Struggling With the Postmodern Crisis of History in Julian Barnes's Flaubert's Parrot (1984)

Table of Contents

1.) INTRODUCTION

2.) THEORTEICALCONSIDERATIONS ON POSTMODERN CONCEPTS OF HISTORY

2.1) Postmodern Theories of History – (De)Constructing Representation, Knowledge and Truth

2.2) Postmodern Concepts of History under Criticism: Postmodernists vs. Traditionalist Historians

3.) ANALYSIS – STRUGGLING WITH FLAUBERT’S PARROT (1984)

3.1) Postmodern Theories of History in Flaubert’s Parrot(1984)

3.1.1) “How do we seize the past?” – The Indeterminacy of (Historical) Knowledge

3.1.2) “What happened to the truth is not recorded” – Unattainable Truth(s) and Multiple Perspectives

3.1.3) “The right words don’t exist” - The Inadequacy of (Linguistic) Representation

3.2) Flaubert’s Parrot – Beyond the Postmodern Crisis of History?

3.2.1) Pre-Postmodern Notions of History and Narrative

3.2.2) Braithwaite’s Post-Postmodern Pursuit(s) of History

4.) CONCLUSION

5.) WORKS CITED

Research Objectives and Themes

This thesis examines the postmodern crisis of history through the lens of Julian Barnes's novel Flaubert's Parrot. It investigates how the narrator, Geoffrey Braithwaite, engages with the complexities of historical truth and representation, ultimately arguing that despite postmodern skepticism, the pursuit of historical meaning remains a vital and valid human endeavor.

• The theoretical challenge postmodernism poses to traditional historiography.
• The struggle between objective historical research and subjective narrative construction.
• The analysis of Flaubert's Parrot as a work that navigates between postmodern doubt and the human need for authentic meaning.
• The significance of narrative and 'the search' as a means of coping with personal loss and existential uncertainty.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1.) INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the core research question regarding the postmodern crisis of history and posits that Barnes's novel offers a more nuanced approach than radical deconstructionism.

2.) THEORTEICALCONSIDERATIONS ON POSTMODERN CONCEPTS OF HISTORY: Provides a comprehensive overview of postmodern critiques of historiography, covering Foucault, Lyotard, and Derrida, and contrasts these with traditional historical perspectives.

3.) ANALYSIS – STRUGGLING WITH FLAUBERT’S PARROT (1984): This central section analyzes the novel, demonstrating how the narrator balances his desire for truth with the inherent limitations of language and historical evidence.

4.) CONCLUSION: The author summarizes the findings, reiterating that the pursuit of history is a cathartic and necessary process that persists despite the postmodern awareness of its inherent instabilities.

5.) WORKS CITED: A comprehensive list of the academic sources utilized throughout the thesis.

Keywords

Postmodernism, Historiography, Julian Barnes, Flaubert's Parrot, Geoffrey Braithwaite, Historical Truth, Narrative, Language, Representation, Deconstructionism, Metafiction, Post-postmodernism, Subjectivity, Authenticity, Identity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research?

This paper explores the intersection of postmodern literary theory and historical practice as presented in Julian Barnes's novel Flaubert's Parrot.

What are the primary themes discussed?

The main themes include the indeterminacy of historical knowledge, the limitations of language in representing reality, and the human drive to find meaning through personal narrative.

What is the main research question?

The thesis asks how Barnes's work addresses the postmodern "crisis of history" and whether this engagement leads to total nihilism or a new form of post-postmodern understanding.

Which scientific methods are applied?

The author uses a literary-theoretical analysis of the novel, placing it within the broader discourse of historiographic metafiction and engaging with philosophical concepts from thinkers like Foucault and Lyotard.

What topics are covered in the main section?

The analysis investigates the reliability of the narrator, the significance of the "parrot" metaphor, and the tension between the search for facts and the reality of subjective interpretation.

What keywords characterize the work?

Key terms include Postmodernism, Historiography, Flaubert's Parrot, Narrative, Subjectivity, and Truth.

How does the narrator view the relationship between history and fiction?

The narrator is caught between acknowledging that history is a form of constructed fiction and the profound desire to recover authentic, "true" elements of the past.

Why is the parrot metaphor significant?

The parrot represents the narrator's obsession with locating an authentic voice or truth, while simultaneously illustrating the ultimate impossibility of finding a stable, original meaning through language.

What role does the narrator's personal grief play?

The narrator's search for Flaubert is fundamentally linked to his own personal trauma; his pursuit of the writer acts as a way to process his own grief and search for meaning in his life.