我讀 《壞人》

這是一個名叫艾蜜莉的女子回憶她小時候交友不慎誤入賊途的故事。從頭到尾，故事娓娓道來，從她小時候的交友情形談起，她在家裡和家人相處的景況，她在自家廚房遇見那個小偷洛緹，因而鋌而走險跟她一塊在廉價商店裡偷竊被逮的過程。故事的細節鋪陳、書寫節奏恰到好處，所以故事雖然有點長，不知不覺就讀完了。書中的細節是那樣鉅細靡遺，我不禁懷疑，這非常可能是美國作家Jean Stafford的親身經歷，有自傳體的意味。然而，為什麼讀小說時，非得去爭論故事的真實與否呢?也許，真實的故事更吸引人，更能引起讀者的共鳴吧?

The Note of Bad Characters

Making friends are really not easy for a girl who had bad character. While this short story presents the reality of making bad friends could lead one’s life to miserable consequence.

The short story contains a lot of details regarding the little girl’s frustration in making pals, what her family life was like, and the whole dramatic and nervous process of stealing in the ten-cent- store etc. The details were so vivid that I doubt it was the writer’s personal experience in childhood. Why should I care if it were a true or false story? I am not sure. Maybe, a real story is easier to arouse our attentions?