从阿契贝的《瓦解》看文明的冲突

Clash of Civilizations: From Achebe’s Things Fall Part

作为非洲现代文学之父的钦努阿·阿契贝虽然从小接受英式教育,但是一直反对殖民文化,作品均展现出浓郁的非洲尊严。其代表作《瓦解》通过主人公奥肯科毁灭的悲剧,书写本土文化面对殖民者的困惑及无法坚守民族文化的悲凉。看起来似乎是不肯妥协和变通的个性造成了主人公的悲剧命运,而全书所歌颂的恰恰是本土文化的坚守者,体现出非洲尊严凛然不可侵犯。阿契贝对非洲文化采取了包容辩证的态度。他在书中描写非洲万物有灵的宗教传统和天人合一的传统文明。面对坚船利炮的工业文明,非洲似乎在崩溃,但崩溃的同时又孕育着非洲的复兴。他的作品对西方文明提出质疑,启发我们重新思考人类文明的定义。在百年变局的当下,文明冲突的话题更为必要。

As“Father of Modern African Literature”,Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe has always fought back against colonial culture,and his works show a strong sense of African dignity,though he received an English education from an early age.His masterpiece Things Fall Apart,concerning the tragedy of the destruction of the protagonist Okonkwo,writes that the local culture faces the confusion of being colonized,and fails to keep the strength of African culture.It seems that the uncompromising and inflexible personality led to the tragic fate of the protagonist.However,the book embodies the local culture and reflects the awe-inspiring inviolability of African dignity.Achebe takes an inclusive and dialectical approach to African culture.In the book,he describes the animistic religious traditions of Africa,the traditional civilization of the unity of heaven and man.In the face of the industrial civilization of solid ships and advanced cannons,Africa seems to be collapsing,but the collapse is also nurturing Africa’s revival.His work questions Western civilization and inspires us to think about the redefinition of civilization.At a time of significant changes between centuries,the topic of clash of civilizations is more necessary.