In this article we compare and contrast the figure of the migrant, central to Dan Jacobson’s short story ‘A Long Way from London’ ([1953] 1958. A Long Way from London and other stories. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson), and to Jean Rhys’s short story ‘Let Them Call It Jazz’ ([1962] 1987. The Collected Stories. New York: Norton), both of which are set in London in the early to mid-twentieth century. The main argument is that these figures, as migrants in London from South Africa and the Caribbean respectively, similarly occupy a liminal space despite stark differences in class, race and gender. In both stories this liminal space is described through evocations of London as a hostile diasporic space, lacking in hospitality, and experienced by the migrant figure as a place of confinement and incarceration. Also, both stories utilize the technique of silence or lacunae when it comes to issues of specific discrimination and abuse, such as racism or sexual exploitation. For the purposes of comparison, the character Manwera from ‘A Long Way from London’ and, Selina, the protagonist of ‘Let Them Call It Jazz’, are selected for analysis. Particularly, their respective responses (Manwera’s pride and dignity, and Selina’s recovery after a breakdown, and her musical talent) to the exigencies of migration are suggestive of ‘adaptive strength’ (Steve Vertovec and Robin Cohen [1999] 2001. Migration, Diasporas and Transnationalism. Cheltenham and Northampton MA: Elgar Reference Collection, xviii), a common feature in transnational literature which attempts to celebrate liminality and multiplicity as key characteristics of a transnational subjectivity. In addition, the protagonist of ‘A Long Way from London’, Arthur, offers a contrast to Manwera and Selina, not only because of race and class, but because he is depicted as having adapted to and assimilated into British culture, while being strangely detached from and ambivalent about both homeland and diasporic home. Varying forms of adaptive strength are portrayed in both stories, but they close with intimations of bleak futures for the migrant figures. The essay thus concludes with the observation that in these two stories, the figure of the London migrant is rendered as facing further grave challenges, and that all three figures ‘belong nowhere’ (Rhys [1962] 1987, 175).

中文翻译：

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“我真的不属于任何地方”：丹·雅各布森 (Dan Jacobson) 的“伦敦的漫漫长路”和让·里斯 (Jean Rhys) 的“让他们称之为爵士乐”中的伦敦移民形象

在这篇文章中，我们比较和对比了丹·雅各布森的短篇小说《来自伦敦的漫漫长路》（[1953] 1958 年。来自伦敦的漫漫长路和其他故事。伦敦：魏登菲尔德和尼科尔森）中的移民形象，以及Jean Rhys 的短篇小说“Let Them Call It Jazz”（[1962] 1987。故事集。纽约：诺顿），这两个故事都发生在 20 世纪早期至中期的伦敦。主要论点是，尽管阶级、种族和性别存在明显差异，但这些数字作为分别来自南非和加勒比地区的伦敦移民，同样占据了一个临界空间。在这两个故事中，这个边界空间都被描述为伦敦是一个充满敌意的散居空间，缺乏热情好客，并被移民人物体验为一个监禁和监禁的地方。还，这两个故事在涉及种族主义或性剥削等具体歧视和虐待问题时都使用了沉默或空白的技巧。为了进行比较，选择了《A Long Way from London》中的 Manwera 和《Let Them Call It Jazz》中的主角 Selina 进行分析。特别是，他们各自对移民紧急情况的反应（Manwera 的骄傲和尊严，Selina 崩溃后的恢复，以及她的音乐天赋）都暗示了“适应力”（Steve Vertovec 和 Robin Cohen [1999] 2001. Migration, Diasporas and Transnationalism. Cheltenham and Northampton MA: Elgar Reference Collection, xviii)，这是跨国文学的一个共同特征，它试图将阈限性和多样性作为跨国主体性的关键特征来庆祝。此外，《来自伦敦的漫漫长路》的主角亚瑟与曼威拉和赛琳娜形成鲜明对比，这不仅是因为种族和阶级，还因为他被描述为适应并融入英国文化，同时奇怪地与英国文化脱节，对祖国和侨民家园都充满矛盾。两个故事都描绘了不同形式的适应性力量，但它们以对移民数字黯淡未来的暗示结束。因此，这篇文章的结论是，在这两个故事中，伦敦移民的形象被呈现为面临进一步严峻的挑战，并且所有三个形象“都不属于任何地方”（Rhys [1962] 1987, 175）。但因为他被描绘成已经适应并融入了英国文化，同时对祖国和侨民的家园都奇怪地疏远和矛盾。两个故事都描绘了不同形式的适应性力量，但它们以对移民数字黯淡未来的暗示结束。因此，这篇文章的结论是，在这两个故事中，伦敦移民的形象被呈现为面临进一步严峻的挑战，并且所有三个形象“都不属于任何地方”（Rhys [1962] 1987, 175）。但因为他被描绘成已经适应并融入了英国文化，同时对祖国和侨民的家园都奇怪地疏远和矛盾。两个故事都描绘了不同形式的适应性力量，但它们以对移民数字黯淡未来的暗示结束。因此，这篇文章的结论是，在这两个故事中，伦敦移民的形象被呈现为面临进一步严峻的挑战，并且所有三个形象“都不属于任何地方”（Rhys [1962] 1987, 175）。