Fool's Gold: Playing the Market in "The Rise of Silas Lapham"

郝渥斯的《富賈滄桑》素有「美國第一部商業小說」之名，然而評論者對於小說中的商業行為討論有限，不是偏重道德問題的探討，就是將文學作品和創作行為視為經濟文化的產物。本文承襲前人經濟文化的討論，卻將重點置於小說主角的商業活動，特別是炒作投機性股票，以致傾家蕩產的情節，藉由探究小說家對於股市理所當然的貶抑，對應當時公眾對於股市的負面評價，一窺經濟商業活動所染上的道德色彩。股市之所以為人詬病，和其早期發展的不法操作、投機狂熱，以及頻繁的崩盤震盪，不無關連。郝渥斯將股票買賣類比為賭博，則格外凸顯其反理性（隨機）、反生產（不勞而獲）的特質。然而，小說家此舉雖關照著清教主義、中產階級和農業社會的價值觀，卻也在當時實業家與金融家的商場較勁中，替前者平添了道德正統的意味。郝渥斯為了強化小說主角實業家的正面形象，更讓他透過經營買賣找到人生目標、人際和諧和道德救贖。此舉成功的將舊有道德價值與當代商業行為結合，以經濟活動的道德報償對照股市投資的道德淪喪，既是商業的道德化也不失為道德的商業化。

關鍵字

郝涅斯；《富賈滄桑》經濟史；股票市場；投機買賣；道德經濟

並列摘要

Long called the first American business novel, ”The Rise of Silas Lapham” has not attracted much critical attention to its economic action. Critics have mostly focused on discussions of moral philosophy and, more recently, of literary creativity as socioeconomic behavior. This research looks instead at the business dealings in the novel, especially speculation in the stock market, to examine the moralization of economic activities with references to Wall Street's negative image in contemporary popular discourse.The notoriety of the stock exchange comes from its sharp practices, speculative manias, and periodic crashes. Howells also adopts the popular analogy between stock speculation and gambling to highlight the irrational and counterproductive characteristics of the former-an attitude which adheres to Puritan work ethics, bourgeois morality and agrarian values. This rhetoric, however, also echoes the attacks of industrialists as they lose their battle with financiers for control of Wall Street.To further intensify the contrast between the two kinds of businessmen in favor of the industrialists, Howells depicts Lapham's activities as a fulfillment of self, devotion to family, contribution to the community, and redemption of his soul. This moral discourse helps legitimize industrial capitalism in the eyes of the conservative public, while Lapham's financial failure adds to the disreputability of venture capitalists as embodied in the deceitful Rogers. The novelist thus lends support to the industrialists' moralization of business differences.