寻找生命之泉:《黑暗来临前的夏天》神话框架解读

Seeking the Spring of Life: an Interpretation of The Summer Before the Dark from the Perspective of Mythological Framework

关于小说《黑暗来临前的夏天》的标题与结局,学界做出了种种猜测,众说不一。笔者认为必须从小说整体结构模式入手才能找到问题的答案。小说以《圣经·创世纪》伊甸园堕落神话为框架,女主人公在经历堕落迷茫后摆脱毁灭命运获得重生,现实中的发现自我之旅与梦境中的寻找永恒生命之泉形成明暗两条主线,勾勒了女性拯救自我的神话历程,表达了中年女性拯救自我的精神诉求。

As to the title and the ending of The Summer Before the Dark, researchers have made all sorts of guesses, and failed to come to an agreement. The author believes that the key to solving the problem is to look into the novel＇s overall construction pattern. This paper points out that the novel is based on the Garden of Eden pattern, that the heroine confusedly degenerates, but gets rid of the deconstruction destiny to attain the new life gradually, and that self-discovery journey in reality is in contrast to the journey of seeking the spring of eternal life in the dream, outlining the mythological course of female self-redemption, and expressing the middle-aged female＇s desire to save themselves.