牙齒之為根源: 柴娣‧史密斯《白牙》中的歷史延續性問題

Abstract

本論文探討柴娣．史密斯如何藉由其在《白牙》中的倫敦人物歷史意識之描繪而質疑歷史的延續性—即過去, 現在, 與未來間的線性與邏輯關係。 我主張史密斯從三個層面觸及了歷史延續性的問題: (1) 歷史--其筆下人物對於歷史掌控的掙扎 (2) 身分認同與離散食物文化的關聯性--其筆下人物之執著於傳統的渴望 (3) 生命政治學--其筆下人物對於掌控人類未來發展的決心。 有趣的是, 她以牙齒之意象來觸及以上三個層面並得以強調她對歷史延續性看法的不安。 從歷史延續性與偶然性的觀點來看, 牙齒與此三個層面息息相關: (1) 歷史(歷史傳承) (2) 身分認同與離散食物文化(身分認同的本質) (3) 生命政治學(身體的, 科學的, 以及道德上的陳述)。 藉由對牙齒意象與此三個層面的關聯性, 我主張史密斯以《白牙》一書中的人物塑造做為呈現偶然性以及多元文化遺產及根源之間的關係。 本論文分成四個章節。第一章引介史密斯在文學及商業上的評價, 如其多元族裔的生長背景,對歷史的看法, 以及其作品。 此外, 我簡略描繪《白牙》之情節以期本論文讀者能很快速瞭解本書情節。 最後, 我回顧了對史密斯《白牙》的評論, 其分別從歷史, 身分認同, 以及生物科技的觀點來討論, 來闡明我在第二章中對歷史延續性主題的理論性探討。 第二章從三個層面建立此論文文本分析的理論性基礎: 歷史(傳承的傳統), 身分認同與離散食物文化(身分認同的本質), 以及生命政治學(身體的, 科學的, 和道德性陳述)。 首先,我以弗里德里希．尼采對於歷史的觀點來闡述同時接受並修正歷史傳承之可能性。第二, 藉由閱讀理論家們對於離散食物文化的看法, 我試圖讀出身分認同的異質性。 第三, 從米歇爾．傅柯, 費赫爾與阿格尼斯．海勒以及麥可．哈德與安東尼．奧納格利等的理論架構中, 我探討同時接受與挑戰生命政治學(以身體的, 科學的, 和道德性的陳述)的可能性。 第三章分析史密斯如何使用牙齒的比喻以質疑在歷史, 身分認同與離散食物文化, 和生命政治學層面中所顯現出的歷史延續性看法。 首先, 史密斯技巧性的使用牙齒的意象來建議同時接受與修正歷史傳承之可能性。 第二, 她也藉由強調牙齒的意象--離散食物文化--來注意到身分認同的異質性, 並進而讀出在身分認同異質性中所發現的眾多歷史要素的運作。 第三,史密斯以諸如臼齒, 犬齒, 以及齧齒類動物的牙齒比喻來凸顯經由身體, 科學, 以及道德性的推論而對人類未來發展的掌控之問題所在。 在第四章, 我總結本篇論文對於史密斯的文本呈現之看法: 史密斯以牙齒的隱喻暗示文化遺產與根源的多元性可以突破對於歷史偶然性與延續性的成見與操控。This thesis investigates how Zadie Smith questions historical continuity—the linear and causal relationship among the past, the present, and the future—in the representation of her London characters’ historical consciousness in White Teeth. I contend that Smith addresses the question of historical continuity via three aspects: (1) history—her fictional characters’ struggle against the control of history, (2) identity and its correlation with diasporic food culture—their desire to stick to the tradition, and (3) biopolitics—their determination to control the development of human future. Interestingly, she employs the image of teeth in each aspect to highlight her uneasiness at the linear and causal idea of history because teeth are related to history (historical legacies), identity in diasporic food culture (the nature of identity), and biopolitics (the bodily, scientific, and moral statements) in terms of their suggestion of historical continuity and contingency. Based on the correlation between the image of teeth and the three aspects, I argue that Smith suggests that her fictional characters accept and revise diverse historical elements as plural cultural heritages and roots in post-war London. This thesis consists of four chapters. Chapter One introduces Smith’s literary and commercial reception, as well as her multi-racial background, her attitude toward history, and her biography. Meanwhile, I proffer the plot lines of White Teeth to ensure readers of this thesis a quick realization. Finally, I review the literatures of Smith’s critiques from the perspectives of history, identity, and biotechnology to elucidate my theoretical contemplation on the theme of historical continuity manifested in the second chapter. Chapter Two provides the theoretical base for my concomitant analysis of the novel in terms of history (historical legacies), identity and its correlation with diasporic food culture (the nature of identity), and biopolitics (bodily, scientific, and moral statements). First, I consult Friedrich Nietzsche’s perspective on history to delineate the possibility to accept and revise historical legacies. Second, I stress the heterogeneity of identity by reading some theorists’ ideas about diasporic food culture. Third, I explore the possibility of accepting and challenging the bio-political regulation with bodily, scientific, and moral statements. I base my theoretical ground on Michel Foucault, Ferenc Feher, Agnes Heller, Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri’s ideas of biopolitics. Chapter Three analyzes how Smith employs the image of teeth to interrogate historical continuity in the aspects of history, identity, and biopolitics. First, she skillfully employs the image of teeth to suggest the possibility of simultaneously accepting and rejecting historical legacies. Second, she draws attention to the heterogeneity of identity by highlighting the image of teeth—diasporic food culture—and indicates the operation of historical elements found in the heterogeneity of identity of her fictional characters. Third, Smith uses the image of teeth—molars, canines, and rodents—to underscore the problematic control of human future development via bodily, scientific, and moral reasoning. Chapter Four concludes my reading of Smith’s allusion to pluralistic cultural heritages and roots via the metaphor of tooth through her humorous representation of the characters in post-war London. The metaphorical play of the plurality of roots as an indication of the multicultural historical legacies and the contemporariness of present London may help rebute the human prejudice which appropriates the discourse of historical continuity and contingency to forge a headstrong alliance with the national state apparatus.