从心理分析的视角解读《玻璃动物园》中的逃避主义.doc

从心理分析的视角解读玻璃动物园中的逃避主义 唐玫 （池州学院外语系，安徽池州247000） 【摘要】玻璃动物园是田纳西威廉斯的一部带有强烈自传色彩的戏剧，剧中的三个主要人物，即阿曼达，劳拉和汤姆都一概被评论家们贴上了“逃避者”的标签。然而通过对这三个人物更深层的探讨，不难发现这一标签贴得过于一概而论。该文由心理分析学派学者阿尔弗雷德阿德勒的自卑情结理论及卡尔荣格的人格面具理论作为理论依据，深入探索人物内心，从而得出结论：人物阿曼达并非所谓的“逃避者”，相反，她敢于面对现实，活在当下；而她的一双儿女劳拉和汤姆却实实在在是逃避主义的奉行者。 关键词玻璃动物园；逃避主义；心理分析；自卑情结；人格面具 APsychoanalyticApproachtotheEscapisminTheGlassMenagerie TANGMei （DepartmentofForeignLanguages，ChizhouCollege，ChizhouAnhui247000，China） 【Abstract】ThethreemaincharactersinTheGlassMenagerie，TennesseeWilliamsstrongautobiographicaltragicplayAmanda，LauraandTom，haveallbeenlabeled“escapees”bysomecritics.Yetwithmorethoroughexplorationintothesecharactersthisclaimwillproveitsflawitovergeneralizesthem.WiththetheoreticalsupportofAlfredAdlers“InferiorityComplextheory”andCarlJungs“Personatheory”，aconclusioncanbedrawnfromtheexplorationthatAmandaismoreacharacterofpracticalitythanescapism，whileLauraandTomare，inarealsense，escapees. 【Keywords】heglassmenagerie；scapism；sychoanalysis；nferiorityplex；ersona 作者简介：唐玫（1987），女，安徽石台人，硕士，助教，主要研究方向为现当代英美文学。 0Introduction RootinginAustrianneurologistandpsychologistSigmundFreudspsychoanalysiswhichoriginallydevelopedasamedicaltechnique，psychoanalytictheoryhasseenitsseveraldistinctgroupsformedandtriumphedthroughallthesedecades.FromFreudsmodelsofthehumanpsychetoLacansThreeOrders，eachgroupadoptsdifferentpsychoanalytictheorieswhenanalyzingaliterarywork.Soforreaderssake，itisnecessarytomakeitclearwhichgroupofpsychoanalytictheorythispapermainlybaseson. Actually，thetheoryframingmypaperdoesnotefromFreud，FryeorLacan，butanotherAustrianpsychologistAlfredAdler，onceaFreudiansbutlatersplitwithFreudandfoundhisowninstitution. Asthefounderofindividualpsychology，Adlerachievedalotintheresearchoftherelationshipbetweenfamilyandchildrenaswellasitsinfluenceonchildrenspsychology.Theconceptionof“deficiencyinbodyandpensation”，“inferiorityplex”，“senseofsuperiority”andsoforthinhistheoriesaregreatcontributionstothedevelopmentofpsychoanalysis.BesidesAdler，thispaperalsoowestotheSwisspsychologistCarlJung.SimilarwithAdler，hewasfirstFreudsbestpupilandsuessorbutbuiltuphisowntheorysystemlater.Archetypalcriticismaswecallitwhenweapplyhistheoriesandmethodstoliterature.ButitishispersonaconceptionthatIamgoingtoelaborateinthelaterpartofthispaper. AmandasPracticality AboutTennesseeWilliamsAdleroncesaid：“NootherAmericandramatisthascreatedwomencharacterofsuchplexityportrayedwithdeepunderstandingandsensitivity.”ThisisespeciallyapplicabletoTheGlassMenagerieinwhichthevividdepictionmakesthetwowomencharactersnotsounapproachableascharactersinotherplays.Somecriticslabelthisplayasastoryofescapees.Intheirviewpoint，Amandaisanescapeetothepast，LauratheimaginationandTomthemagicalworld.Actually，morepersuasionsareneededtoconvinceusofthat.ItistruethatLauraandTomdoattempttogetawayfromthereality，butinAmandascaseitismoreplicated.Sheisnot，inarealsense，anescapeetowhichIamgoingtoapplypsychoanalytictheory. EarlyintheplayAmandaispresentedasanactress，self-dramatizingandself-conscious：Sheletsthehatandglovesfallonthefloorin“abitofacting（GlassMenagerieSceneTwo）way；Sheshakesoutherhandkerchief“delicatelyanddelicatelytouchestoherlipsandnostrils.”（SceneTwo）；Shedabsatherlipsandnostrilstoindicateherdistressbeforeatypewriterkeyboardtopieces.Shecouldnotletgooftheoldsoutherngracethatmakeshersometimesratherfoolishandridiculous.“Dontquoteinstincttome！Instinctissomethingthatpeoplehavegotawayfrom！Itbelongstoanimals！”（SceneFour）Inhermind，Christianadultslikehershouldwantsuperiorthings.Infact，sheknowsclearlythatonecannotpursuethingsofthemindandthespiritwithoutsatisfyinginstinctiveneedsfirst.However，shebehavesaffectedlyasifsomeoneiswatchingher.Shealwaysabsorbsinhergloriousmemoryofthe17gentlemencallersandbotherstellingitrepeatedlytoherdaughterandson.Sometimesitseemsthatshewouldratherstayinthememoryandneverebacktothepresent.Maybethisiswhysheisregardedasanescapeeintothetimetimeofthepast.Butjudgingfrommonsense，wecannotassertthathewhoisnostalgicmustwanttoescapefromthepresent.Ifthatistrue，Jimissurelyanescapeetoo，forhealsocherisheshissweethighschoollifealot. Infact，Amandahasthepracticalitythatnoneofothercharactersshowinthisplay.Sheknowseverythingthatisundergoingandwhatkindofrealityshehastodealwith.Justexactlylikewhatshesays：“Thereissomanythingsinmyheart.”（SceneFive）ShenoticesthatLaurafeelsinferiorforhercrippledleg.UnlikeLaurawhojuststaysthere，doingnothingbutisolatingherselffromtheoutsideworld，shereactstoitquitepositivelyandtriestofindawaytohandleit：“Whenpeoplehavesomeslightdisadvantagelikethat，theycultivateotherthingstomakeupforit”（SceneThree）SheblamesTomforhisselfishnessandkeepsquestioninghimwhyhegoestothemoviesofrequently.Butactuallysheisquiteclearaboutwhatisgoingoninhersonshead.“IknowyourambitionsdontlieinthewarehouseIsawthatletteryougetfromtheMerchantMarine.Iknowwhatyouaredreamingof.Imnotstandinghereblindfolded”（SceneFour）Shetalksaboutitwithhim，tryingtopersuadehimtofacethefactthatlifeisnoteasyandhemusthaveSpartanendurancetosurviveinthisworld.Sheissomewhatsharp-eyed，noticinghersonsresemblancetohisfather.“Moreandmoreyouremindmeofyourfather！”（SceneFour）ShehasforeseenthatsoonerorlaterTomwillleavethem，soshemakespreparationsinadvanceandwarnsTomthathecannotleavetillthereissomeonetotakehisplace.Astheguardofthefamily，shetrieseverymeanstoimprovetheirlife，sellingmagazines，urgingherchildrentomakethemselvesmorecapableandinvitingJimtodinnerwhomshethinkswillchangetheirlife.NeedlesstosaythatsheistheonlyonewhoreallydoessomethingforabetterlifewhileTomgetshimselfnumbinthemoviesandLauraamusesherselfwiththeglassmenagerie.WhatBigsbymentedisveryaptandobjective：“Sheisconfused，pathetic，evenstupid，buteverythinghasgottobeallright.Shefightstomakeitthatwayintheonlywaysheknowshow.”（42） LauraandTomsEscapism ComparedwithAmanda，LauraandTomaremorefitforthehatofescapee. Laura，aswehaveseenintheplay，hasadeformedfootcausedbypleurosis，“crippled”asshecallsit.Shebeesself-consciousbecauseofherdeficiency，blamingitasabarrierforhertobenormal.AordingtoAdler，abodythatcannotmeettheneedsofthecircumstancewillbetreatedasakindofburdenbythepsyche.Therefore，onewhohasdeficiencyinhisbodyhastodealwithmorehindranceinthedevelopmentofhispsyche.Ifheisalwaysheldbackbythatphysicaldefect，hewillhavenospareattentiontobeattachedtotheoutsideworld.Hewillfinditdifficultincultivatinginterestinanybodyelse.Asaresult，hissocialfeelingandabilityincoordinatingwithotherscannotgetfulldevelopment（33）.Laura，beingtooconsciousofherdeficiency，cannotshiftapartofherattentionandenergytoothers.Consequentlyshecouldnotfinishhighschool，northebusinessschool.Gradually，sheisolatesherselffromothers，indulgingintheworldofglassanimals.HerbehaviorisjustlikewhatAdlerclaimedinhisbook：“如果他觉得软弱，他会跑到能使他觉得强壮的环境里去，他不把自己锻炼得更强壮，更有适应能力，而是训练自己，使自己在自己眼中显得更强壮。”（阿德勒47）Sheescapesintotheglassmenageriebecauseshecanexperiencemoresenseofsuperioritytherethanintheoutsideworld.Whenstayingwiththeglassanimals，sheisthemanderandnoneoftheanimalswillmockatherdeficiency，whichgivesherasenseofsecuritysheyearnsfor.“个人限制了他的活动范围，苦心孤诣地避免失败，而不是追求成功。他在困难面前会表现出犹疑，彷徨，甚至是退却的举动。”（48）Thatiswhyreachingforaglassisalwaysherfirstreactiontodifficultiesandtroublesthatshehastodealwith.Glassisherrefuge. Asamatteroffact，Jimisquiteagoodamateurishpsychologist，forhepointsoutexactlywhatLaurasproblemisinferiorityplex.Buthersis，preciselyspeaking，averysevereone.Sheisnotmerelyterriblyshy，butreactsratherfiercely：Inthebusinesscollege，her“handsshooksothatshecouldnthittherightkey！”（SceneThree）Thefirsttimetheyhadaspeedtest，“shebrokedownpletelywassickatthestomachandalmosthadtobecarriedintothewashroom！”（SceneThree）WhenitistimetohaveadinnerwithJim，shesuddenlyfallsill：“sheisobviouslyquitefaint，herlipstrembling，hereyeswideandstaring.Shemovesunsteadilytowardthetable.”（SceneSix）Itseemsthatillnessandbreakdownalwayseandgoinasudden.InAdlersviewpoint，thesesortsofphysicalpainsareactuallyakingofwiseinventionofherwhichcanbringthepaybacksheexpects（57）.Sheknowsthatifsheisill，shecantemporarilyescapefromthepresentcurrenttroubleandstayinherrefugewhereshecangainbackherstrengthandconfidence.Therefore，shekeepswishingthatshecouldfallillwhentroublese.Thewishstrikesherconscioussorepeatedlythatitevolvesintoakindofreflexwhichwillbedisplayedwhenevershemeetstrouble.Inthisway，shesueedsinescapingfromthehorriblerealityandprotectingherselfinthecastleofglass. Similarly，Tomalsosuffersfrompsychologicalproblems.Astheonlymaleinthefamily，hehasnothadaneasylifeduringhisgrowth.InAdlerstheories，menlikehimmaydefendthemselvesagainstthedominanceoffemalesinthefamily.Theyfeelthattheymustconfirmtheirownextraordinarinessandsuperiority（133）.Itisnotdifficulttofindproofstosupportthisassertion.InSceneOnewhentheyareattable，Tomrespondsquitefiercelytohismothersinstructiononhowtoeat：“Ihaventenjoyonebiteofthisdinnerbecaus3eofyourconstantdirectionsonhowtoeatit.ItsyouthatmakemerushthroughmealswithyourhawklikeattentiontoeverybiteItake，sickeningspoilsmyappetite.”（SceneOne）ObviouslyTomisdefendinghimselffromhismothersintrusion.Whenhismotherblameshimforthe“hideous”bookbyLawrence，heblamesbackrightaway，emphasizingthatitishimwhopaysrentonthehouseandmakesaslaveofhimselftosupportthefamily.Heneedstodeclarehisimportance. AsIhavementionedinthepreviouspart，Tomisnotcontentwithhislife.Hethinksthathesacrificesallhisowndreamsforthefamily：“Ivegotnothing，nosinglethinginmylifeherethatIcancallmyown！”（SceneThree）Hedreamstobeapoetbutinrealityhecanonlyworkinawarehouse，doingboringmechanicworkdayafterday.Inhisownwordsitis“adoublelife，asimple，honestwarehouseworkerbyday，bynightadynamicczaroftheunderworld.”（SceneThree）Theexpression“doublelife”ispreciselywhatJungcontendedinhistheoryofthepersona，oneofthefourimportantarchetypes：“人格面具这个词本义是为使演员能在一出剧中扮演某一角色而戴的面具在荣格心理学中，人格面具的作用与此类似，它保证一个人能够扮演某种性格，而这种性格却并不一定就是他本人的性格。人格面具是一个人公开展示的一面，其目的在于给人一个很好的印象以便得到社会的承认。”（霍尔48）Baseonthistheory，ImaydrawaconclusionthatTomisnottheoriginalTomwhenhegoestowork.Heismerelywearingamaskandplayingtheroleofsomeoneelse.Hehastodosoinordertomakemoneytosupporthisfamily.Afterhereturnshomeheisstillnothimself，butaperformerwhowearsamaskofafilialsonandconsideratebrother，justlikeJungsclaimthateachpersoncanownmorethanonepersona.Eventuallyhegettiredofthis“playing”game，realizingthathistrueselfcannotgetsatisfaction：“Manisbyinstinctalover，ahunter，afighter，andnoneofthoseinstinctsaregivenmuchplayatthewarehouse！”（SceneFive）Heyearnsforspacetoreleasehimself.Thereforehegoestothemoviesfrequentlybecausehecanexperienceadventuresinthemovies：“AdventureissomethingIdonthavemuchofatwork，soIgotothemovies.”（SceneFive）Onlybeinginvolvedinadventurescanhebeewhohereallyis.Inthissense，itismoreauratetosaythatTomises