寻求自我——对《秀拉》中女性角色的分析
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摘要
1993年，托妮·莫里森作为第一位美国黑人作家被授予诺贝尔文学奖，
这标志着黑人文学正式登上世界文坛。这位高产作家的近十部作品不仅屡次登
上畅销书榜首，深受读者喜爱，而且以其无与伦比的前卫思想和强烈的艺术感
受成为文学评论界备受关注的焦点。正是由于她的不懈努力，黑人文学，尤其
是黑人妇女文学正在成为美国文学迅速发展的劲旅。
托妮·莫里森的作品不仅描述了一些从未在其他美国文学作品中出现过
的黑人女性形象，而且散发着浓郁的黑人文化气息。本文旨在从莫里森最受争
议的作品《秀拉》入手，通过对作品主题、人物、环境及语言特色的分析，试
剖析作品中黑人女性在重重歧视下争取做人的权利，寻求自我的共同愿望。
《秀拉》讲述了一个黑人社区里的两个黑人女孩的友谊发展。通过对她
们及其家人（多为女性）经历的描述，反映了黑人女性为寻找自我而进行的不
断反抗。其代表人物秀拉努力争取做人的平等自由，不惜反叛传统的社会角色
及道德模式。这个我行我素，桀骜不驯，与传统黑人女性形象相距甚远的黑人
姑娘不仅给她生活的黑人社区造成了巨大冲击，同时也在美国文学批评界引起
了轩然大波。人们对她的所作所为议论纷纷，而她却通过短暂而又丰富的一生，
向人们展示了黑人女性另一种生活方式——不是帮别人实现自我，做一个默默
无闻的牺牲品；也可以找到属于自己的空间和权利，过自己理想的生活。
秀拉虽然生活在一个黑人社区，避免了遭受外界直接的种族歧视，但这
个被称作“底层”的黑人社区充满了令人心酸的故事，黑人的生活无不笼罩在
种族歧视的阴影之下。多年的痛苦生涯使得黑人形成了独特的生活哲学，即从
所有的灾难中求生存，容纳邪恶而不是消灭它。这种哲学极大丰富了社区文化，
同时又造成了社区观念的局限。从底层对黑人女性的态度来看，它可以容纳性
情各异的黑人女性形形色色的反叛，只要她们承认男性的主宰地位，正是这些
女性独特的生活方式给成长中的秀拉以巨大影响，并最终造就了她彻底反叛的
性格；另一方面，由于社区观念的局限，它害怕根本变化，不认可秀拉的追求。
但在客观上，只有底层能容纳秀拉，不受外界的侵犯；而被认为是邪恶化身的
〔氯；）硕士字上＞天
＼。·、、－／VX乙日R 三 二’二·二“
秀拉对底层的发展起到了积极的促进作用，秀拉的死带来的是它的消亡。从这
个角度来说，秀拉与底层互相依存，密不可分。
《秀拉》的另一个主题则是黑人女性之间的友谊。男性之间的友谊一直
是主要的文学素材，而在此之前从未有过专门描述女性友谊的书。友谊在女性
生活中占有重要地位，与男性相比，女性更愿意和密友共同分享体验和经历，
并且友谊经久不衰。通过秀拉与奈尔贯穿终生的爱恨离合，莫里森真实描述了
青少年女性的亲密无间，共同体验人生：而婚姻改变了两个好朋友对友谊的看
法：婚姻的独享及拥有意识破坏了友谊的共享。本书中，莫里森让友谊战胜了
婚姻：奈尔最终意识到多年来她日夜思念的不是弃她而去的丈夫，而是儿时的
伙伴秀拉。在种族及性别双重歧视下，婚姻让黑人女性变得沉闷，而友谊则让
她们烟耀生辉。友谊是她们唯一可能得到的自由和平等，所以成为生活中必不
可少的补充。在小说结尾处，奈尔对她由于婚姻而错失的友谊一声声呼唤，正
是呼唤她错失的理想和青春，同时也暗示了她寻求自我的决心。
经过几代黑人女性的不断反抗，以奈尔为代表的黑人女性终于开始了自
发的斗争，标志着黑人人权运动进入高潮。“像红杉一样活过”的秀拉终于可
以安息了，她的斗争精神将永存人间。
在《秀拉》中，莫里森以时间为章节。以死亡为线索，串起一个个事件。
她赋子自然以生命，人物的喜怒都用自然形象表达。肢体残缺也是社会异类极
为形象的表达方式。深刻的现实描写与奇特的魔幻想橡，丰富的黑人民间故事
交织在一起。其散文诗般的语言，体现了黑人文学的艺术特性。
Abstract
In l993, Toni Motrison was awarded the Nobel Prize as the first Affican
American women writer. It signified the formal establishInent of Black LiteratUre.
About ten novels of this taIented writer have attracted critical acclaim as well as
conunercial success. It is because of her Persistent endeavor that black literatUre,
especially black women literature, has become the increasingly tremendous branch
of AJnerican literat'Ur.
Toni Motrison has featured her whting not only with some unique black
women characters that had never emerged in American literature befOre, but also
with distinctive black cuIture. This essay, consisting of an anaIysis of SuAnne of
her most controversial works and a discussion on features of Morrison's literary
...
creation, is written with a pmpose to interpret the black women characters' shared
desire of searching for identity under sexism as welI as racial discrimination in
terms of her theme, environment,characterization and style.
The novel explores the relationship betWeen Nel Wright and Sula May Peace;
their reIationship to their conununity, the Bottom; and that co!nmunity's view of
who a woman should be. In Sula, readers may be startled to see so many peculiar
behaviors and even alienated lifestyles of black women in a black comrnunity called
the Bottom. Through analyzing these behaviors and Iifestyles, this thesis tries to
demonstrate the deeply hidden desire of black women----searching for identity.
Sula breaks through all categories and insists on the same privileges that men
obtain f sexuaI liberation, freedom of movement, irresponsibiIity, Iack of sociaI or
faInilial commiboent. Sula breaks from every expectation the black community has
for a woman. She consciously danms herself in the eyes of others so as to prove to
herself that a black woman can do what she does. At the expense of her reputation
and any settled existence, she has achieved a fOrm of personal liberation.
To evaluae the dialectic betWeen the self and society in Sula, it is necessary to
analyze the roots of the Bottom's mentality, to discuss racism's impact on the
II
coIInnuni. Their philosoPhy edsbits a ctwcism about the ltritS of liVing, Which
is Md in a history of StrUgglin continually tO sdrive. In their view althugh
NatUr's signS are seldOm colltrOlled by the actions of men, they must relatC to the
course of huInan events. Their attitud toWard evil reflects their oprience unde
various opPrsslons.
Various irnages of black mothers aPPearing in Sula are as striking and
LmfOrgettale as you can irnagne. Thrugh the descriPton of the black women's
liVes of the former genration, Toai Monison not only disPlays their differen Ways
in searching for their ditw undr the circles of oPPression Which aPpears to be the
Antial Stage of searching for identity, but also draInatizes the connnwhty's sPnd
richaess and poverty. The novel outlines the precise bountw of the Bottom's
to1erance to a woman's behavior. ms coInmedty absorbs many styledelene's
ladythe and hyPOctitical mannr, Hannah's elegant sensuality, even EVa's arrogan
M of her soru long as they remain wiffon its dedriion of woman as wife,
mothe) or man lover. Their StrUggle is vagUe and subconscious within the Bottom's
lnd. Some of their rebellious behaviors are even distorted by the deePly rooted
value system of the Bottom. After all, the rebellious SPint sParkling in their lives
fosters the more comPlete and conscious rebellion in their lled generation tha will
be rePresented by Sula. She will hilfill their dreams in their youth even withut
their consent. The BottOm is afraid of fimdamental change because its lhaion,
therfore, it can't absOrb Sula's behaVior. Actually, Only the BottOm can leave Sula
as she is; While the so-called evil force, Sula. keeps the BOttOm alive by stiInulatin
it through her "evil" behaviors. Along with her death comes the disintegration of
the BOttOm. From thes point, we can say that Sula is inseParable with the BottOm.
Motriso
这标志着黑人文学正式登上世界文坛。这位高产作家的近十部作品不仅屡次登
上畅销书榜首，深受读者喜爱，而且以其无与伦比的前卫思想和强烈的艺术感
受成为文学评论界备受关注的焦点。正是由于她的不懈努力，黑人文学，尤其
是黑人妇女文学正在成为美国文学迅速发展的劲旅。
托妮·莫里森的作品不仅描述了一些从未在其他美国文学作品中出现过
的黑人女性形象，而且散发着浓郁的黑人文化气息。本文旨在从莫里森最受争
议的作品《秀拉》入手，通过对作品主题、人物、环境及语言特色的分析，试
剖析作品中黑人女性在重重歧视下争取做人的权利，寻求自我的共同愿望。
《秀拉》讲述了一个黑人社区里的两个黑人女孩的友谊发展。通过对她
们及其家人（多为女性）经历的描述，反映了黑人女性为寻找自我而进行的不
断反抗。其代表人物秀拉努力争取做人的平等自由，不惜反叛传统的社会角色
及道德模式。这个我行我素，桀骜不驯，与传统黑人女性形象相距甚远的黑人
姑娘不仅给她生活的黑人社区造成了巨大冲击，同时也在美国文学批评界引起
了轩然大波。人们对她的所作所为议论纷纷，而她却通过短暂而又丰富的一生，
向人们展示了黑人女性另一种生活方式——不是帮别人实现自我，做一个默默
无闻的牺牲品；也可以找到属于自己的空间和权利，过自己理想的生活。
秀拉虽然生活在一个黑人社区，避免了遭受外界直接的种族歧视，但这
个被称作“底层”的黑人社区充满了令人心酸的故事，黑人的生活无不笼罩在
种族歧视的阴影之下。多年的痛苦生涯使得黑人形成了独特的生活哲学，即从
所有的灾难中求生存，容纳邪恶而不是消灭它。这种哲学极大丰富了社区文化，
同时又造成了社区观念的局限。从底层对黑人女性的态度来看，它可以容纳性
情各异的黑人女性形形色色的反叛，只要她们承认男性的主宰地位，正是这些
女性独特的生活方式给成长中的秀拉以巨大影响，并最终造就了她彻底反叛的
性格；另一方面，由于社区观念的局限，它害怕根本变化，不认可秀拉的追求。
但在客观上，只有底层能容纳秀拉，不受外界的侵犯；而被认为是邪恶化身的
〔氯；）硕士字上＞天
＼。·、、－／VX乙日R 三 二’二·二“
秀拉对底层的发展起到了积极的促进作用，秀拉的死带来的是它的消亡。从这
个角度来说，秀拉与底层互相依存，密不可分。
《秀拉》的另一个主题则是黑人女性之间的友谊。男性之间的友谊一直
是主要的文学素材，而在此之前从未有过专门描述女性友谊的书。友谊在女性
生活中占有重要地位，与男性相比，女性更愿意和密友共同分享体验和经历，
并且友谊经久不衰。通过秀拉与奈尔贯穿终生的爱恨离合，莫里森真实描述了
青少年女性的亲密无间，共同体验人生：而婚姻改变了两个好朋友对友谊的看
法：婚姻的独享及拥有意识破坏了友谊的共享。本书中，莫里森让友谊战胜了
婚姻：奈尔最终意识到多年来她日夜思念的不是弃她而去的丈夫，而是儿时的
伙伴秀拉。在种族及性别双重歧视下，婚姻让黑人女性变得沉闷，而友谊则让
她们烟耀生辉。友谊是她们唯一可能得到的自由和平等，所以成为生活中必不
可少的补充。在小说结尾处，奈尔对她由于婚姻而错失的友谊一声声呼唤，正
是呼唤她错失的理想和青春，同时也暗示了她寻求自我的决心。
经过几代黑人女性的不断反抗，以奈尔为代表的黑人女性终于开始了自
发的斗争，标志着黑人人权运动进入高潮。“像红杉一样活过”的秀拉终于可
以安息了，她的斗争精神将永存人间。
在《秀拉》中，莫里森以时间为章节。以死亡为线索，串起一个个事件。
她赋子自然以生命，人物的喜怒都用自然形象表达。肢体残缺也是社会异类极
为形象的表达方式。深刻的现实描写与奇特的魔幻想橡，丰富的黑人民间故事
交织在一起。其散文诗般的语言，体现了黑人文学的艺术特性。
Abstract
In l993, Toni Motrison was awarded the Nobel Prize as the first Affican
American women writer. It signified the formal establishInent of Black LiteratUre.
About ten novels of this taIented writer have attracted critical acclaim as well as
conunercial success. It is because of her Persistent endeavor that black literatUre,
especially black women literature, has become the increasingly tremendous branch
of AJnerican literat'Ur.
Toni Motrison has featured her whting not only with some unique black
women characters that had never emerged in American literature befOre, but also
with distinctive black cuIture. This essay, consisting of an anaIysis of SuAnne of
her most controversial works and a discussion on features of Morrison's literary
...
creation, is written with a pmpose to interpret the black women characters' shared
desire of searching for identity under sexism as welI as racial discrimination in
terms of her theme, environment,characterization and style.
The novel explores the relationship betWeen Nel Wright and Sula May Peace;
their reIationship to their conununity, the Bottom; and that co!nmunity's view of
who a woman should be. In Sula, readers may be startled to see so many peculiar
behaviors and even alienated lifestyles of black women in a black comrnunity called
the Bottom. Through analyzing these behaviors and Iifestyles, this thesis tries to
demonstrate the deeply hidden desire of black women----searching for identity.
Sula breaks through all categories and insists on the same privileges that men
obtain f sexuaI liberation, freedom of movement, irresponsibiIity, Iack of sociaI or
faInilial commiboent. Sula breaks from every expectation the black community has
for a woman. She consciously danms herself in the eyes of others so as to prove to
herself that a black woman can do what she does. At the expense of her reputation
and any settled existence, she has achieved a fOrm of personal liberation.
To evaluae the dialectic betWeen the self and society in Sula, it is necessary to
analyze the roots of the Bottom's mentality, to discuss racism's impact on the
II
coIInnuni. Their philosoPhy edsbits a ctwcism about the ltritS of liVing, Which
is Md in a history of StrUgglin continually tO sdrive. In their view althugh
NatUr's signS are seldOm colltrOlled by the actions of men, they must relatC to the
course of huInan events. Their attitud toWard evil reflects their oprience unde
various opPrsslons.
Various irnages of black mothers aPPearing in Sula are as striking and
LmfOrgettale as you can irnagne. Thrugh the descriPton of the black women's
liVes of the former genration, Toai Monison not only disPlays their differen Ways
in searching for their ditw undr the circles of oPPression Which aPpears to be the
Antial Stage of searching for identity, but also draInatizes the connnwhty's sPnd
richaess and poverty. The novel outlines the precise bountw of the Bottom's
to1erance to a woman's behavior. ms coInmedty absorbs many styledelene's
ladythe and hyPOctitical mannr, Hannah's elegant sensuality, even EVa's arrogan
M of her soru long as they remain wiffon its dedriion of woman as wife,
mothe) or man lover. Their StrUggle is vagUe and subconscious within the Bottom's
lnd. Some of their rebellious behaviors are even distorted by the deePly rooted
value system of the Bottom. After all, the rebellious SPint sParkling in their lives
fosters the more comPlete and conscious rebellion in their lled generation tha will
be rePresented by Sula. She will hilfill their dreams in their youth even withut
their consent. The BottOm is afraid of fimdamental change because its lhaion,
therfore, it can't absOrb Sula's behaVior. Actually, Only the BottOm can leave Sula
as she is; While the so-called evil force, Sula. keeps the BOttOm alive by stiInulatin
it through her "evil" behaviors. Along with her death comes the disintegration of
the BOttOm. From thes point, we can say that Sula is inseParable with the BottOm.
Motriso
引文
1． Andrea Dimino. 1997． "Toni Morrison and William Faulkner: Remapping Culture." In Unflinching gaze: Morrison and Faulkner re-envisioned, ed. Carol A. Kolmerten, Stephen M. Ross, and Judith Bryant Wittenberg. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
2． Baechler, Lea and A. Walton Litz, ed. 1991． African American Writers. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
3． Barbara Christian. 1980． Black Women Novelists: The Development of a Tradition, 1892-1976． Greenwood Press Westport, Connecticut. London, England: 153-252
4． Birch & Eva Lennox. 1994． Black American Women's Writing: A Quilt of Many Colors. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf
5． Budick, Emily Miller. 1994． Engendering Romance: Women Writers and the Hawthorne Tradition, 1850-1990． New haven: Yale University Press
6． Elizabeth Janeway. 1984． Women's Literature. In Harvard Guide to Contemporary American Writing, ed. Daniel Hoffman. Harvard University Press. 382-383
7． Frederick R. Karl. 1983． American Fictions 1940-1980． Harper & Row Publishers, New York. 296-298
8． Furman, Jan. 1996． Black girlhood and Black Womanhood: The Bluest Eye and Sula. In Toni Morrison's Fiction. Columbia, S. C.: University of South Carolina Press.
9． Gale Research .1993． Toni Morrison, In Contemporary Authors. 1993
10． Heinze, Denise. 1993． The Dilemma of "Double-Consciousness": Toni Morrison's Novels. Athens: University of Georgia Press
11． Kubitschek & Missy Dehn. 1998． Toni Morrison: A Critical Companion. Westport: Greenwood Press
12． LeClair, Thomas. 1981． The Language Must Not Sweat: A Conversation with Toni Morrison. In Toni Morrison: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, ed. Gates. L. Henry. & K. A. New York: Amistad Press. 1993． 369-395
13． McDowell, Deborah E. 1988． "The Self and the other": Reading Toni Morrison's Sula and the Black Female Text." In Critical Essays on Toni Morrison, ed. Mckay, Nellie Y. Boston: Hall 77-90
14． Morrison, Toni. 1970． The Bluest Eye. New York: Washington Square Press
15． Morrison, Toni. 1973． Sula. New York: Penguin
16． Morrison, Toni. 1981． "City Limits. Village Values." In Literature and the Urban Experience, ed. Jaye, Michael. C, and Chalmers Watts. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers.
17． Morrison, Toni. 1989． "Unspeakable things Unspoken: The African American Presence in American Literature." Michigan Quarterly Review 28(Winter 1989) : 1-34
18． Morrison, Toni.1994． "Nobel Lecture 1993． " World Literature Today 68:5-8
19． Peter Doughty. 1990． A Fiction for the tribe: Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye In Essays on American Literature Since 1970, ed. Graham Clarke. Vision Press. London. 38-47
20． Stepto, Robert B. 1977． '"Intimte Things in Place': A Conversation with Toni Morrison." Massachusetts Review 18(Autumn 1977) : 473-489． In Toni
Morrison: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, ed. Gates. L. Henry, and K.A. New York: Amistad Press, 1993.379-382
21. Taylor-Guthrie, Danille, ed. 1994. Conversations with Toni Morrison. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
22. Willis, Susan. 1987. "Eruptions of Funk: Historicizing Toni Morrison." In Specifying: Black Women Writing the American Experience. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. 83-109
23．胡允恒译，1988，秀拉，北京社会科学出版社，北京
24．王守仁 吴新云，1999，性别·种族·文化 托妮·莫里森与二十世纪美国黑人文学，北京大学出版社，北京
2． Baechler, Lea and A. Walton Litz, ed. 1991． African American Writers. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons
3． Barbara Christian. 1980． Black Women Novelists: The Development of a Tradition, 1892-1976． Greenwood Press Westport, Connecticut. London, England: 153-252
4． Birch & Eva Lennox. 1994． Black American Women's Writing: A Quilt of Many Colors. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf
5． Budick, Emily Miller. 1994． Engendering Romance: Women Writers and the Hawthorne Tradition, 1850-1990． New haven: Yale University Press
6． Elizabeth Janeway. 1984． Women's Literature. In Harvard Guide to Contemporary American Writing, ed. Daniel Hoffman. Harvard University Press. 382-383
7． Frederick R. Karl. 1983． American Fictions 1940-1980． Harper & Row Publishers, New York. 296-298
8． Furman, Jan. 1996． Black girlhood and Black Womanhood: The Bluest Eye and Sula. In Toni Morrison's Fiction. Columbia, S. C.: University of South Carolina Press.
9． Gale Research .1993． Toni Morrison, In Contemporary Authors. 1993
10． Heinze, Denise. 1993． The Dilemma of "Double-Consciousness": Toni Morrison's Novels. Athens: University of Georgia Press
11． Kubitschek & Missy Dehn. 1998． Toni Morrison: A Critical Companion. Westport: Greenwood Press
12． LeClair, Thomas. 1981． The Language Must Not Sweat: A Conversation with Toni Morrison. In Toni Morrison: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, ed. Gates. L. Henry. & K. A. New York: Amistad Press. 1993． 369-395
13． McDowell, Deborah E. 1988． "The Self and the other": Reading Toni Morrison's Sula and the Black Female Text." In Critical Essays on Toni Morrison, ed. Mckay, Nellie Y. Boston: Hall 77-90
14． Morrison, Toni. 1970． The Bluest Eye. New York: Washington Square Press
15． Morrison, Toni. 1973． Sula. New York: Penguin
16． Morrison, Toni. 1981． "City Limits. Village Values." In Literature and the Urban Experience, ed. Jaye, Michael. C, and Chalmers Watts. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers.
17． Morrison, Toni. 1989． "Unspeakable things Unspoken: The African American Presence in American Literature." Michigan Quarterly Review 28(Winter 1989) : 1-34
18． Morrison, Toni.1994． "Nobel Lecture 1993． " World Literature Today 68:5-8
19． Peter Doughty. 1990． A Fiction for the tribe: Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye In Essays on American Literature Since 1970, ed. Graham Clarke. Vision Press. London. 38-47
20． Stepto, Robert B. 1977． '"Intimte Things in Place': A Conversation with Toni Morrison." Massachusetts Review 18(Autumn 1977) : 473-489． In Toni
Morrison: Critical Perspectives Past and Present, ed. Gates. L. Henry, and K.A. New York: Amistad Press, 1993.379-382
21. Taylor-Guthrie, Danille, ed. 1994. Conversations with Toni Morrison. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi.
22. Willis, Susan. 1987. "Eruptions of Funk: Historicizing Toni Morrison." In Specifying: Black Women Writing the American Experience. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. 83-109
23．胡允恒译，1988，秀拉，北京社会科学出版社，北京
24．王守仁 吴新云，1999，性别·种族·文化 托妮·莫里森与二十世纪美国黑人文学，北京大学出版社，北京