With his novel "Under the Skin" Michael Faber addresses the limitations of society and identity, which are typical themes of modern Scottish arts as well as the Scottish mentality. In Faber’s novel the protagonist Isserley is caught in a constant struggle of defining herself. In which way is Isserley’s process of constructing an identity problematical?
Being a hybrid result of surgery, Isserley shares similarities and differences with more than one species. This inevitably influences her perception of herself and others. The process of shaping her identity based on appearance is characterised by continual constructions and deconstructions in which the murky demarcations between bodies prove to be an additional difficulty.
Assuming that body and identity are mutually generative and that an identity is thus partly constructed through the body, this paper firstly explores the 'natural' body of Isserley’s species as a lost marker for identification. Secondly, the body of the non-human animal is brought into discussion due to its familiarity. Thirdly, there will be a focus on the vodsel-body as a source of inner conflict for Isserley with regard to the issue of gender in relation to animals. After analysing the linguistic development in the protagonist’s construction of an identity, the paper takes a closer look at the final scene.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Body in Michel Faber’s Under the Skin
2.1 The Human Body as Lost Identity
2.1.1 Isserley’s ‘Human’ Body
2.1.2 Isserley’s Beauty Standards
2.1.3 Further Difficulties: Class and Gender
2.2 Animating the Familiar Non-Human Body
2.2.1 The Non-Human Animal
2.2.2 The Inanimate
2.3 The Vodsel-Body as Source of Conflict
2.3.1 Isserley’s Appeal and Outer Appearance
2.3.2 The Denying of Similarities
2.3.3 Who’s the Bait? – The Question of the Woman and the Animal
2.4 The Linguistic Development in the Construction of an Identity
2.4.1 Keeping Distance Through Linguistic Animalisation
2.4.2 Pulling the Linguistic Trigger: The Rape Attempt and Murky Divisions
2.4.3 The Process of “Becoming”
2.5 The Final, Disembodied Identity
3. Conclusion
Objective and Key Themes
This paper examines how the protagonist Isserley’s process of identity construction is problematized in Michel Faber’s novel Under the Skin, arguing that the body serves as a central, albeit fractured, marker of self-identification in a world of species-hybridity and social marginalization.
- The role of the physical body in defining personal identity.
- The intersection of gender, species, and social class in the construction of otherness.
- Linguistic animalization as a tool for maintaining or disrupting human identity.
- The relationship between meat consumption, objectification, and the female experience.
- The process of "becoming-animal" as a psychological and transformative state.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3.1 Isserley’s Appeal and Outer Appearance
The reader gets an impression of Isserley’s appearance through the eyes of the ten hitch-hikers which enter her car. The insight into the passengers’ thoughts reveals that, strikingly, her breasts are usually very early, and sometimes repeatedly, mentioned. They are compared to either fruits, e.g. “a couple of ripe ones” (Faber 11), or to orbs, e.g. “two moons” (Ibid. 13). Furthermore, they inspire sexual fantasies, best expressed by one hitch-hikers simple thought: “Fuck her? Probably” (Ibid.). One man has very explicit thoughts about copulating with Isserley (cf. Ibid. 34f) while another one fears that she is looking for “a sexual experience of some kind.” (Ibid. 42) The frequent mentioning of Isserley’s breasts is a consequence of the habit to expose her bosom as a method of hunting (cf. Ibid. 11, 28, 133). The phrase: “Isserley leant back against her seat, extended her arms, and let him see what he might be getting” (Ibid. 41), clearly indicates that her exaggerated sex appeal is being used to allure her victims. Her secondary sexual characteristics are further highlighted by a low-cut neckline (cf. Ibid. 11, 134). By contrast, Isserley’s face is hidden behind her hair (cf. Ibid. 12, 42). This indicates that most of the hitch-hikers are likely to objectify her as much as she objectifies them.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the central thesis regarding the problematic nature of identity construction in the novel and introduces the theoretical framework of the essay.
2. The Body in Michel Faber’s Under the Skin: Explores how Isserley’s surgically modified body creates a fractured sense of self and an "artificial personhood."
2.1 The Human Body as Lost Identity: Discusses Isserley’s struggle with her natural versus artificial body and how beauty standards exacerbate her alienation.
2.1.1 Isserley’s ‘Human’ Body: Analyzes the specific physical modifications Isserley has undergone and the resulting chronic pain and loss of identity.
2.1.2 Isserley’s Beauty Standards: Examines how Isserley’s perception of beauty is tied to the physical appearance of those around her, complicating her human self-identification.
2.1.3 Further Difficulties: Class and Gender: Highlights how social status and the "male gaze" contribute to Isserley's feeling of social marginalization.
2.2 Animating the Familiar Non-Human Body: Investigates Isserley’s attempts to identify with non-human creatures to overcome her isolation.
2.2.1 The Non-Human Animal: Discusses Isserley’s projection of her own situation onto animals, particularly sheep, as a way to seek connection.
2.2.2 The Inanimate: Looks at how Isserley attributes human traits and emotions to her car, further blurring the lines of her reality.
2.3 The Vodsel-Body as Source of Conflict: Addresses the tension Isserley faces when identifying with the very species she hunts and consumes.
2.3.1 Isserley’s Appeal and Outer Appearance: Explores the objectification Isserley faces and utilizes as a hunter through the lens of the hitch-hikers' perspectives.
2.3.2 The Denying of Similarities: Discusses how Isserley deliberately ignores the parallels between her own bodily mutilation and the processing of vodsels at the farm.
2.3.3 Who’s the Bait? – The Question of the Woman and the Animal: Analyzes the intersection of the female body, meat consumption, and the experience of being hunted versus the hunter.
2.4 The Linguistic Development in the Construction of an Identity: Focuses on how language is used to maintain the boundary between "self" and "other".
2.4.1 Keeping Distance Through Linguistic Animalisation: Examines how naming and "animalizing" the vodsels helps Isserley maintain her constructed sense of self.
2.4.2 Pulling the Linguistic Trigger: The Rape Attempt and Murky Divisions: Analyzes the turning point where the protagonist's boundaries collapse under the trauma of a rape attempt.
2.4.3 The Process of “Becoming”: Explores the transformation of Isserley’s identity towards a state of "becoming-animal" and eventually "becoming-molecular".
2.5 The Final, Disembodied Identity: Discusses the ultimate dissolution of Isserley's body as a form of liberation rather than a nihilistic end.
3. Conclusion: Summarizes how the novel uses Isserley’s body as a persistent obstacle in her quest for identity, ultimately suggesting that her physical dissolution allows for a liberated, post-corporeal existence.
Keywords
Michel Faber, Under the Skin, Isserley, identity construction, body politics, species, animalization, objectification, gender, Science Fiction, becoming-animal, alienation, posthumanism, linguistic representation, meat culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
This essay explores the identity crisis of the protagonist Isserley in Michel Faber’s Under the Skin, specifically focusing on how her physically modified, hybrid body complicates her ability to define herself as either human or animal.
What are the core themes addressed in the analysis?
The core themes include the intersection of gender and species, the objectification of the body, the role of language in creating social hierarchies, and the concept of "becoming-animal" as a psychological transformation.
What is the central research question?
The paper asks how Isserley’s process of constructing an identity is problematized through the lens of her physical state and her shifting relationship with both "vodsels" (humans) and non-human animals.
Which methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a literary analysis approach, drawing upon ecofeminist theories, posthumanist perspectives, and linguistic theories regarding "otherness" to interpret the text.
What is discussed in the main body of the paper?
The main body breaks down the physical and psychological components of Isserley’s life, analyzing her beauty standards, her job as a hunter, her linguistic detachment from victims, and the eventual dissolution of her physical self.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include identity construction, animalization, body politics, gender, species, objectification, and posthumanism.
How does Isserley’s job affect her sense of identity?
Her work involves objectifying and slaughtering humans, which creates a deep cognitive dissonance; she must maintain a clear separation between herself and these "animals," even though her own body is also modified and "unnatural."
Why is the "rape attempt" identified as a critical turning point?
The rape attempt shatters the boundary Isserley carefully maintained between herself and the humans she hunts; it exposes her to the same vulnerability and objectification that her victims face, triggering a psychological metamorphosis.
What is the significance of the novel's ending for the protagonist?
The author argues that the final dissolution of Isserley’s body into "smallest conceivable particles" is not a tragic end, but rather a liberation from the physical, social, and gendered limitations that hindered her throughout the novel.
- Citation du texte
- Christina Haupt (Auteur), 2018, The body and the construction of an identity in Michel Faber’s "Under the Skin", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/462566
