14.小说语言中的比喻 小说里的形象化比喻通常不如诗歌中那么明显。一首诗往往比一部小说的语言更精炼,但流传的时间几乎都比小说短。许多诗歌,首先引起读者注意的是形象化的比喻,而在大多数小说中,比喻——如果有的话——则只起一种隐约的暗示作用。对于这一点,读者偶尔才会意识到。他们对故事情节和人物塑造的浓厚兴趣,使个别的形象化比喻降到了次要的地位。一般说来,读者只把它们当作解说性的修饰手段,并不予以注意。他们觉得,这种手法对说明事件和塑造人物确有帮助,但一合上书也就忘记了。所以,文艺批评家应特别记住,小说家笔 14. Metaphor in Fictional Language The figurative metaphors in fiction are generally not as pronounced as in poetry. A poem is often more refined than the language of a novel, but the passage of time is almost always shorter than the novel. Many poems, first of all draw the reader’s attention to figurative metaphors, and in most novels metaphors, if any, serve only as a vaguely suggestive effect. Readers will occasionally realize this. Their keen interest in plotting the story and characters has reduced individual figurative metaphors to secondary positions. In general, the reader only treats them as explanatory modifiers, and does not pay attention. They feel that this approach does help clarify the events and shape the characters, but they forget once they close the book. Therefore, literary critics should especially remember that novels writers