(Post)structural notions of language and history in the novels of Julian Barnes

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• CHAPTER ONE Language as Identity and Difference
• CHAPTER TWO History in Time and Space
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This thesis examines the (post)structural notions of language and history in the novels of Julian Barnes. The analysis focuses on four of his novels: Metroland, Flaubert's Parrot, A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters, and Cross Channel. The thesis aims to explore the ways in which Barnes utilizes these concepts to critique social structures, explore the nature of identity, and question the validity of historical narratives.

• The construction of meaning in language and the impact of language on identity.
• The role of history in shaping individual and collective identity.
• The interplay between personal and historical narratives.
• The deconstruction of master-narratives in culture and society.
• The relationship between language and power dynamics.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

Chapter One: Language as Identity and Difference

This chapter examines the role of language in shaping individual and collective identity in Barnes's novels. It analyzes the interplay between spoken language, linguistic theory, and the construction of meaning. The chapter draws on theories from Derrida, Lacan, Wittgenstein, Kristeva, and de Saussure, among others, to explore the ways in which language both defines and limits our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Chapter Two: History in Time and Space

This chapter explores Barnes's treatment of history in his novels, focusing on the concept of master-narrative and the ways in which historical narratives are often constructed to serve specific political or ideological agendas. The chapter analyzes Barnes's deconstruction of traditional historical accounts and his emphasis on the importance of individual perspectives and experiences. It also examines the role of Christian history and the tension between the sacred and the profane in Barnes's works.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

Key terms and concepts explored in this thesis include: (post)structuralism, language, identity, history, master-narrative, deconstruction, social domination, ideology, literary theory, cultural studies, French criticism, New Left, Michel Foucault, Jürgen Habermas, Derrida, Lacan, Wittgenstein, Kristeva, de Saussure, Iser, and Barnes's novels: Metroland, Flaubert's Parrot, A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters, and Cross Channel.