A "troubled marriage of science and literature"

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Scientific Method and Rationalism in Enduring Love
  • Narrative Implementation
    • Language
    • Point of View
    • Reliability of the Narrator
  • Testing of Scientific Rationalism – ‘a little cage of reason' or 'a route to wonder'?
    • Rational Thought as ‘a wonderful aspect of our natures’
    • 'Rationalism gone berserk'
  • Science, Literature and the Narrative
    • Science's Need for Narration
    • Science as an Enrichment for Literature
    • Science Writing
• Synthesis: 'Rapprochement of the disciplines'
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This paper analyzes how science is depicted in Ian McEwan's novel Enduring Love, focusing particularly on the interplay between scientific rationalism and the narrative. The paper examines the portrayal of science, especially evolutionary biology, through narrative techniques such as language, point of view, and the reliability of the narrator. It delves into the testing of scientific rationalism in the context of the novel's central events and explores the relationship between science and literature.

• The portrayal of scientific method and rationalism within a fictional narrative.
• The contrasting perspectives on science as presented by different characters in the novel.
• The interplay between science and literature, including the idea of science as a narrative.
• The role of science writing in contemporary society.
• The relationship between science and emotion.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction sets the stage by discussing the historical tension between science and literature, referencing Keats's poem "Lamia." The author argues that this tension is present in McEwan's novel "Enduring Love," which explores different ways of understanding the world through the characters of Joe, Clarissa, and Jed.

The first chapter focuses on the narrative techniques employed in the novel, exploring how language, point of view, and the reliability of the narrator contribute to the portrayal of science. It examines how Joe, the narrator, is situated in the scientific discourse and how his perspective is challenged by other characters in the novel.

The second chapter delves into how scientific rationalism, particularly evolutionary biology and psychology, is tested in the novel. It analyzes how Joe's scientific perspective contrasts with Clarissa's and Jed's views, exploring their critiques of scientific rationality.

The third chapter discusses the relationship between science and literature in Enduring Love. It examines whether the novel portrays these two disciplines as separate cultures and explores the idea of science as a narrative. It also considers the role of science writing in contemporary society, particularly in the context of evolutionary biology.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

The key themes of this paper are the representation of science, particularly evolutionary biology, in fiction; the contrast between scientific rationalism and emotional/literary understanding; the interplay between science and narrative; and the role of science writing in contemporary society.