Reifying Cultural Memory and Violence in Vyvyane Loh's Breaking the Tongue

羅惠賢《斷語》中文化記憶與暴力之具現

熊婷惠(HSIUNG Ting-hui)

Breaking the Tongue ； cultural memory ； violence ； Chineseness ； 《斷語》 ； 文化記憶 ； 暴力 ； 中華性

中山人文學報

48期（2020 / 01 / 01）

53 - 72

英文

This paper attempts to examine how Vyvyane Loh's contemplation on the national identity of Singapore is exemplified through cultural memory and violence that are made tangible in the moment of the national upheaval. Violence in Breaking the Tongue makes possible the representation of trauma and allows readers to experience the cruelty of war. Violence also serves as the narratological strategy to evoke cultural memory. References to Chinese culture and Chinese classics constitute the cultural memory in this novel, by which Claude survives Sook Ching, and in the end recognizes and reshapes his identity. Another character, Ling-li, is characterized as the follower of General Yue Fei's legacy of loyalty, strengthening the connection between ethnic Chinese and the Chinese culture. Although such connection incurs criticisms on Loh's reiteration of the national ideology for her remodeling Claude as his ethnicity determines, it also invites reflection on whether Chineseness becomes an unbreakable burden for ethnic Chinese in Singaporean context.

本文探討羅惠賢如何藉由書寫國家動亂時的文化記憶與暴力，來示現她對新加坡國家認同的思考。《斷語》中呈現的暴力情節與細述得以再現創傷，並且讓讀者經歷戰爭的殘酷。「暴力」同時也做為喚起文化記憶的敘事學策略。小說中的文化記憶大量參照中華古典文化，主角柯拉德（Claude）以此撐過日軍施行的「肅清」政策，並在書末重塑他的身分認同。另一個主角伶俐（Ling-li）則是被塑造成岳飛將軍忠義傳統的追隨者，藉此強化中華族裔與中華文化的連結。縱然這樣的連結招致評論者對羅惠賢的批評，認為她單以柯拉德的族裔身分來重塑他的身分認同，是重述國家欲推行的意識型態；但同時也邀請讀者思考，在新加坡的脈絡中，中華性是否已成為華裔身上一個無法斷開的負擔。

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