“无与伦比的伟大作家”——奈保尔

• 作 者: Robert McCrum 程锦
• 出 处: 英语学习
• 发表日期: 2001年12期
• 关键词: 奈保尔 边缘人 语言风格 维迪 约瑟夫·康拉德 《印度之行》 英国小说家 writer 《双城记》 诺贝尔文学奖

维·苏·奈保尔曾经说过,“我就是这样的作家,人们总以为别人才读我的作品。”这话出自最新的诺贝尔文学奖得主之口,话语中的模棱两可正是其典型的语言风格。他一方面自我贬低,却用语嘲讽(我的读者不多,但都是有识之士);一方面叉极端自信,甚至傲慢自大(我是个伟大的作家,作品值得广泛关注和尊敬)。可以打赌,未来几个星期里,文学圈以外的人们将逐渐了解这位诺贝尔奖新宠,而一向处事低调的维迪亚爵士似乎也不用费力去掩饰什么,因为他那挑衅传统、蔑视世俗的态度已在他的公开言论中表露无遗。在他漫长的写作历程里,他总是把自己看作一头孤独的狼、一个边缘人。

Vyse Naipaul once said, “I am such a writer, and people always think that others will read my work.” The words come from the mouth of the latest Nobel Prize laureate, whose ambiguity Typical language style. On the one hand, he is self-deprecating, but his words are ridiculed (not many of my readers are well-versed persons); on the one hand they are extremely confident and even arrogant (I am a great writer and my works deserve wide attention and respect). It is worth betting that in the coming weeks, people outside the literary circle will gradually understand the new darling of the Nobel Prize. Sir Vidia, who has always been in a low profile, does not seem to have to bother to hide anything because of his provocative tradition and contempt for the secular Attitude has been revealed in his public statements. In his long history of writing, he always regarded himself as a lonely wolf, a marginalized person.