities. If not, language and fiction will lose their determinate meanings, and characters will have no clear identities. Graf's and Mr. Blank's stories in Paul Auster's Travels in the Scriptorium correspond to these two logics respectively, and illuminate the relationship between language and subjects perfectly.