乔伊斯的短篇A Little Cloud标题之评析

A Little Cloud是爱尔兰现代派小说家詹姆斯.乔伊斯(James Joyce)的一部短篇小说。长期以来,小说的标题A Little Cloud如乔伊斯的写作风格一样,云遮雾障,令人费解。人们根据自身的理解与联想,对该标题作了不同的翻译与阐释,但普遍认为“a little cloud”意指“天上的一小片云”,象征着生活的甘霖。笔者通过诸多研究与论证,最终得出:a little cloud意指“一个小烟圈”,象征着主人公从最初的“精神瘫痪”到希冀到快乐,直至希望破灭而最后顿悟(epiphany)的整个过程。

A Probe and Analysis Concerning the Title of A Little Cloud Written by Joyce

A Little Cloud is a work in Dubliners,a collection of short fictions written by Irish modernist James Joyce.Concerning the interpretation of the title,which is so ambiguous in meaning,people,basing on respective understanding and association,used to make different translations and interpretation,but generally came to an agreement that it refers to "a little cloud in the sky",symbolizing "a good rain after a long drought",yearned for sorely by the protagonist.However,through various researches and proofs,I argue that it would be more proper to refer "the little cloud" to "a cloud of smoke",and the whole process of a cloud of smoke from being produced to dissipation may symbolize the protagonist's initial "psychological paralysis" to hope,to joy,to happiness,to disillusionment,till final epiphany.