主位推進模式在馬拉穆德《店員》中的應用

高萌翰

(吉林大學外國語學院 吉林 長春 130012)

主位推進模式在馬拉穆德《店員》中的應用

高萌翰

(吉林大學外國語學院 吉林 長春 130012)

馬拉穆德是著名的猶太作家。他關注的是猶太底層民族的生活狀況。《店員》是他的代表作之一。而主位推進模式在分析文學作品時有著重要的作用。如果將組成語篇的每個句子都進行主位與述位的劃分，勢必可以輕松找出語篇中的內在聯系。這有更加利于深刻地理解文學作品的意圖與內容。本文將利用主位推進模式來分析店員這部作品。

主位推進；文學語篇；馬拉穆德；《店員》

一、引言

一部好的文學作品之所以經久不衰,為眾多讀者所喜愛。不僅是由于它的故事情節環環相扣；引起讀者共鳴。還因為作家使用的優美、精致的語言。通俗地說，主位就是一個句子的出發點從最左邊開始，即這個句子講的是關于什么的。而剩下的句子成分就是述位，就是對“什么”的展開與解釋。捷克語言學家 Danes首次提出了“主位推進”這一概念。他強調每個語篇都可以看成是一個主位的序列,在結構形式上表現為主位的銜接與推進,“隨著各句主位的向前推進,整個語篇逐步展開,直至形成一個能表達某一完整意義的整體?！盵1]系統功能語言 學派的代表人物韓禮德認為“主位是小句信息的出發點,是小句所關心的成分;述位則是對主位的陳述,是圍繞主位而展 開的內容?！盵2]而無論任何形式的語篇，都是由若干句子組成，而每個句子又可分解為主位與述位。而若干句子又組合成整個語篇，每個句子就好比一個個鏈條一樣，組合在一起，從最前端開依次推進，促使整個語篇不斷地向前推進，這就是主位推進。主位推進模式可以用于分析各種體裁的語篇之中。例如可以應用于科技語篇、法律語篇、醫學語篇、文學語篇等。很多學者用主位推進模式分析醫學語篇、廣告語篇、新聞語篇的文章。但是，用主位推進模式分析文學語篇的文章卻非常少。本文擬探討主位推進模式在文學語篇——《店員》中的應用。

二、主位推進模式介紹

朱永生將主位推進模式劃分為以下幾種類型:主位同一型、述位同一型、延續 型、交叉型。[3]主位同一型指的是組成語篇的若干句子具有相同的主位,但這些句子的述位卻不同。例如：She(T1)buried herself with writing in a note book which bills they had got and which paid(R1).She(T2)also wrote out,in a halting hand,a few meager special -account.for bills that could not be paid in cash directly to the drivers,mopped the kitchen floor,emptied the garbage pail into the mental can on the curb outside and prepared salad if it was needed(R2).[4]這個語篇選段屬于主位同一型。因為這兩句話的主位相同，都是she，而它們的述位卻不同。我們可以從第一個句子的述位中挑出關鍵詞bills,paid,note book；而從第二個句子的述位中挑出關鍵詞special -account,mopped the kitchen floor,emptied the garbage pail。通過對兩個句子的述位的關鍵詞的提取，我們海倫可知在閑暇的時候，有記錄賬目的習慣和做家務的習慣。再比如：He(Morris)(T1)awoke,soured by the long afternoon sleep(R1).He(T2)dressed,combed his hair with a broken comb and trudged downstairs,a heavy-bodied man with sloping shoulders and bushy gray hair in need of haircut(R2).He(T3)came down with his apron on(R3).[5]這個語篇選段屬于典型的主位同一性。它所包含的三個句子的主位都是he，而述位則完全不同。而從述位中的關鍵詞awoke、soured、dressed、combed、trudged、in need of、haircut中可以看出剛睡醒的莫里斯一副倦容，下樓都踉踉蹌蹌的。述位同一型指的是組成語篇的若干句子具有相同的述位,但這些句子中主位卻不同。例如Frank loves Helen.Jack also loves Helen這兩個句子中，主位不同：一個是Frank，一個是Jack。但是他們的數位相同，都是 loves Helen。再比如：Karp(T1)had,as a young man,privately peculated from his player,a half-blind shoe wholesaler(R1);and Louis(T2),he knew,snitched from him,but by Louis he was not bothered(R2).He(T3)was,after all,a son(R3);he(T4)worked in the business and would someday-it shouldn’t be too soon-own it(R4).[6]這一語篇選段中第一個句子的述位是peculated from his player。而第二個句子的述位是snitched from him。這兩個句子意思上很接近。所以可以按照述位相同的主位推進類型的方式去理解與分析。從這幾個句子的述位所包含的關鍵詞peculated、snitched 和not bothered，可以看出莫里斯對于在店里偷他東西的人比較仁慈，不計較他們所犯的過錯。這表明了莫里斯是一個心地善良的猶太人。但是， 述位同一型的主位推進類型在文學語篇中所占的比例沒有另外三種類型的所占比例多。而延續型顧名思義指的是這些組成語篇的若干句子中，前一句的述位的一部分成為 后一句的主位。例如He(T1)wanted to step clear of his mess but saw no way other than to keep on lying(R1).But lying(T2)made their talk useless(R2).When he(T3)lied,he was somebody else lying to somebody else(T3)。[7]在這一選段中，第一個句子的述位中的一部分詞語—— lying作了第二個句子中的主位。不難看出主人公弗蘭克在說謊的時候，感到自己如同陌生人一樣，感到不自在。再比如：All during their walk she(T1)had been thinking about her life,the difference between her aloneness now and the fun when she was young and spending every day of summer in a lively crowed of kids on the beach(R1).But as her high school friends(T2)had got married,she had one by one given them up(R2);and as others of them(T3)graduated from college,envious,ashamed of how little she was accomplishing,she stopped seeing them,too(R3).[8]這一語篇選段中第二個句子的述位的一部分——them作為了第三個句子中的主位，而這個主位又引起了新的述位，使信息點不斷的更新，使得語篇能夠不斷地推進下去。從語篇選段各個句子的主位可以看出，語篇選段是圍繞著海倫展開的。而從語篇選段的述位中的詞語如thinkingabout、life、difference、aloneness、fun、young、high school friends、envious、ashamed、given them up、stopped等，我們可以了解到女主人公海倫的心理：隨著年齡的增長，她不再和高中同學來往，而他們其中一些人考上大學后，海倫更加地羨慕她們的學識并感到了自己學歷不高帶給她的困惑。交叉型指的是這些組成語篇的若干句子中，前一個句子的主位是后一句的述位。而文學語篇中，包含著大量的篇幅。而主位推進的各種類型交替出現，構成了文學語篇中的內在邏輯。例如But Frank(T1)said that though the pay was scarce there were other advantages(R1).They(T2)spoke this and that,and when the upstairs tenant learned Frank Alpine was a paisan,Morris told him to come up and meet Tessie(R2).She(T3)cordially invited him for macaroni that same night,and he said he would come if they let him bring the macs(R3).[9]在這一語篇選段中，第一個句子中的主位Frank是第二個句子中的述位。屬于交叉型主位推進模式。從語篇選段各個句子的主位可以看出，語篇選段是圍繞著弗蘭克展開的。而從語篇選段各個句子的述位中的paisan、come up、meet和 invited這些詞中，很容易看出人們知道男主人公弗蘭克是他們的老鄉之后，打算請他到自己家中，熱情款待一番。

三、主位推進模式在文學語篇中的應用

下面，我們將詳盡地把主位推進模式用于分析文學語篇——《店員》之中。我們首先看第一組語篇選段：At first he(T1)waited patiently(R1).What(T2)else was there to do(R2)? He(T3)had waited and was still waiting(R3).He(T4)had been born waiting(R4).But before long(T5),thought he tired not to show it,he was beginning to be fed up with his physical loneliness(R5).He(T6)grew tired of the frustrations of kissing in the doorways,a cold feel on a bench in the park(R6).He(T7)thought of her as he had seen her in the bathroom,and the memory became a burden(R7).He(T8)was the victim of the shape edge of his hunger(R8).So he(T9)wanted her to the point where he thought up schemes for getting her into his room and in bed(R9).He(T10)wanted satisfaction,relief,a stake in the future(R10).She’s(T11)not yours till she gives it to you,he thought(R11).That’s(T12)the way they all are(R12).It(T13)wasn’t always true,but it was true enough(R13).He(T14)wanted an end to the torment of coming to a boil,then thank you,no more(R14).He(T15)wanted to take her completely(R15).[10]這一語篇選段中主位同一型的句子較多。比如T1、T3、T4、T6、T7、T8、T9、T10、T14、T15的主位都是he。所以，我們可以得出這是對主人公弗蘭克的內心的描寫。而從這些主位所對應的述位中，我們可以跳出關鍵的動詞，來幫出我們更好地理解弗蘭克的心理。如waited、patiently、tired、loneliness、kissing、frustrations、burden、victim、hunger、satisfaction、relief、以及end等主要的述位中的動詞，可以看出弗蘭克對海倫的愛以及他矛盾的心理。而T2、T5、T11、T12、T13是不同的主位，引起了新的信息點。例如T12和T13是對弗蘭克的想法給予肯定。證明愛是需要行動去爭取的。通過對整個語篇選段的分析，我們就可以清楚地理解到主人公弗雷克對愛情有了重新的認識，他意識到他對海倫的愛情只停留在了普通朋友之間的交往之中，并沒有進一步地發展為愛情。而對他而言，他從心底里希望得到海倫的愛。海倫的一舉一動的縈繞在他的腦海之中。但他意識到一味地耐心等待與想象是不會得到海倫的愛情，只有做出行動與對愛情的誠意才能獲得海倫的真愛。

我們再來看另一外一組語篇選段：Afterward Helen(T1)suggested other novels by the same writers,so he would know them better,but Frank balked,saying he wasn’t sure that he had understood those he had read(R1).“I’m sure you have,”she(T2)answered,“if you got to know the people.”“I know them,”he muttered(R2).But to please her he(T3)worked through two more thick books,sometimes tasting nausea on his tongue,his face strained as he read,eyes bright black,frowning,although he usually felt some relief at the end of the book(R3).He(T4)wondered what Helen found so satisfying in all this goddamned human misery,and suspected her of knowing he had spied on her in the bathroom and was using the books to punish him for it(R4).But then he(T5)thought it was an unlikely idea(R5).Anyway,he(T6)could not get out of his thoughts how quick some people’s lives went to pot when they couldn’t make up their minds what to do when they had to do it(R6);and he(T7)was troubled by the thought of how easy it was for a man to wreck his whole life in a single wrong act(R7).After that the guy(T8)suffered forever,no matter what he did to make up for the wrong(R8).At times,as the clerk(T9)had sat in his room late at night,a book held stiffly in his reddened hands,his head numb although he wore a hat,he felt a strange falling away from the printed page and had this crazy sensation that he was reading about himself(R9).At first this(T10)picked him up but then it deeply depressed him(R10).[12]這一語篇選段中，T1、T2屬于主位同一型；T3、T4、T5、T6、T7屬于主位同一型。說明是圍繞著同一主位——he展開的。而由各句中述位的關鍵詞suggested、balked、wasn’t sure、understood、please、worked through、tasting nausea、strained、black、frowning、goddamned、suspected、could not get out of、was troubled、suffered forever、falling away from、crazy sensation、felt some relief 以及depressed這些詞可以看出弗蘭克讀書的目的是為了討好海倫。他雖然硬著頭皮讀書。他有時認為這是否是海倫對他的懲罰。但是，當他讀完之后，他會與書中的人物產生共鳴。他時常會因為一個人由于一次小小的失誤，無論他怎樣彌補損失，也無法逃離悲劇的命運而感到苦惱。這里值得注意的是T8的主位是the guy，引起了新的信息點。這表明弗蘭克讀書由之前的厭倦讀書到進入了狀態，他會因書中的人物的歡喜與憂愁而感慨。另外，R6中的went to pot when they couldn’t make up their minds what to do when they had to do it與R7中的how easy it was for a man to wreck his whole life in a single wrong act中的語義相仿。因此，這兩個句子這里可以理解為述位同一型：R7中的wreck his whole life以及wrong act與R8中的suffered forever以及 the wrong的語義是一致的。因此，這里仍然可以將這兩個句子理解為述位同一型。

我們再來看最后一組語篇選段：And if she(T1)married Frank,her first job would be to help him realize his wish to be somebody(R1).Nat Pearl(T2)wanted to be“somebody”,but to him this meant making money to lead the life of some of his well-to-do friends at law school(R2).Frank(T3),on the other hand,was struggling to realize himself as a person,a more worthwhile ambition(R3).Though Nat(T4)had an excellent formal education,Frank knew about more life and gave the impression of greater potential depth(R4).She(T5)wanted him to become what he might,and conceived a plan to support him through college(R5).Maybe she(T6)could even see him through a master’s degree,once he knew what he wanted to do(R6).She(T7)realized this would mean the end of her own vague plans for going to day college,but that was really lost long ago,and she thought she would at last accept the fact once Frank had got what she hadn’t(R7).Maybe after he(T8)was working,perhaps as an engineer or chemist,she could take a year of college just slake her thirst(R8).By then she(T9)would be almost thirty,but it would be worth postponing having a family to give him a good start and herself a taste of what she had always wanted(R9).She(T10)also hoped they would be able to leave New York(R10).She(T11)wanted to more of the country(R11).And if things(T12)eventually worked out,maybe Ida and Morris would someday sell the store and come to live near them(R12).They(T13)might all live in California,her parents in a little house of their own where they could take life easy and be near their grandchildren(R13).The future offered more in the way of realizable possibilities(T14),Helen thought,if a person dared take a chance with it.The question was,did she(R14)?[11]這一語篇選段中，T1、T5、T6、T7、T9、T10、T11屬于主位同一型；T2與T4屬于主位同一型；R9與T10；R12與T13；R10與R11、R12與R3屬于述位同一型。而且通過對主位、述位的劃分，我們可以看出這一語篇選段是對女主人公海倫的心理活動的描寫。而T2與T4引出了新的主位——奈特。而新的主位又帶來了新的信息點。這里奈特的出現，是作為與弗蘭克對比的，他雖然有學問，但他的唯一目標就是賺錢，成為和他朋友一樣富有的人。而弗蘭克雖然沒有他的學問高，但是有上進心。通過與弗蘭克作了對比之后，海倫的心更傾向于弗蘭克。這里新的主位的出現，是為了作對比，引出新的信息點——海倫更傾向于誰的問題。而R10述位中的leave New York與R11述位中的wanted to more of the country的語義基本一致，所以可以將這兩個句子歸為述位同一型。而R12述位中的them與T13的主位they是一致的，屬于交叉型主位推進模式。而述位同一型與交叉性的優點是：可以使文學語篇的結構更為緊湊與連貫。如果我們想要快速的理解這一語篇的意思，還應像之前一樣，將各句中述位的關鍵詞找出來。通過if、married、somebody、engineer、ambition、potential depth、support、accept、maybe、making money、postponing、start、wanted、realizable possibilities、leave、sell、live near、take life easy、take a chance和hope這些詞，再加上上面我們對不同類型的主位推進模式的分析，我們不難發現這是海倫的一個假想。在她的思維意識中，她將弗蘭克幻想成她的結婚對象。在她心中，奈特雖然有學歷，但與弗蘭克相比，不如弗蘭克有潛力與抱負。她對弗蘭克充滿希望：在她眼中，弗蘭克也許會獲得研究生的學歷。隨著語篇的推進，她的思維還跳越到：假如如果她們以后真的在一起了，她們也許會將店鋪賣掉，離開紐約并且住的越近越好。相信以上列舉的三組文學語篇選段，會使大家能夠更了解主位推進模式在文學語篇中的運用。

四、小結

一般情況下,文學語篇呈現出幾種類型交替使用的主位推進模式,主位同一性和延續性主位推進模式是出現在文學語篇中，所占比例最高的類型。例如在表達主人公心理活動時，一般主位都是he或she的情況較為普遍。且幾乎好幾個段落都是由主位(he或she)展開的。而在展開的同時，一個句子所描述的主人公的情況。往往需要進一步、更加細致、深入的展開。這時延續型和交叉性型主位推進模式便派上了用場，大量地連接有內在邏輯、層層遞進的句群之間。使得語篇不斷地向前推進。作者在表達思想的時候，不可能是一成不變、平鋪直敘的。只有不斷變化的情節，才能引起讀者的興趣，讓讀者認為該文學作品值得讀下去。否則一成不變的情節只能讓讀者感到索然無味的感覺，沒有再讀下去的必要了。而主位推進模式的類型比較靈活，可以有效地進行擴展已知的信息點，引出新的、有價值的信息點促使語篇不斷地向前推進。這樣，作者與讀者之間的橋梁就不再像想象中的那么難以跨越了。總之，主位推進模式能夠幫助我們快速的、準確地找到構成語篇的各個句子的主位、述位以及各個句子之間的內在聯系。但是，僅僅憑借主位推進模式去理解文學語篇顯然是不夠的，我們還應該在語法、固定搭配、詞語用法以及同一詞語在不同的語境下所能表達的不同的意思等方面，對文學語篇進行全面而深入的理解。

[1]李健,范祥濤.主位推進模式在文學語篇分析中的應用[J].大連大學學報,2008(4)

[2]李健,范祥濤.主位推進模式在文學語篇分析中的應用[J].大連大學學報,2008(4)

[3]朱永生.主位推進模式與語篇分析[J].外語教學與研究,1995(3)

[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]Malamud,Bernard.The Assistant[M].New York:Avon Books,1980

高萌翰(1987-)，男，漢族，山東肥城人，研究生，吉林大學外國語學院，研究方向:英美文學。