读《老人与海》英文原版,学习海明威的“冰山式写法”(6)

P26## 前面铺垫那么多,终于在第85天,圣地亚哥又来到了大海上。
虽然是为鱼而来,然而海明威并没有从海写起,而是,从一只鸟。
想想这幅画面,一个老人,一条船,老人仰望天空,一只大鸟的出现告诉他讯息:附近有鱼。
与此同时,也请大家带着思索进行下面的阅读:一个人的戏,该怎么演?
我们知道,好的剧情必定是一波三折,所以,第一群鱼是肯定钓不到的。
接下来,海明威给我们安排了一群“配角”出现:红色浮游生物、僧帽水母、海龟。
读者在了解这些海洋知识的同时,不要忘记:这些配角都不是我们男主此行的目的。
就在看似优哉游哉的氛围当中,又一次情节推进——一条小金枪鱼上钩了。
搞定了小鱼,老人修整了一番。
此时加入了大段的回忆、心理描写和景色,读者可以视作又一次的“中场休息”。
同时,富有经验的老人预料到:那群鱼周围可能会有一条大鱼。
以及硬汉式的自我鼓励:

Now is the time to think of only one thing.That which I was born for.
然后,马上重头戏就要来了——在一百寻的水下,一条马林鱼上钩了。
这条鱼与老人的对抗描写有层次、有情节推进,虽然不是贴身肉搏,但这么一个在水下潜行数小时不知疲倦的同样坚强的神秘大家伙却也让读者颇为紧张。
I can do nothing with him and he can do nothing with me,he thought.Not as long as he keeps this up.
在美国大片里,我们常看到孤胆英雄横扫千军。而在海明威的笔下,老人在这种情况下想到了一个人:
"I wish I had the boy," the old man said aloud.(第一次,出现在P36)
Then he said aloud,"I wish I had the boy.To help me and to see this."(第二次,出现在P39)
"I wish the boy was here,"he said aloud……(第三次,出现在P41)
Aloud he said,"I wish I had the boy."(第四次,出现在P42)
“I wish the boy were here and that I had some salt,”he said aloud.(第五次,出现在P47)
这种安排说明了即便是“硬汉”也有无助的时刻,也说明了老人与孩子确实感情深厚。多次想要孩子帮助,这么写并不会让人物的英勇大打折扣,反而让读者觉得此乃人之常情,符合逻辑,人物形象也更有血有肉。
还记得本文开头我的问题吗?一个人与一条鱼的戏要怎么演?
这段人鱼对抗的戏中,看看海明威为老人安排的台词。
"Fish,"he said softly,aloud,"I'll stay with you until I am dead."(P43)
"Fish,"he said,"I love you and respect you very much.But I will kill you dead before this day ends."(P44-45)
"You' re feeling it now,fish,"he said."And so,God knows,am I."(P46)
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