In this essay, I argue that Terézia Mora with her novel "Alle Tage" ("Day In Day Out", 2004) breaks with all German literary categorisations and is able to catch the ambiguity and disorientation of the 21st century from multiple viewpoints, in the setting of migrant experience. "Alle Tage" is a piece of transcultural literature, not only in the broad sense of being "concerned with borders and borderlands between cultures", but more specifically because it is able to capture "the identities emerging from these locations" (Gerstenberger 2004: 212).
It will be the aim of this essay to show how Alle Tage is moving away from the notion of a “stable” German identity towards complex identities in the age of globalisation. In this way the migrant becomes a metaphor of the century itself, and one-sided "we" and "them" arguments become redundant. "Alle Tage" has the ability to hold a mirror up to us.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical framework
3. Place and Time in Alle Tage
4. Narration and language
5. Global Characters
6. Conclusion
7. Literature
Objectives and Core Themes
This essay explores how Terézia Mora's novel Alle Tage transcends traditional literary categorizations of migrant literature. By analyzing the narrative structure, the portrayal of space and time, and the construction of identity, the work demonstrates how the novel captures the disorientation of the 21st century and reflects the complex, transcultural experiences of individuals in an era of globalization.
- The shift from stable national identities to complex, transcultural identities.
- The use of narrative techniques like flashbacks and multiple perspectives to convey disorientation.
- The concept of the "homo migrans" as a universal metaphor for modern existence.
- The role of language and communication (or the lack thereof) in the search for belonging.
- The portrayal of the German society in the age of globalization through the eyes of the migrant.
Excerpt from the Book
Place and Time in Alle Tage
Alle Tage paints the picture of protagonist Abel Nema's life in and journey through a huge German city called “B.”. At the beginning of the novel, Abel is hanging upside-down from a climbing scaffold on a playground with his feet tied together, having suffered severe head injuries as well as a bleeding torso wound. From this point on, the story of how he ended up there is told in flashbacks. The reader learns that Abel comes from a South-East-European country to Germany at the age of 19. At the beginning of his journey, a gas accident happens and Abel is gifted with a special ability: He can memorise words immediately after he has heard or read them, and is thus able to learn any language in almost no time. On the negative side, this accident leaves Abel with an orientation weakness, leading him to be lost and late all the time. At the language laboratory of the University, he masters to learn ten languages, but because he stays rather isolated and without actual speaking contact, Abel is at the same time speechless and almost never says a word. Bureaucratic chaos, accidents and bad decisions mark Abel's way through his new life – partly by his own fault, partly as a fault of the system. His wife Mercedes, with whom he is in a marriage of convenience, once says about him: “Er sieht so normal aus, […] deswegen dauert es eine Weile, bis man merkt, dass er in Wirklichkeit wie ein Magnet alles Sonderbare, Lächerliche und Traurige anzieht.” (Mora 2004: 188).
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: Provides the context of migration in German literature and introduces Terézia Mora's novel as a piece of transcultural fiction that challenges traditional identity categorization.
Theoretical framework: Discusses scholarly perspectives on "migrant literature," emphasizing the shift from biography-focused readings to more universal themes of disorientation and cultural hybridity.
Place and Time in Alle Tage: Analyzes how the novel uses an undefined, abbreviated setting to reflect the protagonist's cultural displacement and aimless, drifting existence.
Narration and language: Examines Mora's intense, sophisticated writing style and her use of mixed perspectives to mimic the feelings of confusion and disorientation experienced by the characters.
Global Characters: Explores how side characters and the protagonist represent the modern nomadic existence and the struggle to find meaning and identity in a globalized world.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the analysis, arguing that the desire for a peaceful home is a universal human wish, making the migrant experience a central metaphor for the 21st century.
Literature: Lists the academic sources and references used to support the analysis of Terézia Mora's work.
Keywords
Terézia Mora, Alle Tage, Transcultural literature, Migration, Globalization, Disorientation, Cultural identity, Narratology, Literary theory, Modern nomadism, Hybridity, German literature, Abel Nema, Subjectivity, Language barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
The work examines Terézia Mora's novel Alle Tage as a piece of transcultural literature that moves beyond narrow classifications of migrant writers to address universal experiences of the 21st century.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The essay centers on the disorientation of modern life, the fluidity of identity in a globalized society, the limitations of language, and the search for a place to belong.
What is the central research question?
The goal is to analyze how Alle Tage conveys the sense of disorientation and manifold identities in the 21st century, moving away from stable, nation-bound identity concepts.
Which scientific approach does the author use?
The paper employs a literary and transcultural analytical framework, drawing on theories by scholars like Adelson, Homi Bhabha, and Arianna Dagnino to interpret the text.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The analysis covers the specific use of narrative techniques, the symbolic use of time and place, the function of language, and the characteristics of the "global" figures within the novel.
Which keywords best characterize the research?
Key concepts include transculturality, globalization, migrant literature, disorientation, identity building, and cultural hybridity.
How is Abel Nema described as a character?
Abel is portrayed as an "empty center" or "eye of the hurricane," a character who is defined more by his external surroundings and drifting motion than by his own fixed internal traits.
What is the significance of the "language laboratory" in the novel?
The laboratory acts as a symbol of cultural isolation; while Abel masters many languages there, he remains "speechless" in actual human contact, highlighting his inability to integrate.
Why does the author consider the novel a "political metaphor"?
Because it acts as an allegory for the faceless and homeless migrant, reflecting the modern experience of working nomadism and the potential loss of self in foreign environments.
- Citation du texte
- Anonym (Auteur), 2018, Global characters. Terézia Mora's "Alle Tage" as transcultural literature in the age of globalisation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/430819
