鲁迅小说中的物叙事研究 — 以≪孔乙己≫为例

Abstract

“Human-centered”view of traditional narratives focuses on the causal chain of human events in time and space．Non-human “things” are either ignored or become vassals to speak for human being. Therefore, human and things are ontologically different. Since the 20th century, with the rise of intellectual trends such as “posthumanism” and “anti-anthropocentrism” literary studies—following the “linguistic turn” and the “cultural turn”—have now embraced a new trend known as the “turn to things”. This shift has made the study of “things” a burgeoning focus in contemporary literary research, gradually giving rise to theories related to “things” emerged, with “Thing Narratives” being one of them. Lu Xun is a master at employing everyday objects, and the everyday items found everywhere in his works were carefully selected by the author. For example, the human-blood-steamed bun in Medicine, the fragrant soap in Soap, and the pigtail in A Gust of Wind all carry rich narrative significance. In K’ung I-chi, seemingly unremarkable things such as the Chinese-style gown, wine, and fennel beans play distinct roles through their presence or absence. This paper explores the narrative functions and symbolic meanings of things such as clothing and food in the novel, examining how they highlight character traits, advancing the plot, and creflecting ethical narratives in the novel. In K’ung I-chi, Lu Xun does not directly states how corrupt society was, how ignorant the people were, or how unfortunate K’ung I-chi was. Instead, he imbues various things with symbolic meanings that reflect upon the protagonist, allowing readers to witness the tragic fate of intellectuals at the bottom of China’s old society, feel the numbness of the national psyche, and sense the darkness and cruelty of the past era. As a result, the things in K’ung I-chi transcend their materiality, becoming crucial narrative devices that construct the textual world and convey the author’s deeper concerns. In conclusion, re-examining the significance of “things” in Lu Xun’s novels from the perspective of thing narratives and exploring the narrative functions of the rich symbolism within the novel undoubtedly offers a new viewpoint and new approach to the study of thing narratives in K’ung I-chi.