美国文学中残疾人形象之流变研究

A Study of the Changes of the Images of the Disabled in American Literature

"残疾",在当代社会不再简单地被理解为肢体的残缺,而被认为是社会建构的结果。文学文本通过塑造残疾人物的形象,参与了这一重要的建构过程。美国文学史上残疾人的形象经历了从19世纪起的"恶魔化"到战争期间的"英雄化",直至当今的"正常人"的转变。这一变化体现出了残疾人在现实世界中日渐觉醒的权利意识与社会地位变化,而塑造不同时期残疾人物形象的美国文学作品则在这一过程中起到了"见证"与"协调"的重要作用。

The term disability is no longer simply understood as a physical defect. Instead, it has become a result of social construction. The literary text participates the process of construction by focusing on the images of the disabled. In American literary history, the image of the disabled underwent from “the demon”, to the “hero”, and finally ended up to be “the normal” today. Such a transition indicates the improvement of the social status of the disabled as well as their awakening consciousness, while the corresponding literary works were actually witnessing and negotiating these changes.