《助手》及《修補匠》是馬拉默(1914-1986) 詮釋人性之代表作。藉由神
話的運用，馬氏苦心經營的主題之一是渺小的個人在虛無混亂及荒謬的時
代 中，不斷地掙扎而完成了自我的救贖。在這過程中，對各種現實我的
救贖。在這過程中，對各種現實衝擊下，二本小說中峙主角因為苦難中的
真愛，滌盡了私慾，展現了人性的光輝。而人性的光輝即是小說中二位主
角經歷了許多苦難後的最後醒悟。本論文除了從五個角度去探討二位主角
醒悟的心路歷程外，並進而披露二者之不同處，藉此印証馬氏對猶太人或
是人類苦難之抗議。論文共分為七章，章章密不可分。第一章簡述馬氏寫
作之時代背景及其寫作的目的，並指出除了RobertDucharme之外，幾乎所
有的批評家鮮少探討馬氏主角蛻變後之差異；第二章神話解構來印証過去
即現在，反之亦然，及二位主角之差異。第三章藉反諷來探討二者之心路
歷程，並對二本小說之結尾提自己的論點。第四章由不同的父子關係討論
禁錮的靈魂如何追尋新生，並將父子之間擴展為上帝與其子民間的衝突來
點出馬氏之抗議。第五章除了說明苦難中得到新生外，並提出馬氏在《修
補匠》中卻認為若非是同胞愛與責任之故，苦難是毫無意義的。第七章指
出二位主角雖急於擺脫過去，卻處處受制於過去，由此衝擊漸漸領悟出其
所肩負之責任。二位主角在此成長過程中之差別亦有深入之探討。第八章
除了總結外，並進而提出馬氏最後一本小說《上帝恩寵》可能代表他對人
類甚或對猶太人遠祖之悲觀的批判。

Bernald Malamud has dedicated himself the whole life to the
humanistic concerns. Almost all of his works reprimand the
dark sides of human nature and the inhuman forces. There is
evidence in most of the criticism that Malamud's thematic
materials have been consistent throughtout his work, but no
critic, except Ducharme, has found that Malamud's attitude
toward his familiar themes has undergone some significant
changes. One of the purposes of this study is to trace such a
shift, through strengthening and expanding some of Ducharme's
viewpoints and finally proposing this writer's claims. This
study, probing the heroes, quest toward epiphany in The
Assistant and The Fixer, will begin with an introduction and
end with a conclusion. Chapter II, III, IV, V, and VI will
explore the five artistic devices, that is, the mythic parody,
ironic perspective, fathers and sons, existential suffering,
and history and responsibility. What's more important is that
the between the two protagonists' awareness will be revealed in
the five viewpoints. Thus, Malamud's anxiety toward humanity
is discerned through the interpretation of his heroes in The
Assistant and The Fixer.