《品彻·马丁》的生死浮沉

　Pincher Martin,　Faber&Faber

 

　　《品彻·马丁》（Pincher Martin）是威廉·戈尔丁的第三部小说，我选这部小说来作为学科论文的研究对象，其实还是有点偶然的。先是，我选择了戈尔丁的《蝇王》作为老黄的外国文学学科论文，国内对这个作家的研究资料比较少（专题研究基本上就没有了，NND），很多参考资料都是英文。为了更好地了解这个作家，我很不容易地在淘宝上一次过找齐了他早期的三本小说（也是国内唯一译本），分别是《品彻·马丁》、《教堂尖塔》以及《金字塔》，都是快十年前的断货书了；后来我又买了一本他后期的作品《黑暗昭昭》，再加上原来已经买了的《蝇王》（龚志成译），一共是五本，这也是这位作家小说的所有中译本了。

 

　　在读完了《蝇王》后，我本要选择《黑暗昭昭》（Darkness Visible）来做我比较文学的学科论文研究对象，但在阅读的过程中，我发现这部作品比较复杂，里面的象征、隐喻和寓言实在太多，短时间之内难以把握。写篇2000字的读后感是一点问题都没有，但要做成论文的话目前好像还有点难度。说我知难而退或者是畏缩不前都未尝不可，因为最后的结果是我选择了另一部作品，那就是《品彻·马丁》。记得当时我是先扫了一眼书本封背上的作品简介，知道这部小说大概的意思，觉得是相当于荒岛求生记一类的小说，不同的就是主角比较混账而已，和原来的荒岛题材联系一下，一篇论文就出来了，比较文学嘛，就是得比呗。于是，我就这样糊里糊涂地选择了他，克里斯托弗·哈德莱·马丁，一个混账。

 

　　小说的开篇先是写这位海军的低级军官在大海中浮沉，挣扎求生，原因是他所在的舰艇被鱼雷击中沉没了。他在冰冷的海水中和海浪抗争，吹胀了身上的救生带，在漂浮。他先是大声叫喊，叫喊他好友的名字，叫喊妈妈，不过没有任何人出现，在黑暗的海水中只有他一个人，孤独，恐惧，席卷心头。他一直在坚持，随着海水的漂浮，他遇到了一块巨大的礁石，他像任何一个落水的人抓住了救命稻草一样，死命不放。他挣脱了沉重的防水靴，艰难地爬上了这块礁石上。这就是这部小说的开端部分，一个对生存极为执着的人，没有放弃一丝生存的机会，并且暂时地获救了。

 

　　他爬到礁石上之后已经筋疲力尽，躺了好久才恢复了点体力。他在礁石上找到了一个积存淡水的地方，他又发现崖石上爬着很多贻贝和海葵，他就用随身携带的小刀把这些东西翘起来生吞下去，这就是他所有的食物——当然，还有一些不时浮上来的带着腐败气味的水草。在解决了生存问题之后，他就像任何一部荒岛小说的主人公一样，开始筹划着怎样离开这个岛。他的思考能力极佳，就如《蝇王》中的Piggy一样，或者应该比他更强。在岛上无法生烟来引起海平线上船只的注意，他也不能一天到晚地站在礁石顶上来吸引注意，于是他想到了一个办法。他把几块大小不一的石块推上了高点，然后垒出了一个假人，这样过往船只上瞭望台的人看到的话就会把他救走。他甚至还把兜里找到的巧克力锡纸铺平了，压在了假人的头上，这样在太阳的照射下假人就会发出闪光。他还考虑到了高空上经过的飞机，便用尝试用海草在礁石的裂缝上叠出一个十字的形状。及至后来便秘加食物中毒，他为了让自己好点，专门将救生带充满了水，然后把冰冷的海水挤进自己的菊花中（囧rz！）来完成一次排便。（看到此处我不禁菊花一紧啊！）强烈的求生意志和自我认同感让他像个英雄般获得了读者们内心的认同，因为他所做的事与鲁宾逊、拉尔夫等人相比没有任何的区别，甚至他所处的环境更为艰苦。

令人印象深刻的独白——Al Pacino

个人独白在文学作品中并不鲜见，文艺复兴时代的《堂吉诃德》和《哈姆莱特》中个人独白占了很大的比重，应该说个人独白是塑造一个角色性格以及表现其精神的重要方式，西方的小说叙事中十分重视这种方式。而在现代的讲求节奏变换的电影艺术中，长篇独白用得很少，而让人印象深刻的独白更是不多。在《闻香识女人》中Al Pacino的独白让我印象尤其深刻，可以说是不可复制的经典。

以下内容引自维基百科：

Trask: Mr. Sims, you are a cover-up artist and you are a liar.

Frank Slade: But he’s not a snitch!

Trask: Excuse me?

Frank Slade: No, I don’t think I will.

Trask: Mr. Slade!

Frank Slade:This is such a crock of shit!

Trask: Please watch your language, Mr. Slade. You are in the Baird School not the barracks. Now Mr. Sims I will give you one final opportunity to speak up.

Frank Slade: Mr. Sims doesn’t want it. He doesn’t need to be labeled, “…still worthy of being a ‘Baird Man.’” What the hell is that? What is your motto here? Boys, inform on your classmates, save your hide. Anything short of that we’re gonna burn you at the stake? Well, gentlemen. When the shit hits the fan, some guys run and some guys stay. Here’s Charlie–facing the fire, and there’s George–hiding in big Daddy’s pocket. And what are you doing? You’re gonna reward George, and destroy Charlie.

Trask: Are you finished, Mr. Slade?

Frank Slade: No. I’m just gettin’ warmed up. I don’t know who went to this place–William Howard Taft, William Jennings Bryan, William Tell–whoever. Their spirit is dead; if they ever had one, it’s gone. You’re building a rat ship here. A vessel for sea-going snitches. And if you think your preparing these “minnows” for manhood, you better think again. Because I say you are killing the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills! What a sham! What kind of show are you guys puttin’ on here today? I mean, the only class in this act is sittin’ next to me. And I’m here to tell you, this boy’s soul is in tact. It is non-negotiable. You know how I know? Because someone here–I’m not gonna say who–offered to buy it. Only Charlie here wasn’t selling.

Mr.Trask: Sir, you are out of order!

Frank Slade: Out of order, I’ll show you out of order! You don’t know what out of order is Mr. Trask! I’d show you but I’m too old, I’m too tired, and I’m too fuckin’ blind. If I were the man I was five years ago I’d take a flame-thrower to this place. Out of order? Who the hell do you think you’re talking to!? I’ve been around, you know? There was a time I could see. And I have seen, boys like these, younger than these, their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there is nothin’ like the sight of an amputated spirit. There is no prosthetic for that. You think you’re merely sending this splendid foot-soldier back home to Oregon with his tail between his legs, but I say “you are executing his soul!” And why? Because he’s not a Baird man. Baird men, you hurt this boy, you’re going to be Baird Bums, the lot of ya. And Harry, Jimmy, Trent, wherever you are out there, fuck you too!

Mr. Trask: Stand down Mr. Slade!

Frank Slade: I’m not finished! As I came in here, I heard those words…cradle of leadership. Well, when the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And it has fallen here, it has fallen! Makers of men, creators of leaders, be careful what kind of leaders you’re producing here. I don’t know if Charlie’s silence here today is right or wrong; I’m no judge or jury. But I can tell you this; he won’t sell anybody out to buy his future! And that, my friends, is called integrity. That’s called courage. Now that’s the stuff leaders should be made of. (pause) Now I have come to the crossroads in my life. I always knew what the right path was. Without exception, I knew. But I never took it. You know why? It was too damn hard. Now here’s Charlie; he’s come to the crossroads. He has chosen a path. It’s the right path. It’s a path made of principle, that leads to character. Let him continue on his journey. You hold this boy’s future in your hands, committee! It’s a valuable future. Believe me! Don’t destroy it…protect it…embrace it. It’s gonna make you proud one day…I promise you.

(Sits down, round of applause from audience) How’s that for cornball?