论中国现代小说中的“三兄弟”叙事模式——从《激流三部曲》《财主底儿女们》《四世同堂》谈起

The Narrative Mode of “Three Brothers” in Modern Chinese Novels——A Case Study of The Torrent Trilogy,Sons and Daughters of the Rich Man and Four Generations

"三兄弟"叙事模式,渊源于人类原始思维的发展和口传文学的衍变,在古今中外叙事作品中普遍存在。中国现代小说《激流三部曲》《财主底儿女们》《四世同堂》均采用了这一模式。三部作品中的"三兄弟"处于不同的家庭社会环境中,作出各异的人生道路选择,由此折射出现代中国动荡不安的历史处境和不断变迁的文化语境,也表现了现代中国知识分子的深刻矛盾与不懈求索。"三兄弟"模式在中国现代文学中所呈现出的迥异于古代作品和外国作品的新质,正体现了这一模式巨大的生成作用和有效的叙事功能。

The narrative mode of ＂three brothers＂,arising from the evolution of ancient human thinking mode and the development of oral literature,is prevalent in both ancient and modern narratives works. The mode can be found in three modern Chinese novels—The Torrent Trilogy,Sons and Daughters of the Rich Man and Four Generations. Faced with different domestic and social situations in the three novels,the ＂three brothers＂have chosen different paths of life,which not only reflects the turbulent historical situation and the changing cultural context of modern China but also represents the profound contradictions and unremitting pursuit of modern Chinese intellectuals. The unique qualities of the ＂three brothers＂narrative mode in modern Chinese literature which is distinct from that in ancient or foreign works is demonstrative of its great generative power and its efficient narrative function.