被贱斥的“巫婆”—《好邻居日记》中的老年女性境遇分析

The Abject “Witch” and Aged Women in the Diary of a Good Neighbor

摘要: 当代英国女作家多丽丝•莱辛的小说《好邻居日记》借助女主角简娜的视角，再现了老年女性的生活境遇，质疑了当代社会的老年认知偏见。借助法国女性主义理论家朱莉亚•克里斯蒂娃的“贱斥”概念，可以看出，简娜刚开始时的排斥态度源于她对衰老现象的拒绝，对个体脆弱性的否认，对克里斯蒂娃所说的母性控制的反抗。随着与老太太莫迪交往的深入，简娜逐渐走上了自我反思和自我发现之路。这使她能够更理性地看待衰老，更真诚地对待老人。从这个意义上来说，莱辛的这部作品不仅是对老年问题的探讨，更是对社会观念改变的一种期待。

Abstract: In her novel The Diary of a Good Neighbor, through Jane (Janna) Somers’ eyes, British writer Doris Lessing depicts the living conditions of aged people, and questions the stereotyped conception of old age in contemporary society. Applying Julia Kristeva’s concept of abjection to the analysis of this novel, this paper argues that Janna’s previous aversion to the aged people originates from her repulsion of ageing process, her denial of human fragility and her wish to break away from what Kristeva calls “the hold of maternal entity”. As her contact with Maudie Fowler deepens, Janna gradually steps onto the path of self-reflection and self-discovery, and that enables her to view old age in a rational way and treat aged people with more sincerity and respect. In this sense, this novel is not only an exploration of old age problem, but also a hope for the change of social conception.