＂Sharing Our Brokenness＂: The Other's Silence, Boundary-Crossing, and Sharing in Joy Kogawa's Obasan

「分享破碎」：小川悅《歐巴桑》中他者的沉默、跨界與分享

鄧秋蓉(Chiou-Rung Deng)

《小說與戲劇》 26卷1期 (2016/12) Pp. 1-28

https://doi.org/10.6271/fd.2016.26.1.01

摘要

This paper aims to reconsider the other's silence in Joy Kogawa's Obasan, which represents the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II. What underlies the ethnic other's silence, described as ＂steadfast＂ as the stone in the novel's prologue, is the tendency to transcend boundaries and the ethics of sharing and accommodating other people's needs. More specifically, in response to the nation-state's inhospitality and its politics of demarcating a border line between citizens and non-citizens, Kogawa's novel focuses on the other's tendency to cross the boundaries between self and non-self, between self and the objects, or between the self and the landscape. Also, the idea of sharing is highlighted; despite being driven out of their home, the homeless other still share what remains with those in need. Finally, out of consideration for other people's needs, Naomi's absent mother keeps silent in order to protect her children from the trauma of the horrifying truth. In turn, Naomi comes to realize what silence conveys and to share her mother's brokenness. Only by ＂sharing our brokenness,＂ in Kogawa's words, can the wholeness of an ostracized community be reclaimed and the lost members be brought home.

關鍵字

Joy Kogawa ； Obasan ； silence ； boundary-crossing ； sharing

並列摘要

本文閱讀小川悅的《歐巴桑》，並重新思考小說中他者的沈默。這部小說再現二次大戰期間日裔加拿大人遭到拘留的過往歷史，其中受創的族裔他者沈默以對，但宛如磐石的沈默之下是超越界線的趨向，以及分享、照顧他人需求的倫理態度。更明確而言，面對國家不願接納異己，反而一再劃清國民與非國民之界線，小川悅的小說則呈現他者跨越我與非我之分、我與物之分、我與景之分；此外，小說敘事亦凸顯分享的概念，儘管遭到驅離家園，這些「無家」的他者仍與同樣受難的人們分享僅存之物；最後，出自對他人需要的考量，缺場的母親保持著沈默，此沈默則是為了保護孩子免於受到恐怖真相之創傷。直到故事結尾，敘事者才逐漸領悟沈默欲傳達的訊息，才能與身體受創傷的母親分享其破碎。一如小川悅提出，唯有「分享彼此的破碎」，才能讓遭驅逐的他者族群重拾完整，讓失去的家人再次回家。

並列關鍵字

小川悅 ； 《歐巴桑》 ； 沈默 ； 跨越界線 ； 分享

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