In my thesis I elaborate on the literary creativity of Julian Barnes. My paper consists of two chapters entitled Language as Identity and Difference and History in Time and Space. The predominating part of each chapter is devoted to the position of individuals competing with meta-narratives of language, history, politics, religion, and culture. The ultimate outcome of the protagonists’ proceedings is ambivalent in the sense that their efforts are successful only to some extent. However, at the same time, I illustrate that by opposing domination the protagonists manage to undermine the assumed rationale of social discourses and revise the long-established hierarchies of western values. In the first chapter, we have to do with a broad spectrum of ambiguities connected with the usage of language. Barnes’s representation of linguistic reality comprises elements of both structural and poststructural linguistics. The author’s analysis is based on the writings of many different philosophers and linguists such as: Wolfgang Iser, Ferdinand de Saussure, Mikhail Bakhtin, Roland Barthes, Jacques Derrida and Ludwig Wittgenstein. The subsequent part of the same chapter is devoted to the problem of fragmented narration- mainly with respect to Flaubert’s Parrot. In the second chapter, I elaborate on the status of history in Barnes’s novels. It is focused on the interrelations between history and society as well as history and individuals. This sort of research profile leads to posing further questions about the master-narratives that encapsulate the image of God and the vision of the whole world- in temporal and spatial terms. This interpretation is performed with the help of some French philosophers like Michel Foucault and Jean Baudrillard. The theoretical account of the linguistic and historical aspects of discourse, as they are presented by Barnes, allows me to describe the author as a left-wing one who rejects formal knowledge that circulates via social and political institutions. The scrutiny of Barnes’s texts is the main point of departure to more general questions connected with contemporary literary theory and cultural studies.
Table of Contents
Introduction
CHAPTER ONE Language as Identity and Difference
CHAPTER TWO History in Time and Space
Conclusion
Objectives and Thematic Focus
This thesis examines the literary output of Julian Barnes, specifically focusing on the novels Metroland, Flaubert’s Parrot, A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters, and Cross Channel, to explore his treatment of language and history within the context of post-structuralist and postmodern literary theory.
- The construction and limitations of language as a tool for identity and expression.
- The deconstruction of historical master-narratives and the role of individual narratives.
- The intersection of power relations, ideology, and social domination in discourse.
- The destabilization of traditional religious and historical iconography.
- The exploration of human subjectivity and authorial identity in a postmodern landscape.
Excerpt from the Book
Language as Identity and Difference
Barnesian conception of language is formulated mainly on the ground of cultural codes transmission. He concentrates on the semiotic and semantic intricacies of everyday language with an emphasis laid on the parallel distinction between French and English. Whereas the former represents the flexible and figurative quality of socio-cultural discourse, the latter stands for culture-referential convention. Having made a comparative depiction of semiotic interactions in respective cultures, Barnes proceeds to the re-evaluation of the condition of language. He challenges the prescriptive notions imposed on language putting forth the idea of rejecting some of the common modes of thinking about it.
Throughout his novels, Barnes makes several points as to this subject matter- some of which are of relative frequency. First, he assumes the rejection of translation for the sake of linguistic autonomy which resists conceptual absorption into the target-language. The ensuing acculturation of the translated terms causes the reduction of meaning as well as the conventionalisation of the usage. Second, he suggests the rejection of domestic homogeneity and verbal schematics in favour of hybrid anarchy of speech. Barnes portrays otherness in terms of linguistic subculture. And ultimately, he postulates the rejection of dictionaries and the authority of lexicographer, in exchange of which, Barnes purports the abolition of long-established canons of meaning. He exhibits the linguistic conventions as violating both the rules of pluralism and the logic of language itself. The core components of his discussion oscillate between structural and poststructural literary theory- often taking deconstruction for their point of departure.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This section introduces Julian Barnes as a significant post-war author whose narrative techniques and thematic diversity challenge exact literary classification, setting the stage for the analysis of his four selected novels.
CHAPTER ONE Language as Identity and Difference: This chapter analyzes how Barnes portrays language as a socio-cultural construct, examining the distinction between French and English and the role of linguistic subcultures in challenging hegemonic, bourgeois structures.
CHAPTER TWO History in Time and Space: This chapter explores Barnes’s critical approach to history, investigating the tension between objective historical science and personal narratives, as well as the deconstruction of Judeo-Christian symbols and temporal/spatial limits.
Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, reiterating that Barnes’s work employs a multiverse of meanings to invite difference and multiplicities, while maintaining a severe criticism of western perceptions of reality and hierarchies of values.
Key Words
Julian Barnes, language, history, postmodernism, post-structuralism, identity, master-narrative, discourse, deconstruction, linguistics, ideology, subculture, sociolects, power relations, Christianity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this thesis?
The work provides a critical analysis of Julian Barnes’s literary output, specifically examining how he navigates the complex themes of language and history within his novels using contemporary literary theory.
What are the central thematic fields explored in this study?
The study centers on the deconstruction of language as a rigid system, the subversion of historical master-narratives, the influence of political and religious ideology, and the fragmentation of identity.
What is the primary research goal or question?
The research aims to outline the repetitive motifs in Barnes’s work to show how his characters attempt to challenge the dominance of structured social discourses and revise western hierarchies of values.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a theoretical framework deeply rooted in French criticism, post-structuralist thought, and the works of thinkers such as Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, Mikhail Bakhtin, and Julia Kristeva.
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body is divided into two primary sections: one analyzing language as a tool for identity and difference, and a second analyzing the representation of history within temporal and spatial constraints.
Which keywords define the work?
Core keywords include Julian Barnes, post-structuralism, postmodernism, master-narrative, deconstruction, linguistics, identity, and ideology.
How does Barnes use the French language in his novels?
Barnes uses French as a counter-cultural tool and a language of rebellion, contrasting it with English to highlight how the dominant English discourse often enforces specific, rigid ideological and cultural norms.
What role do animals play in Barnes’s historical narratives?
Animals are used as figures of 'the margins' and bestiality to deconstruct human-centric master-narratives, offering a perspective that is spatial rather than temporal, thus challenging the Judeo-Christian tradition of human superiority.
How does the author characterize the 'author' in Barnes’s novels?
The author argues that in Barnes’s work, particularly in Flaubert’s Parrot, the concept of the author is destabilized, depicting the author as an unfulfilled figure who is inextricably linked to, and defined by, the act of reading and re-interpreting.
- Quote paper
- Master of Arts Daria Przybyla (Author), 2005, (Post)structural notions of language and history in the novels of Julian Barnes, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/77070
