"石黑一雄曾说过,对他而言“创作从来都不是宜泄愤怒或狂躁的手段,而是用来抒发某种遗憾,纾解忧愁”,“现实世界并不完美,但作家能够通过创造心目中的理想世界与现实抗衡,或者找到与之妥协的办法”。可以说他的文学创作就是为了给人们提供一种“缓慢前进的勇气和信心”,是为那无可慰藉之人提供心灵的慰藉( to console the unconsoled)。"
#3月读书 “The remains of the day” By石黑一雄
不敢吹嘘自己的阅读速度,实打实地查了很多生词的管家回忆录,读《克拉拉和太阳》的流畅让我明白一个好的作家靠简单的语言可以撑起一个精彩故事也同样通过单词展现受教育程度和诺贝尔文学奖水平。Stevens的一生都在注解作为一个“英式管家”的尊严,在他浓浓的淡淡的回忆中却怎么都是透着一股日式哀愁,夹在两次世界大战中的英国社会背景下的一曲大宅挽歌。不论如何评价Stevens的愚忠和局限性,我只看到他为了做到“卓越管家”去读浪漫主义小说为的是精进自己用语的细节。长日将尽,告别心中旧爱。孤独的Stevens转身投入到新的太阳里去了。
11/30 in 2023. 很喜欢最后两章,Mr.Stevens与Mrs.Benn的相遇,在海边和老爷爷的对话。 “You've got to enjoy yourself.The evening's the best part of the day. You've done your day's work. Now you can put your feet up and enjoy it.”
The empire is going to fall, and there is no meaning to cling to the old day's dream. Any nation or person is doomed to be abandoned if not keeping pace with the age, so don't immerse yourself in the past days, don't look back, just go straight forward, or you're bound to get depressed. To be a great butler, Stevens idled away his life and love.
After all,what can we ever gain in forever looking back and blaming ourselves if our lives have not turned out quite as we might have wished?
认真、传统、古板、谨小慎微,一个有幸旁观了历史重要时刻而懵懵懂懂的人,一个错过了爱情,些许悲剧而不自知的人,在长日所剩不多的时刻,隐隐约约的感到了遗憾。车站的自白是点睛之一,让人感怀。"For instance, I get to thinking about a life I might have had with you, Mr. Stevens."