真的沒有其他選擇嗎？ 唐‧德里羅《墜落的人》的後現代主義筆記

Abstract

自九一一恐怖襲擊以來，迷失方向、碎片化、混亂，以及記憶與歷史感的喪失等現象日益加劇。我們生活在一個碎形的世界中，沉浸於符號之中，卻面臨資訊過載，且愈發難以理解自身所處的位置。後現代主義可視為試圖掌握此種混亂而破碎現實的理論之一。本文回溯其思想源流，並以弗雷德里克·詹明信（Fredric Jameson）的理論為分析框架，嘗試解讀二十一世紀最具影響力的小說之一：唐·德里羅（Don DeLillo）於2007年出版的《墜落的人》（Falling Man）。該小說聚焦九一一事件的餘波，詰問：在一個事物不再具有意義的世界中，我們該如何繼續前行？本研究著重於小說的形式與內容，深入剖析其結構安排、敘事聲音，以及各角色如何透過重構世界與自我位置，回應其所面臨的再現危機（crisis of representation）。小說透過「頓悟」（epiphany）的敘事手法，在混亂與絕望的世界中帶來一絲希望之光，並將語言呈現為於廢墟中重建想像力的方式。Disorientation, fragmentation, confusion, loss of memory or historical sense are some of the conditions that have heightened since the terrorist attacks of September 11th. We live in a fractal world, immersed in symbols and yet increasingly unintelligible and overloaded. One of the theoretical attempts to grasp this chaotic and fragmented reality is postmodernism. Returning to one of its primary sources, this paper uses the work of Fredric Jameson as a framework to attempt a reading of one of the most consequential novels of the 21st century: Falling Man (2007) by Don DeLillo. The novel, which focuses on the aftermath of 9/11, asks how we can continue in a world where nothing makes sense anymore.Focusing on both form and content, this work looks into unraveling the structure of the novel, analyzing the narrative voice, as well as the crisis of representation that each of the characters suffer, which is why their main struggle consists of finding a way to represent the world and their position in it. Finally, the novel, through the device of epiphany, proposes an alternative to so much confusion and despair, which is why this work presents language as a way to begin to rebuild imagination amidst the ruins.