慢的原则与陷阱——论施得恩·纳多尔尼《缓慢的发现》

Slowness as a Principle and a Trap:On Sten Nadolny's Novel The Discovery of Slowness

施得恩·纳多尔尼的《缓慢的发现》如惯常的后现代文学作品那样,以发现者为主角,反映了英国航海家和北极研究者约翰·富兰克林的生活。在小说文本层面,"慢"作为身体特性和权力原则,在大海与冰原的历险中慢慢转化,确立起小说主角与外在世界之间变化的关系。在文本层面之外,慢的原则作为早期工业化时代和现代社会中速度原则的对立面,让我们意识到,在速度虚妄和进步信仰的另一边,可以存在不同的基本经验与时间维度,并提供了一种希望:我们不必永远"固守于现时的破坏性"。从中,可读解出作家对现代社会速度原则的批评性反思。

In Sten Nadolny＇s best known work The Discovery of Slowness（1983）,he portrays British navigator and explorer of the North Pole,Sir John Franklin,as a discoverer.In this novel,the author depicts how slowness is transformed from a mental quality of the protagonist into a principle of power in the seafaring and exploration of the North Pole,and finally shapes his relationship with the surroundings profoundly.There is no doubt that the principle of slowness sets an anti-pole to the speediness in the era of early industrialization and modern times.Slowness makes the readers aware that there exists a cornucopia of experience and time＂on the other side of delusion of speediness and restlessness,＂which offers a hope that people are able not to＂persist in the current destruction＂forever.Therefrom,the author＇s critical reflections on the principle of speediness in modern society emerge.