This study analyzes four novels and one short story in English, all of which assign a special role to irony and humor. The purpose of this analysis is to showcase the richness of irony and examine its impact on the reader. To support this, some of the most influential works on laughter and humor are discussed, including Bergson’s "Das Lachen", Freud’s "Der Witz und seine Beziehung zum Unbewussten", and Bachtin’s "Literatur und Karneval". These theories illustrate how irony and humor can serve as powerful tools for social critique. By engaging their audience through laughter, authors are able to deliver a more or less bitter commentary on their world—challenging taboos and clichés without offending the sensibilities of their communities.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Postcolonial or New Literatures in English?
1.2 "The Empire writes back"
2. S.V. Naipaul: laughing at the centre, criticizing the periphery
2.1 The Narrator's strategies in The Mystic Masseur
2.2 Who is the mimic product?
2.3 A confrontation: the fictional encounter of the coloniser and the colonised
3. Sam Selvon: the transcultural society in Moses Ascending
3.1 London: the Empire goes home
3.2 Crossing different boundaries, sharing the same destiny
4. The origins of Native Literature
4.1 Transcultural Canada
4.2 A hybrid Far West: Yankees at the Sun Dance
4.2.1 Marrying the Other: Latisha and George
4.2.2 An Indian Duel: Charlie and Lionel
4.2.3 Future Woman
5. White Teeth: a hybrid Empire
5.1 Women laugh back
5.1.1 Female Islam
5.1.2 Transcultural pregnancies
6. Conclusion
Objectives & Core Themes
This thesis examines the role of irony and humour in "New Literatures in English," challenging the traditional "writing back" paradigm that posits colonized societies as strictly dependent and reactive toward the colonial centre. The central research question explores how postcolonial authors utilize transcultural discourse to destabilize imperial power structures and redefine colonial history through the lens of irony.
- Analysis of the "mimicry" phenomenon and its subversion via irony.
- Critique of the binary opposition between empire and periphery.
- Exploration of transcultural identity formation in London-based migration narratives.
- Investigation of gender, religion, and the re-writing of mythology as tools of resistance.
- Evaluation of humor as a medium for social criticism and cross-cultural bridging.
Excerpt from the Book
A confrontation: the fictional encounter of coloniser and colonised
In the texts presented, coloniser and colonised meet in a peculiar way. In The Mystic Masseur, the encounter is not direct except for the scenes between Ganesh and Mr. Stewart. Throughout the novel, Ganesh is confronted with the structures that the coloniser left in the Caribbean, writing being one of them. In the short story, there is no physical encounter either, but the distance between the two figures is lessened by the communication that they carry on in the book.
It is interesting to note that, after his first novel, Naipaul insists on the issue of writing and fictionality as the metaphorical field of battle where conqueror and conquered can measure themselves. In the short story, a direct confrontation between these two worlds would theoretically be possible, but the author still prefers the fictional level. It is evident that he does not ignore the importance that writing played to construct Imperialism. Authors such as Haggard, Conrad or Kipling confirme in their novels the idea that colonialism was necessary, proposing the stereotypes on which it had been constructed as credible. Their texts present, however, many incongruities that undermine the existence of this phenomenon, and Naipaul’s production shows bitterly to what extent the Empire failed.
In Bakhtinian terms, it is the word of the conqueror that provokes the answers of the conquered and stimulates a dialogue with him. In this sense, the image of the periphery that writes back to the centre is misleading. Great Britain is the place that gave birth to the dialogue, but the replies that follow are not to be interpreted as direct exclusively back to it. According to Bakhtin’s model, the Emperial discourse should be seen as the answer to a previous situation, as well.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: Presents the theoretical framework, focusing on Homi Bhabha’s concept of mimicry and the potential for irony and humour to serve as subversive instruments in postcolonial narratives.
1.1 Postcolonial or New Literatures in English?: Discusses the terminology and debates surrounding the definition of postcolonial versus New Literatures, highlighting the political nuances of these labels.
1.2 "The Empire writes back": Critically examines the "writing back" paradigm, questioning its limitations as a reactive model that centralizes colonial power rather than liberating postcolonial voices.
2. S.V. Naipaul: laughing at the centre, criticizing the periphery: Analyzes how Naipaul employs a dual-edged irony to mock both the arrogance of the colonial centre and the rigid traditions of the Caribbean periphery.
2.1 The Narrator's strategies in The Mystic Masseur: Explores how the omniscient narrator in Naipaul’s novel constructs a critical distance that allows for a deconstruction of colonial and traditionalist stereotypes.
2.2 Who is the mimic product?: Investigates the absurdity inherent in the colonial mimicry of bureaucracy and writing, using the short story "The Night Watchman’s Occurrence Book" as a primary case study.
2.3 A confrontation: the fictional encounter of the coloniser and the colonised: Discusses how physical and metaphorical encounters in fiction undermine the rigid binaries of imperial literature.
3. Sam Selvon: the transcultural society in Moses Ascending: Evaluates Selvon's depiction of a transcultural London where irony becomes a necessary survival tool for the immigrant experience.
3.1 London: the Empire goes home: Delves into the disillusionment of the immigrant journey to London and the resulting fragmentation of the colonial "centre."
3.2 Crossing different boundaries, sharing the same destiny: Discusses the collapse of master-servant power dynamics within the London diaspora, suggesting a shared, transcultural fate.
4. The origins of Native Literature: Addresses the emergence of Native writers in Canada and their efforts to reclaim their identity from stereotypical "Othering" by colonial writers.
4.1 Transcultural Canada: Analyzes the postmodern, polyphonic narrative structure in Thomas King’s work, where myth and modernity intersect to challenge Western orthodoxy.
4.2 A hybrid Far West: Yankees at the Sun Dance: Explores the reversal of Western film tropes and clichés through the ironic subversion of figures like John Wayne.
4.2.1 Marrying the Other: Latisha and George: Details the deconstruction of interracial marriage tropes within the narrative as a means to expose deep-seated colonial and gender prejudices.
4.2.2 An Indian Duel: Charlie and Lionel: Discusses the ironic portrayal of young Native men caught between outdated masculine stereotypes and the reality of their contemporary lives.
4.2.3 Future Woman: Profiles the development of female characters who represent strengths of adaptability and the capacity to redefine identity beyond static patriarchal codes.
5. White Teeth: a hybrid Empire: Explores Zadie Smith’s multi-generational narrative as the ultimate meta-commentary on the dissolution of "pure" British identity in a diverse London.
5.1 Women laugh back: Examines how female protagonists utilize wit and personal autonomy to navigate and dismantle rigid religious and societal traditionalism.
5.1.1 Female Islam: Discusses the subversion of stereotypical images of submissive Muslim women through the ironic self-assertion of characters like Alsana.
5.1.2 Transcultural pregnancies: Relates the motif of pregnancy in Smith's and King's novels to the emergence of unpredictable, hybrid future generations that defy historical categorizations.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the thesis’s findings, emphasizing that irony and humour act as catalysts for releasing postcolonial literature from the reactive dependency of the "writing back" model.
Keywords
Postcolonialism, New Literatures in English, Irony, Humour, Mimicry, Transculturality, Hybridity, Identity, Diaspora, Empire, V.S. Naipaul, Sam Selvon, Zadie Smith, Thomas King, Bakhtin
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this scholarly work?
The work focuses on the intersection of postcolonial literature, irony, and humour, arguing that these literary devices are essential for re-evaluating the power dynamics between colonized societies and the colonial centre.
What central research question is addressed?
It questions whether the "writing back" paradigm is the most accurate way to understand postcolonial literature, proposing instead that ironic discourse offers a more autonomous and creative path for contemporary authors.
Which thematic fields are primary to the analysis?
The study covers the critique of colonial canons, the nature of migrant experience, gender-based subversion, the role of religion in society, and the postmodern use of mythology.
What scientific methods does the author apply?
The author uses a comparative literary analysis approach, contextualizing primary texts against the theoretical foundations of figures like Homi Bhabha, Mikhail Bakhtin, and Henri Bergson.
Which authors and novels are scrutinized?
The analysis centers on V.S. Naipaul ("The Mystic Masseur"), Sam Selvon ("Moses Ascending"), Thomas King ("Green Grass, Running Water"), and Zadie Smith ("White Teeth").
What distinguishes this examination from standard postcolonial critiques?
This work steers away from binary "centre versus periphery" interpretations and advocates for "transcultural" readings that emphasize the fluidity and hybridity of identities.
How is the concept of "mimicry" treated differently here compared to Bhabha?
While acknowledging Bhabha’s theoretical input, the author observes that postcolonial writers often use irony to transform "mimicry" from a passive act of colonial repetition into a deliberate strategy of mockery and empowerment.
How does the author interpret the significance of female characters?
Female characters, such as Alsana in "White Teeth" or Alberta in "Green Grass," are highlightened as strong, logical agents who use personal agency to challenge rigid dogmas without relying on reactive, strictly feminist rhetoric.
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- Margherita Zelante (Autor:in), 2005, The Empire laughs back. Humour and Irony in the New Literatures in English, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1574741
