《孽子》 (2): Pattern and Individual Stories, Obsession and Release Image source: Lived City (3): Love and Desire on Cities‘ Margins in a city’s heterotopia

Outline Starting Questions A. Patterns New Park Community The Legend of 龍子 and 阿鳳 The Legend of 龍子 and 阿鳳 B. Individual Stories 小玉 ’s search for ‘father’ 小玉 ’s search for ‘father’ 吳敏 and 老鼠 吳敏 and 老鼠 阿青 between older and younger brothers 阿青 between older and younger brothers

Starting Questions What gets to be repeated in Book IV? How do the individual characters survive, confirm values of their existence and deviates from the general patterns? Anything else you wanted to say about the novel?

New Park Community Bk IV sec 2: pp Repetition:  郭老 ’s attitude p. 381;  桃源春  安樂鄉  楊教頭 ’s position, 阿雄 and his four kids “ 小萬、小 趙、金旺喜、賴文雄 ” (385)  阿青 ’s good will to those around him; History – confirmed: p. 385; 盛公 ’s party Variation:  趙無常 ’s story-telling;  老龜頭  Master-disciple relationship –maintained but actually changed.

The Legend of 龍子 and 阿鳳 龍子 －－ first account (his loss of self pp. 34- ) Outsiders’ account  1. 郭老 sadness -- p. 87; 2. 趙 ’s – fate -- p. 90; 217 ( 前世註定 )  2. 阿鳳 as an individual –an orphan; p. 352  3. 龍子 ’s final account p. 388  understood by 阿青

小玉 ’s search for ‘father’ Sadness mixed with strong abilities and skills to survive Survival: Avoid being raped; hard work; small living space Sadness: “ 出到外面，大雪紛飛，新宿那些 成千上萬的霓虹燈，在雪花裏眨著熱鬧得很。 我站在街心，那一刻真是感到人海茫茫。那 晚我去了新宿歌舞伎町的桐壺，那是新宿最 有名的一家 gay bar 。 ”(379)

小玉 ’s search for ‘father’ Sense of Values:  not go to Mr. Lin;  Still nice to his mother p. 380  Dream of Sakura (cherry blossom)  His search – revenge p. 379

吳敏 and 老鼠 吳敏 自作孽﹖ 老鼠－－關好了﹖ --  The teacher and the social worker: not able to understand or help.  老鼠 ’s survival and sense of self-value— play dead in front of the hoodlums; 光拿東西不拿錢 Care about his 百寶箱  Vocational training

阿青 between older and younger brothers Images of blood and guilt  Blood violence and wildness: 阿鳳 ; 鐵牛 212; 阿青 逃走流血 p. 121; 龍子 血  火﹔ 367 浴血 to express his guilt feelings;  阿青 Guilt: p. 322;  Move beyond his sense of guilt  娃娃臉 ／育德中學， 植物園  弟娃  大龍峒  Repetition of Military training at the end?