「看哪，我在燃燒！」：論後現代恐怖文類中的惡童及超我

Abstract

本論文試圖以精神分析理論論及「壞種」的比喻作為後現代恐怖文類中的魔。本文援引紀傑克的精神分析理論，解讀當代的惡童及後現代情景，認為後現代恐怖文類中的惡童目睹律法的僭越將跨越莫比爾氏環而成為超我，這正是恐怖文類中極致的僭越。如此的僭越將點出後伊底帕斯時代的恐怖：當伊底帕斯之父和快感之父結合，主體將喪失定錨。惡童的超我及死亡趨力勾連出後伊底帕斯的結果，並導致他們的魔化。最後，本文希冀能找出一條走出後伊底帕斯的路，點出死亡趨力能推翻社會符號系統的境界，正是主體重生的契機。 本文共分三章。第一章將概述後現代性及後現代恐怖文類的詭祕(uncanny)關係。第二章探討紀傑克理論下的後現代場景，以此闡釋本文分析框架的重要概念，並著重後伊底帕斯化的主體。最後，第三章爬梳《壞種》及《沉默之丘》系列裡關於超我化的文本證據。在《壞種》中，Rhoda的貪婪顛覆浪漫時代兒童的論述，並展現原我之惡（id evil），但原我之惡的力量亦來自於超我。在《沉默之丘》系列裡，Alessa的復仇充滿了超我及死亡趨力的色彩。本章結尾比較惡童與校園槍擊案，質疑「惡童」的幻想（fantasy）無非是後現代追求真實界的（偽）激情。本文的結語以Heather的成熟為例，重新陳明面對大他者匱乏的倫理策略。本文一方面試圖提出，超越完美的大他者幻見（fantasy）的方式，另一方面亦試圖提出擔負生命責任的倫理態度。This thesis aims to deal with a psychoanalytic theorization of the tropes of “bad seeds” as monsters in the postmodern horror genre. Reading contemporary evil children and the postmodern scenario in light of the Žižekian psychoanalytical theory, I would like to argue that evil children in the postmodern horror genre have witnessed how the Law crosses the Mobius strip to become the superego, which I propose is the ultimate transgression of the horror genre. Such transgression exposes the terror of post-Oedipal era,when the Oedipal father is united with the Jouissant father, depriving the subjects the anchor for their subjectivity. Evil children articulate the aftermath of post-Oedipalization by being dominated by the superego and the death drive, both of which induce their monstrosity. In the end, in hopes of finding a way out of the post-Oedipal crisis, I turn to the death drive, which may lead the subject to the ground of ex nihilo, a ground for the possible rebirth. The thesis consists of three chapters. In the first chapter, I would outline the uncanny relationship between the postmodern horror genre and the postmodernity. In Chapter Two, the Žižekian view of the postmodern scenario is explored, along with several important concepts that help establish my analytical frame. Special emphasis would be placed upon the subjects of post-Oepalization. Finally, Chapter Three scrutinizes The Bad Seed and the Silent Hill saga for textual evidence about superego(ization). In The Bad Seed, Rhoda’s greed reverses the discourse of the Romantic child and represents the id evil, which draws its energy from the superego. In the Silent Hill series, Alessa’s revenge is also characterized with willful superegoization and her death drive. This chapter ends with the comparison with the school shootings, a reflection about the problematization of the fantasy of evil children, and a confrontation with our (fake) passion for the Real. The epilogue reiterates the ethical strategy to encounter the Other’s lack along with Heather’s maturation in the Silent Hill saga. The study proposes to provide us with not only a better way to traverse the fantasy of a perfect Other, but also an ethical way to assume full responsibility to life.