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1、ToniMorrisonNobelLecture"Onceuponatimetherewasanoldwoman.Blindbutwise."Orwasitanoldman?Aguru,perhaps.Oragriotsoothingrestlesschildren.Ihaveheardthisstory,oroneexactlylikeit,intheloreofseveralcultures."Onceuponatimetherewasanoldwoman.Blind.Wise."IntheversionIknowth
2、ewomanisthedaughterofslaves,black,American,andlivesaloneinasmallhouseoutsideoftown.Herreputationforwisdomiswithoutpeerandwithoutquestion.Amongherpeoplesheisboththelawanditstransgression.Thehonorsheispaidandtheaweinwhichsheisheldreachbeyondherneighborhoodtoplacesfa
3、raway;tothecitywheretheintelligenceofruralprophetsisthesourceofmuchamusement.Onedaythewomanisvisitedbysomeyoungpeoplewhoseemtobebentondisprovingherclairvoyanceandshowingherupforthefraudtheybelievesheis.Theirplanissimple:theyenterherhouseandasktheonequestiontheansw
4、ertowhichridessolelyonherdifferencefromthem,adifferencetheyregardasaprofounddisability:herblindness.Theystandbeforeher,andoneofthemsays,"Oldwoman,Iholdinmyhandabird.Tellmewhetheritislivingordead."Shedoesnotanswer,andthequestionisrepeated."IsthebirdIamholdingliving
5、ordead?"Stillshedoesn'tanswer.Sheisblindandcannotseehervisitors,letalonewhatisintheirhands.Shedoesnotknowtheircolor,genderorhomeland.Sheonlyknowstheirmotive.Theoldwoman'ssilenceissolong,theyoungpeoplehavetroubleholdingtheirlaughter.Finallyshespeaksandhervoiceissof
6、tbutstern."Idon'tknow",shesays."Idon'tknowwhetherthebirdyouareholdingisdeadoralive,butwhatIdoknowisthatitisinyourhands.Itisinyourhands."Heranswercanbetakentomean:ifitisdead,youhaveeitherfounditthatwayoryouhavekilledit.Ifitisalive,youcanstillkillit.Whetheritistosta
7、yalive,itisyourdecision.Whateverthecase,itisyourresponsibility.Forparadingtheirpowerandherhelplessness,theyoungvisitorsarereprimanded,toldtheyareresponsiblenotonlyfortheactofmockerybutalsoforthesmallbundleoflifesacrificedtoachieveitsaims.Theblindwomanshiftsattenti
8、onawayfromassertionsofpowertotheinstrumentthroughwhichthatpowerisexercised.Speculationonwhat(otherthanitsownfrailbody)thatbird-in-the-handmightsignifyha
