经济学人391:Tainted love 堕落的爱

 　　Books and Arts;Book Review;New American fiction;Tainted love;“Dirt”by DAVID VANN.

　　文艺；书评；一部新的美国小说；堕落的爱；《丑事》大卫·范恩著。

　　DAVID VANN’s first short-story collection, “Legend of a Suicide”, was an arresting meditation¹ on life after his father killed himself, seen through the prism of fiction. His 2011 novel, “Caribou Island”, similarly retraced² the Alaskan landscape of his youth to consider the disintegration³ of a family in the wake of a parent’s suicide. Though informed by fact, those two extraordinary books highlighted the power of fiction and the role of the imagination in the unceasing struggle to explain a tragedy.

　　《自杀传奇》，大卫·范恩的第一部短片小说集，是作者的父亲自杀后作者对生活的深沉反思。大卫·范恩2011年的小说《卡布里岛》也是一样的调调，里面有作者的出生地，阿拉斯加的美景，还有自杀的父亲，以及父亲自杀后那支离破碎的家庭。小说虽然基于事实而作，但是在这两部非比寻常的小说里，虚构和幻想的力量不容忽视，因为在描述悲剧的过程之中，虚构和幻想在推动小说的持续发展上起了重要作用。

　　There is no suicide in Mr Vann’s new novel, “Dirt”. But this work makes it clear that broken families, and the violence and destruction that love can wreak⁴, continue to be his abiding⁵ themes.

　　范恩先生的新作，《丑事》，并没有自杀这一回事，但是这本书讲得很清楚，爱可能导致家庭破碎，暴力还有破坏。这也是范恩先生不变的主题。

　　At 22, Galen still lives with his controlling and emotionally dependent mother in the secluded⁶ California house she grew up in. Their home together is suffused⁷ by memories of her abusive father, her apparently⁸ senile mother and decades of accumulated hurt, guilt⁹ and denial. Galen’s crusty aunt and nubile¹⁰ teenage cousin drift in and out of their lives and Galen’s fantasies. Meanwhile Galen, a deeply unhappy young man, plots his escape—if not from his family, then at least from his own body.

　　伽林，都22岁了，还跟他妈住一起。他妈是个控制狂，情感还不独立。他们住的房子还是他妈长大的地方。房子位于加利福尼亚，周围并没有多少人出没。这个家是一个充满记忆的地方，他妈的爸爸是个虐待狂，他妈的妈妈是个老不死，几十年了，不缺的是伤痛、内疚和背弃。伽林的姑妈，脾气暴躁，伽林的表妹，到了该结婚的年纪，她们俩经常出没伽林还有他妈的生活，当然了还有伽林的性幻想里。同时，伽林，一个纯粹的苦逼少年，谋划着怎样的“越狱”——如果不是从家里逃出来，那么最起码也要突破自己的躯壳。

　　This seething¹¹ and unwieldy family decides to take a trip to an old cabin in the Sierras, which handily brings the drama to a boil. “How many times had they put the world back together?” wonders Galen: “Why not let it fall apart and stay apart, why not let the truth happen?” So builds the dreadful climax¹² and dark denouement¹³ of this brilliant narrative¹⁴.

　　这个躁动、笨重的家庭，决定去旅行，目的地是寒拉斯一旧房子。这一决定直接性地把剧情推向了高潮。“是有多少回啊，他们把这个世界给整到一起去？” 伽林好奇：“为什么就不能够顺其自然，分了就分了，各过各的，为什么真相就是不能够露个脸呢？”于是，可怕的高潮来了，故事在精彩的叙述中，黑暗结局。

　　This is not a relaxing or consoling book. The reader feels some sympathy for Galen, whose suffering turns him into a bulimic and self-hating depressive. But he is also unremittingly selfish, deluded¹⁵ and abhorrent¹⁶. He gives flesh to the notion that the victim eventually becomes the aggressor; that life taints¹⁷ and ruins, rather than redeems¹⁸.

　　读这本书，并不会让人感觉轻松，或是得到某种安慰。读者会感觉很同情伽林。伽林真苦，他都厌食症了，不想吃东西，自怨自艾，消沉。但是他时不时地表现出自私的模样，逃避现实，很讨厌。受害者最终会变成攻击者，生活既然已经腐蚀了，那索性就腐烂到底吧，管它什么玩意的救赎。对于这一理论，伽林演绎的是有血有肉。

　　The dirt of the title represents the final, violent sequence between Galen and his mother. But filth¹⁹ lies all over this novel: the tantalising young cousin who abuses Galen and then sleeps with him; the mother who adores and abhors²⁰ the boy she brought into the world; and ultimately the muddied and muddled²¹ mind of Galen himself.

　　书名丑事，暗含伽林和他妈之间注定的、暴力的结局。但是肮脏始终贯穿小说：诱人犯罪的表妹虐待伽林，并跟他上床；老妈对儿子是既爱又恨，恨的是他老爸当初怎么没把他射到墙上；最后是浑浑噩噩的伽林自己，一团糟。

　　This is a novel of violence, destruction and ruin. There is no salvation²². And yet Mr Vann’s soaring writing carries it forward—a reminder²³ of the beauty that can grace even the beastliest things.

　　这是一部关于暴力，破坏和堕落的小说，没有所谓的救赎。但是范恩先生高超的写作却让这部小说上升到了另外一个高度——美丽的提示可以使一切变得优雅，包括那最丑陋的东西。

1 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

2 retraced   

v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯

参考例句：

• We retraced our steps to where we started. 我们折回我们出发的地方。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• We retraced our route in an attempt to get back on the right path. 我们折返，想回到正确的路上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 disintegration   

n.分散，解体

参考例句：

• This defeat led to the disintegration of the empire.这次战败道致了帝国的瓦解。
• The incident has hastened the disintegration of the club.这一事件加速了该俱乐部的解体。

4 wreak   

v.发泄；报复

参考例句：

• She had a burning desire to wreak revenge.她复仇心切。
• Timid people always wreak their peevishness on the gentle.怯懦的人总是把满腹牢骚向温和的人发泄。

5 abiding   

adj.永久的，持久的，不变的

参考例句：

• He had an abiding love of the English countryside.他永远热爱英国的乡村。
• He has a genuine and abiding love of the craft.他对这门手艺有着真挚持久的热爱。

6 secluded   

adj.与世隔绝的；隐退的；偏僻的v.使隔开，使隐退( seclude的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• Some people like to strip themselves naked while they have a swim in a secluded place. 一些人当他们在隐蔽的地方游泳时，喜欢把衣服脱光。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This charming cottage dates back to the 15th century and is as pretty as a picture, with its thatched roof and secluded garden. 这所美丽的村舍是15世纪时的建筑，有茅草房顶和宁静的花园，漂亮极了，简直和画上一样。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 suffused   

v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Her face was suffused with colour. 她满脸通红。
• Her eyes were suffused with warm, excited tears. 她激动地热泪盈眶。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 guilt   

n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责

参考例句：

• She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
• Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。

10 nubile   

adj.结婚期的

参考例句：

• Rich old men often like to be surrounded by nubile young women.一些上了年纪的富翁总喜欢被到了适婚年龄的年轻女人围绕。
• What is this current television obsession with older men and nubile young women?现在的电视节目为什么这么喜欢描写老男人和妙龄性感女郎的故事呢？

11 seething   

沸腾的，火热的

参考例句：

• The stadium was a seething cauldron of emotion. 体育场内群情沸腾。
• The meeting hall was seething at once. 会场上顿时沸腾起来了。

12 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

13 denouement   

n.结尾，结局

参考例句：

• The book's sentimental denouement is pure Hollywood.该书的煽情结局纯粹是好莱坞式的。
• In a surprising denouement,she becomes a nun.结局出人意表，她当修女了。

14 narrative   

n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的

参考例句：

• He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
• Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。

15 deluded   

v.欺骗，哄骗( delude的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Don't be deluded into thinking that we are out of danger yet. 不要误以为我们已脱离危险。
• She deluded everyone into following her. 她骗得每个人都听信她的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 abhorrent   

adj.可恶的，可恨的，讨厌的

参考例句：

• He is so abhorrent,saying such bullshit to confuse people.他这样乱说，妖言惑众，真是太可恶了。
• The idea of killing animals for food is abhorrent to many people.许多人想到杀生取食就感到憎恶。

17 taints   

n.变质( taint的名词复数 )；污染；玷污；丑陋或腐败的迹象v.使变质( taint的第三人称单数 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• Meat taints readily in hot weather. 天气炎热，肉容易变味。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This disease of money and greed taints other people. 别人会为了贪财争赃而丧心病狂。 来自辞典例句

18 redeems   

补偿( redeem的第三人称单数 )； 实践； 解救； 使…免受责难

参考例句：

• The acting barely redeems the play. 该剧的演出未能补救剧本的缺点。
• There is a certain insane charm about Sellers; the very vastness of his schemes redeems them. 塞勒斯有一种迹近疯狂的魔力，正因为他的计划过于庞大，它们才能使人相信。

19 filth   

n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥

参考例句：

• I don't know how you can read such filth.我不明白你怎么会去读这种淫秽下流的东西。
• The dialogue was all filth and innuendo.这段对话全是下流的言辞和影射。

20 abhors   

v.憎恶( abhor的第三人称单数 )；（厌恶地）回避；拒绝；淘汰

参考例句：

• For the same reason, our party abhors the deification of an individual. 因为这样，我们党也厌弃对于个人的神化。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She abhors cruelty to animals. 她憎恶虐待动物。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

21 muddled   

adj.混乱的；糊涂的；头脑昏昏然的v.弄乱，弄糟( muddle的过去式)；使糊涂；对付，混日子

参考例句：

• He gets muddled when the teacher starts shouting. 老师一喊叫他就心烦意乱。
• I got muddled up and took the wrong turning. 我稀里糊涂地拐错了弯。 来自《简明英汉词典》

22 salvation   

n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困

参考例句：

• Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
• Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。

23 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。