对现代文明的反叛 ——论《廊桥遗梦》的隐含主题

论文摘要

《廊桥遗梦》是美国当代著名作家兼摄影师罗伯特·詹姆斯·沃勒于1992年创作的一部讲述一对中年男女爱情故事的长篇小说。书中涉及了一个敏感的话题——婚外恋。由于该书视角独特，选择婚外恋作为题材，所以出版不久就热评如潮。国外对这部小说的评论褒贬不一，但大多数都围绕婚外恋这一话题进行评论。国内的评论绝大多数也都从婚外恋这个敏感的话题出发，探讨社会道德，婚姻道德，以及个人对社会、家庭、婚姻的责任。绝大多数的评论都认为弗朗西斯卡割舍了与金凯的爱情而选择维系婚姻与家庭的这一举动是理性的选择，是对婚姻、家庭负责任的态度。这些文章对金凯和弗朗西斯卡的选择持肯定的态度。有些评论则对这部小说持否定态度，认为这部小说会带来不良社会影响。由于大多数文章受篇幅限制，未能深入探讨该书的隐含主题，而仅仅局限于婚姻、道德、家庭等方面。本文以弗洛伊德心理分析学说为理论依据，在研究主题方面力图以崭新的视角分析这部小说的隐含主题，即作者创作这部小说的主观意图。《廊桥遗梦》表面上看来是一部通俗爱情小说。但是在爱情小说的背后却隐含着另一深刻的主题，即作者对现代文明的反叛。作者对现代文明的反叛，首先体现在女主人公弗朗西丝卡与男主人公金凯在短短四天的恋爱过程中的心理变化和思想斗争；其次表现在作者对男主人公金凯和女主人公弗朗西丝卡的形象刻画上；最后，作者的写作技巧也很好地服务于他对现代文明的反叛的主题．根据弗洛伊德的观点，人格有三个部分组成：本我、自我和超我。本我、自我和超我三者之间经常相互矛盾、斗争，特别是本我和超我经常处于不可调和的对抗状态。在现代社会中，现代文明对个人本能欲望的控制和压抑正是这一对抗状态的体现。本文首先以弗洛伊德的三重人格学说为理论依据，分析了女主人公弗朗西斯卡和男主人公金凯在短短四天的恋爱过程中的心理变化和思想斗争。两人内心本我与超我之间的斗争与冲突始终伴随着他们恋爱的过程。这一斗争的高潮是本我的力量暂时战胜了超我，即两人的本能欲望暂时战胜了现代社会文明的压抑与束缚。两人短暂而又纯真的恋爱正是这一体现。然而这一胜利是短暂的。斗争的结局是超我的最终胜利和对本我的压抑。这一结局反映了现代文明与个人本能欲望的对立与冲突，体现了现代文明的强大力量及其对个人本能欲望的压抑，表明了作者对现代文明的不满与反叛。其次，本文对作者对男主人公金凯和女主人公弗朗西斯卡的形象刻画进行了分析。金凯这一形象同作者沃勒十分相似。金凯即沃勒的代言人。作者借金凯表达了自己的意愿。金凯的言行举止无不表明他对现代文明的反叛。这也是作者本人想要表达的心声。弗朗西斯卡表面上看米是一个普通的农妇，然而她的内心却充满激情，只不过现实生活压抑了她的激情而已。现实生活与她少女时代的梦想存在很大的差异。这一差异反映了个人本能欲望与现代文明的对立与冲突。她的梦想的长期被压抑表明现代文明的强大束缚力量。她对社会影响的顾虑也充分表明现代文明对个人本能欲望的强大影响力。她的最终选择也是迫于这种力量的威慑。个人本能欲望与现代文明的对立与冲突是造成这一结局的主要原因。她的反叛性格及最终选择表明了作者对现代文明的反叛与不满。最后，本文从作者的写作技巧入手，分析这部小说的隐含主题。在叙事手法上作者采用的是多角度的复合叙事手法，从与故事相关的不同人物的各个角度反映小说的隐含主题。此外，作者还运用了大量的象征手法对人物形象进行刻画，表现金凯这一与现代文明相抵触的人物形象。最后，在用词方面，作者别出心裁，将一些科技专有名词运用到文学写作中来，其目的是为了向读者表明自己对现代科学技术的负面影响的忧虑。现代科学技术是现代文明的重要组成部分，因此作者的这一用词手法也体现了他对现代文明的反叛。因此，爱情小说《廊桥遗梦》所描述的爱情故事之后隐藏着深刻的现实意义。它的主题是为了表达作者对现代文明的反叛。作者的反叛，实质上是对现代文明对个人本能欲望的强大约束力的反叛，虽然有些偏激，但却有着深刻的启示意义。

论文目录

• Acknowledgements
• English Abstract
• 中文摘要
• Contents
• Chapter One Introduction
• Chapter Two Inner Struggle—The Struggle between Individual's Instinctive Desire and Modern Civilization
• 2.1.Introduction of Freud's theory of psychoanalysis
• 2.2 Essence of inner struggle: irreconcilable struggle between id and superego
• 2.3 The inner struggle and psychological change of Francesca
• 2.3.1 Beginning: release of repressed id after meeting Kincaid
• 2.3.1.1 Release of repressed id: release of individual's instinctive desire
• 2.3.1.2 Superego: still predominating over id in the beginning
• 2.3.2 Climax: temporary victory of id over superego
• 2.3.3 Ending: superego repressing id
• 2.4 The inner struggle and psychological change of Kincaid
• 2.5 Conclusion of this chapter
• Chapter Three Kincaid and Francesca—the Author's Spokesman of Rebellion against Modern Civilization
• 3.1 The characterization of Kincaid-revealing the author's rebellion against modern civilization
• 3.1.1 Similarities between the author Robert James Waller and the hero Robert Kincaid
• 3.1.2 Uniqueness of Kincaid's character: rebellion against modern civilization
• 3.1.2.1 Unsociable, alienated from his contemporary men and modern society
• 3.1.2.2 Dissatisfaction with the highly commercialized modern society
• 3.1.2.3 Dissatisfaction with the highly organized modern society
• 3.1.2.4 Negative attitude towards modern science and technology
• 3.1.3 Conclusion of Kincaid's character
• 3.2 The characterization of Francesca-rebellion against modern civilization
• 3.2.1 Girlhood dream: revealing her instinctive desire and rebellious spirit
• 3.2.2 Discrepancy between girlhood dream and reality: irreconcilable struggle between individual's instinctive desire and modern civilization
• 3.2.3 Final choice: revealing the great influence of modern civilization on individual's instinctive desire
• 3.2.3.1 Special awareness of social influence: revealing the great restrictions of modern civilization over the individual
• 3.2.3.2.Finalchoice: revealing the great influence of modern civilization on individual's instinctive desire
• 3.2.4 Conclusion of Francesca's character
• Chapter Four The Author's Writing Techniques--Enhancing His Rebellion against Modern Civilization
• 4.1 Multiple point of view-expressing rebellion against modern civilization through different perspectives
• 4.1.1 The author in the first person point of view: expressing his rebellious attitude towards modern civilization
• 4.1.2 Michael and Carolyn: expressing the author's rebellious attitude toward modern civilization through their opinion on the story
• 4.1.3 Kincaid's mother: revealing Kincaid's rebellious character through his mother's view
• 4.1.4 Francesca: revealing Kincaid's rebellious character through Francesca's view
• 4.1.5 The Editor in National Geographic: revealing Kincaid's rebellious character through the editor's view
• 4.1.6 Nighthawk Cumming's recollection of Kincaid's last period in life: revealing the inevitable outcome of the struggle between individual's instinctive desire and modern civilization
• 4.1.7 Conclusion of multiple point of view
• 4.2 Use of symbolic images: serving to reveal Kincaid's irreconcilability with modern civilization
• 4.2.1 Cowboy: wild, alienated from modern civilization, close to nature
• 4.2.2 Leopard: wild, free from restrictions of modern civilization
• 4.2.3 Peregrine: wild, free from restrictions of modern civilization, irreconcilable with modern civilization
• 4.2.4 Conclusion of symbolic images
• 4.3 Diction: use of scientific terms in literary writing-serving to reveal the author's negative attitude towards modern science and technology
• 4.4 Conclusion of this chapter
• Chapter Five Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Appendix