Universität Paderborn

Seminar: Ian McEwan

Multi-perspectival Narration in Ian McEwan′s Atonement

Eva Maria Mauter

SS 2002

Introduction

1. Introduction 3

2. Multi-perspectival Narration 4
2.1 Forms of Multi-perspectival Narration 4
2.2 Single Perspectives 6
2.3 Structures of Perspectives 6
2.3.1 the Paradigmatic Dimension 7
2.3.2 the Syntagmatic Dimension 8
2.4 "Perspektivensteuerung" – Control of the Reception/Controlling Strategies 11
2.4.1 Closed or Open Structure 11
2.4.2 "Integrationsfördernde und synthesestörende Strategien der Perspektivensteuerung" – the Controlling Strategies Support or Disrupt the Synthesis 12
2.4.3 Framing 13
2.5 Effect of Multi-perspecivity 14

3. Multi-perspectival Narration in Atonement 16
3.1 Forms of Multi-perspectival Narration in Atonement 16
3.2 Single Perspectives in Atonement 17
3.3 Structure of the Perspectives 17
3.3.1 the Paradigmatic Dimension 17
> Conclusion of the Paradigmatic Dimension 28
3.3.2 the Syntagmatic Dimension 29
> Conclusion of the Syntagmatic Dimension 33
3.4 Control of Reception/Controlling Strategies 33
3.5 Effect of Multi-Perspectivity in Atonement 36

4. Closing Words 37

Appendix 41

1. Introduction

Sieht man einmal ab von einigen Studien zu einzelnen Autorinnen und Autoren […], so mangelt es […] im Hinblick auf viele AutorInnen und Romane an fundierten Untersuchungen, die die Formen und Funktionen von multi-perspektivischem Erzählen unter Rückgriff auf erzähltheoretische Kategorien charakterisieren. Dieses Defizit betrifft sowohl Klassiker des polyphonen Erzählen […] als auch viele zeitgenössische englischsprachige AutorInnen (von Julian Barnes und Antonia S. Byatt über Ian McEwan und Iris Murdoch bis zu Fred D′Aguiar, […]). (A. and V. Nünning, 35)

In this way the following essay will use Nünning′s categories in order to analyse the structure of perspectives and its controlling function in Ian McEwan′s Atonement.

Therefore I will introduce the general concept of A. and V. Nünning concerning multi-perspectivity in chapter two. It is necessary to have a close look at forms of multi-perspectivity (2.1) and the single perspectives first (2.2) in order to analyse the structure of perspectives (2.3) which are explored in the paradigmatic and the syntagmatic dimension. Even if the structures of perspectives may function already as a controlling strategy, control of reception will be explained in 2.4 more detailed. In this chapter mainly three strategies will be shown: the open or closed nature of the structure of perspectives, supporting or disrupting strategies of reception control and framing. The concepts about framing are extracted from Werner Wolf′s essay "Multiperspektivität: Das Konzept und seine Applikationsmöglichkeit auf Rahmung in Erzählwerken."(2000, 79-109).

In chapter three these concepts will be applied to Ian McEwan′s narration Atonement, which is an excellent example for multi-perspectivity in narrations. The forms of multi-perspectival narration in Atonement will be stated in 3.1. The single perspectives in 3.2 will be omitted in order to spare the reader repetitions, which would necessarily occur. The reasons for this procedure are stated there. In 3.3 the structure of the perspectives will be explored in the paradigmatic and the syntagmatic dimension (3.3.1 and 3.3.2). Whereas usually the different aspects will be looked at in a general summerizing way the aspects of "Extent of Authority" and "Extent of Reliability or Credibility" will need to distinguish further between the different focalizers.

The various strategies to control the reception will be summerized in 3.4, and in 3.5 I will describe briefly the first impression of the effect of multi-perspectivity in Atonement.

2. Multi-perspectival Narration

In their essay "Von ′der′ Erzählperspektive zur Perspektivenstruktur narrativer Texte: Überlegungen zur Defintion, Konzeptualisierung und Untersuchbarkeit von Multiperspektivität"¹ A. and V. Nünning claim that multi-perspectival narration is a field of great importance which has been neglected so far:

Obgleich es sich beim multiperspektivischen Erzählen um ein erzähltheoretisch und kulturgeschichtlich gleichermaßen faszinierendes Phänomen handelt, besteht wohl bei kaum einem anderen Aspekt narrativer Texte ein ähnlich eklatantes Mißverhältnis zwischen der großen Bedeutung, die den jeweiligen Darstellungsverfahren auf der ′Objektebene′ literarischer Werke zukommt, und dem Mangel an adäquaten Beschreibungsmodellen auf der literaturwissenschaftlichen ′Metaebene′ wie bei dem Thema ′Multiperspektivität′. (Nünning, 4)

Therefore they name definitions and define categories, which might be helpful in the process of analyzing a multi-perspectival narration.

2.1 Forms of Multi-perspectival Narration

In order to categorize forms of multi-perspectival narration Ansgar and Vera Nünning state three basic forms of multi-perspectival narration:

- multi-perspectively narrated texts
- multi-perspectively focalized texts and
- multi-perspectively structured texts.

In multi-perspectively narrated texts the underlying events are narrated or commented on by at least two distinct narrators. In multi-perspectively focalized texts the different perspectives become apparent through at least two different "focalizers".² Multi-perspectively structured texts consist of at least two different types of texts, e.g. added newspaper articles, letters, extracts from dictionaries, etc. These basic forms may be mixed. Multi-perspectively structured texts hardly ever appear in their pure form, but usually consist of a multi-perspectively narrated or a multi-perspectively focalized structure.

These three basic forms of multi-perspectival narration can be further classified according to various characterisations. For multi-perspectively narrated and multi-perspectively focalized texts it is important to notice, whether the narrator or focalizer is part of the story – "intradiegetic" – or outside the story on a different level – "extradiegetic". Furthermore A. and V. Nünning distinguish, between bi-perspectively and poly-perspectively narrated or focalized texts.

These parameters do not apply to multi-perspectively structured texts. These are divided according to the fictional or non-fictional character of the texts and to the range of the selected genres ("homomorph" or "heteromorph", Nünning, 45). "Homomorph" structured texts consist of material belonging to the same or similar genres whereas "heteromorph" structured texts link material of various genres.

[...]

¹ In "Multiperspektivisches Erzählen", ed. by A. a. V. Nünning, Trier: Wissenschaftlicher Verlag, 2000. S. 4-38.

² A "focalizer" carries the perspective from whose point of view and level of information a story is narrated in a third-person-narration. Wolf calls it "figuraler diegetischer Perspektiventräger" and translates it as "focalizer". Wolf: 2000, 85.