論奈波爾《米格爾大街》中的嘲仿與諧擬

Abstract

本論文試圖對奈波爾在小說《米格爾大街》中，對於後殖民困境的描寫之尖銳筆觸及曖昧態度，提出一個更全面及正向的閱讀。透過小說中對千里達後殖民社會的諧趣敘事，及不斷提及殖民主所帶來的影響及強迫性的文化移植事實，奈波爾將此本小說以諷刺文體的方式呈現，意欲透過嘲諷及諧擬的態度，凸顯出殖民主義的錯誤，引導讀者進一步思考殖民主義所帶來的創傷及影響。本論文結合霍米巴巴的嘲仿理論及諷刺文體理論，探討奈波爾在《米格爾大街》中對千里達社會中被殖民者對殖民主的擬態模仿的深刻描寫，小說中千里達人民的後殖民困境及對西方社會的學舌情況，實為奈波爾對殖民主義的批判，藉由被殖民者對西方文化典範的模仿及其失敗，將殖民主義及西方帝國主義轉化為被嘲諷的對象，藉此批判西方帝國及殖民主義將西方文化思想強加諸被殖民者之不義及不當。

This thesis seeks to provide a more comprehensive and positive reading of the caustic depiction of the post-colonial society and Naipaul’s ambivalence toward the post-colonial predicament described in Miguel Street. In this thesis, I examine the comic and ironic efforts of satire insinuated in Miguel Street to see how Naipaul evokes serious reflection on colonialism. I argue, in light of Homi K. Bhabha’s idea of mimicry, that by means of the literary form of satire, Miguel Street turns colonialism and western imperialism into the mocked target. Naipaul presents Miguel Street as a satire in which the characters’ imitations of western culture, manner, and attitude actually mock the authority and influence of colonialism. By making constant allusions to the Western celebrities and norms in Miguel Street, Naipaul is not suggesting that the Western order is the ideal rule. Instead, Naipaul is charging the absolutely incorrect civilizing mission imposed by the colonizer on the colonized and the ensuing serious damages brought to the indigenous history and culture in the colony.