来自《耶鲁大学开放课程：1945年后的美国小说 第16集》

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  the syllabus because it provides a beautiful contrast to The Crying of Lot 49
  因为它和《拍卖第49号》形成完美的反差
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  in that it depicts the disintegration of southern California, and specifically L.A.,
  刻画了南部加州 尤其是洛杉矶的解体
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  in a much less manic, but no less troubling way.
  笔调没有那么狂躁 却也令人揪心
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  Didion's language, in its flat, plain tone,
  迪迪安的语言朴素而直白
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  mimics the flat, plain Los Angeles of her narrative,
  恰似她笔下平淡无奇的洛杉矶
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  as Pynchon's convoluted, elusive language does his perplexing
  正如品钦艰深难懂的语言契合
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  and intricate portrait of the city.
  洛杉矶复杂难解的一面
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  Also, as with Housekeeping, the loss of self is imagined as a
  同样 《管家》中自我的迷失是分散的
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  dispersal, though Didion's dispersal is a cold, defensive
  而迪迪安这种分散感冷漠而有防备
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  and ultimately empty one. Slouching Towards Bethlehem
  本质上也是空虚的 《浪荡伯利恒》
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  begins with a quote from Yeats that includes the phrase "The center will not hold."
  开篇即是叶芝的名句"再也保不住中心"
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  This has become very emblematic of that era.
  这句话已经成了那个时代的象征