林语堂英文小说二三论

On Lin Yutang’s English Novels

林语堂的小说都是用英文写成的,但是,它们的内涵与形式都和中国历史与文化息息相关。具体地说,林语堂的英文小说采用的是翻译性写作方法,他创造性地将中国元素注入其中。林语堂小说的独特形式为中国文化的输出和中国形象的塑造做出了贡献。不过,由于它们宣扬中国道德文化、讽喻美国等西方国家存在的现代文明弊病的意图太过强烈,以致忽略了小说的人物刻画和细节描写,因而在一定程度上损害了小说的形象魅力。

Lin Yutang’s novels are all written in English,but their connotations and forms are closely related to Chinese history and culture.Specifically,Lin Yutang’s English novels adopt the method of translation writing,and he injects Chinese elements into it creatively.The unique form of Lin Yutang's novels has contributed to the export of Chinese culture and the shaping of Chinese image.However,due to the strong intentions of advocating Chinese moral culture and allegations of the existing problems of the modern civilization in the United States and other western countries,Lin neglected the portrayal of characters and the detailed description in the novels,which,to some extent,damages the image and charm of the novels.