论库柏对“文明开化”的批判——兼谈“皮袜子五部曲”中的文化相对主义

Cooper's Criticism on Civilizing “the Other”: Cultural Relativism in “the Leatherstocking Tales”

长期以来,在种族优越论和强权文化的主导下,美国惯常以同化主义来处理种族关系。19世纪初,美国主流社会对"文明开化"本土印第安人充满信心,视之为"天命"所在。对此,库柏却表现了自己的忧思。在"皮袜子五部曲"中,他塑造了被"基督教化"的印第安人钦加哥和接受"印第安化"的白人纳蒂这两位"既平等又不平等"的人物,表达他对"文明开化"和同化主义政策的质疑和批判。其中,钦加哥的妥协、融入、挣扎与反抗,预示了"基督教化"的困境;而纳蒂虽然在表面上实现了"印第安化",实际上却是坚定的基督文明信仰者。相比钦加哥,纳蒂胜在能够吸纳其他文明并为己所用,也是库柏文化相对主义思想的代言人。

With the doctrine of racial superiority, the United States has always been trying to acculturate ＂the Other＂. In the early 19th century, the mainstream society of America was optimistic about ＂civilizing＂ the Native Indians, which was regarded as ＂the Providence of God＂. James Fenimore Cooper, however, was skeptical and critical about this. In ＂the Leatherstocking Tales＂, Cooper creates two ＂equal and yet unequal＂ characters, that is, Chingachgook, a ＂civilized red man＂ and Natty, an ＂Indianized white man＂, both of who demonstrate Cooper＇s idea of cultural relativism. On the one hand, the compromise, struggle, integration and resistance of Chingachgook reveals the predicament of ＂Christianization＂, while on the other, the superficially ＂Indianized＂ Natty is an unswerving believer of Christian civilization, who, however, can understand the Indian culture based on that of his own and is thus the messenger of Cooper＇s thought of cultural relativism.