Chapter 2 Introduction——Finding the real joy of reading novels

Zhang Dachun Caused by a murder in a medieval monastery, this detective hero who was born hundreds of years earlier than Sherlock Holmes but was created later set off a continuous upsurge in European and American literature rankings. "The Name of the Rose" doesn't have the beauties, money, and scandals of "Hollywood Wife and Concubines," and it's an accident that it's among the bestsellers, but it deserves it. The monk who was murdered in pursuit of "forbidden knowledge" was not the first to face the "truth/faith" dilemma, and he certainly won't be the last.St. Franciscan William, who was in charge of investigating the strange murder in the mysterious monastery, once said: "Perhaps it is the task of those who love mankind deeply to make people laugh at the truth and make the truth ridiculous; because the only truth lies in To free ourselves from the frenzy for truth."

This old tone of doubt is not the only "theme" that Umberto Eco sets in "The Name of the Rose."Because of the narrative strategy of this master of sign linguistics, the intention of this book forms a network far more complex than the labyrinthine library where "forbidden knowledge" is hidden in the book. They dialectize, subvert, and entangle each other.So when William "solves" a series of murders for us ("a series" is obviously due to William's intervention), sophisticated readers will also be slightly moved or strongly shocked by the philosophical beliefs of the "culprit".However, the discussion topics full of profound wisdom will not make the more naive readers feel dull or dull-even if the reader has no sincerity in understanding the political and religious disputes, theological arguments or cultural rituals in medieval Europe, he can still learn from "The Rose". A lot of investigative fun of "following Sherlock Holmes' deduction clues" is obtained in "The Name".On the other hand, critics or readers who are immersed in realistic norms must also pay attention when admiring the author's delicate, accurate, and informative description and research skills: the more Umberto Eco flaunts his realistic rhetoric, it is often his The most dubious and mocking representations of "truth" (e.g., depictions of library designs full and reliquary displays).

Therefore, we can fundamentally suspect that the author's discovery, copying, and translation of the "Mike's Manuscript of Friar Essen" in the preface are completely fictional, and thus realize that "The Name of the Rose" is not only an ancient anecdote. It is not even "a story" or "a novel", but it is only constructed by using readers' various prejudices about "reasoning plot", "historical common sense", "heroic legend", "religious revelation" and other texts symbols of mutual doubt.We read with these prejudices, and then we destroy them.

An ideal way to read this book is to turn to any page at random and read until you feel sleepy.After a few foreplays like this, if it doesn't spark any interest in detective work, history, philosophy, or the highly satirical art, watch the TV show "Victorious" - it's one of the best. A TV show for those with no brains to develop a sense of superiority. ——Recorded from the open-book edition of Taiwan's "China Times"