本文將以賴香吟對於「啟蒙」的特殊見解為切入點，來探討她筆下文藝青年的生命狀態。賴香吟主張啟蒙過後不代表霧就此散開，雲霧籠罩反而才是常態。這看似消極的觀點實則蘊含了真理觀的轉變：啟蒙帶來的並不只是洞察，也伴隨著失落與幻滅，而那所謂的「真」始終夾帶著無法消除的霧。在這樣的啟蒙觀點下，她筆下的文藝青年試圖透過翻譯、寫作、繪畫來探討和思辨關於「真」的議題。首先，賴香吟以「心靈觸覺所見的真」對「眼見為憑的真」進行了反思，並指出這些文藝青年求「真」所遭遇的挫敗，其實是與他們所處的歷史環境緊密相關，他們身處解嚴時代，渴望新鮮的自由卻尚未建立起穩固的自我認同，因而陷入了對「真」的質疑，這由此表現為再現的無能、失語的徵狀。

其次，賴香吟進一步梳理出台灣不同時代文藝青年的共同困境，並揭示對於身分的焦慮、主體建構的徬徨，乃是歷代文藝青年反覆出現的重要特質。本文將援引米歇爾 • 傅柯對「啟蒙」的反思和「系譜學」的方法，剖析賴香吟如何在書寫中回應特定的歷史現象，並發展出特定人物在時代下的精神系譜。最後，「求真」與「暴力」可說是貫穿了賴香吟長期以來的寫作主題，自《其後》以來的轉向，也標誌著她筆下的文藝青年從被動的接受者，轉為主動尋找自我存在意義的行動者。雖未真正突破，但他們仍盡力維持這種「脆弱的平衡」，並在挫折中反思、批判自己的生活狀態，而這正體現了啟蒙的核心精神。

This thesis will make use of Lai Hiang-yin’s unique perspective on “Enlightenment” as a starting point to explore the state of life of the literature enthusiasts in her works. Lai Hiang-yin argues that Enlightenment does not mean the fog has dissipated; rather, normally the fog and clouds are still lingering. This seemingly pessimistic viewpoint actually implies a shift in her conception of truth: Enlightenment brings not only insight but also loss and disillusionment, and the so-called “truth” is always accompanied by an inescapable fog. Under this special perspective on Enlightenment, the literature enthusiasts in her works attempt to explore and reflect on the issue of “truth” through translation, writing, and painting. First, Lai Hiang-yin reflects on the contrast between “truth perceived by the senses of the mind” and “truth based on what is seen with the eyes,” pointing out that the frustrations these literature enthusiasts encounter in their quest for “truth” are closely tied to the historical environment they inhabit. They lived in the era of Lifting of Martial Law, yearning for newfound freedom yet lacking a solid sense of self-identity, thus falling into doubt about “truth,” which manifested as an inability to represent and symptoms of speechlessness.

Second, Lai Hiang-yin further identified the common predicament of literature enthusiasts across different eras in Taiwan, revealing that anxiety over identity and the confusion of the construction of subject are recurring key characteristics of literature enthusiasts throughout history. This thesis analyzes how Lai Hiang-yin responds to specific historical phenomena in her writing and develops the spiritual genealogy of specific characters within their era with Michel Foucault’s reflections on “Enlightenment” and the method of “genealogy.” Finally, “seeking truth” and “violence” can be said to run through Lai Xsiang-yin’s long-standing writing themes. The shift since her novel After also marks a transition in her portrayal of literature enthusiasts, from passive recipients to active seekers of their own existential meaning. Though they have not truly broken through, they still strive to maintain this “fragile balance” and reflect on and critique their own living circumstances in the face of setbacks, which embodies the core spirit of Enlightenment.