The Power of Fantasy in Stephen King's Horror Fict

國立臺灣師範大學英語學系博士論文 Doctoral Dissertation Department of English National Taiwan Normal University 書寫深淵: 史蒂芬金恐怖小說中奇幻的力量 Writing the Abyss: The Power of Fantasy in Stephen King’s Horror Fiction 指導教授：李秀娟博士 Advisor: Dr. Hsiu-chuan Lee 研究生：林依蓉 Advisee: Yi-jung Lin 中華民國一百零一年七月 July, 2012 書寫深淵: 史蒂芬金恐怖小說中奇幻的力量中文摘要本論文旨在研究史蒂芬金如何利用恐怖小說展現及探討奇幻元素之功能。由於奇幻元素是史蒂芬金的恐怖小說中最重要的成分，本論文探討史蒂芬金如何透過恐怖小說來呈現並探索奇幻元素的認知功能，以期了解為何他堅持以奇幻的方式來探索世界及人心。史蒂芬金的恐怖小說最重要的特色在於結合奇幻與寫實的元素。此種寫作方式也常被譽為他對現代恐怖小說最重大的貢獻。學者認為結合奇幻與寫實的創作方式使史蒂芬金的恐怖小說深受讀者喜愛，也賦予奇幻元素象徵社會問題的功用。然而，為何奇幻元素可以象徵現實世界的問題?恐怖文學的研究者鮮少探究為何小說中的奇幻元素象徵了人們現實生活的恐懼和焦慮。再者，史蒂芬金在小說中對奇幻文學認知功能的探索也甚少得到關注。為了瞭解史蒂芬金如何利用小說來檢視奇幻元素的認知功能，本論文試圖解答為何他認為奇幻元素可以用來探索世界。假設史蒂芬金認為世界始終混亂且充滿未知，所以相較於科學及理性主義，奇幻文學毫不遜色，同樣也是一種理解世界的方式。本研究希望能證明此假設，藉此了解為何史蒂芬金始終堅持創作恐怖小說以理解世界及人心。本論文包含三個章節。第一章<史蒂芬金恐怖小說中奇幻元素的雙重功能>探討史蒂芬金如何使奇幻元素具備探索世界的功能。史蒂芬金在小說中添加大量對現實世界的描寫，以防止奇幻元素脫離現實。而奇幻元素的天馬行空，使讀者免受現實世界的恐怖的威脅。此外，史蒂芬金深諳恐懼與慾望僅一線之隔的道理，由於人們常下意識渴望恐怖的事物，所以他在運用寫實元素以強化小說的認知功能時，更無後顧之憂。第二章<母親或語言?:《顫慄遊戲》及其他故事中之惡母>研究史蒂芬金如何透過女性角色及對女性的負面描寫來探討奇幻文學為何足以成為一種理解世界的方式。史蒂芬金筆下的女性人物，特別是母親，常被描繪為邪惡、不理性、瘋狂或是肥胖。對女性的負面呈現，常使他背上仇視女人的惡名而飽受批評。藉克莉絲蒂娃賤斥的概念之助，本章重新審視史蒂芬金看似仇視女性的描寫。我認為史蒂芬金筆下的惡母暗喻了世界的混亂，然而此混亂卻同時是作家追尋意義的起點。史蒂芬金將作家的創作過程比喻為人類賤斥母親以獲得語言及主體性的過程。母親既不可或缺又令人憎恨，因為和母親分離才能得到語言和主體性。世間的混亂對作家而言，亦是既可恨又不可或缺，因為混亂促使作家以書寫的方式對抗混亂，尋求意義與秩序。第三章<恐怖的人心>探討以奇幻文學來探索人心之必要性。人心之難解，正如同世上所有不可知的神秘現象。雖然無論理性主義或奇幻文學皆無法完全理解人心，但奇幻文學對人心的認知勝在較不化約。理性主義者相信人是理性的動物，因此容易忽略人性的衝動面。我認為史蒂芬金不僅懷疑理性主義是否有助於理解人性，更睿智地指出，理性非但不是衝動的對立面，有時更幫助人們將衝動合理化，使人更深陷其中，難以自拔。關鍵詞:奇幻、恐怖、怪物、賤斥、衝動 vii Writing the Abyss: The Power of Fantasy in Stephen King’s Horror Fiction Abstract This thesis examines how the cognitive function of fantasy is displayed and explored in Stephen King’s horror fiction. Given the centrality of fantasy in King’s writing, the thesis discusses how King explores the power of fantasy as a means to explore the world and why he deems it important to understand the world and the human mind via the vehicle of fantasy. King’s blend of fantasy and realism is often considered the most important feature of his fiction and his greatest contribution to the genre of modern horror fiction. His brand of fantasy receives critical attention both for its connection with the author’s enormous popularity and for its use as symbols to address social problems. Nevertheless, the cognitive function of fantasy is usually taken for granted; many think it suffices to say that fantasy is symbolic of real-life fears and anxieties. In addition, few notice that King explores fantasy’s cognitive function in his fiction. In order to better grasp the cognitive function of fantasy in King’s fiction, I attempt to answer the following question: Why can fantasy, in King’s view, be employed to explore the world? To answer this question, I propose the hypothesis that King believes chaos pre-exists all attempts to make sense of it so fantasy is as effective as rationalism in spite of its unreality. By proving this hypothesis, I hope to understand why King insists on employing fantasy to investigate the world and the human mind. This thesis includes three major chapters. The purpose of my study is to examine how King explains in his stories why fantasy helps people understand the world and why he considers it important to examine the world by fantasy. Chapter One “The Double Functions of Fantasy in Stephen King’s Horror Fiction” tries to answer the question: How does King make fantasy function as a way to know the world? By adding realistic depictions to his stories, King manages to prevent fantasy from becoming escapist. The realistic portrayals of real-life horrors do not scare readers away because of the fantasy screen. Moreover, King astutely points out that there is only a thin line between fear and desire. Things and phenomena portrayed as fearful might also be presented as desirable with a shift of perspective in his fiction. Realizing that people might unconsciously desire fearful things, King does not hesitate to include realistic elements to enhance the cognitive function of his horror tales. Chapter Two “Mother or Language?: Monstrous Mothers in Misery and Other Stories” discusses why fantasy can be used as a means to understand the world by looking into King’s alleged misogynistic fantasy and his representations of women. King is criticized for presenting women and mothers as evil, irrational, mad, or fat. In light of Julia Kristeva’s concept of abjection, King’s ostensibly misogynistic portrayals of women, especially in Misery, are reconsidered in this chapter. I interpret the monstrous mothers in King’s stories as metaphors for the chaos of the world that writers need to confront in their pursuits of meaning. King likens the process of writing to the individual’s acquisition of language and subjectivity. The mother is both indispensable and monstrous because the child’s separation from her is prerequisite for acquiring language and subjectivity. Similarly, chaos is the precondition for writing because stories are writers’ endeavors to confront the chaos of the world. Chapter Three “The Horror of The Mind” addresses the question: Why is fantasy necessary when it comes to understanding the human mind? Since the human mind is among the unknowable phenomena of the world, neither fantasy nor rationalism can grasp it fully. Fantasy writers might hold a less reductive view on the human mind than rationalists, who regard human beings as rational. I propose that King not only suspects the ineptitude of rationalism in realizing the underside of human nature, he also insightfully argues that apart from being the opposite of man’s impulses, rationality helps rationalize the impulses and causes people to indulge their dark urges even more. Key Words: fantasy, horror, monster, abjection, urges viii Acknowledgements It is a pleasure to thank those who made this thesis possible. I owe my deepest gratitude to Dr. Hsiu-chuan Lee, my advisor, who is patient, open-mined, and understanding. She helped me overcome all the predictable and unpredictable difficulties during the writing of this dissertation. I could not hope for better guidance. I am also thankful to the committee members, including Dr. Cory Han-yu Huang, Dr. Chun-yen Chen, Dr. Chen-hsing Tsai, and Dr. Chun-san Wang, for their invaluable suggestions. Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Professor and Chairman Sun-chieh Liang, without whose help I could have given up the project when the difficulties seemed formidable. This thesis would not have been possible without the affective and financial support of my parents and my sister, Wan-ching. They have confidence in me and are always there for me. They are the best family one could ever have and I can never thank them enough. I am also indebted to my mother-in-law for her help and support. Special thanks go to my husband’s uncle and aunt. They generously lent us a vacant house so we could work in quiet surroundings. Besides, I am grateful to my friend, Zh-fu, who has been helpful in many ways. Last but not least, I am especially thankful to my husband, Yu-chi, for cheering me up when I was depressed and exhausted. His company made the long and painstaking writing of my thesis bearable. ix Table of Contents Chinese Abstract………………………………………………………………….…..............…...vii English Abstract………………………………………………………………………..…………viii Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………….….......…ix Table of Contents……………………………………………………………...………..……..….....x Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………….1 Chapter 1 The Double Functions of Fantasy in Stephen King’s Horror Fiction…………….17 1.1. Fictive Horrors and Real Fears…………………………………….…………………..18 1.2. Fear and/or Desire…...…………………….…………………...………………...…….28 1.3. Fantasy Screen………………….……………….…......................................................39 1.4. The Cognitive Function of Horror Fiction………………………………………..……50 Chapter 2 Mother or Language?: Monstrous Mothers in Misery and Other Stories……......68 2.1. Demanding Readers and Unsympathizing Critics……………………….……….….69 2.2. Women—Men’s Misery?...................……………..……….……………….….....…..82 2.3. King’s Characterization of Annie Wilkes………………………………………..……92 2.4. The Fear of the Body…………………………………………………………………98 2.5. Mother or Language?....................................................................................................113 Chapter 3 The Horror of the Mind…………………………………………...….….…………129 3.1. From the Supernatural to the Psychological.……………………………….………131 3.2. Imagination, Children, and Human Evil………………………………….....………144 3.3. Idealists…...…………………………………………………………………………159 3.4. In the Name of Love: Pet Sematary…………………………………………………176 Conclusion……………………………………………..…………………………………...…...…190 Works Cited…………………………………………………………………………………....….200 x Introduction Stephen King’s enormous popularity is usually an intriguing point to begin with. His extraordinary success as a colossal force in both economy and culture is best summarized in Clive Barker’s words on the omnipresence of King’s work—which is not unlike that of the Bible—in America: “there are two books in every American household—one of them is the Bible and the other one is probably by Stephen King” (qtd. in Ingebretsen xi). King’s lasting attraction to the audience is often attributed to what he says in his fiction and the way he says it. Joseph A. Citro believes that the significance of King’s fiction needs to be reckoned with because of what he says about the culture at large and the influence of his fiction on the readers: “When a writer’s canon embeds itself so completely

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