《最初的爱情,最后的仪式》中的成长之痛

The Pains of Growth in First Love,Last Rites

伊恩·麦克尤恩的处女作《最初的爱情,最后的仪式》中多篇故事的主人公都遭遇了压制—抗争—绝望的成长历程。其中,《与橱中人的对话》中的"我"和《化装》中的亨利皆属典型代表。在强权与压制下,他们被异化为长辈的"玩物",被剥夺了成长的机会。偶然的"他者"介入,打破了扭曲的伦理桎梏,致使他们勇敢抗争。可是,作为社会的边缘人与家庭的弱势群体,他们艰难而屈辱的抗争注定以失败告终。因此,故事揭示了青少年在异化的伦理环境中不能承受的重压和扭曲,隐喻长辈须树立正确伦理意识的重要性。

Many protagonists of the stories in Ian McEwan~ debut work First Love, Last Rites suffer a painful growth which is characterized by tyranny, resistance and desperation.The＂I＂ in ＂ Conversation with a Cupboard Man＂ and Henry in ＂ Disguise＂ are the typical representatives of them. They are dissimilated as ＂playthings＂ of their elders and thus deprived of the opportunities to grow up. The outsiders accidentally intervened and gave them courage to resist the ethical restraints. However, as the marginalized and the weaker in the family, their painful and humiliating resistances are doomed to be failures. The stories indicate that the youngsters who live in dissimila- ted ethical environment are under unbearable tyranny and distortion, so it is essential for the elders to cultivate sound ethical awareness.