一食、二书与一斧——流散小说家莱格森·卡伊拉的家园渴望与民族书写

Just a Little Food,Two Books,and One Axe:The Desire for Homeland and Ethnic Writings by Diasporic Novelist Legson Kayira

莱格森·卡伊拉是马拉维第一位英语小说家,在非洲英语文学史上占有重要地位。他仅凭一箪食、两本书和一把斧子便毅然走上了求学之旅。自传《我将一试》记录了他史诗般的前半生,发表后在欧美引起不小轰动,也让卡伊拉在世界文学的舞台上一炮而红。他在20世纪60年代发表的小说《幽暗的影子》和《金戈拉》以其清新亮丽的乡村景色描写而著称,表达了他作为流散作家的家园渴望和对传统与西方文化碰撞的思考。70年代发表的小说《公务员》和《被拘留者》则是作家对马拉维国内政治热切关注的产物,表达了他对班达独裁政府的强烈抨击和对马拉维国内百姓遭受苦难的同情。卡伊拉的人生实践与文学创作为马拉维英语文学文化的发展与传播做出了不可磨灭的贡献。

As the first novelist in Malawi,Legson Kayira plays undoubtedly an important role in the history of African literature in English.With a little food,two books and one axe,he embarked on his life-long journey.His autobiography I Will Try records the first half of his epic life,whose publication created a sensation in America and European countries and made Kayira a new star on the stage of world literature.The Looming Shadow and Jingala,published in the 1960s,are noted for their fresh and beautiful village scenes,which embedded the author’s desire for his homeland and contemplation on the conflicts between African and Western cultures.The novels in the 1970s,The Civil Servant and The Detainee,show Legson’s concern about Malawi’s politics,which not only reveals lawblast at but also his pity for Malawians’ sufferings.Legson Kayira’s life experience and literary writings contribute much to the development and dissemination of Malawian literature and culture.