历史与书写——当代美国新奴隶叙述研究述评

Recent Developments in the Study of American Neo-Slave Narrative

自20世纪60年代以来,一批重要的非裔作家不断有新奴隶叙述的文本问世,成为当代美国文学一道亮丽的风景。新奴隶叙述在主题上重访了非裔美国文学中关于黑人主体、黑奴史和黑人文化的再现问题,在形式上也呈现"时代错误"、"时间旅行"、令人迷乱的戏仿和互文等,与后现代主义的革新技巧相呼应。对该文类的发生背景、内涵、文本特征和争议问题的梳理和探讨,对于当下经典问题、非裔美国文学的研究与教学等,当有启发意义。

Ever since the 1960s,a group of important African American writers have revisited the classic slave narratives and produced significant parodic works called the＂neo-slave narrative＂.Thematically,neo-slave narratives revive concerns over the cultural significance of literary representation of black identity,black culture and the history of slavery;formally,the genre is replete with anachronism,time travel,the mix of fact and fiction as well as parody and intertexuality,exhibiting a notable postmodern resonance. This essay outlines the formation of the neo-slave narrative in America,identifies its textual features,and interrogates the critical debates over its formal and thematic concerns.It seeks to examine how recent developments in the study of American neo-slave.narrative will shed light on issues of canon formation and African American literary research and teaching.