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

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

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.