在當(dāng)今中國的女作家群中,王安憶的名字讀者應(yīng)該是非常熟悉的,她是文壇上最具魅力、最有影響的作家之一。
在全國第七屆作家代表大會上,新當(dāng)選為中國作協(xié)副主席的王安憶,于2006年11月15日返滬時在機場接受記者采訪中表示,作代會選擇她擔(dān)任這一職務(wù),是對上海作家的信任,至于她自己,“能做的就是不放棄寫作,不放棄手中的筆”。在北京期間,即在她當(dāng)選為中國作協(xié)副主席時,她就說:“堅持寫作仍是我的第一生活,因為這是我比較勝任的工作,假如沒有寫作,我這個人大概沒什么可值得注意的。”敏銳的記者很快發(fā)現(xiàn),這番話與五年前她被推舉為上海市作協(xié)主席時所說“幾乎一模一樣”。確實,五年過去了,“官位”升級了,榮譽也多了(繼2000年獲茅盾文學(xué)獎后,2005年王安憶又獲魯迅文學(xué)獎),王安憶還是王安憶。我想在她看來,主席、副主席之類對她并不重要,對她來說,或用她自己的話說,這不過是“略略開放了我的生活”,只是在文學(xué)道路上“和大家相互攜手在一起”。這就是王安憶。熟悉王安憶的人都知道,這是王安憶的肺腑之言。
站在茅盾文學(xué)獎領(lǐng)獎臺上
王安憶的《長恨歌》榮獲第五屆茅盾文學(xué)獎。給她頒獎后她題詞:“多年來,文學(xué)界一直厚愛于我,深深感謝!王安憶”。
2000年11月11日,在浙江烏鎮(zhèn)——茅盾先生的故鄉(xiāng),第五屆茅盾文學(xué)獎頒獎大會之后,有記者問獲獎?wù)咄醢矐洠骸懊鎸θ绱藦?fù)雜的生活,一個作家怎樣做才能更深刻呢?”
王安憶忽閃著眼睛,從容地說:“當(dāng)代生話千變?nèi)f化,給作家提供了豐富的寫作資料。但問題在于,知識分子(包括作家)中不少人忽略了自己精神生活。不過如果你的理性充分,你才能和別人不一樣?!?/p>
王安憶在90年代先后推出的幾個中篇和長篇,幾乎無一不引起文壇的關(guān)注。她的《叔叔的故事》不但促人透視當(dāng)代知識分子的魂魄,而且讓人領(lǐng)教了一種全新的敘事方式;她的《文工團》和《我愛比爾》,再次顯示了她對以往歷史和當(dāng)下世界的思考;她的《長恨歌》則是她對上海近現(xiàn)代都市史的詮釋。世紀(jì)末時她出版了《妹頭》和《富萍》,把目光和筆鋒轉(zhuǎn)向了社會的地基和微粒,如她自己所言:“作品隨著自己的成長而日漸成熟?!彼膭?chuàng)作不斷地激發(fā)出評論界的探究熱情,但其快速的變化革新卻總是讓習(xí)慣于尋求固定風(fēng)格分門別類的人捉摸不透。王安憶毋庸置疑地是文壇上的一道言說不盡的風(fēng)景。
“時間將變得隆重”
在進入新世紀(jì)的時候,王安憶說:“時間將變得隆重?!睘槭裁??她說,“太陽走著永恒的軌道,無人知道什么是始,什么是末,因為有了人,有了歷史,才有了時間?!薄霸谖业臅r間表上,這界線正劃在中年,這多少給人告一段落的悵然,但也給人重新開始的一些振奮。在迎接新世紀(jì)的當(dāng)口,時間將變得隆重?!彼谝黄恼伦詈髮懙溃骸斑@一瞬也將以恒常的速度過去,余下的還是我們的有終點的生命,因其有終,才須我們立下好好度過的決心?!?/p>
1954年出生于南京的王安憶,1955年隨母親茹志鵑到上海,1970年赴安徽插隊落戶,1972年考入徐州地區(qū)文工團,1978年調(diào)回上海。她自1976年開始文學(xué)創(chuàng)作,從發(fā)表第一篇散文至今,已創(chuàng)作發(fā)表出版小說《雨,沙沙沙》《本次列車終點》《小鮑莊》《小劉莊》《海上繁華夢》《叔叔的故事》《六九屆初中生》《黃河故道人》《流水三十章》《紀(jì)實與虛構(gòu)》《米尼》《長恨歌》等短、中、長篇小說400多萬字,她的代表作有《金燦燦的落葉》《命運交響曲》《流逝》等。1986年開始,王安憶推出“三戀”:《荒山之戀》《小城之戀》《錦繡谷之戀》;接著又寫出探討家庭倫理的《逐鹿中街》,以性愛為主題的《崗上的世紀(jì)》等以及若干散文、文學(xué)理論。1989年35歲的她被選為上海作家協(xié)會副主席,躋身于一級作家行列?!读魇拧贰缎□U莊》《本次列車終點》《誰是未來的中隊長》等曾一度獲全國短篇小說獎,二度獲全國中篇小說獎。作品被譯為英、法、荷、德、日、捷、韓等文本。
緣何踏上文學(xué)之路
已故的著名女作家、王安憶的母親茹志鵑,曾向我談起過這個問題。茹志鵑生前接受我采訪時曾經(jīng)坦誠地回答:“我沒有想要把安憶培養(yǎng)成作家。我倒曾希望安憶長大以后做個醫(yī)生,靠一技之長安分地治病救人。平心而論,經(jīng)歷了過去那么多風(fēng)風(fēng)雨雨,真不愿意讓孩子們再去涉足是是非非的文學(xué)藝術(shù)?!?/p>
但有一點可以肯定,王安憶小時候就喜歡寫作。小學(xué)二年級時第一次看圖作文,別的小朋友三言兩語就寫完了,可她一節(jié)課還寫不夠,小腦子里展開了想象的翅膀,放學(xué)后她繼續(xù)留下來寫,一下子就用去了半本作文簿。從此,她用白紙訂了個小本子,她把心里想的,嘴里要說的話都寫到小本子上,后來寫兒歌、寫日記……
王安憶各門功課都不錯。“文革”動亂開始了,重點中學(xué)也不能上了。不久,媽媽茹志鵑小心翼翼地包藏了十多年的秘密,被無情的造反派貼的大字報揭開在孩子們的面前,他們的父親王嘯平曾經(jīng)戴過“右派”帽子。姐姐安諾為此大哭起來,安憶也哭紅了眼睛,感到害怕。那時節(jié),全家人惶惶不安。此情此景后來在王安憶的小說《墻基》里作過生動的刻畫,超過當(dāng)時成年人的想象。
正是求學(xué)時代的少女王安憶卻沒有學(xué)??缮狭?,這時多么的苦痛啊。姐姐安諾找到了辦法,從同學(xué)處偷偷地借來了不少外國小說,有《牛虻》《安娜·卡列尼娜》《貴族之家》《羅亭》等等,大家秘密地輪流著看,有時候一本書只能在安憶家停留一個夜晚,于是姐妹倆便躲在小屋里通宵達旦地將一本書囫圇吞棗“吃”下去。
王安諾、王安憶姐妹在那個不讓人讀書的年代里,卻讀了不少中外名著,這對沒有學(xué)歷的王安憶后來能成為作家,而且是創(chuàng)作豐盈的著名作家,應(yīng)該感謝那些文學(xué)名著的賜予。倔強的王安憶硬是通過拼命地閱讀,把這段空白的學(xué)歷給補上了?,F(xiàn)在她成了復(fù)旦大學(xué)中文系教授,還帶著研究生呢!
父母在她身上的影響
王安憶開始創(chuàng)作的初期,媽媽茹志鵑還看看她寫的初稿提提意見,后來王安憶去北京文學(xué)講習(xí)所(后改名為魯迅文學(xué)院——作者注)學(xué)習(xí)時,把她寫的《幻影》寄給母親看。媽媽看了以后,回信時詳盡地提了意見。但吃飯時茹志鵑和丈夫王嘯平聊起了這篇作品,她爸爸也沒說妻子的意見不對,只是說“你不要管她,讓她自己去摸索,去走路!”王嘯平的“你不要管她”之說,使茹志鵑猛醒:是的,提這些意見為什么呢?無非是要她照我的意見寫,要把她納入我的思路的軌道上來創(chuàng)作,這有利嗎?想到這里,茹志鵑深感老伴的意見是對的,“讓她自己去摸索,去走路?!碑?dāng)時茹志鵑立即追了一封信去,收回前信的意見,要她按自己的想法去改。
“讓她自己去摸索,去走路”,這恐怕和王安憶在創(chuàng)作上較快形成自己的一種表現(xiàn)方式有很大關(guān)系。在她的成長道路上,如果要說父母有點作用的話,恐怕這種方法讓安憶得益匪淺。茹志鵑曾說:“我對安憶也沒有刻意培養(yǎng),主要靠她自己。在她幼時,我每天抄一首我欣賞的宋詞貼在床頭教她吟誦,為她講解,這是一種樂趣,至于能起多大的作用就難說了?!爆F(xiàn)在看來,這是一種很好的文學(xué)啟蒙和熏陶。
“我的時間大多在家里度過”
王安憶成名以后,記者采訪她時,問起她社會活動以及如何安排寫作時間,她說:“我比較喜歡一個人工作,是個偏愛孤獨和安靜的人。我家里只有愛人和我兩個人,沒有孩子。其他親人不住在一起。我生活的大部分時間在家里度過,平時愛看書、看電影,最多的時候是看電視。”“別人把我的生活想得太神秘了,我過的其實就是普通勞動者的生活。有一次我在機場碰到一個工作人員,他認出我是王安憶后,就羨慕地問我你現(xiàn)在哪個國家,我告訴他在中國,在上海,而且一直在上海?!?/p>
當(dāng)王安憶同記者談到文學(xué)評獎時,她說:“我個人贊成評獎。寫暢銷書的人,他們的作品能在市場上有很好的回報;而搞純文學(xué)創(chuàng)作的就只能靠獲獎來得到肯定,進而推動書的銷售,這能起到平衡的作用。你總不能讓人家的書既賣不出去,又得不到獎吧。至于評獎,無論大小,沒有一個絕對公正,總會因為這樣或那樣的原因妥協(xié)而產(chǎn)生折中的結(jié)果,我覺得獲獎總是很開心,沒有獲獎也不難過?!?/p>
“近來您正在寫什么作品?”記者直率地問她,并請她談?wù)勛约簞?chuàng)作的體會。
王安憶沉思了一會,說道:“最近正在寫一個長篇,大約十萬多字,以江南小鎮(zhèn)為背景,寫兩個女孩子的生活與成長?!彼€說:“我常管現(xiàn)在的上海叫‘草根期’。上海在我的嗅覺中始終是混雜著多種氣味的綜合體:油煙氣、菜香氣、油醬氣,還有個氣,就像上海弄堂里常有的那種,我是聞著這種氣味長大的。所以在寫作時,還可以依稀聞到它。衡山路的確很浮華,可是更多的時候我是在平凡溫馨的狹窄的家里?!?/p>
Writing is Her Life
By Zu Dingyuan
Wang Anyi stands out as a distinguished female novelist in China’s literary landscape. In fact, she is one of the most influential writers in today’s China. At the recent seventh national writers’ congress, she was elected deputy chairman of the national writers’ association. Upon her arrival in Shanghai on November 15, 2006, she commented at the airport that her election at the congress meant the trust put in all the writers in Shanghai and that she would continue to write. Actually it was what she had said five years before when she was elected chairman of Shanghai Writers’ Association. Though she won the Maodun Literary Award in 2000 and the Luxun Literary Award in 2005, she is still her previous self though she is an important person in the writers’ organization. The only change is that the honors “have slightly opened my life more to the outside world”.
Born in 1954 in Nanjing, Wang Anyi moved to Shanghai with her mother one year later. In 1970, the sixteen-year-old girl was sent to live and work in a production team as a farmer in Anhui province. In 1972, she was employed by the Xuzhou Singing and Dancing Troupe. In 1978, she came back to Shanghai. Her creative writing started in 1976.
Some people regard her family influence as an important factor in Wang’s writing career, for her mother was a writer of national renown. In fact, however, the mother discouraged the daughter, citing writing could be politically dangerous. But Wang Anyi was gifted. Even in the grades, she was good at writing compositions. She just couldn’t stop jotting down her thoughts and feelings in her notebooks.
The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) shattered the formal education of Wang Anyi and her sister, but they were able to read banned books secretly circulated among their friends. It was during this period that Wang Anyi was exposed to theworld-class literary masterpieces, which paved her way to becoming a writer later.
Over the thirty years, she has published short stories, novellas, novels and essays, many of which have won her national honors and been translated into foreign languages. What makes her stand out is her exploration into the minds of her characters. She observes that writing a good plot is not so difficult since life provides a wealth of plots, but a writer should look into the soul. Wang points out that an adequate mind sets a writer apart from her peers.
Her independence as a prolific writer comes from her tireless probe into the grassroots life in the past and the present. In the earlier days of her writing, her parents were asked to comment on her stories. She remembers sending them a short story she had written at a special creative writing course she was taking in Beijing. Her mother commented carefully on the story and sent the long commentary to her. The father advised the mother not to do so, saying “you should let her take her own way.” The mother agreed and sent another letter immediately, asking her daughter to disregard her opinion. The parents believed that they should step back and let their daughter decide where to go and how to proceed as a writer.
This “hands-off” policy played a significant part in Wang Anyi’s growth as a writer. Since the 1990s, her works have explored the hearts and souls of her characters, probed the past and the present of this world. Her novel Everlasting Regret relates the history of Shanghai as a modern metropolis. Towards the end of the 20th century, she published two books that looked into the bottom strata of the society. Her innovative narrations have inspired critics to look into her works for sources of her unexpectedly changing directions.
After establishing herself as a writer of national renown, she still spends most of her time at home, writing, reading, and watching television. She is married but have no children. Once she was recognized by a fan at the airport and asked where she now lived. Wang replied she was in Shanghai, China, and had been in Shanghai all the time.
While commenting on literature awards, Wang Anyi remarked that literature awards were justifiable and necessary for serious literary works. Some writers create popular fictions and get fast rewards from market. For those dedicated to writing serious things, literature awards enable them to survive and devote to their careers. She knows that there has never been absolute fairness in awards decisions. There might be some compromises here and there. She is happy when she gets an award, and she is not sad when she gets none. Award or no award, she will always keep writing. Awards are not her life. Writing is.
(Translated by David)