重寫與重述：從《傀儡花》到Puppet Flower

Rewriting and Retelling: From Kueilei Hua to Puppet Flower

以研究世界文學（World Literature）著稱的學者大衛．達姆洛許（David Damrosch）曾說，原著與譯本是截然不同的文本，因為在翻譯過程中原文可能會有所折損，也可能會有新的收穫——例如，被放進一個新的脈絡去論述。另外，翻譯理論家韋努蒂（Lawrence Venuti）也認為，譯本在被放入某個叢書後，也可能讓這個譯本的定位有所改變。本論文的研究對象是台灣小說家陳耀昌代表作《傀儡花》的英譯本Puppet Flower，聚焦在英譯本書名、〈前言〉、〈作者序〉、書中重要角色清單（list of principal characters）、譯註、地圖與照片、詞彙表等側文本（paratext）來說明，為何Puppet Flower雖是《傀儡花》的譯本，但兩個文本對於讀者來講可能相當不同。這兩本書不但章名不同，篇章結構也經過重新調整，而據作者表示，這是為了讓英文讀者更能接受而進行的改變。然而，因為作者的堅持，在改變之餘，Puppet Flower仍然透過某些策略而盡可能保留了史實的精確性。另外，由於Puppet Flower是隸屬於哥倫比亞大學出版社「來自臺灣的現代中國文學」叢書（Modern Chinese Literature from Taiwan），更加凸顯了這本小說對於「原住民」、「族群多元性」等主題的重視。最後要強調的是，透過Puppet Flower的案例可以清楚看出，翻譯是「重述」（retelling）的契機，讓我們可以用另一種方式來重塑某個故事。

World literature scholar David Damrosch argues that original works and translations are fundamentally distinct texts. After being translated, original texts may suffer some loss, but translation can also yield new insights—such as being placed in a fresh context for discussion. Additionally, translation theorist Lawrence Venuti believes that once a translation becomes part of a series or collection, its positioning may undergo transformation. This study focuses on Taiwanese novelist Chen Yao-chang’s novel Kueilei Hua and its English translation, which has been retitled Puppet Flower. I will focus on the English translation’s paratextual elements, including the translated book’s title, preface, author’s introduction, list of principal characters, footnotes, maps, photographs, and glossary. Though Puppet Flower is a work translated from Kueilei Hua, the two works may significantly differ for readers. Not only do they have distinct chapter titles, but their overall structural arrangement has also been adjusted. According to Chen, these changes were made to enhance accessibility for English-speaking readers. However, even amidst these alterations, Puppet Flower strategically strives to retain historical accuracy. Furthermore, Puppet Flower belongs to the series“Modern Chinese Literature from Taiwan”published by Columbia University Press. This affiliation underscores the novel’s emphasis on themes related to indigenous peoples and ethnic diversity. Ultimately, this case study vividly illustrates that translation serves as an opportunity for“retelling,”allowing us to reshape a story through an alternative lens.