“史化规约”与“忆化规约”:回忆录的两种认知模式

Historical Convention and Mnemonic Convention:Two Cognitive Models of Memoir

认知叙事学关注读者的阐释过程,读者通过“叙事判断”对某一文类所遵循的叙事规约做出辨认,进而提出相应的认知策略。本文以此框架来探讨回忆录的认知模式,归纳了回忆录遵循的两种文类规约语境:“史化规约”语境强调叙事的客观性,使叙事在最大程度近于历史原貌;“忆化规约”语境则关注作者的主观体验,蕴含作者的价值判断。回忆录作者对两种规约的不同选择,影响读者叙事判断的结果,使读者决定采取何种阅读模式。本文选取普利莫·莱维的《这是不是个人》以及里戈贝尔塔·门楚的《我,里戈贝尔塔·门楚:一个圭地马拉的印第安女人》两部回忆录,提炼出读者的两种认知模式:在史化规约语境中,读者应关注史料史实,以历史真实为本,价值真实为次;相反,阅读忆化规约语境的回忆录,重点应放在作者的思想价值方面,以价值真实为本,历史真实为次。在认知框架下阅读回忆录,意味着读者应通过叙事判断,将认知模式建立在对规约性语境的理解和辨别之上。

Cognitive narratology focuses on the interpretative process of readers.It studies the narrative conventions of a certain genre,and puts forward cognitive strategies according to narrative judgements.Based on this framework,this essay elaborates on the cognitive model of memoir,and sums up two kinds of literary conventions:“historical convention”and“mnemonic convention”.The former emphasizes the objectivity of narrative,so that the narrative gains historical accuracy;the latter pays attention to the subjective experience of the author,including the author’s individual memory and value judgment.The author’s choice between these two conventions leads to narratives with different value judgements and reading strategies.Two memoirs,If This Is a Man and I,Rigoberta Menchú:An Indian Woman in Guatemala,are discussed in this essay,and two cognitive models of readers are summarized.In the context of historical convention,readers focus on historical facts and prioritize historical truth.On the other hand,when reading memoirs that deploy mnemonic convention,readers concentrate on the ideological values of the author.According to this cognitive framework,readers interpret effectively by understanding and distinguishing the narrative’s conventional context.