閱讀報告二：The Map and the Territory

記得曾經有朋友常常問我何解總是喜歡聽depressing music，並懷疑我終有一日會刀仔拮大脾。其實我也有喜歡的uplifting、開心的音樂，只是大家好像認為我只聽令人消沉的歌曲吧。

似乎我的閱讀喜好和音樂也差不多。

我鍾意Michel Houellebecq的小說。而，看完他的書，十之八九都會感到人生似乎沒有太多樂趣和希望。

The Map and the Territory (La Carte et le territoire) 是Houellebecq最新近作品，為他奪取2010年岡古獎 (Prix Goncourt，法國文壇一大榮譽)。故事講述藝術家Jed Martin的一生和他的藝術創作。Jed Martin是一個寂寞的人，只是他並不覺得這樣有何不妥。他沒朋友，也不需要朋友。成名後帶來的財富也好像對他無甚影響。後來他因為籌備個人展覽，因緣際會認識了名作家Michel Houellebecq (!)。兩人好像惺惺相惜，但又談不上是朋友。然後有日，這個Michel Houellebecq被謀殺 … …

當然，這書其實不是甚麼crime fiction (Houellebecq對這類小說好像十分鄙視)。和他之前的小說一樣，主題離不開生命的無奈：對感情的無奈、對年老的無奈。

沒錯，這書真的很灰。但更灰的是，書這麼快便看完了，不知幾時才可讀他的新作 … …

題外話一則：話說某日我向某人confess，告訴他這大概是我一年多以來的第一本書，他用驚恐兼責備的眼神和語氣跟我說：「怎麼可以這麼久沒看書？實在太過分了！」著實令我慚愧不堪，決定要勤力點，看多點書。

 

閱讀報告一：戀人絮語 | A Lover’s Discourse

原名：Fragments d’un discours amoureux；英譯本：A Lover’s Discourse
作者：Roland Barthes (羅蘭‧巴特)

大家都說法國人很浪漫，我覺得只是一廂情願的想法。反而我認為法國人都喜愛分析、討論、辯駁。他們很多時候都思路清晰、見解獨特，別忘記法國出了很多有名的思想家、哲學家。而法國的教育很重視培養學生的思巧、辯論能力，他們從小就要上哲學課。當然，法國人喜愛談戀愛也是事實。(試問又有誰不喜歡呢？)

那麼，從哲學家的角度看愛情又會是如何？

戀人絮語是法國哲學家、思想家、符號學家羅蘭‧巴特的晚期作品，發表於1977年。

巴特透過愛到不能自拔的主角，以不同的符號，絮絮道出戀愛中的百般感受，以及剪不斷，理還亂的情緒，嘗試將愛情解構。到底，戀愛就是不理性的，我們又怎能作出準確分析呢？

某年從一個愉快難忘的法國假期回來，便買了這本書看。很不習慣這種文體，而且對書中提到的多位哲學家、思想家都不太認識，於是邊讀邊搔頭。可幸也有共鳴的地方。事隔數年，再次閱讀，仍然有很多不明白之處，可是感覺比之前更深。甜的更甜，苦的更苦。發現自己過了這幾年，仍然沒有學乖。

如果再有人問我，法國人是否很浪漫，我還是那句：我覺得我浪漫啲囉。

People always say the French are romantic. I just think it’s simply what we wanted to believe in. A cliché, a myth. On the contrary, I believe the French like to analyze, discuss and debate. Very often they are clear-headed and can come up with unique view points. Don’t forget that France is home to numerous great thinkers and philosophers. The French education system also encourages pupils to develop critical thinking and analytical abilities. From an early age, children start to take philosophy class at school. But well, the French do love to be in love too. I mean, who doesn’t?

So, what is love through the eyes of a philosopher?

A Lover’s Discourse, written by French philosopher, thinker and semiotician Roland Barthes, was first published in 1977.

Barthes presents all the signs of love through the narrator of the book, The Lover, who is eternally deeply in love. All the feelings, emotions, symbols, language of The Lover and The Other are meticulously analyzed. But love is intrinsically irrational. How are we going to deconstruct, analyze and make sense of it?

A few years ago I bought this book after an unforgettable, blissful trip to France. This type of literature was new to me. On top of that, I’m quite ignorant in the Western philosophers mentioned throughout the book. I found it a difficult read and didn’t really get much from it. There were bits and pieces that I could comprehend and like a lot though. Now, picking up the book again, there are still lots that I don’t understand but then something hit me deeper than last time. The sweetness got sweeter and the bitterness got worse. And I realize after these years, I haven’t learned a bit.

If someone asks me again whether the French are romantic, I’d say “I AM the romantic one.”