In this term paper I will discuss how historiographic metafiction “reflects upon its own strategies of writing and constructing histories by drawing attention to the constructedness [and] subjectivity”. For this purpose, I will firstly elaborate the relationship of historio-graphic metafiction and narration in order to examine to which intention the narrative strategies are used by taking the example of the postmodernist novel A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters by Julian Barnes.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Historiographic Metafiction and Narration
2. Narrative Strategies in Julian Barnes’ A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters
2.1. The Stowaway
2.2. The Survivor
Conclusion
Works Cited
Objectives and Core Themes
This paper explores the concept of historiographic metafiction, analyzing how postmodern literature challenges traditional notions of objective historical truth. By examining narrative techniques in Julian Barnes' novel, the work investigates how the constructedness and subjectivity of history are exposed through literary strategies, focusing on the relationship between narration and historical representation.
- The theoretical definition and characteristics of historiographic metafiction.
- The role of the narrator and point of view in shaping historical subjectivity.
- Analysis of narrative strategies in "The Stowaway" and "The Survivor" from Julian Barnes' novel.
- The problematization of truth, reliability, and the "official" version of history.
- The impact of internal focalization and intertextuality on historical understanding.
Excerpt from the Book
2.1. The Stowaway
In the very first chapter of the novel the reader is presented with a most unlike revisionist account of the Deluge. In “The Stowaway” the reader quickly detects that this account is going to be considerably different from the biblical version, i.e. the ‘official’ version of what has happened on Noah’s Ark. Already on the second page the narrator tells the reader that he was not chosen to be on the Ark but was a stowaway; and only a few lines later he reassures, that therefore, his account is valid: “When I recall the Voyage, I feel no sense of obligation; gratitude puts no smear of Vaseline on the lens. My account you can trust.” (Barnes 4). Throughout the chapter the reader can only speculate about the identity of the narrator and that he presumably is some kind of animal. Not until the very end of the chapter does the narrator disclose his identity as “woodworm” (ibid. 30). Fulfilling the criteria of narration in historiographic metafiction, the woodworm is considered an ex-centric creature (cf. Kotte 83); even marginalised as it tells the reader that it was specifically not chosen to be on the Ark because it is regarded as unclean (Barnes 11). What is more to Barnes choosing the narratorial perspective of a woodworm is that woodworms generally symbolise decay and that the Ark is made entirely out of wood does not seem like an accidental coincidence. Kotte even argues that the woodworm has a subversive effect on the Ark, indeed, in a very literal sense, for it has been eating away at the wooden vessel during the Voyage (cf. 85).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides a theoretical framework for historiographic metafiction by defining the term and its postmodern context, centering on the subjective nature of historical knowledge.
1. Historiographic Metafiction and Narration: Examines how narrative techniques and the narrator's presence influence the construction of history, emphasizing the reader's role in interpreting fictional accounts.
2. Narrative Strategies in Julian Barnes’ A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters: Analyzes how the novel utilizes non-linear, hybrid forms to critique traditional historical narratives.
2.1. The Stowaway: Investigates the subversive perspective of the woodworm narrator, who challenges the reliability and authority of the biblical account of Noah's Ark.
2.2. The Survivor: Explores the conflict between subjective truths and objective reality through the character of Kath, juxtaposing her personal narrative with the diagnosis of psychiatrists.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the argument that there is no single objective truth in history, only multiple, subjective narratives constructed through the act of storytelling.
Works Cited: Lists the primary and secondary academic sources used to support the analysis of postmodern fiction and historiographic metafiction.
Keywords
Historiographic Metafiction, Postmodernism, Julian Barnes, Narration, Subjectivity, Historical Truth, Intertextuality, Self-reflexivity, A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters, Narratology, Deluge, Ex-centric, Constructivism, Literary Parody, Memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper examines how historiographic metafiction reflects upon its own strategies of constructing history, specifically focusing on the subjectivity and constructedness of historical accounts.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key themes include the questioning of objective truth, the role of narrative techniques in shaping history, and the use of ex-centric or marginalized voices to provide alternative historical accounts.
What is the main research objective?
The objective is to analyze how Julian Barnes' novel uses specific narrative strategies to demonstrate that history is a subjective construct rather than a collection of objective facts.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The paper employs literary criticism and narratological analysis, drawing on the theories of Linda Hutcheon, to investigate textual evidence within the chosen novel.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers the theoretical definition of historiographic metafiction, an overview of narratological concerns, and a detailed analysis of two specific chapters: "The Stowaway" and "The Survivor."
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is best defined by terms such as Historiographic Metafiction, Postmodernism, Subjectivity, Narratology, and Historical Construction.
How does the "woodworm" narrator in "The Stowaway" challenge historical authority?
The woodworm acts as an ex-centric, marginalized narrator who uses sarcasm and "lapses of memory" to undermine the "official" biblical account of the Deluge, highlighting the subjectivity inherent in all narratives.
What does the case of Kath in "The Survivor" illustrate about history?
Kath’s story presents two conflicting versions of reality—her own experience of a nuclear threat versus the psychiatric diagnosis of "fabulation"—forcing the reader to confront the incompatibility of subjective truths.
Why does the author focus on the concept of "fabulation"?
The author uses the concept of "fabulation" to demonstrate the human tendency to construct narratives to fill in gaps in facts, which is exactly how historiographic metafiction characterizes the writing of history.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Annika Klement (Autor:in), 2018, The Significance of Narrative Strategies in Historiographic Metafiction in Julian Barne's "A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/440899
