Seeking A Balance In The Waver:Reflections On Rationality And/or Irrationality In The Infernal Desire Machines Of Doctor Hoffman

Angela Carter is an excellent and controversial female writer in Britain in the 20th century.Her works often combine feminism,magic realism,socialism,postmodern narration and gothic style,which are grotesque and full of sensory beauty.The Infernal Desire r Hoffman is Carter’s sixth novel.It was created by Carter during her stay in Japan.The experience in Japan had a profound impact on Carter,making her constantly wave between rationality and irrationality,and trying to seek a balance in the waver.This paper aims to clarify the search process through text analysis,and find the answer to "the balance".First of all,the background and premise of the whole story is a war led by Dr.Hoffman and The Minister.They compete and collide with each other.On the surface,their opposition seems to symbolize the dual opposition between irrationality and rationality,but in fact,in their respective ideas and behaviors,they already have the characteristics of irrationality and rationality,and there is no absolute dual opposition.Irrationality and rationality are homologous and concomitant.And from the perspective of the whole war,the struggle between them is not a simple confrontation between one side winning and the other losing,but a circular critical process of "rationality-irrationalityrationality".There is no end and victory in this process,because it only comes to an end temporarily with the end of the war,not permanently.Secondly,Desiderio became a "hero" at the end of the war,but the whole process was full of accidents and accidents,and there was no necessity and justice of the traditional"hero".Moreover,Desiderio was originally just an ordinary "tramp" in the city——an irrational "anti hero".Carter’s portrayal of Desiderio as a figure with these two contradictory identities is another attack and breakthrough on the binary opposition between rationality and irrationality.After Desiderio became a“hero”,he did not awaken his subjectivity or achieve self transcendence,but fell into loneliness and waver.It seems negative and sad,but it’s "the balance" Carter wants to find.Carter does not praise either side of irrationality and rationality,nor does she support either side to go to extremes.Because extreme expansion will inevitably lead to destruction.Just like The Count,he lives for himself and dies for himself.Carter hopes to maintain a balance between irrationality and rationality.This state means both,not "either/or",but"and+and".In order to maintain this state,individuals need to maintain a critical consciousness at all times,constantly criticize and reflect,and can not slide to any side.