本論文以詮釋學的觀點來探討威廉.高汀所著<<自由墜落>>中之了解與溝
通主題。 詮釋學是一門探討了解的本體論。 了解不意味著操縱與控制;
參與和開放才是開啟了解之鑰。本文共分五章。 首章簡述高汀反理性思
想的背景, 並概述作者主要的研究動機。 第二章以本體論出發, 闡述了
解的本質; 事物所包涵的意義並非固定不變, 而是被不斷地再創造。 第
三章試圖以理解的歷史性來分析<<自由墜落>>中過去與現在所造成的張力
與意義; 我們唯有通過時空上的距離化, 方可站在較寬闊的角度, 重新理
解既有的世界。 第四章分析<<自由墜落>>中四段質問對話以辯證了解與
溝通的真義。 第五章為結論, 說明本論文重點所在, 並論述高汀在小說
創作方面的成就。

The aim of this study is to examine Sammy Mountjoy's quest of
understanding from a hermeneutic perspective. Hermeneutics is
the ontology of understanidng. Understanding is neither
manipulation nor control; instead, participation and openness
are the keys to understanding. The thesis is composed of five
chapters. The introductory chapter traces Golding's
antirational background, which constitutes the binary mode--the
worldly and the spiritual--of perceiving the world embedded in
most of Golding's fictions. In Free Fall, the interrelationship
between the two forces of the duality is so complex that to
distinguish between the two becomes a quest for understanding
the shifting and incomprehensible reality. In addition,
Chapter One outlines the author's primary concern in doing this
research. In Chapter Two, attempts are made to show the
condition of true understanding from an ontological viewpoint.
There are no absolute rules for valid understanding;
understanding is not like a changeless property of an object,
but is always positional. Chapter Three concerns itslef with
the tension between the past and the present in Free Fall. Our
historicity is constantly at work in understanding. Only with
the passage of time does true historical significance emerge,
and can Sammy discover the true meaning hidden in events he
encountered. In terms of historical consciousness, Sammy's
personal story is an epitome of the Fall, the fall of each man.
Chapter Four is devoted to exploring how understanding and
communication take place by means of interrogations in Free
Fall. From these interrogations, we can see that it is only in
the very condition of openness that understanding can virtually
occur. The concluding chpater highlights the main idea of this
study as well as assesses Golding's achievement as a
distinguished contemporary novelist.
The aim of this study is to examine Sammy Mountjoy's quest of