《傷心咖啡店之歌》:是存在主義小說嗎? A Song of the Sad Coffee Shop: An Existentialist Novel?

《傷心咖啡店之歌》:是存在主義小說嗎? A Song of the Sad Coffee Shop: An Existentialist Novel?

● 字源與歷史概念

freedom(自由)源自古英語 frēodōm,由 frēo(自由的)加 -dōm(狀態)構成,而 frēo 與 friend(朋友)同源。capitalism(資本主義)的 capital 源自拉丁文 caput(頭),引申為「首要的、本金」,-ism 表示主義,這個詞在 19 世紀才通行。civilization(文明)源自拉丁文 civis(公民)衍生的 civilis,字面是「成為公民社會的過程」。competition(競爭)源自晚期拉丁文 competitio,由 competere 衍生,competere 由 com-(一起)加 petere(追求)構成,字面是「一起追求同一個目標」。existentialist(存在主義的)的 existence 源自中古拉丁文 existentia,上溯拉丁文 existere,由 ex-(出)加 sistere(站)構成,字面是「站出來、顯現」。label(標籤)源自古法語 label(布條、窄帶),原指縫在衣物上的布條,後來才指標籤。

背景: 《傷心咖啡店之歌》是台灣作家朱少麟的第一部長篇小說。據簡介,它1996 年由九歌出版社推出,在這之前曾被多家出版社拒絕,出版後意外熱賣,並引發長達三年的校園與網絡討論。《遠見》雜誌 1999 年的報導說它當時已暢銷七萬餘本。作者在網路連載時,也有人把它放在 BBS 與網站上閱讀,網路連載的片段曾被媒體報導。 (内容简介 · · · · · · +2)

創作緣起: 據《遠見》的報導,一切起於 1993 年,朱少麟拿到一張由黃仁宇著作延伸出的讀書計畫單,書單以「自由」與「文明」為兩大主軸,背後是對數百本社會學與哲學經典的思索,最後寫成 24 萬字的小說。她自己說,在那之前她並不讀書。 (gvm)

情節: 主角馬蒂對台北的高度現代化與資本主義競爭感到厭倦,她把馬達加斯加島當作自由的象徵,最後出發前往該島。書中還有海安、吉兒、小葉等人物。簡介說,小說勾畫出兩個相生相克的世界:呆板機械的物質世界,與自由靈動的精神世界。 (lawdata) (douban)

讀法: 有讀者指出,作者利用書中人物的價值觀進行辯論,探討「自由」這個資本主義的基礎意識形態。也有讀者把它寫成關於「資本主義與存在主義」的論文式閱讀心得,並與莊子的逍遙一併討論。另一位書評則批評作者把哲學概念當成角色之間的直接論辯,哲學底蘊顯得不足。學界也有從別的角度讀它的:政大《文山評論》2009 年的一篇論文,用符號學與「過渡空間」的理論,討論馬達加斯加與自由的象徵。 (vocus.cc +3)

核心概念:

Freedom(自由): 全書的主軸,人物不斷辯論自由到底是什麼,以及資本主義社會給了人多少自由。

Capitalism(資本主義): 馬蒂厭倦的是台北的競爭與機械化生活,書中的物質世界與精神世界形成對照。

Escape and passage(出走與過渡): 馬達加斯加是自由的象徵,出走的過程也是一種過渡。

Philosophy through debate(以辯論呈現哲學): 思想概念藉由角色之間的對話說出,有人稱讚深廣,也有人嫌過於直白。

同源與核心詞彙: freedom(自由)、capitalism(資本主義)、civilization(文明)、competition(競爭)、existentialist(存在主義的)、label(標籤)

● 全新例句(101 字長句)

Given that Zhu Shaolin's first novel, which Jiuge published in 1996 after several other publishers had reportedly turned it down, and which grew out of a reading plan on freedom and civilization that she began in 1993, sends Mati, weary of Taipei's capitalist competition, to Madagascar in search of freedom, it is tempting to call the book existentialist, much as some readers have done, but the label fits only loosely, for its young characters argue openly about freedom as a social question, and once freedom is read that way, the novel looks like a sustained questioning of capitalism's promises of freedom.

● 排列為比較容易閱讀的方式

Given that Zhu Shaolin's first novel,

　which Jiuge published in 1996

　　after several other publishers had reportedly turned it down,

　and which grew out of a reading plan on freedom and civilization

　　that she began in 1993,

sends Mati,

　weary of Taipei's capitalist competition,

to Madagascar in search of freedom,

it is tempting to call the book existentialist,

　much as some readers have done,

but the label fits only loosely,

　for its young characters argue openly

　　about freedom as a social question,

and once freedom is read that way,

the novel looks like a sustained questioning

　of capitalism's promises of freedom.

● 分解為原初的短小句

Zhu Shaolin's first novel sends Mati to Madagascar.

(Given that 子句主幹的還原。)

Jiuge published the novel in 1996.

(第一個 which 子句的還原。)

Several other publishers had reportedly turned it down.

(after 子句,過去完成的還原。)

The novel grew out of a reading plan.

(第二個 which 子句的還原。)

The reading plan was on freedom and civilization.

(on 片語的還原。)

She began the plan in 1993.

(that 子句的還原。)

Mati is weary of Taipei's capitalist competition.

(後置形容詞片語的還原。)

She goes to Madagascar in search of freedom.

(in search of 的還原。)

It is tempting to call the book existentialist.

(形式主詞句主幹。)

Some readers have called it existentialist.

(much as some readers have done 的還原。)

The label fits only loosely.

(but 後半主幹。)

The book's young characters argue about freedom.

(for 子句的還原。)

They argue openly.

(openly 的還原。)

They treat freedom as a social question.

(argue about A as B 的還原。)

Someone reads freedom that way.

(once 子句的還原,被動 is read 的主動形式。)

The novel then looks like a questioning of capitalism's promises.

(主句的還原。)

The questioning is sustained.

(sustained 的還原。)

Capitalism promises freedom.

(promises of freedom 的還原。)

● 全新文法解析

Given that + 長主詞 + 並列 which 子句

句型:Given that + 名詞, + which + 主詞 + 動詞 + ..., + and + which + 動詞 + ..., + 動詞 + 受詞

作用:Given that 意為「既然、鑑於」,引導一個作為前提的子句。主詞 novel 與動詞 sends 之間插入兩個以 and 並列的非限定 which 子句,每個都帶自己的修飾語。重複 and which 比只寫 and 更清楚,因為第二個 which 的子句有自己的主詞與動詞。第二個 which 子句內的 that she began in 1993 是修飾 reading plan 的限定關係子句。

關鍵詞彙:given that(鑑於)、publish(出版)、grow out of(源自)、reading plan(閱讀計畫)

after + 過去完成 + reportedly

句型:after + 名詞 + had + reportedly + 過去分詞 + 受詞

作用:after 引導的副詞子句,用過去完成 had turned it down 表示「拒絕」發生在 published 之前。reportedly 放在助動詞 had 與過去分詞 turned 之間,表示這是轉述的消息,不是句子作者親身確認。turn down 是「拒絕」的固定搭配,it 回指 novel。several other publishers 的 other 表示「Jiuge 之外的」。

關鍵詞彙:after(在……之後)、had reportedly turned down(據說曾拒絕)、several other(另外好幾個)

後置形容詞片語 + in search of

句型:sends + 人名, + 形容詞 + of + 名詞, + to + 地點 + in search of + 名詞

作用:weary of Taipei's capitalist competition 是後置的形容詞片語,插在 Mati 之後,相當於 who is weary of。它交代人物離開的理由。in search of 是介系詞片語,意為「為了尋找」,表示去馬達加斯加的目的。兩者都放在 sends 的受詞後面,使句子沿著「原因、去處、目的」的順序推進。

關鍵詞彙:weary of(厭倦)、capitalist(資本主義的)、competition(競爭)、in search of(為了尋找)

形式主詞 it + to 不定詞 + much as 省略

句型:it + is + 形容詞 + to + 動詞 + 受詞 + 補語, + much as + 主詞 + have done

作用:it is tempting to call... 中,it 是形式主詞,真正的主詞是 to call the book existentialist。call + 受詞 + 補語 意為「稱……為……」。much as 在此是比較連接詞,意為「很像……那樣」,相當於 in much the same way as。have done 是代動詞,取代前面已出現的 called it existentialist,避免重複。

關鍵詞彙:it is tempting to(很容易就想……)、call + O + C(稱……為)、much as(就像)、have done(代替前述動作)

對等連接詞 for + argue about A as B

句型:, + for + 主詞 + 動詞 + 副詞 + about + 名詞 + as + 名詞

作用:for 在這裡是對等連接詞,意為「因為」,前面必須有逗號,不能放在句首。它補充說明為什麼標籤只是鬆散地適用。argue about A as B 意為「把 A 當作 B 來辯論」:書中人物把自由當作一個社會問題來辯論。openly 放在動詞後,表示公開、直接地辯論。

關鍵詞彙:for(因為,連接詞)、argue about(辯論)、openly(公開地)、social question(社會問題)

once + 被動 + that way + look like

句型:once + 主詞 + is + 過去分詞 + that way, + 主詞 + looks like + 名詞

作用:once 引導條件與時間兼具的子句,意為「一旦」。is read that way 是被動式,that way 回指前面的 as a social question。主句 looks like a sustained questioning of... 中,questioning 是動名詞作名詞,後接 of 帶出對象。capitalism's promises of freedom 裡的 of freedom 說明承諾的內容,與前面的 of 形成兩層並列。

關鍵詞彙:once(一旦)、that way(那樣)、look like(看起來像)、questioning(質疑)、promise of(……的承諾)

● 參考翻譯

鑑於朱少麟的第一部長篇小說讓厭倦台北資本主義競爭的馬蒂前往馬達加斯加尋找自由,人們很容易把這本書稱為存在主義小說,就像一些讀者已經做的那樣。這部小說由九歌在 1996 年出版,先前據說有好幾家出版社拒絕過它,它也源自她 1993 年開始、以自由與文明為主題的閱讀計畫。不過這個標籤只是鬆散地適用,因為書中年輕的人物公開把自由當作社會問題來辯論,而一旦這樣來讀自由,這部小說看起來更像是對資本主義所承諾的自由的持續質疑。

● 逆向工程(請嘗試不看原文,還原長句)

Zhu Shaolin's first novel sends Mati to Madagascar.

Jiuge published the novel in 1996.

Several other publishers had reportedly turned it down.

The novel grew out of a reading plan.

The reading plan was on freedom and civilization.

She began the plan in 1993.

Mati is weary of Taipei's capitalist competition.

She goes to Madagascar in search of freedom.

It is tempting to call the book existentialist.

Some readers have called it existentialist.

The label fits only loosely.

The book's young characters argue about freedom.

They argue openly.

They treat freedom as a social question.

Someone reads freedom that way.

The novel then looks like a questioning of capitalism's promises.

The questioning is sustained.

Capitalism promises freedom.

對照完整句子:

Given that Zhu Shaolin's first novel, which Jiuge published in 1996 after several other publishers had reportedly turned it down, and which grew out of a reading plan on freedom and civilization that she began in 1993, sends Mati, weary of Taipei's capitalist competition, to Madagascar in search of freedom, it is tempting to call the book existentialist, much as some readers have done, but the label fits only loosely, for its young characters argue openly about freedom as a social question, and once freedom is read that way, the novel looks like a sustained questioning of capitalism's promises of freedom.

補充說明: 全句逐字核算為 101 字(1996、1993 各以一字計,Shaolin's、Taipei's、capitalism's 各以一字計)。文法解析共 6 點,句型採用「Given that 加並列 which 子句、after 加過去完成加 reportedly、後置形容詞片語加 in search of、形式主詞 it 加 much as 省略、對等連接詞 for 加 argue about A as B、once 加被動加 look like」,與前面五句的結構不重複。

● 後記

先分清「分類」與「閱讀角度」。 我查到的資料裡,沒有出版社或作者把這本書定位為存在主義小說。簡介與報導多把它描述為以自由為主題、帶有思辨的都市青年小說。有讀者從存在主義的角度讀它,也有讀者從莊子的「逍遙」去讀同一本書,可見標籤出自讀者。比較穩妥的寫法是:「以自由為主軸,部分讀者從存在主義的角度閱讀。」

別把「哲學思辨」直接等同「存在主義」。 《遠見》的報導說,作者的閱讀計畫以自由與文明為軸,涉及的是社會學與哲學經典,並沒有特別指向存在主義。至於書中對自由的追問與存在主義的自由、選擇議題有重疊,但不等同,這是我的判斷,不是定論。另外,有書評認為思想概念由角色直接論辯說出,哲學底蘊不夠,這是個人評價,引用時要標明。

把出版史、情節與本句論點分開。 1996 年九歌出版、據說曾被多家出版社拒絕、1993 年的閱讀計畫,屬於出版與創作史,依據簡介與《遠見》的報導;馬蒂前往馬達加斯加,屬於情節;「更像是對資本主義自由承諾的質疑」,則是本句的論點,屬於詮釋。