阶级·宗教·性——论理查德·梅森的成长小说《寻欢作乐者的历史》

Class,Religion and Sex:Richard Mason's History of a Pleasure Seeker as a Bildungsroman

有"文学神童"美誉的理查德·梅森的新作《寻欢作乐者的历史》将阶级、宗教与性这三个貌似不相干的主题集于一身。作为成长小说,这部小说以性为媒介探讨了人物之间的阶级冲突和宗教对人性的桎梏。主人公皮特借助自己超凡的魅力实现了对阶级的超越,使自己一步步朝着人生的理想迈进,并客观上促使他的主人马腾摆脱了宗教的束缚,实现了人性的回归。

： History of a Pleasure Seeker, the latest novel written by the ＂literary wunderkind＂ Richard Mason, integrates the seemingly disparate themes of class, religion and sex. As a Bildungsroman, the novel addresses the class conflicts between characters and the shackles imposed by religion upon humanity. Due to his personal charisma, Piet the protagonist successfully surpasses barriers of class and social hierarchy to rise to his own prominence, and in so doing frees Maarten, his master, from the fetters of religion to find his way back to humanity.