Diện mạo truyện ngắn Hoa Kỳ ba mươi năm đầu thế kỷ XX

CHAU MY NGAY NAY SO 02-2009 45 VAN HOA - LiCH SU DIEN MAO TRUYEN NGAN HOA KY • • • BA Ml/dl NAM DAU THE KY XX A. NHA VAN The ky XX, trong linh vfle van chfldng, ed the ndi la the ky ma Hea Ky da ddng gdp nhieu ten tudi Idn, the nghiem va dat dflde nhflng thanh tiiu ky vi trong linh vfle nghe thuat ngdn tfl. Ddng gdp Idn nha't eua nen van chfldng nay cho nhan loai, ngoai tieu thuyet, kich va ly luan - phe binh, edn xua't hien d linh vfle truyen ngin. Ngay den nhflng nha van nhfl 0. Henry va Jack London dflde xem la hang hai tai que hfldng minh thi cung dflde nhieu qud'e gia tren the gidi tdn vinh la bac thiy. Sfl bung nd ddi ngu cic nha van vie't truyen ngin d Hoa Ky da mang lai cho the loai nay mdt dien mao mdi, kich thich sfl sing tao truyen ngin tren toan the gidi. Dfldi day, chung tdi diem qua nhflng gfldng mat tieu hieu nha't. 1. O. Henry (1862-1910) La but danh cua William Sydney Perter, cay but truyen ngin ndi tieng cua Hoa Ky, O. Henry sinh ngay 11-9- 1862 tai Greensboro, bang Bie Carohna. Cha dng la mot bie si cd tai nhflng nghien rfldu va khdng biet lo xa, sd'ng hoang phi. Nam 1865, khi me qua ddi, dng cung em trai dflde gifi den an hoc tai mot trfldng tfl nhd do ngfldi cd ruot quin ly. Ong rdi trfldng vao nam 15 tudi, den lam viec tai hieu PGS. TS Le Huy Bac Khoa NgU vdn, Dai hoc Supham Hd Noi thud'e eua dng chu. Do cdng viec te nhat, chan ngit nen dng bfl dip bing viec doc sach. Ong doc bat cfl sach gi rdi vao tay minh. Nam nam sau, dng chuyen den Austin thudc bang Texas. Tai day, dng theo dudi nhieu nghe, trong dd ed nghe dfla dng den vdi van hoe va ed nghe dfla dng den canh cifa nha tu- a'y la chan thu quy d ngan hang dia phfldng va la chan chu but sau khi thanh lap td bad hai ra hang tuin la Dd lan vad nam 1894. Luc nay dng da lap gia dinh. Nhflng tfldng cude ddi da nd nu cfldi, nhflng bat hanh vin lien tiep giing xud'ng diu dng. Sflc khoe cua ngfldi vd tre suy yeu va khd be phuc hdi. Nam 1888, dfla cen diu mat khi hay cdn rat be. Tap chi lien tiep thua Id. Nam 1894, dng hi to cao la da bien thu cdng quy ngan hang. Mac du ban be va ban than tin la vd tdi nhUng dng lai lo sd nen da trd'n den Honduras va ea Nam My de khdi hi bit. Ong chi quay ve khi vd hap hdi va mat vao mua He nam 1897. Khdng lau sau dd, dng bi bit va ket an d Ohio. Vdi cai an nam nam tfl giam, nhflng dng ehi ngdi tfl hdn ba nam thi dflde tha vi thai do cai tao td't. Trong thdi gian d tu, dng da tiep xue vdi du nhflng thanh phan ba't hao eua xa hdi. Tuy nhien, trong sd' ho khdng phai ai cung xau, cd the vi mot hoan einb trd 46 SO 02-2009 CHAU MY NGAY NAY treu nao dd (nhu chinh ban than dng ching ban) ma ho da phai linh an ma khdng the minh oan. Nhflng eon ngfldi va the gidi ngue tfl cflng vdi nhflng trai nghiem da nem tren trfldng ddi la nhflng khudn hinh sinh ddng va la kho tu lieu vd gia de dng dUa vao cac tac pham eua minh. Ra tfl nam 1901, dng den New York, kiem sd'ng bing each vie't truyen cho nhieu tap chi ndi tieng va trd nen Iflng danh vdi hang tram truyen ngin in dudi but hieu 0. Henry, cai ten cd le lay theo ten cua mot ngUdi cai ngue. Ong cd chdn vui qua khfl bing each lao vao viet. Td'e do sang tao eua dng that phi thudng. d vao thdi diem sung sflc nhat, binh quan ngfldi ta tinh dng vie't mdi tuin mdt truyen. NhUng nhu ciu van hoc eiia ngUdi dan New York thdi dd da rat cao. NgUdi ta ludn yeu ciu 0. Henry phai sang tac them nUa. Vdi sU cd vfl to Idn dd, 0. Henry lien tiep cho rd mit ddc gia bet truyen hap din nay den truyen hap din khac. Ket qua la chinh 0. Henry da dfla truyen ngin len ban dd thUdng mai the gidi. Ong da gdp phin to Idn trong viec dinh hinh truyen ngin da danh, ma cdn tao ra net phong each thudng thflc nghe thuat rieng eua ngfldi Hoa Ky: rat ehuong truyen ngin. Tuy nhien, trflde bet truyen ngin da giup dng thoit khdi ngheo ddi va cd dUde danh tieng. Ba nam trUdc khi mat, dng eUdi ed ban tflng la ngfldi yeu thdi tre. Nhflng cude hdn nhan ay cflng sdm tan vd. Ong ed doe, xa lanh moi ngfldi. Va tam hdn nhay cam la nhan td khoet sau them nhflng be tic trong dng. Ong lao vao con dfldng nghien ngap, rfldu che. Ngay 5-6-1910, 0. Henry mat d New York. Nhflng truyen diu tien cua 0. Henry dflde dang tai tren cac bao, tap chi trong nUde la vao nam 1898. Tap truyen diu tay cua dng. Lit cdp vat vd nhang dng Hodng, in nam 1904. Tiep theo la mUdi ba tap truyen, gdm Bdn trieu (The Four million, 1906;, Trdi tim mien Tdy (1907), Tieng ndi thi thdnh (The Voice of the city, 1908), Dadng dinh menh (1909), Cdng viec nghiem khac (1910), va nhieu tac phim xua't ban sau khi dng qua ddi nhU; Qud tdng cua nhdng thay phdp (1911), Dd Idn (Rolling stones, 1912) va Tre bd vd {1911), va Tong tap O. Henry gdm hai tap xuat ban 1953. Nam mUdi nam sau ngay O. Henry ma't, mdt nha nghien cflu ed uy tin d Hoa Ky ghi nhan; "Truyen eua dng vin edn tieng vang Idn. Bat cfl tuyen tap tan truyen nao ve nhflng truyen ngin tieu bieu va ban chay nhat d Hoa Ky deu in it nhat mot hai truyen dudi but hieu O. Henry". Nhan dinh nay den eudl the ky XX vin cdn gii tri, ehi it la d Viet Nam, bdi khi md bat ky mot tuyen tap truyen ngan the gidi ed gia tri nao d ta thi ddc gia cflng deu tha'y cd truyen ciia O. Henry. 2. Jack London (1876-1916) Ong la con ngoai gia thu cua Flora Wellman va nha chiem tinh William Henry Chaney. Ngay khi Flora tuyen bd' ba ed thai thi Chaney da tfl chdi trach nhiem. Ngay 12-1-1876, tai San Francisco, Flora sinh dflde mdt eau eon trai. Tam thang sau, ba ket hdn vdi John London va lay ten cua dng ta dat cho eon minh: John London. NhUng London thich goi minh la Jack. Ngay tfl ta'm be, Jack da phai lao ddng quan quat de kiem sd'ng. Viec hoc cua cau vi the khdng dUdc lien tue va khdng dUdc chu trong. Sau nhieu lin di chuyen chd d, gia dinh Jack den Oakland. Nam Jack mUdi ba tudi, eau mua mot ehiec thuyen nhd rdi tap di thiiyen trong vinh San Francisco. Day CHAU MY NGAY NAY SO 02-2009 47 la quang ddi rat ddi nhoc nhin eua Jack. Cau phai di ban bao, co rifa san nha va quin quat lam viec sud't mUdi hai tieng mdt ngay trong xudng sin xuat hop. London cd' tim each thoat khdi cude sd'ng trin ai ay. Cau da tim dUde phUdng tien: thfl nha't la bing van hoc (di nhien, tdi van tiep tue doe, sach thi khdng thieu); thfl hai la bing fldc nguyen ngao du. Mfldi lam tudi, sau khi rdi trfldng hoc, London vay tien mua chie'c thuyen nhim kiem ke sinh nhai. Khi ay cau da trd thanh mdt thuy thu chuyen nghiep va mud'n di xa, nhflng ngay luc tfl do ngd nhfl den trong tim tay thi tai hoa giang xud'ng gia dinh London: Ong John bi thfldng. Jack trd thanh tru cot gia dinh. Sau vai nam lan Ion vdi bien, mfldi bay tudi, London lam thuy thu tren eon tau san ca voi Sophie Sutherland. Sud't bay thang lenh denh tren Thai Binh dfldng, con tau dfla London den bien Nhat Bin va ca bien Bering. Chuyen di nay da mang lai cho dng nhflng hieu biet thu vi de dng tai hien thanh cdng va doat giai qua thien ky sfl Bao bien Nhdt Bdn. Dd cdn la kho tfl lieu de dng khai thae trong Sdi bien, xuat ban mfldi nam sau. Mua He nam 1893, London trd ve California va kiem sd'ng bing nhflng cdng viec tay chan binh thfldng vdi mflc Ifldng re mat. Cude khimg hoing nam 1893 d Hoa Ky da gay nen nan that nghiep rdng khip, tien Ifldng ha, phong trao bieu tinh ndi len nhieu ndi. Dien hinh la cude bieu tinh cua ddi quan cdng nghiep cua Kelly (Kelly's Industrial Army) keo ve Washington de ddi chinh phu trd cap cho nhflng ngfldi that nghiep. London cung gia nhap vao ddi quan nay. Cuoc bieu tinh that bai, London trd thanh ngfldi sd'ng lang thang va hi td'ng vao tu. Trong tu, dng da thay bd mat tdi te nha't cua xa hdi Hoa Ky. Ra tu, dng quay ve California vdi quye't tam mdi, hdng thay ddi cude ddi. Nhflng nam thang cd han dd da day cho dng hieu ra ring de chiem linh dinh cao eua cude sd'ng, eon ngfldi ta cin phii hoe. Mfldi chin tudi, London vao hoe cap ba tai trfldng Trung hoc Oakland. Nam 1896, sau mdt mfla he hoe sud't mfldi chin tieng mdi ngay, London da vUdt qua ky thi tuyen vao Dai hoc Berkeley cua bang California. Ong dUde cae sinh vien khac ham md vi sii tflng trai, vi ngoai hinh dep trai. Nhflng chi sau mdt hoe ky, dng phii rdi trfldng, di lam de nudi gia dinh bdi vi sflc khde cua cha dng da sa sut nghiem trong. Niem dam me van chfldng da khie'n London tien hanh mot cude phieu lUu thfl vi: dng mud'n kiem tien bing nghe vie't laeh. Mdi ngay miet mai sud't mUdi lam tieng, London vie't du thfl, tfl truyen ngin, thd, eac bai binh luan, khid luan ngin va dflng nhflng ddng xu eudl cung de gifi chung di. Nhflng ching cd bin thio nao dflde nhan dang ci. Chung deu dUde tri lai va London phii di tim viec lao ddng bing chan tay. Do cdng viec nang nhoc nen chi sau vai thang, London bi kiet sflc. Ong ben mfldn mdt khoan tien nhd tfl ngfldi chi khac cha la Ehsa rdi len dfldng den Klondike vao thang 3-1897 vdi khat vong ddi ddi trong cude do xd di tim vang eua hang ngan ngfldi dan Hda Ky. Mdt nam sau, London lai quay ve, trong tui khdng mdt xu, nhflng quyen sd ghi chep eua dng thi diy ip cac sfl kien, phae thao. Day la khdi tai san vd gia ma nhd nd, Ldndon trd thanh mdt trdng nhflng van hao kiet xuat cua the gidi. Vdi quye't tam mdi, dflde ngon lifa 48 SO 02-2009 CHAU MY NGAY NAY sang tao thdi thuc, London lao vao vie't va da thanh cdng. Thang 12-1899, tap chi Atlantic nhan dang mdt truyen ngin vdi gia 120 ddla. Day la da'u hieu diu tien cua nghiep van hai ra tien trieu eua Jack London. Va ngay sau dd, nha xua't bin Houton hdp ddng in tap truyen ngan diu tien eua dng. Nam 1900, tap truyen ngin Con trai cua sdi ra ddi, dflde nhieu nha phe binh va ddc gia ndng nhiet ca ngdi. Tieng tam van chUdng eua Jack London da khie'n mdt nha xuat ban Idn thdi a'y la McClure nhan tai trd cho tac gia. Ho tra trUde cho dng mdi. thang 125 dd la de dng chuyen tam hoan thanh cud'n tieu thuyet diu tay: Con gdi cua tuyet. NhUng khi cud'n sach hoan thanh thi McClure lai khdng ddng y in vi chat lUdng kem. Mai hai nam sau (1902), nha xuat ban Lippincott mdi nhan in. Mac dfl quan he gifla London va McClure hi true trae vao thang 10- 1901 nhflng dng vin vflng tin vao eon dfldng van chfldng cua minh. Tieng tam eua dng da vang day nhieu ndi. Nha xua't ban MacMillan nhan in tap truyen vie't ve ngfldi da dd d vung Alasca cua dng: Nhdng daa con cua bdng gid (1902). Cung trong nam nay, dng cho in tap truyen vie't cho thanh thieu nien la Cuoc du ngoan cua Dazzler (1902). Nam 1905, dng quay lai vdi mang de tai vie't cho thanh thieu nien vdi tac pham Chuyen ddi tuan tra cd Nam 1902, cude chien gifla^ ngfldi Anh va bd toe Boer d Nam Phi nd ra. La ngUdi thich xdng xao vao ndi nUde sdi l^a bdng, mud'n chflng kien tan mit mot cuoc chien va tie hai eua nd, London nhan ldi lam phdng vien cho Hiep hdi Bao ehi Hoa Ky. NhUng khi den London, dng nhan dUdc bfle dien hoan chuyen di lai. Tra hinh trong bo quin io tdi tan, dng xam nhap vao khu d chudt d miet Cudi Ddng (East End) eua London. Tfl nhflng quan sat tnic tiep canh sd'ng khd'n cflng cua con ngfldi ndi dd, London vie't sud't ba thang rdi cho ra mit Con ngadi cua dia ngue (1902). Tie pham mieu ti rat an tfldng ve ndi khd sd cua nhflng ngfldi dUdi day xa hdi. Ke tfl dd, London ndi tieng nhU nha van nhan dao vdi khat khao cii tao cuoc sd'ng con ngUdi. Vdi Tieng got ndi hoang dd (1903), London khing dinh dUdc chd dflng eua minh tren van dan. Tiep dd, Sdi bien (1904) cung la thanh cdng riic rd eua dng. Nam 1905, Cuoc chien cua cdc giai cdp ra ddi. Nam 1907 la Triidc Adam va Gdt sat. Nhflng tac pham nay cho thay xu hfldng thien ve chil nghia xa hdi cua London. London ly di cd vd Bess Maddern vao nam 1904 va sau dd ket hdn vdi Charmian Kittredge. Ong tau mot trang trai rdng Idn d California va len ke hoach di tau thuy vdng quanh the gidi trong vdng biy nam. Chuyen di keo dai hdn hai nam. London den Hawaii, Tahiti va Australia Ong chi dflng lai khi sflc khoe khdng cho phep. Sud't chuyen di a'y, dng hoan thanh cud'n tieu thuyet tfl truyen Martin Eden (1909), cud'n Chuyen phieu liiu (1911) va nhieu truyen ngan. Quay trd ve San Francisco vao thang 7-1909, London khdng chi nd ehdng cha't ma danh tieng van hoc ed phin giam sut. Ong lai lao vao sang tac mfldi chin tieng mot ngay va da eii thien dflde it nhieu tfl duy cua canh phe binh danh cho dng. Nam 1913, dng gat hai nhieu thanh cdng trong sang tie: Ke sinh ban dem (The Night- Born), Con thu tdi te, John Barleycon, Thung lung mat trdng. Nan dich do. Nam sau, dng hoan thanh Cuoc ndi loan d Elsinore (1914) CHAU MY NGAY NAY SO 02-2009 49 Vao hai nam eudl ddi, sflc vie't cua London suy giam. Ong bi benh tat giay vd nang ne va qua ddi ngay 22- 11-1916 vi ud'ng thud'e ngu qua lieu. 3. Francis Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) Ong la nha van sang tac truyen ngin va tieu thuyet Hoa Ky, ngudi dUde xem la linh hdn cua Thdi dai Jazz. Fitzgerald sinh tai St Paul, Minnesota. La hau due eua mot nha van, ndi ngoai deu giau cd nhUng den ddi cha thi gia dinh rdi vao einh sa sut. Dau the, gia dinh van tao dieu kien cho Fitzgerald vao hoe Dai hoc Princeton vao nam 1913, nhUng benh tat da khie'n dng rdi trUdng vao nam 1917, khi ehUa td't nghiep. Ong gia nhap quan dpi trong nhflng nam 1917-1919. Thdi gian nay, dng bit tay vie't ban thao cud'n tieu thuyet Phia ben ndy thien dadng (This Side of Paradise, 1920), gap gd va yeu Zelda Sayre. Xuat ngu vad thang 2- 1919, Fitzgerald den New York lam viec cho mot hang quing cao. Chi may thang sau, dng quay ve St. Paul, vie't tiep cud'n tieu thuyet va cfldi Zelda vao nam 1920. Thanh cdng cua cud'n tieu thuyet dau tay da mang lai cho Fitzgerald khoan tien Idn du de di du lich chau Au. Ong gap Hemingway d Paris. Hai ngfldi ket ban va thfldng xuyen lui tdi sa Idng van hoe cua Gertrude Stein. Nam 1922, Fitzgerald cho in tap truyen ngin Chuyen cua thdi dai Jazz (Tales of the Jazz Age). Doc gia tin dfldng cich vie't mdi la cua dng, nhflng dng ehi thfle sfl chinh phuc dflde dinh cao van hoe khi tieu thuyet Gasby vl dai (The Great Gasby, 1925) hoan thanh. Cud'n sach mieu ti khat vong giau sang va sfl trd'ng rdng diy bi kich trflde cude sd'ng vat chat xa hoa kieu Hoa Ky cua nhflng nam 1920. Fitzgerald dflde menh danh la nha van tieu bieu cua Thdi dai nhac Jazz. Ban than dng cung la thanh vien cua The he vdt di (Lost Generation). Nam 1934, tac pham Diu ddng Id dem (Tender is the Night) lay cam hflng chil yeu tfl nhflng vung da't chau Au - ndi hai vd ehdng dng da sd'ng. Trong khoing tfl nam 1935-1937, do anh hfldng vi can benh thin kinh ciia vd, Fitzgerald rdi vao nghien rfldu, tiep dd la benh tat da lam gian dean mach sang tac cua dng. Fitzgerald mat khi dng chUa hoan thanh cud'n tieu thuyet Ty phu cudi cung (The Last Tycoon), nbUng cud'n sich van dUde xuat ban vad nam 1941, mdt nam sau khi dng qua ddi. La nha van hien dai, Fitzgerald nim bit dUde thin thai eua sii xd bd trong ky nguyen vat chat va sii lang dong bi kich cua tinh ngUdi qua hanh van dung di, triic tiep, khach quan boa cao do. Cach vie't eua Fitzgerald vi the da anh hudng nhieu den cac nha van hien dai Idp sau. Danh tieng cua dng, do vay cang vang ddi sud't thap nien 1940. 4. Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941) Day la cay but truyen ngin xuat sic bac nhat Hoa Ky diu the ky XX. Tuy khdng ndi danh d nUde ngoai nhu nhieu nha van khac nhUng Anderson cd mot vi tri dac biet d trong nUdc. Ong la ngUdi cd anh hudng Idn den hai cay dai thu tren van dan Hoa Ky the ky XX la Ernest Hemingway va William Faulkner. Anderson, qua ldi vie't nhe nhang eua minh, da td ra quye't het trong viec the hien xung dot giUa nhUng nguyen tic dao dfle cd bin cua eon ngfldi trflde cae the life kiem che eua xa hoi cdng nghiep. Mat khac, dng cdn tai hien thanh cdng "Bi kich Hoa Ky", khat vong lam giau, vd mdng va bi dit 50 SO 02-2009 CHAU MY NGAY NAY Anderson sinh ngay 13-9-1876 tai Camden, bang Ohio. Cha dng la ngfldi lam yen efldng ngiia. Do phai lam lung giup dd gia dinh," .viec hoe eua dng bi gian doan. Anderson thdi hoc khi ehfla td't nghiep phd thdng trung hoc. Nam mfldi bay tudi, dng gia nhap quan ddi va tham dfl cude chien Hoa Ky - Tay Ban Nha. Sau chien tranh, dng den Cuba rdi quay ve Ohio nhap hoc Dai hoc Wittenburg, Springfield. Nam 1901, Anderson den Chicago lam chan quang cio va cflSi cd Cornelia Lane, con gai mot nha budn giau cd. Nam 1906, dng quay ve Ohio lam quan ly mot xfldng sdn va bit diu vie't. Nhflng den nam 1912, dng tfl bd chan quan ly, quay lai Chicago lam quang cao. Thdi gian nay, dng sd'ng cflng anh trai ten la Karl, ngfldi ve sau trd thanh mot trong nhflng danh hoa cua Hoa Ky. Ong lam quen vdi "nhdm van si Chicago", trong dd cd Theodore Dreiser va nhan dflde nhflng khuyen khich va dinh hfldng tren con dfldng van nghiep. Anderson khdng thanh cdng lim ve tieu thuyet, nhflng truyen ngin eua dng la mot trong nhflng dinh cao cua the loai trong van hoc Hoa Ky. Truyen eua dng khdng ed ed't truyen theo kieu truyen thd'ng nhflng cd sflc cud'n hut manh bdi do cang dflde dan cai qua cic sii kien dat trong nhflng khoanh khie dac bidt. Hanh van cua dng khdng gid'ng ba't ky ai trflde dd. Day la kieu ngdn ngfl trong ddi sd'ng thfldng ngay eua ngfldi dan d cac thanh thi nhd. Gertrude Stein danh gia cao each viet ciia Anderson. Winesburg, Ohio (1919) la tap truyen mang lai danh tieng cho Anderson. Tiep theo, dng cho in cac tap: Chien thdng ciia qud trdng (The Triumph of the Egg, 1920) va NgUa vd Ngadi (Horse and Men, 1923), Anderson cd bd'n ddi vd. Ong mat khi dang tren dfldng tdi Nam My vao ngay 8-3-1941. 5. Ernest Hemingvs^ay (1899-1961) Sinh ngay 21-7-1899 tai Oak Park, Illinois, Hemingway la mdt trong nhflng bac thiy van xudi tfl sfl va la ngfldi khai sinh ra ldi ddi thoai doc dao bac nha't the ky XX. Cha Hemingway la bac si, me la giao vien day nhac. Ong la eon thfl hai trong so' sau. chi em. Thud nhd, Hemingway cd nang khieu am nhac, nhflng Idng yeu thien nhien va tinh hieu ddng da khie'n dng gin gui vdi nhflng chuyen san bin, cau ca, dam bd'e 18 tudi, dng rdi ghe nha trfldng sau khi td't nghiep Trung hoe va di lam phdng vien cho td Kansas City Star. 19 tudi dng gia nhap ddi Hdng thap tfl sang lai xe ben chien trfldng Italy trong Chien tranh the gidi thfl nhat. 20 tudi, Hemingway quay lai Hoa Ky vdi ddi nang gd va ta'm huan chfldng do hi thfldng tren da't Italy. Ong la'y vd nam 22 tudi rdi sang Phap vfla lam bao vfla bit diu sfl nghiep sang tac. Cung trong nam nay, dng cho ra mit truyen ngin dau tay Tren miet Michigan (1921). Nhflng mai den nam 1923, cudn sach diu tien cua dng - Ba cdu chuyen vd madi bdi thd - mdi dflde xua't ban. Tinh den eudl ddi, tdng so' truyen ngin cua Hemingway la khoang 100 truyen; nhieu truyen trong so' dd chfla dflde in luc dng cdn sd'ng. Hemingway dflde danh gia ra't cao d linh vfle truyen ngan. Nhieu truyen cua dng sanh ngang tim Poe, Chekhov, va trd thanh khudn miu cho the loai nay. Nam 1926, khi tieu thuyet Mat trdi vdn moc ra ddi, Hemingway mdi thflc sfl ndi tieng tren van dan. Ba nam sau, Gid ta vd khi (1929) xua't hien. CHAU MY NGAY NAY SO 02-2009 51 Cud'n sach ke ve mdi tinh thd mdng nhflng cflc ky bi dat cua chang trung fly Henry va cd y ta Catherine. Mot lin nfla, ten tudi Hemingway lai vang dpi. Gid ta vii khi trd thanh hien tfldng best-seller (sdch bdn chay). Nam 1937, Cd vd khong ra ddi, dinh da'u sii quan tam cua Hemingway den va'n de bfle thiet eua thdi dai: cude dai khimg hoang d Hoa Ky. Va thdng diep eudl cung eua nhan vat chinh Harry, "Con ngfldi khdng the sd'ng cd doe" nhfl ldi nhin giii, khan nguyen cho linh hdn eua ngfldi ndi loan cd doe. NhUng ve mat nghe thuat thi cud'n sich khdng dUde danh gia cao. vao nhflng nam 1930, Hemingway thUdng den Tay Ban Nha. Nam 1939, sau nhieu nam theo doi va den tham dfl cuoc chien bao ve nen Cdng hda ciia nhan dan Tay Ban Nha, Hemingway da vie't nen Chuong nguyen hon ai. "Chang mot ai tfl than la dao rieng hoan chinh, mdi ngfldi la mdt manh cua dai luc, mdt phan cua toan bd dat lien; neu mdt mau da't hi cud'n ra dai dfldng thi chau Au se nhe di nhfl khi mot mui da't, mot ngdi nha cua bing hflu mi hay cua chinh mi hi cud'n phang di. Cai che't cua bat ky ai cung lam ta nhd di bdi ta ket lien khdi vdi toan nhan loai, vay nen mi dflng bao gid hdi chuong nguyen hdn ai. Chudng nguyen cho hdn mi dd" (John Donn). Ldi thd dflde dflng lam de tfl nay da toit len tinh thin thdng diep eua tac pham: sfl tdn tai, vflng manh khdng bao gid nay sinh tfl loai trfl, buy diet. Con ngfldi cin phai nfldng vad nhaude ma sd'ng, chien dau Mat khac, tac pham cdn la ban bi hung ngdi ca nhflng chien si du kich Tay Ban Nha cung vdi anh linh Hoa Ky tii nguyen Jordan can trfldng, bat khuat bao ve quyen tfl do, dan chu chinb dang eua con ngfldi. Nhflng Qua sdng vdo rdng (1950) lai la mdt that bai nfla eua Hemingway. Nhieu nha phe binh xem dng da he't thdi. Khdng nin Idng, nam 1952 Ong gid vd bien cd* ra ddi. Ngay lap tfle, ten tudi eua Hemingway dflde xep vao hang nhflng nha van sd' mdt eua the gidi. Nam 1953 dng nhan giai Pulitzer, giai thfldng nghe thuat cae quy nha't Hoa Ky, va nam 1954 la Nobel van chfldng. Hemingway trii qua bdh cude hdn nhan. Ong ed ba eon trai. Va dau la nha van Hoa Ky nhflng hiu he't khoang thdi gian trong ddi dng lai sd'ng d nflde ngdai. Ong di nhieu va dflde xem la thanh vien eiia "Chu nghia xe dich". Anh, Phap, chau Phi,^ Trung Qud'e deu ed da'u chan dng. Ong dac biet yeu quy Cuba va ung hd Fidel Castro. Cuba nhfl la que hfldng thfl hai cua dng. Tinh cam dd da dflde dng gifi qua ldi dng lad Santiago, mdt ngfldi sd'ng d Havana, khi cho lao phat bieu trong Ong gid vd bien cd: "Minh dang sd'ng trong mdt thanh phd nghia tinh". Tuy ludn sd'ng xa To qud'e nhflng nhan vat trung tam trong cae tac pham cua dng da sd la ngfldi Hoa Ky. Dieu nay phin nao da cho tha'y bdng dang thiic hay net bfl cau nguyen miu tie gia Hemingway trong sang tic cua dng. Hemingway tii sit vao nam 1961 tai Ketehum, bang Idaho. 6. William Faulkner (1897-1962) Nha van cflng vdi Hemingway, dflde xem la hai bac thiy van chfldng ndi tieng nha't eua Hoa Ky the ky XX. Ong sinh tai New Albany, bang Mississippi, trong gia dinh tri thflc, tflng cd nhieu ngfldi lam thd'ng doe bang. Cu ed' cua dng, ngiidi dflde lay ten dat cho dng, la mot tieu thuyet gia d the ky trflde. Nam 1902, gia dinh Faulkner chuyen den thi tran Oxford, 52 SO 02-2009 CHAU MY NGAY NAY Mississippi, ndi dng sd'ng va sang tac cho den khi qua ddi. Thi tra'n nay, ve sau dflde dng hu ca'u thanh dia danh Jefferson, xua't hien trong nhieu cud'n tieu thuyet eua dng. ChUa he't bac trung hoc, Faulkner bd hoc den New Haven sd'ng cimg anh ban Stone, mot sinh vien Dai hoc Yale. Vfla di lam thu ky tai mot xudng quan gidi, Faulkner vfla miet mai doc tac pham eua nhflng nha van ndi tieng nhfl Cervantes, Melville, Balzac, Dostoievsky, theo hfldng dan cua Stone. Thang 6-1918, Faulkner gia nhap life Ifldng khdng quan Hoang gia Canada. Ong theo hoc khoa dao tao si quan phi cdng tai Toronto. Chien tranh the gidi thfl nha't cham dflt, dng quay ve que vdi nd life trd thanh thi si. Trong hai nam (1919-1920), Faulkner ghi danh hoe d Dai hoe Mississippi va thinh thoang dng len New York. Nam 1921, dng thdi hoc, nhan lam viec tai mot cifa hieu ban sach d New York, it lau sau dng lai ve Oxford. Nam 1924, tap thd Thdn ddng ndi cam thach (The Marble Faun) eua Faulkner ra ddi. Den New Orleans vao nam 1925, Faulkner lam quen vdi Sherwood Anderson. Qua Anderson, Faulkner tiep xue vdi ly thuyet ve tinh due va an fle eua Freud cung nhfl nhflng each tan van hoe cua T.S. Eliot va James Joyce, d day, Faulkner thflc sfl sd'ng trong biu khdng khi vd mdng, chan nin ciia the he thanh nien thdi hau chien. Cud'n tieu thuyet LUdng linh (1926) vie't ve thflc trang nay. Sau khi den tham Italy, Anh va Phap, Faulkner lai trd ve Oxford, vfla lam viec kiem sd'ng vfla vie't cud'n tieu thuyet thfl hai eua minh, Mudi (1927). Nhflng tac pham nay chi mang tinh md dudng. Chi den khi tieu thuyet Sartoris (1929) ra ddi, ten tudi Faulkner mdi thu hut dflde sfl chu y cua doc gia. Sartoris la tic pham md diu cho hang loat tieu thuyet Iflng danh ciia Faulkner, la'y bdi canh tfl vflng da't do dng hfl eau, Yoknapatawpha. Tuy dien mao Yoknapatawpha ra't gin gfli vdi que hfldng Oxford, song Faulkner da tao nen dUde khdng gian huyen thoai cua rieng minh. Mdi trUdng a'y la diem ket ndi tuyet vdi cua nhflng nhan vat huyen thoai, da trang, da dd, da den, ngUdi lai, eua nhflng truyen thd'ng Cd xfla dan mai mot, cua nhflng canh rflng dai ngan bien ma't trflde due vong ciia con ngUdi. Nam hai mUdi tudi, Faulkner yeu Estelle Oldham, cd lang gieng. Song Estelle khdng dam trdng cay vao kha nang cua Faulkner nen da chon ngUdi khac. Khi Estelle ly di ehdng vao mUdi nam sau va da ed hai eon, Faulkner van eUdi cd, nhUng cude hdn nhan nay khdng hanh phuc. Faulkner thiic sii ndi tieng vdi Am thanh vd cudng no xua't ban nam 1929. Tfl nam 1929-1942, cic nha nghien cflu goi la "nhflng nam thang vi dai" eiia Faulkner. Sau thanh cdng eua cud'n tieu thuyet ba't hii nay, dng lien tiep cho ra mit nhieu kiet tac, khang dinh tai nang van chfldng eua minh: Khi tdi hdp hdi (1930), Thdnh dadng (1931), Nang thdng Tdm (1932^, Absalom, Absalom! (1936), Nam 1942, tap truyen Rdi rung nhang ddm reu lai gay chu y dac biet cho gidi phe binh. Con gdu, mot kiet tac cua dng dUdc tap hdp trong sach nay. Mai den nam 1959, Faulkner mdi hoan thanh bd ba tieu thuyet; Xdm nhd (1940), Thi trd'n (1957) va Lanh dia (1959). Bd ba tac pham nay ghi nhan sflc sang tao ben bi va tai nang khdng the phu nhan cua Faulkner. Nam 1949, Faulkner dflde trao giai Nobel. Nam 1954, cud'n Ngu ngdn dUdc trao tang giai Sach Qud'e gia (National Book) va giai Pulitzer. CHAU MY NGAY NAY SO 02-2009 53 DUdc xem la nha van hien dai xua't sac bac nha't eiia Hoa Ky va the gidi, Faulkner la ngUdi da phat trien kieu viet Ddng y thdc (Stream of Conciousness) eua J. Joyce len mdt tim cao mdi va da toa bdng anh hudng eua minh len van hoe the gidi trong sud't the ky XX. Su nghiep sang tac eua Faulkner that do so. Ong de lai mUdi biy cud'n tieu thuyet, nhieu tap truyen ngin, tieu luan, phe binh, thd, kich va ca kich ban truyen hinh khi dng cdng tac vdi Hollywood. Ve eudl ddi, dng sd'ng trong benh tat va nghien rUdu. Ong mat ngay 6-7-1962 tai Oxford, Mississippi. B. DAC TRl/NG TlT SlT Tai qud'e gia ed truyen thd'ng da dang hoa phong cich, ba mUdi nam diu the ky XX la khoang thdi gian truyen ngin Hoa Ky ed sU chuyen bien manh me va rd net nha't. Tfl phong cich ed dien, truyen ngin Hoa Ky chuyen sang phong each hien dai va niia sau the ky XX la hau hien dai. Phong each ed dien la each sang tac dfla tren quan diem tiep nhan thanh loc ciia Aristotle. Nha van liia ebon nhflng chi tiet, sfl kien va sap xep sao cho phat huy tdi da kha nang gdi cam ma khdng lam ngfldi doc phai suy nghi ddng nao nhieu. Cach trin thuat nay gan lien vdi viec bay td cam xue. Ngfldi ke, nhan vat, ngfldi ddc hda quyen lai lam mot. Cude sd'ng van chfldng dich thflc la cude sd'ng trin gian. Truyen ngin cua 0. Henry va eiia Jack London dflde vie't theo phong each nay. Hai nha van dac biet chu y tdi nhan vat va nhflng hanh ddng ea biet cd the khu biet ho vdi nhflng nhan vat khac. Tfl nhan vat, ho la'y dd lam diem tiia de md rdng ra cac mdi quan he, cic xung dot va gifi gim eac ting bac y nghia. Tran thuat lay nhan vat lam tam diem va ngudi ke cd chUe nang quan xuyen moi chuyen, theo ngdn ngU cua cac nha hau bien dai la trin thuat theo ldi Dai tii sii. Nha van trd thanh trung tam eua cau chuyen ke cua minh va nhan vat eua ho trd thanh trung tam eua toan bd hien thiie, su kien dUde mieu ta. Ching ban khi vie't Chie'c Id cudi ciing, O. Henry khai thae triet ly chie'c Id cua tinh yeu thiidng, chie'c Id nghe thuat cd khd ndng cdu so'ng con ngiidi, thdng qua hinh tUdng lao boa si Berhman. Xung dot dUde dat ra d day la mdi quan he giUa nghe thuat va cude sd'ng. De cd dUde bfle kiet tac cflu ngfldi, ngfldi boa si khdng chi ed tai nang ma cdn phai ed Idng cam thdng va sU do lUdng, san sang hy sinh vi nghe thuat, vi cen ngudi. Chinh sU hy sinh dd khdi gdi mdi ddng cam Idn lao ndi ngUdi doc. Va cflng chinb sfl by sinh cao ca dd da khie'n Berhman mang dang vde cua mdt vi thanh, ngfldi ed quyen uy tuyet ddi trong khi nang mang lai sfl sd'ng cho con ngfldi. Chil de ve sii by sinh cflu ngfldi vd'n dflde sif dung tfl lau trong van hoc va da trd thanh mdt tieu ehi van boa dflde tan phdng, khang dinh trong xa hdi loai ngfldi. Ngfldi doc khi tiep xue vdi cac hinh tfldng dflde xay dflng nhfl the lap tfle dflde danh thfle mdi ddng cam trong hdn va ho cam thay tin yeu cude sd'ng, tha'y cude ddi dang de sd'ng hdn cho du dang d vao mdt canh ngd vd cflng bi ddt nao dd. Day chinh la ldi van chfldng ru ngu va dap flng nhu ciu thoa man dao dfle eon ngfldi bac nhat. Tfldng tfl, Nhdm Ida eua Jack London cung vay. Nhan vat dflde dat trong the ddi lap gifla con ngfldi va mdi trfldng. Con ngfldi chien thing mdi trfldng la menh lenh tdi thfldng xuat hien ngay tfl thdi thifdng ed, kbi 54 SO 02-2009 CHAU MY NGAY NAY Cdn ngUdi tach minh ra khdi ddi sdng thien nhien mdng mudi. Trong mdi quan he dd, khat vong cua con ngUdi la dUdc chien thing, d day. Jack London lai di khie hoa sii that bai eua con ngUdi trUdc thien nhien hoang sd vdi sflc manh huy diet khung khiep. Le ra cau chuyen se khie'n ngfldi doc that vong, nhflng ngflde lai, ke tfl khi tac phim ra ddi cho den nay, ngfldi doe lai khdng ngflng td bay sfl ham mo. Sd di cd dieu dd la vi. Jack London nha'n manh den thii do cua con ngfldi trflde mdi trfldng khie nghiet va khing dinh y nghia^ sd'ng tich cflc eua con ngfldi dflde the hien ngay trdng chinh sfl tha't bai eua eon ngfldi. Thdng qua cau chuyen cua ngfldi dan dng guc nga tren con dfldng tuyet, London danh thflc khat vong sd'ng va nd liic sd'ng eua con ngfldi. Do vay, sflc ha'p din cua truyen ngin nay vdi ngfldi doc cflng thuoc binh dien thanh loc. Cae tac pham "thanh loc", chuyen khai thae tinh cam, deu cflng dflde vie't dfla tren mdt vd thflc tap the vflng chic. Con ngfldi xi than,^ con ngfldi tim kiem cdng ly, tim kiem y nghia sd'ng, dfla tren nhflng ehuan mflc ma bao ddi nay da dflde nhan loai cdng nhan. Nhflng phong cich hien dai lai cd' khflde tfl each the hien va khai thae. hien thflo theo kieu dd. Nd Iflc eua cac nha van hien dai la mud'n xoa bd vd thflc tap the trong tiep nhan va sang tao hien thflc, de hinh thanh nen mot kieu vd thflc tap the mdi. Nen tang dang tin cay ma cic nha van hien dai dfla vao la ly tri. Nhfl mdt nghich ly, tuy ludn len in ly tri vi ly tri la tic nhan quan trong trong viec gay ra mdi nguy hai ?coa sd eon ngfldi tren hanh tinh, nhflng eac nha van hien dai khdng cd sfl Ifla chon nao khac la van dung ly tri de kien tao nen mot the gidi nghe thuat mdi tren Idp cha't lieu ngdn tfl da ldi thdi. Khai niem "la hoa" va "gian each" ludn dflde sif dung cho nguyen tie phan anh va tiep nh^n hien thflc hien dai. Nha van yeu ciu ngfldi doc phai cd cai nhin ly tri tinh tio trflde tac pham. Van hoc khdng phii la cude ddi ma nd la hinh anh an du cua cude ddi. Ngfldi doe se dflng tri tue, kha nang suy ly eua minh de tim xem trong the gidi a'y nhflng gi la tfldng ddng, ddng vong vdi cai the gidi minh dang sd'ng. Nguyen tic "giin each" nay da tic ddng manh me den each ke. Ngfldi ke khdng cdn quyen uy nhfl trong truyen eua O. Henry va Jack London nfla ma da gidi han diem nhin eua minh vao mdt hoac mot vai nhan vat nao dd cua tac pham de ke. Cich ke nfldng theo diem nhin, tam trang cua nhan vat nay la mot ddng gdp vd cung to Idn cho nghe thuat ke chuyen eua truyen ngin hien dai. d linh viic nay, Wilham Faulkner va Ernest Hemingway dat tdi dinh cao. Diu ehfla hoan toan ke chuyen theo kieu tieu tii sii nhfl cic nha van hau hien dai, nhflng each ke cua ho da vfldn den gidi han bflde diu eua ky thuat. Ndi each khac, ho da dat nen mdng cho sfl ra ddi cua tfl sfl hau hien dai. Nhflng trflde he't, phai ke den nhflng nha tien phong cua trao Iflu hien dai trong truyen ngin cua Hoa Ky. Day la hai cai ten tieu bieu Sherwood Anderson va S. Fitzgerald, nhflng ngfldi khflde tfl ldi ke chuyen mach lac dfla tren nen ting ed't truyen de hfldng tdi nhflng cai ngau nhien, vun vd cua cude ddi. Truyen ngan ndi tieng ciia Anderson la Qua trang. Cau chuyen ke ve mot dng chu cifa hanh kinh doanh trong nd liie thu hut khach hang nhflng tha't bai va cam nhan dflde ndi cay ding qua tha't bai [...]... hy sinh, vi tha, deu trd nen rdng tuech Ngdn tfl hoa my bi nhflng ke dd'n mat ldi dung de hd hao hdng ldi keo eon ngfldi vao nhflng viec xing bay Cdn nhflng gii tri dich thflc thi bi chung vui dap ta tdi Fitzgerald tai hien rat xuat sic tfl tfldng nay trong truyen n g i n Thdm lai Babylon (Babylon Revisited) Truyen khdng he ed ehi tiet nao n h i e den Babylon Day la hinh anh an du, cd le la Paris trong... vao sfl that vong Trong nhflng truyen ngin ndi tieng nha't eiia dng, ngfldi doc se tiep can vdi mot ldi tfl sfl diia tren chudi ngdn tfl ddi thoai (Mot ndi sach se vd sdng sua) hoac chuoi ngdn tfl doe thoai ndi tam (Tuyet tren dinh Kilimanjaro) eiia nhan vat Thing hoac d mot sd tac pham it nhieu edn Iflu gifl ed't truyen truyen thd'ng, nhfl Cuoc ddi hanh phuc ngdn ngui cua Francis Macomber, thi net ddc... chu yeu dflde t r i n thuat theo cai nhin cua anh chang thd san da t r i n g Wilson Nhd vay, ngfldi ke d ngdi thfl ba mdi d l dang xam nhap vao ddng suy nghi cua cac nhan vat khac, ke ea cua con sfl tif de biet dflde t i m vde kieu hung cua loai chua sdn lam va nhflng to' cha't ed ban trong ban cha't eon ngfldi De nhan tha'y d cac cay but hien dai trong giai doan nay, ngUdi ke thudng xuyen sif dung cic... the ky Cha't tri tue da l i n g sau vao tflng eau ehfl Khdng cd vd'n van hoa nha't dinh, ngfldi doc se khdng the nao hieu he't dflcic cai hay, eii dep cua nhflng ang van mang chinh ngdn tfl ra dap n i t de hdng kien tao nen mot he hinh ngdn ngfl mdi, phfl hdp hdn vdi xu the thdi dai Nhflng thap nien d i u the ky XX, truyen n g i n Hoa Ky da trd thanh mui nhdn tien phong cua thdi dai, thdi ma theo each...CHAU MY NGAY NAY SO 02-2009 do Toan bd truyen chi tsip trung vao khoang khie tam trang cua nhan vat Ngfldi doc hi d i n dit, hi thuyet phuc bdi dp cang tfl khoanh khie a'y Da'u i n xa hoi hi xoa md Con ngfldi hien len ddn doc trong chinh khat vong hoi nhap, lam dep, lam hai long cuoc ddi, xa hdi ben ngoai Sfl hy... Charhe, nhflng vao phut eudl, ta't ca deu do vd vi mot cd ban gai cu ciia anh xua't hien khdng dung luc da p h i hdng he't thay Cuoc sd'ng eua Charhe lai rdi vao ndi tuyet vong Chinh nhd sif dung day dac nhflng hinh anh an du, bieu tUdng ma cau chuyen tuy khdng dai nhUng da tai hien dUdc ea mot khdng gian, thdi gian rdng Idn eua chau Au va Hoa Ky trong nhflng thap nien suy thoii d i u the ky Cha't... nha van lai khie'n ngfldi doc phai ddng nao, phai "gian each" manh vdi ddng t r i n thuat thi mdi cd cd hoi hieu dflde dieu gi dd tfl chudi ngdn tfl ba' t tan kia Ngflde lai vdi Faulkner, Hemingway de xua't mdt ldi vie't tinh tao vd cflng Xet d gdc do "la hoa" , truyen n g i n cua Hemingway dat den dinh cao eua tieu ehi nay Truyen cua dng chdi bd ldi tfl sfl dfla tren ed't truyen ly ky, ha'p dan Nhan vat... ngfldi, cae nha van chan chinh tim ldi thoat b i n g chinh con dfldng dd nat, be t i e ay Ho khdng len tieng keu goi, ho chi lang le thflc hien nhflng chuyen di b i n g van chfldng den nhflng chan trdi mdi, ndi tri tue dflde danh cho vi tri doc tdn, tinh cam trd thanh thfl yeu trong coi nhan gian khanh kiet tinh ngfldi Bing each dd, ho da danh thflc dflde nhan tinh eua bao ngfldi • ... sinh, xa than cho cong ddng khdng dflcic ddn nhan Con ngfldi thdi hien dai cd nhiing tieu chi mdi ve le sd'ng cua minh Day chinh la ndi cd doc, sfl xa la gifla con ngfldi vdi the gidi va vdi ca chinh ban than minh Sfl xa la nay tao nen ndi dau giang eo trong tam thflc ma Faulkner khai quat ra't doc dao trong dien van Nobel cua minh: "Trai tim con ngfldi trong sfl xung dot vdi chinh nd" Nhfl the truyen... tfl sfl, tao nen mdt dien mao mdi cho truyen ngin Faulkner trong sfl pha'n da'u cua minh da vie't nen nhflng truyen n g i n ddng y thflc doc dao Diem nhin ciia ngfldi ke ci day da b i n g khdng trong khoang each vdi nhan vat Tuy Faulkner khdng khai sinh ra ldi vie't tren (James Joyce mdi la ngfldi khdi dau), nhflng dng ed vai trd quan trong la da phat trien ky thuat tfl sfl nay len den dinh cao eiia . la hai bac thiy van chfldng ndi tieng nha't eua Hoa Ky the ky XX. Ong sinh tai New Albany, bang Mississippi, trong gia dinh tri thflc, tflng cd nhieu ngfldi lam thd'ng doe bang thd'ng da dang hoa phong cich, ba mUdi nam diu the ky XX la khoang thdi gian truyen ngin Hoa Ky ed sU chuyen bien manh me va rd net nha't. Tfl phong cich ed dien, truyen ngin Hoa Ky chuyen. CHAU MY NGAY NAY SO 02-2009 45 VAN HOA - LiCH SU DIEN MAO TRUYEN NGAN HOA KY • • • BA Ml/dl NAM DAU THE KY XX A. NHA VAN The ky XX, trong linh vfle van chfldng, ed the ndi la