错位的指称 游走的自我——《第二十二条军规》人物认知建构探微

Misused Reference and a Changing Self:A Perspective of Character Construct in Catch-22 MA Ju-ling

指称(reference)是语言的基本功能之一。在小说阅读中,通过指称确定和识别人物是保证阅读交际成功的关键。本文选用荒诞文学的经典力作《第二十二条军规》为文本,以指称理论为指导,通过对指称的基本表达式——名字的心理表征及其连贯特点,探讨小说人物错位的身份建构以及人物建构如何在不确定的小说语境中保持连贯,从认知诗学视角阐释后现代小说经典主题——现代人生存现状和自我身份的问题。作者认为,小说主人公约塞连建构错位的指称,装扮游走的自我来逃避现实的迫害,保持完整的自我,但是名字和身份的断裂却始终逃不过语言的统治力量。

Reference is one of the basic functions of language.In reading novels,how to establish and identify characters is the key to a successful communication between the writer and the reader.This paper,under the framework of reference theory,examines the mental representation and coherence of names as the basic referring expression of reference.It discusses how the displaced character construct in the novel Catch-22 is represented coherently in the uncertain fictional context;thereby,it interprets the existence of the individuals and self-identity of the postmodern characters.The paper proposes that the protagonist Yossarian constructs misused references and builds a changing self in motion to escape the oppression of the reality and reserve an assuring identity,but only to find the split of names and identity trapped in the power of language.