Miss Lonelyhearts

納撒尼爾·韋斯特（Nathanael West） 1903年出生于紐約一個(gè)殷實(shí)的猶太移民家庭。他1924年畢業(yè)于布朗大學(xué)，隨后到巴黎游學(xué)，15個(gè)月后返回紐約，加入父親的建筑公司。不久后，他開始從事酒店管理業(yè)，在為落魄的紐約作家提供便宜食宿的同時(shí)，探索寫作的可能性。從1931年到1934年，他相繼出版了《巴爾索·斯奈爾的夢幻生活》（The Dream Life of Balso Snell）、《寂寞芳心小姐》（Miss Lonelyhearts）、《難圓發(fā)財(cái)夢》（A Cool Million）等作品。其中，《寂寞芳心小姐》深受名家好評，更被拿來與菲茨杰拉德的《了不起的蓋茨比》（The Great Gatsby）相提并論，是韋斯特最受歡迎的作品。盡管這些作品在文學(xué)圈受到了贊譽(yù)，但是銷量都不高。1935年，韋斯特來到好萊塢尋找發(fā)展機(jī)會(huì)，成為一名編劇。1939年，基于他對好萊塢電影產(chǎn)業(yè)的觀察，他完成了《蝗災(zāi)之日》（The Day of the Locust）。1940年，韋斯特和妻子不幸死于一場車禍。韋斯特是美國“黑色幽默小說”的先驅(qū)，他的作品笑中帶淚，對當(dāng)時(shí)美國社會(huì)的種種亂象進(jìn)行了入木三分的刻畫和深沉的諷喻。

Excerpts1）

Although the deadline was less than a quarter of an hour away， he was still working on his leader2）. He had gone as far as： “Life is worth while， for it is full of dreams and peace， gentleness and ecstasy， and faith that burns like a clear white flame on a grim dark altar.” But he found it impossible to continue. The letters were no longer funny. He could not go on finding the same joke funny thirty times a day for months on end. And on most days he received more than thirty letters， all of them alike， stamped from the dough of suffering with a heart-shaped cookie knife.

On his desk were piled those he had received this morning. He started through them again， searching for some clue to a sincere answer.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts—

I am in such pain I dont know what to do sometimes I think I will kill myself my kidneys hurt so much. My husband thinks no woman can be a good catholic and not have children irregardless of the pain. I was married honorable from our church but I never knew what married life meant as I never was told about man and wife. My grandmother never told me and she was the only mother I had but made a big mistake by not telling me as it dont pay to be innocent and is only a big disappointment. I have 7 children in 12 years and ever since the last 2 I have been so sick. I was operated on twice and my husband promised no more children on the doctors advice as he said I might die but when I got back from the hospital he broke his promise and now I am going to have a baby and I dont think I can stand it my kidneys hurt so much. I am so sick and scared because I cant have an abortion on account of being a catholic and my husband so religious. I cry all the time it hurts so much and I dont know what to do.

Yours respectfully，

Sick-of-it-all

Miss Lonelyhearts threw the letter into an open drawer and lit a cigarette.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts—

I am sixteen years old now and I dont know what to do and would appreciate it if you could tell me what to do. When I was a little girl it was not so bad because I got used to the kids on the block makeing fun of me， but now I would like to have boy friends like the other girls and go out on Saturday nights， but no boy will take me because I was born without a nose—although I am a good dancer and have a nice shape and my father buys me pretty clothes.

I sit and look at myself all day and cry. I have a big hole in the middle of my face that scares people even myself so I cant blame the boys for not wanting to take me out. My mother loves me， but she crys terrible when she looks at me.

What did I do to deserve such a terrible bad fate？ Even if I did do some bad things I didnt do any before I was a year old and I was born this way. I asked Papa and he says he doesnt know， but that maybe I did something in the other world before I was born or that maybe I was being punished for his sins. I dont believe that because he is a very nice man. Ought I commit suicide？

Sincerely yours，

Desperate

The cigarette was imperfect and refused to draw. Miss Lonelyhearts took it out of his mouth and stared at it furiously. He fought himself quiet， then lit another one … He stopped reading. Christ was the answer， but， if he did not want to get sick， he had to stay away from the Christ business. Besides， Christ was Shrike3）’s particular joke. “Soul of Miss L， glorify me. Body of Miss L， save me. Blood of ...” He turned to his typewriter.

Although his cheap clothes had too much style， he still looked like the son of a Baptist4） minister. A beard would become him， would accent his Old-Testament look. But even without a beard no one could fail to recognize the New England puritan. His forehead was high and narrow. His nose was long and fleshless. His bony chin was shaped and cleft5） like a hoof6）. On seeing him for the first time， Shrike had smiled and said， “The Susan Chesters， the Beatrice Fairfaxes7） and the Miss Lonelyhearts are the priests of twentieth-century America.”

A copy boy came up to tell him that Shrike wanted to know if the stuff was ready. He bent over the typewriter and began pounding its keys.

But before he had written a dozen words， Shrike leaned over his shoulder. “The same old stuff，” Shrike said. “Why don’t you give them something new and hopeful？ Tell them about art. Here， I’ll dictate：

“Art Is a Way Out.

“Do not let life overwhelm you. When the old paths are choked with the debris of failure， look for newer and fresher paths. Art is just such a path. Art is distilled from suffering. As Mr. Polnikoff exclaimed through his fine Russian beard， when， at the age of eighty-six， he gave up his business to learn Chinese， ‘We are， as yet， only at the beginning ...’

“Art Is One of Life’s Richest Offerings.

“For those who have not the talent to create， there is appreciation. For those ...

“Go on from there.”

1.節(jié)選部分選自小說第一章，描寫了主人公“寂寞芳心小姐”（Miss Lonelyhearts）在截稿日前著急寫稿但又無從下筆的情景。節(jié)選部分的讀者來信存在文法錯(cuò)誤，因?qū)懶耪邅碜陨鐣?huì)各階層，文化水平不一，為保持原文風(fēng)格，本刊未作更正。

2.leader [?li?d?（r）] n. （報(bào)紙上的）重要文章；社評

3.Shrike：施拉克，報(bào)紙的副刊編輯，“寂寞芳心小姐”欄目的創(chuàng)辦者

4.Baptist [?b?pt?st] n. 浸禮會(huì)教友

5.cleft [kleft] adj. 裂開的；劈開的

6.hoof [hu?f] n. （馬、羊、鹿等動(dòng)物的）蹄子

7.小說中指在報(bào)紙上開設(shè)專欄回答讀者問題的作者。

作品賞析

如果我們留意雜志或報(bào)紙的欄目設(shè)置，會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)其中不少報(bào)刊設(shè)立了讀者信箱，借以與讀者進(jìn)行近距離的交流。小說《寂寞芳心小姐》中的男主人公就是這樣一位信箱欄目的主持人，他是紐約《電訊郵報(bào)》的專欄作家，化身為“寂寞芳心小姐”，回復(fù)讀者來信，解答情感類的問題。給他寫信的人中，有被丈夫當(dāng)做生育機(jī)器的心力交瘁的妻子，有因?yàn)槊娌炕味陡凶员暗?6歲少女，有因?yàn)?3歲的聾啞妹妹被壞人性侵害而為其擔(dān)憂、惶恐的少年，有為信仰荒蕪而焦慮不已的新聞從業(yè)者，有拿著極低的工資辛苦勞作的底層勞工……每一封信后面都隱藏著一顆看不到出路的靈魂，追求幸福卻不可得。透過欄目，我們能夠感受到平凡小人物的種種掙扎和他們渴望救世主出現(xiàn)的呼聲。

20世紀(jì)上半葉的美國社會(huì)，基督教的影響力急劇衰退。在此前達(dá)爾文進(jìn)化論的沖擊下以及尼采“上帝死了”的高呼中，上帝從世俗世界里黯然退出，無法再在懷疑他存在的人群面前扮演救世主。可是人們的內(nèi)心依然渴望安撫，于是在《寂寞芳心小姐》中，媒體扮演了傾聽告解的角色。就像設(shè)置該欄目的副刊編輯施拉克所說：“寂寞芳心小姐們是20世紀(jì)美國的牧師?！彼麨闄谀克鶎懙钠矶\文也利用了宗教式的煽情：“哦，好心的小姐，原諒我的請求，把我深深藏在你的心中，保護(hù)我免受我敵人的欺侮。救救我，寂寞芳心小姐，救救我，救救我……”

可是，施拉克之所以創(chuàng)辦這一欄目，不是為了宗教式的精神撫慰。讀者的痛苦對他來說，恰恰是可以利用的弱點(diǎn)，能夠促進(jìn)雜志銷量。負(fù)責(zé)主持欄目的男主人公“寂寞芳心小姐”卻深為這些讀者的來信所觸動(dòng)，在拆開一封封來信，看到了一個(gè)個(gè)悲苦的生命后，他越來越希望自己能夠有能力拯救世人。小說中，作者韋斯特沒有告訴我們“寂寞芳心小姐”的真名和成長背景，然而他對主人公的外表刻畫卻暗示著主人公形象的宗教意義：他“看上去仍像個(gè)浸禮會(huì)牧師的兒子，蓄上胡子對他來說更合適，能突出他那像《舊約》里的人物的長相。但即使沒有胡子，誰也不會(huì)認(rèn)不出他是新英格蘭的清教徒”。主人公對來信人的痛苦感同身受，為此失眠、沮喪，將重重的十字架扛在自己的肩上。

其實(shí)，這位負(fù)責(zé)為讀者提供人生指南的“寂寞芳心小姐”自己的人生也有各種各樣的問題需要解決。主持專欄帶來的灰暗感令他的人生不堪重負(fù)。他了解苦難，卻不知道如何幫助受苦受難的人卸下苦難。除了日復(fù)一日在紙上提供廉價(jià)的心靈雞湯和麻醉劑式的空洞安慰，他不知道能夠?yàn)槿藗冏鲂┦裁础?/p>

于是，他從烈酒中尋找解脫，醉醺醺度日，麻木神經(jīng)，不用受良知折磨。他也向性愛尋找寄托，在女性的懷抱中獲得片刻的溫暖，克服寂寞。然而，酒醒后是更多的空虛，魚水之歡后是更深的孤獨(dú)。他的女友單純而天真，注意到了男友精神的萎頓，于是敦促他一起到鄉(xiāng)下度假。在自然中，他仿佛找到了內(nèi)心的平靜。然而這種逃離只是短暫的，回到城市生活的軌道，他依然迷惘。遠(yuǎn)離塵囂、回歸田園，這些看似可行的方案也不是解脫之道。

小說中，每個(gè)人都有自己的人生局限。這種局限對有的人物來說，是身體的缺陷，對有的人物來說，則是靈魂的痛苦。沒有人能夠超越命運(yùn)的設(shè)定，無力的宿命感彌漫在小說中。由于小說的黑色幽默風(fēng)格，這種宿命感顯得分外突出。

“黑色幽默”這一概念由法國超現(xiàn)實(shí)主義詩人安德烈.布勒東于1935年提出，在20世紀(jì)60年代成為形容美國文學(xué)的流行語，專門用來指混合了荒誕與滑稽的黑色喜劇。它和傳統(tǒng)喜劇的相似之處在于它創(chuàng)造笑聲，依賴滑稽審美，而它和傳統(tǒng)喜劇的差異之處在于這笑聲不是源自內(nèi)心的歡悅，而是透露出絕望的歇斯底里。韋斯特被譽(yù)為美國黑色幽默的先驅(qū)者。在他的小說中，笑聲是一種抵抗，也是一種投降。除了嘲諷的笑，還能用什么對抗人生的荒謬？除了無奈的笑，還能用什么對抗價(jià)值的虛無？小說討論救贖，描寫人生百樣的困苦，筆調(diào)卻充滿錯(cuò)位的滑稽感。

首先，是“寂寞芳心小姐”的設(shè)定。這個(gè)名字會(huì)讓人聯(lián)想到多愁善感的女子，沒想到主人公是個(gè)男人，名字和性別之間存在錯(cuò)位。同時(shí)，給“寂寞芳心小姐”寫信的人們千奇百怪，有的外表驚人，有的舉止奇特，這使他們看起來更像是馬戲團(tuán)里的畸形人展覽。此外，“寂寞芳心小姐”自己的生活處理得一團(tuán)糟，居然被認(rèn)為是救世主，連主人公也承認(rèn)他自己是偽基督：“人們一向用夢想來跟他們的痛苦作戰(zhàn)……在許許多多的騙局里，就屬這一騙局最惡劣，而這一騙局里也有他的份，而且特別惡劣，因?yàn)樗芴摌?gòu)出關(guān)于基督的夢想?！敝魅斯窕揭粯樱Q自己愛著全人類，卻意識不到自己的不自量力。他和一個(gè)瘸子的妻子偷情，自以為滿足了女方對愛情的渴望；他同情瘸子，卻沒有意識到他的所作所為在瘸子看來是欺騙。他看到瘸子，想要沖過去擁抱他，表達(dá)兄弟之愛，卻被瘸子開槍打死。他的死毫無意義，沒有任何人因?yàn)樗臓奚玫搅司融H。

《寂寞芳心小姐》中的黑色幽默風(fēng)格暴露出生活的荒謬感，又在其上涂抹了令人心酸的無奈感。20世紀(jì)的美國作家普遍注意到了信仰缺失后造成的精神危機(jī)。像威廉·福克納這樣的作家，高揚(yáng)人性的旗幟，認(rèn)為在神缺席的世界里，救贖來自人性的力量。像弗蘭納里·奧康納這樣的作家，則堅(jiān)持對上帝的信仰，認(rèn)為面對精神的荒漠，唯有回到基督教才是解脫。而納撒尼爾·韋斯特這樣的作家，卻認(rèn)為再回到信仰只是一種自我麻醉，空有人性也于事無補(bǔ)。看看“寂寞芳心小姐”，他對這個(gè)世界充滿了愛，然而連自己都救不了。人的存在仿佛是一則寫在黑色紙上的空洞故事。神祇低垂眼瞼，對人在欲望與孤獨(dú)中的掙扎袖手旁觀，緘默不語。痛苦不會(huì)令人成熟，更不能給人承諾令人安心的彼岸天堂。虛無則是比邪惡更令人恐懼的地獄深淵。然而，笑聲是走夜路的口哨，給自己壯膽，讓自己在這別無救贖的荒謬人生里走下去。