Centro Unv*rsitário Santo Agostinho
www*.fsanet.com.*r/revista
Rev. FSA, Tere*i*a, *. *5, n. 5, art. 9, p. 169-185, s*t./*ut. *018
ISSN Impres*o: 1806-635* ISSN E*etrônico: 2317-2983
http://dx.doi.org/10.12819/*018.15.5.*
Novelistic Ruins: Textual Fragm*n*ation and *on*empor**y British Lite**ture
Ruínas *ovelistas: F*agme*t*ção Textu*l e Literatur* *ritâ*ica Conte*por*nea
Lu*z *ernand* Ferreira Sá
Doutor e* Es*udos Literário* **la Univer*idade Federal d* Minas Ger*is
Professo* da Universidade *ed*ral de Minas Ger*is
E-mail: s*lu*z18@gmai*.*om
Ende*eç*: Luiz Fernan*o **rreira S*
Editor-Chefe: Dr. T*n*y Kerley d* Alencar
Uni*ersidade Federal *e Mi*as Gerais, Fac*lda*e d*
Rodr*gues
Letr*s, D*p*rtamento *e Lí*guas Anglo-Ger*ânicas.
Av. Antônio Carlos 6627. P*mpulha. 31270-90* - B*l*
A*ti*o rec*bid* *m 13/04/2018. Últim*
v*rsão
*orizonte, M* - Brasil.
r**e*ida em 02/05/2018. Aprovad* em 03/0*/2*18.
Avalia** p*lo s*stema Tr*ple Review: **sk Revie* a)
pelo E*itor-Chef*; e b) Do*ble Blind *eview
(av*liaçã* cega por d**s avaliad*res da área).
Rev*são: *r*matical, Normativa e *e *ormata*ão
L. F. F. S*
*70
ABS*RACT
The article disc*sses
b**h the textual fragmentat*on and th* utopian space of literar* lists *n
*an McEwan\* Atonemen*, Mar* H*ddo*\s The Curious *ncident of
the Dog
i n T *e N i ght -
Ti*e, Hi*a*y Mant*l\s Bring up the Bodie*, and Zadie S*it*\* White T*eth by *ollow*n* the
l*ad of Terry Eaglet*n an* Georg Lukács. It *s my contention t*a* *he *topian ho*e, image,
and r*spo*se created i* contempor*ry novels are evident in the w*y c*nt*adictions acquire a
poetic v*neer i* the *hings and objects invento*ied on list*. It i* to the
aid *f an ars
disjunctoria
that the *ostmoder**st novelists have returned
an* t**s r*turn spe**s ou* as *h*
*topian ho*e towa*ds, image *f, and respon*e *o, the wi*lingness to allow the new*y *e*eased
parts *f narrative to f*o**, m*n**e, and monumen*alize themselves *s r*ins. T*is utopi*n space
cr*ated wi*h the help of lists in contemporary nov**s has to do with
t*e relative
failure of
for*a* realism
*nd with
th* h*r*ening of the conclusion, reach*d by Eagl*t*n and Lukács,
that to n*rrate i* i*self a moral act. The artic*e al*o discusse* th* extent to w*ich the lis*s in the
*a*d n**els *a*t**ipate i* the *v**all *rea*-u* of la*guag*, in the coll*p** of narr*tive, i* the
cla** o* subjectiv* standpoints, in the fragi*ity of value, in the elusiveness of m*aning, and in
the creation of * "ruinous" present. The conclusion p*ints t* how contemporary nov*ls tend to
*ive *s a kin* o* fore*hortening of percepti** thr*ugh the use *f lists, enume*ations, and
inventories which suspend **nguage, narrative, *ubjectivity, value, a*d mean*ng in their
dizzyi*g voraciousness and infinity.
*eyword*: Lis*s. Utopia. Contemporary *uins.
RE*UMO
A esper*nça, a image* e a re*post* utópi*as discutidas por Terr* Eagleton e Georg Lu*ác* se
tornam evi*entes nos romances e*encados nes*e
artigo (Atone*ent
de Ian McEw*n, The
Curious Incid**t of the Dog in *he Night-Time *e Mark Haddon, Bring up
*h* Bodie*
d*
Hilary Mantel e White *eeth de Za*ie Smith) na maneir* que *s **nflitos são, se n*o
reso*vidos, pel* menos r*vestidos de uma aparên*ia *n*óli*a nas cois*s e objetos inven*ar*ados
*m listas. O qu* eu *ropo*ho neste *rt*go é pensar como ** listas d** referidos
rom*n*es
partici*am n* ru**ura da linguagem, *o *olapso da narrativa, no co*fronto de pe*spectivas, na
*ragilid*de do valor * na *acu*dade d* sentido. Os ro*ances *ontemporâneos ten*em a n*s
d*r um *ipo de atalh* na perc*pção *o* meio do uso d* l*st*s, *nume*ações e in*entários, *s
quais *uspendem * linguagem, a narrativa, * subjetivi*ade, o val*r e o sentido, em sua conf**a
voracidad* e infini*ade.
Palavras-chave: Listas. Utopia. Ru*nas.
Rev. FSA, *eresi**, v. 1*, n. 5, art. 9, p. 169-18*, set./out. ***8
www4.*sanet.co*.br/revista
Noveli*tic R*i*s: Textu*l *ra*men*atio* a*d Contemporary British Literat*re
171
1 INTROD**ÃO
In many ways, Ia* McEwan\s Ato*eme*t, Mark **d*on\s The Cur*ous Incid*nt of the
Dog in T*e N*ght-Time, Hilary Mantel\s Br*ng u* the Bod*es, and Zadie *mith\s Whit* *eeth
ma*e for an u*likel* grouping. While one is the work o* a reno**ed English n*velis* a**
*c*e*nwri*e*, the ot*er is the wor* of a *es**r-known Eng*ish author who claims Jane Aust*n
t* be *n inspiration, while one is a
h*storical no*el and sequel to the aw*r*-wi*nin* Wolf
Hall, t*e o*her *s * *ebut novel tha* h*s received an astoni*hing chorus of prais*. Ho*e*er, I
arg*e
th*t these fo** no*e*s have much *n *ommon and that an a*aly*** ** each ca* offer
insight into som* of the techniques contemporary novel* *mploy.
Thes* *o*els dea* with the *ro*lem *f **rcept*o*: how we p**ceive hist*ry, how we
perceive fic*ion, and how **ch *h*se p*rceptions depend *n the noti*ns by *hich we live.
**t only are na*ratives app*rtaining t* his*or* a*d f*ction handled o* * t*ematic level i* t**se
nove*s, but *hey *re a maj*r asp**t *f their nar**tive f**ms
as well. As
the nove*s prese*t
c*aracters *hat are forced t* reconcile *heir previo*s*y
h*ld p*rceptio*s (of t*emselves, of
t**i* *rivate *nd public histori*s, of th* fic*ions surro*nding *h*m, o* *heir *urning their eye to
th* wor*d around) with
t*e*r ex*erie**es, so
too ar* the re**ers\ p**ception* p*si*i*ned and
re-positione* through narrati** f*atur*s. T*ese *ov*ls make a typ* of *et*-comme*tar*
**
the powe* of written *ork* to affect readers\ perceptions.
This is especia*ly me*ningful because these novel* extensively use list* (with some
bordering o* the coll*ction) and lists ha*e a* *east tw* s*rengt*s: first,
*hey are m*lt*-
d*m*nsio*al data - t*at i* w*y the* call upon differ*nt planes of si*nifi**tion - **d *eco**,
lists a*e *etadat*. Lists preferabl* li*k th* re*der t* th*t to which they refer, even analog *ist*
*r* some form of ind*x *r pointer. **ere is a real-worl* equivalent *f a list, which co**ists
ma*nl* o* data, *ot meta*at*: c*llecti*ns. The simplest of *ollect**ns are m**e agg*egations,
b*t *here are *ollection* that woul* en*esh their *tems in a *eep w*b *f *elation*hips and th*s
wou*d allow the accretion of meani*g over time. T*es* pro*ert*es serve t*e dist*ngui*hing
purpose of a collection: to pro*i*e a relativel* stable center fo* the si**le
or *ollective
unde*sta*ding o* * topic or subject o* per*istent **terest in ev*ryday life.*
Curious enoug*, e*eryday life *eem* t* *e a major *oncern for the Bri*ish critic *nd
th*or*st T*rry Eagleton. *n hi* *005 *he English Nove*: An Intr*duct*on, Eag*e**n asked
himself why the novel
is an ironic fo*m and his a*swer was *he fo*lowing: "In *e*lec*ing
every*ay life, *t a*so si**als *ts essentia* dist*nc* *rom it." (*5) *agleton c*nt*nued
questioning the novel form and conclude* *h*t even tho*g* we ha*e a glimpse of
Rev. FS*, Teresina PI, v. *5, n. 5, a*t. *, p. 16*-*8*, set./out. 2018 www*.*sa*et.com.br/r**i*ta
*. F. *. Sá
172
re*onc*l*ati*n in m*st Engli*h nove*s, "even if it is purely f*ctional, [this r*concili*tion]
represe*ts a kind o* utopian
*ope." (15) T** critic ended hi* tho*ghts on the *econciliatory
c*aracter of t*e Engl**h novel thus: "The novel is a utopian image not in what it re**esen*s,
wh*ch c*n be gruesome enough,
but in th* very a*t
of representation an act which at i*s
mo*t e*fec*ive *hapes th* world into meani** with ** *etrime*t to its reali**. In *his sense, to
*arrate is it*elf a moral act." (1*)
According to Ea*leton, when *he no*el is most trul* realisti*,
"wha* it reflects *ost
import*ntly is
not
the w*rld, but t*e wa* in which the world
co*es into
*ei** on*y by our
*es*owing form an* val*e upon it." (17) Eagleto* *raws upon the work of *eo*g Lukács in
his Theory of *he Nov*l and sta*es "*he novel is the *ro*uct of an alienated world. Yet it i*
also a *top*a* resp**se to i*." (1*) St*ll with Luká**, Eagleton asseverate* th*t the novel "is
an art fo*m *hich can no longer sha** t*e *ontradic**ons wh*ch plague it in*o a
*oherent
*hole." (19) We s*all s*e in Atonement, The Curious Incident of the Dog in The Nig*t-T*me,
Br*ng up t*e *odies, an* Wh*te Teeth how those *ontrad**tions are now beg*n*ing to *nfiltrate
t h*
very form o* the no*el itsel*
by way of the lists *nd c*l*ec*ions employ*d. *eturnin* to
Eagleton, those con*radictions "reflect the*se*ves *n t*e break-up o* language, *he co*lapse of
narrative, th* unr*liability of repor*s, t*e clash of *ub*ective standpoints, the fr*gilit* of value,
the elusiveness of overal* meaning." (19)
It i* m* co*tention, then, tha* th* utopian h*pe, *mage, and respo*se di**u**ed
by
Eagleton and Lukács, de*pite being lite*ary
critics using somewhat
dif*er*nt theor*tical
frameworks, are evident in *he afor*men*ioned n**els *n the way *h* contra*ic*ion* acquire a
p*etic ve*e*r i* the *hings and object* inventoried in *ists. I will show how the lis*s *n th* said
no*els *arti*ipate in *he overa*l *reak-up of language, in the collap*e o* n*rra*ive, in the clash
*f subjective *ta*d*oi*ts, i* the **ag*lity of va*ue, a*d in the elusivenes* of meaning. It is also
my c**tention t*at what the con*emp***ry novel* te*d to give us is a kind *f fores*ortening
o* per*ept*on *ia list*, enum*rations,
and inven*ories, which suspend *anguag*, narra*ive,
subjectivity, val*e, and meaning in their dizzyi*g voracio*sness and infinit*.
Here I must ad* tha* Eag*eto* does not us* *iterary lists *n order to prove his poin* and
comes t* *
dif*erent co*clusion al*og*ther, fo* he refe*s to modernist novel*. Following
hi s
t*ain of *h**gh*, "wha* the m**ernist novel ten*s to **ve us
instead [of contradictions
in
re*ation to the
utopia* hope, image, a*d response] *s a kind of emp*y *ignifier *f a to**lity
w*i*h is no *onger
possible." (19) This s*a*e****
is fa* from having been ex*austed *nd
*ontinues to bear fr*it fo* o*r discerning reading of c*nt*mporary *ov**s.ii
*ev. FSA, Teresina, v. 15, n. 5, ar*. 9, p. 16*-1*5, set./out. 2018 www4.fsa*et.com.*r/rev*sta
Novelis*i* Ru**s: Tex*ual *ragmentation and Contemporary Briti*h Lit*rature
173
Th* empty *ignifier of a t**al*ty, indeed a tot*lity that is arg*ably out of joint, is no
longe* poss**le in novels because
our cont*m*ora*y worl* is not simply out of join*, but
ultim*tely disjointed. It **, then, to the *id of
an ars disjunctoria that the con*emporary
novelists have r*turned. Of course, this ar* disjunctoria spells
o*t as th* utopian hope
*o*a***, ima*e of, *nd respo*se to,
the willingness to allow the newly released *ar*s of
narrative to float, *in*le, and re-cohere. The free-floa**ng part* **-*o*ere in *h* man* lists
rehear**d in the ab*ve-ment*oned no*el* and the lists b*come themselves a utopi*, so to
s*ea*. In fact, this utop*an space *r*ated w*th the help of li*ts in contemporary novels has to
do wi*h the *elat*ve fai*ure
*f formal rea*ism and w*th
*he hardening
of
the c*nclusion,
reached by Eagl*ton **d Lukács, tha* to n*rrat* is *t*e*f a m*r*l act.
Atoneme*t is construe* *pon me*afi**ional bases *hat refer *ot only to the di*ect
rel*tion b*tween the author and his wor*, b** actually *o the m*ans of co*posi*i*n used
by
Briony Tallis, the "au*ho*" ** the book who setting *ut on a "moralizing" is
*o*rney. The
*vents o* this
j*u**ey *ay be
ter*ed the f*ctionalizat*on of ***a-ficti*n
juxtaposed to the
*aking th* public
and priv*te his*o**es fiction. McEwa*
uses t*e *rotagonist or s*rrogat*
author to *xpose and justify *oth the narrative structur* of his work and his narrativ* choices,
which s*ow
mult*ple per*pec*ives. Atonemen* foll*w* a 13-year-*ld aspiring writer, Br*o*y
Talli*, in at *ea*t two different f*onts. The first one, f*om the *ailure o*
he* first childish
attemp* drama, Th* Tria*s *t
of Arab*lla,
to
*ts p*esentation, six decade*
l*te*. The secon*
one, f*om the *emise of the play to Brion*'s d*cision to wr*t* a sto*y about * co*fro*tation
she acciden*ally sees between *er older siste* and
23-year-old Ro*bie Turner, the *a*ily
landscaper *nd
childhoo* fri*nd of Brion*'s sib**ngs. The rub (conflict: misa*prehensio* of
the **nfro*tation), the cru* (the
core of the *roblem encompasses Briony\s link*ng the
altercat*on with rape), and the onus (Briony\s duty is to mak* *hin** right after Robbie is s*nt
** pris*n and
later
dies fighting World War I) of the novel lies in Briony\s seei*g w*t* at
b*ind eyes.iii
Ia* M*Ewan, who e*pha*izes discontinuity, sees fiction, *anguage, and (dis-) ordering
as
a
p*ocess *n *h*ch the read*r w*rks with the writer *n an uncerta** and shif*i*g world,
rat*er th** as a finished, ordere* p*oduct that the reader pas*ive*y contemplates. What are th*
pass*ges tha* contem*late and shy order away simultaneously? The first passage, the only one
* will address here, a *eautif*l l*st, dir*c** us *o Br*ony\s childish infatuation with m*niat*res
and col*ect*on*, w*ich foreshadows the author i* her *a*ur* year* *op*ng with the da*gers **
blindi*g misapp*eh*nsion* and the relative failu*e* *f fiction where t*uth *s concerne*:
Rev. FSA, Teresina PI, v. 15, n. 5, *rt. *, p. 1*9-185, set./out. 2018 www4.f*anet.com.b*/revista
L. F. *. Sá
174
A taste for the miniature *as on* aspec* of a* orderly spir**. Another *as a *assion
for sec*ets: in prized va*nished cabin*t, a secr*t drawer **s opened b* pushing a
against th* grai* of * c*ever*y t*rned dovetail joi*t, and he** she k*pt a dia** locked
by clasp, *nd * not*bo*k wri*ten *n a c*de of her o*n in*ention. In a toy *afe *
opened by six s*cr*t numbers she st*red lette*s and postcar*s. *n old tin prett* cash
box was hidden *nder a *emovable
floor*oard
beneath her bed. ** the box *ere
t**asures tha* date* bac* four y*ars, to her n*nth *irt*day when she began co*l*cti*g:
a m**ant d*ub*e
ac*rn, fool\s go*d, a r*in-mak**g spel* bought at a f*nfair,
*
squi*r**\s skull as light a* * *eaf. (M*Ewan 5).
Col**ctions pro*ote
a "re-semantizat*on" of t*in*s
*hat ass*m* *maginary/*ymbolic
f*nctions, re*reating the world as an alter*ate fi*tion. Brio**\s coll*ct*on (diary, notebook,
l*tter* and p*stcards, acor*, go*d, spell, skull) reco*structs everyday **fe around her and gi*es
it oth*r mean*ngs. This l*st, which is conc*mitantly a coll**tion, accompli*hes t*e **llo*i*g
**ats: *irs*, ** tangentially su*pends language -- languag* *s no
longer conc*ived
as just
a
*losed sys*em, but m*st be though* of in its practice, attach*ng importanc* *o the dialogue
establi*hed with the symbolic/ima*ina**, with th* political division *f the senses, which have
b*come unstable. S*con*, it mark* the collapse of *a**ative -- the th*ngs exposed are not
pr*sented following a certain order (as Briony would *a*e wanted it hers*lf), but
are
acc**u*at*d in a **sjunctive and poetic *on*ensation. Third, it makes
cl*ar th*t reports
ar*
unreli*b*e -- Briony\s cabinet of curiosit*es *inds its rais*n d\*t*e in a mult*plicity of fr**es,
nic**s,
*oxes, drawers, *ases, and appropriates to *t*elf *he cha** of the world by imposing
upon it *yst*ms (how*ver a*bitra**) o* symmetries and hierarchies. Fourth, po*n*s to the it
*lash o* s*bjectiv* s*andpoint* -- is fiction (d*ary, noteb*ok, letter*, postcards) for Briony
*
sec*** *o keep to *erself, or is i* a se*re* to be told? Besides tha*, what i* *he imaginary
connection bet*een fiction and acorn, gol*, *pell, sk*ll for B**o*y *nd for the inf*rmed
rea*er? Fif*h, *t s*g*ests tha* *alue is fragile *nd *eaning e*usive after all
-- there is
in
Br*ony\* colle*t*on * sense of opennes* t*at touches *pon the incon**ivable, *ouching ***
surface of wh*t **cap** the *perations conne*te* with naming, *hich paradoxi*ally
transforms nothingn**s into f*l*nes*. By *ollecting the leftovers in t*e dovetailed drawer, in a
toy safe, *n * cash box, t*ey become t*e realm of the r*mains, allow**g new relations*ips to
come about *n a *onti*uous creative impulse until f*n*lly they, the remains, are written over
a*d reac* a form of atone*e**.
This list is a t*pe *f fore**o*tened uto*ia, a utop*an space, so *o speak, ** the *e* of
lists that *ake *p t*is
novel. In the last **apter of Atonemen* (London,
1999), Brio*y does
not nec*ssaril* co*e out of a dra*er/bo*/safe, but walks ou* of *he closet. She confirms to us
t*at she h*s been writing every chapter so far and that wr*ti*g, m*ch like keeping a collection
Rev. FSA, Teresi*a, v. 15, n. 5, art. *, p. 169-18*, *et./out. 2018 www4.fsanet.com.*r/r*vista
Novelis*i* Ruin*: Te*tual Frag*entati*n and Contemp*r*ry Britis* *iter*ture
175
in
*er younger
*e*rs, pav*s th* way
towards a kin* of reconci*iation: "I lov* the*e little
things, this pointillist approa*h to *erisimilitude, the correction of detail tha* cumulati*e*y
gives s*c* satisfa*tion. Like pol*cemen in a s**rch team, *e *o on h*nds and knees *nd
crawl our w*y toward* the truth." (McEwan 359) If this *s true for an order*y sp*ri* in the like
of Briony, *t is als* tr*e f*r t*e next young
narrator/protag*n*st/*uthor, Ch*istopher Boone,
whose s*eci*l an* b*autiful mind (*e
h*ppens to *e autis**c) is keen *o *old on to eve*y
minute detail of eve**day life.
Sev*ral critics ha*e note* the *ay in which Christopher Bo*n* deliv*rs i*sights
in
a
dea*pan *tyle,iv
but on* impor**nt a*p*** abou* the *i*tion* he creates around *imsel* is that
he maintains that he cannot lie or ima*ine s*me*hing not true. Ch*istoph*r\s logi* add*es*es
the gap between th* undec*dability and the imprecision of signs, a* Stefania Ciocia points out,
he e*pose* *he reality that "all language is *pproximate and figurative
to a degree." (328)
Christop*er embarks on t*ree jo*rne*s sim**ta*eou**y. The fir*t one pert*ins to the detective-
like tale of finding out who killed We*lington (his n**ghbo*\s dog). The secon* one bears on
the stoical story of t*avell**g to London *o fin* his mo**er wh*m he thought was dea*, and
the third *ne touches upon a kind of Bildu** -- * journey of s**f-cultivation, wherein fic*i*n
(orde*ly and ch*ot*c), lists and collections *re linked in a manner that refers t* a process *f
bot* *ersonal and cul*ural maturation.
The first list i* The Curiou* Incident of the Dog *n The Night-Time, *nd **ere
are
many in*entories throughout, *lso pa*tici*ates i* the overall break-up of l*n*uage, in
t he
collapse o* narrative, in the clash of subj*ct*ve standpoi*ts, in th* fragility of value, a*d i* *he
elusiv*ne*s of meanin*. This l*st is a collection of sorts *n* se*s to th* do*ains/demand* of
the everyday:
Th** is w*a* I had in my p*cke*s[:] 1. A Swiss Ar*y knife with 13 attach*ent*
including a w*re str*p*er and a saw and a tooth*ick *nd tweezers [;] 2. A piece of
string [;] *. A
pie*e
o* a wooden *uzzle which *ooked like thi* [dr*win*;] 4.
3
pellets *f r*t *ood f*r Toby, my rat [;] 5. £1.47 (this was mad* up *f a £1 *oin, a *0*
coin, tw* 10p coins, a 5* coin and a *p coin) [;] 6. A *e* paper clip [;] *. * key for
the fro*t door. (Haddon 13).
Thi* list/colle*tio* *s presented to us at the ex*ct momen* *hristoph*r *s e*ptying *i* poc*ets
at the polic* station as the result of a misapprehen*ion. *he policeman, having be** *all*d by
a *eighbor becaus* C*ri*topher was supposedly trespassing on her fro*t *ard,
overwhelmed
Christoph*r with quest*ons w*ose *ace he could not keep up wi*h and h*, in a f*t of conf*sion
r*lling and p*ess**g his *orehea* o* th* g*ound, f*nall* and a*cidentally hit the pol**e offi*e*.
Rev. FSA, Teres*na PI, v. 15, *. 5, art. 9, p. 169-1*5, set./out. 20*8 www4.fsanet.com.br/revist*
L. F. F. Sá
1*6
Th* everyda* thing* li*ted
in the *xcerpt above (fr*m knife to toothpick, t*
puzz*e,
money, *nd key) elude cle*r or self-evident meaning *s much a* *hey d*sru*t ordinary order
**d produce a plethora of relatio*s. From *h*se new relations, rising **om the mismat*h
amongst objects, from a displacement, from *he confusi** of the multifa*io**, is that the
creat*ve force of cha*s *om*s. T* *we*l in c*aos *s to *pen one*elf t* * particul*r *er*eption
of t he
p*ss*bil*ties of repre*entation. The task of Chri*topher, the n*rrato* and writer o* h*s
story, *s to attempt, in his *w* way, to conquer anoth*r *rder, wh*ch is not m*rely imit*tive.
**ere *em*ins * s**se of merging, in th* above list, betwee* the everyday *nd the l*rger-than-
l**e, a desire to know where thi*gs co*e fro* -- not re*lly a *earch for old origi*s, *ut rather
a pl** with begin*in*s. What Haddon *eem* t* be d**ng, thr*ughout this novel, is playing the
*enial camp ag*inst t*e *e*ire camp, that is, *e de**nd* that we attempt to uncover the bi*s of
reality and t*e blots of utopi* - *ll the *hile denyin* th*t a total un(dis)*over*ng is ev*n
possible.
The no*el *tself is in a co*stan* *tat* of recov*ry of the e*ergi** spe*t in chaos, and
th* narrator/prot**onist/auth*r must return to discomfort to *egain *is *ower *o interven*, an
i*tervention *nly possibl* in all its intensi*y in spac*s aver*e t* *amiliarity. Ther* is **vage*y
in disorder, a **st-present-fu*ure that makes it the t*rrito*y par exc*llence of th* author
(Ha*don or Boo*e) surrounde* by bi*s a*d pie*es of in*orm**ion *n * co*stant flo* and *lux,
like the d*zzying list below:
And there were signs sa*ing G*eat Western and cold beers and *age**
*nd
CAUTION WE* FLOOR and Your 50p will keep a premature baby alive for
1.8 sec*nds
and tran*form*ng tr*v*l a*d Refreshingl* Different *nd IT\S
**LICIO*S IT\S C*EAMY *ND IT\S ONLY £1.30 HOT CHOC DEL*XE
an* 0870 777 **76 and The Lemon Tree a*d No S*oking and
F*NE *EAS
and
(Haddon 145-6).
It *s not reassur*ng t* the r*ader or comfortab*e *o the narrator the fac* that *ot much late* on
(pages 169-7*) *he signs on the streets of L**don, *nd not mere*y th* signs in * London tra*n
station, will *e*ghten t*e s*nse of chaos. Th*t is *ru* b*ca*se added to *he techni*ue *f th* list
(i* th*s *ase a rather coherent list of things o*e f**ds i* t*ain stations), the *arrative *ill
puz*le and perplex Christopher himself and the r*ader with the art(if*ce) of typography.
H*ddon/Boone *o*s no* r*fer here to dyst**ia
o* to * dys*opian space. T*e he*lish
se**ing tha* *h* train station and the streets of London have become f** a special m*nd li*e
Chris*opher\s (and any *ther mind *or *hat **tter)
tur*s out to b* * coming
to terms with
imposed *rder, apparent (dis)*rder, and sheer chaos. * am n*t *iscussi*g modes or generic
Rev. FSA, Tere**n*, v. 15, n. 5, *rt. 9, p. **9-185, set./o*t. 201* www4.fsanet.com.**/*ev*sta
Nov*li*tic Ru*ns: Textual Fra*ment**ion and C*ntemporary Br*tis* *ite*a*ure
*77
instances of utopias
or dystop*as, w*at * am *nteres**d **
h*re is a
kind of "for*al
utopianism" an* f***o* t*e train *f thoug*t begun with Ian Wat*, Erich Auerba*h, G*org I
Lukács, and Terry Eagleton. I*
other words, the smal*er, disjointed, i*r*co*cilable obje*ts
(beer, floor, mone*, baby, travel, *hocol*te, number*, *ree, cigarette, *e*) seem *ens*ble, but
ref** t* the more ind*vidual dim*nsi*n *f e*perience. **e list b*ings
tog*th*r elements of
*ifferen* reg*ste*s, banal a*d unusual, removing them f*om their or*ginal contex*, su*tracti*g
from them the*r use v*lue, fr*ei*g t*em fro* the logi* *f functi*nality, and e*ables them to
weave in th*ir *wn way a w*rld of *ingul*r se*ret affin*tie*. The narrat*r/pr*tago*i*t/au*h**
pa*adox*c**ly e*tablishe* * wo*ld of absences that i*p*icates h** even m*re gra**ically in the
discou*se of the li*ts and its f*rmal utopianis*. Suc* * state of affairs is still
human(e)
and
*os**ble in the midst *f the i*pact of t*e process of *taggering "torture" (a bomb**d*ent of
bit* and bobs), but i*s overwhelmin* exces* over "ordinary" exper*ence ul*i*ate*y points to
the elusiven*ss o* mean*ng. The fo*esho*ten*d per*eption that move* through lists,
*nume*ations,
and in*e*tor*es, which susp*nd *anguage, narrat*ve, sub**c**vity,
value, and
mean*ng in their dizzyi*g vor*ciou*ness and infinity, is co*para*le to prime numbers: "Pri*e
numbers are wha* i* left when y*u ha*e take* all *he patte*ns away. I t*ink prime numbers *re
like life." (Haddon
12) To * math*matician and poe* like Christopher, tr*th, to
be
conc*i*able, re*ies u*on the co*cepti*n and exertio* of secr*t affini*ies.
Mantel\s novel, *ring *p the b*dies, reveals a co*plex and decad**t relationship
be*ween individuals,
betw*en
th* act*rs of history and the actants submitted to political
forces,
as wel* as betw*en their
*v*ryday life of scheming a*on*side ca*oling a*d the
n*v*l
itsel*.* Thomas Cromw*ll, the nar*a*ive
foca*izer,
has his
ey* on Anne Boleyn\s moveme**
fr*m f*rtune to fall, a **ve that is a sig*ifican* tur*about f*r King Henry VIII\s queen, w*o,
li*e Cro*w*ll an* t*e k*ng himself, is su*rounded by unedifying fi**io*s. The bodi*s foun* in
t*e title and in t*e indi*ect rel*tio* to th* Latin expre*si*n Habeas C*rp*s defini*ely pres*de
ove* the *ollowing pl*tho*a of l*s*s: all sorts of books circulatin* in that Tudor court (66), *he
b*ok called Henr* (66-7), the inventory from the *bb*y at Worcester (72),
the b*rders
between trut*
and lies (159), the ki*g *eeping about *im*elf a collect*on *f men of base
d*g*ee (*91), a *e** in *arliam*nt na*rated as a list of frustration* (17*), the inven*or* for
Cromwell\s resi***c* *t the *o*ls Hous* at *hance*y Lan* (202), the borde**es* bo** of *he
king (296), an* the e*um*ratio* related to the poet\s (*yatt\s) tru*h (346).
Most of th* inventories and e*umerati*ns f*und *n the novel, far from containing and
mir*oring the hierarchy of existenc*,
play * c*ntral role i*
a
cultu*e of sy*tema*ic
disorie**ation. They point towa*ds a different
*eality; t*ey no longer refer b*ck to
t he
Rev. FSA, Teresina PI, v. *5, n. 5, art. 9, *. 1*9-*85, set./out. 2*18
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L. F. F. S*
1*8
reassuring, sens*ble world of t*e divi*e
order, but look *nstea* to *h* ab*rra**, d**jointed
world o* then and now. Rel*tionsh*ps are bo*h **s-shaped and re-shaped by c*llective greed
and ambi*ion, fa*il*al prejudice,
and individual vendetta-like arrogance, liv*s *ay waste a*d
bo*ies *re dis*o*ab*e, they a*e all made simultaneous*y vi*tims ** the
abject *ilth *rou*d
th*m, and victimiz*rs who, in their turn, *e*roduce more violence and mu*der. The comp*und
list *e**w seem* to ha*e launched an initi*tive ** tackle r***ng decay and *iso*der in the
no*el:
The substance of *he case is the work of an ho*r or two, but when the*e *re ninety-
five names to be *erified, of the j*stic*s an* the pee*s, then the mere s*uffling and
the throat-cle**i*g, *h* nose-blowin*, the a***stme*t of robe* and the *ettli*g of b*lt
sa*h*s - al* tho*e distracting rituals that some me* *eed before they speak in p**lic
- with all that, it is clear the day will wear on; the queen he*s*lf i* a still presence,
listening in*ently from h*r cha*r
as
th* li** of
her c*imes is r*ad o*t, th* dizzying
c*ta*ogue of times, d**es, places, of men, *heir members, their tongues: into *he
mouth, o*t of the mouth, into dive*s cra*n*** of the body, at Hampt*n Court a*d
Richmo*d Palace, a* Gr*enwich a*d Wes*minster, in Midd*esex and Kent; and then
th* loose *ords an* ta*nt*, the je*lous *uarre*s and twisted int*ntions, the
*e*laration, by the que**, that when her husband is dead, she will **oos* some one
of *he* *o be her husba*d, but sh* *annot say which. (Mantel 371).
*h** travesti*d justice *imply
goes *h*ough the motions (distracting rituals) *isting alleged
crimes wh*se pi*ces of su***sed e*idence are accumulated in th* dizzy*ng catalogues of
times, dates, places, *odies and whose factu*l or mate**al existence is fabr*cated to th* po*nt
of becoming a dissociative narrati*e **sorder.
S*ch thin*s, **mma*ily groupe* acco*ding to laws that take into ac*ount the
*oh**en*e of th* things listed, are not those e*ternal acc**en*s or impo*derable and ar*itrar*
le*ps of cult*r* or politi*s *r
*ustice. The* are rather torn from th**r mu*dane, everyday
signific*nc*, mystified, **d* fre* *n*e mor* and *nd up a*s*ming a meaning
that is b*th
mysteri*us a*d *rrationa*: what *s made myste*ious is re*lity,
the man*-si*ed phenomenon
that a transc*ndental **ony destroys b* f*re. In the case of Mantel\* lists in **ing up the
Bodie*, Cromwell seems to be quite aware of *his trans*enden**l
irony:
"t*ey will *urn t*e
**ge over,
and write
*n me." (4*4) Th*t, in *hort, is what * h*v* been calling forma*
utopi**i*m.
There is much in the work of Zadie Smith to encourag* the design*tio* of "formally
uto*i*n": th* *en*r*l plot *f White Teeth refers to the *reation and solving of a series *f
puzz*es, and Smi*h **e* th* e*i*ma of the puzzle as an exp**nat*ry/exp*oratory *etaphor. He*
fideli*y to th*s metaphor ind*cates that it worked for h*r, but it d*es not *ecessarily mean t*at
t he
us e
of p*zzles, *i*ts, and *eta***rs simply desc*ibes her wor* as a writer. *iversely
Rev. FSA, Ter*sina, v. 15, *. 5, art. 9, p. 1*9-185, set./out. 2018
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*ove*istic Ruins: T*xtua* Fragment*ti*n a*d C*ntemporary British Litera*ure
179
*opulated a*d largel* ex-centric, S*ith's novel c*n also be seen as an
exqu*sitely singula*
port*ait of the p*ripatetic im*ginat*on of *eterritor**lized *amilies an* the need *or
*
*eterri*orializ*d center o* answer
to
the pu**les, or
even space for **agining alternate
communities. *n bri*f, White *eeth exp*ores th* dy**uncti*n within all f*m*li*s w**h humor
and humility. W*en *hite Tee*h was pub*ished in 2*00, reader* heralded it as a novel whose
depiction of m*lticult**al London was wide-*an*ing, compre*ensive, a*d
popul*ted w*th
diverse cata*ogu**, enum*rat*on*, list*.*i
With many protagoni**s, harried "Every(wo)man," S*ith offer* her r**ders *ists,
co**reh*nsive catalogues of the la** twentieth centu*y by *han*eli*g the voices of celebrities
and thin*ers, as well ** shots and
ta*es fro* *ev*ra* **ctional be*ngs *hat occupy both the
*a*n
narrative and its p**iph*ral s**houet*es. Star*i*g with the title of her novel, **ch
s*ectrum of Smith\s archive-novel is f**le* wi*h the q*esti*n* co**erning th* or*gin *f fait*,
th* mystery o* h*man co*scio*sness, and the r**ative fai*ures of the *dea of scie*ce. Before I
co*centra*e on four cruci*l l*sts/*ollections of dispara*e things, it i* *orth to mentio*, **
passant and amid se*eral oth*r enumeration*, *atalogue*, a*d *c*umulat*o*s,
the fo*l*wing
a*toun*ing lists: the cult*ral **laise *f not belongi*g (131), white teeth as
the sign of
*
common human heritage (1*4), t*e wrong-doings of the *irst des**ndan** of the great o*ean-
cross*ng e*perime*t (189), the Ragg*sta*i (one **o *dopts el*men*s of t*o languages an*
cultures, 200), the Laborare es* Ora*e ins*t (252), th* imitations of s*udied Cha*fenis* (288),
collec*ing bits an* *ob*
o* the p*st (343), the *r*ent*list* (428), and t*e *istor*ogr*phic
metafictional di*ression* (202, 209, 211, 219, 325) t*at subscr*b*, to some extent,
t o * *e
ep*gra* to the nove*: "Wha* is pas* is prologue."
The l*st/collection may be thought of *s the living world, *hich changes with the
accumulation of elements a*d wit* the add*tion of new re*at*onships, enhancing
*eform*lations. The first list **cord* Millat\s (Millat *s the youngest *f *he Iqba* boys by two
minute*, a re*ellious boy, he joi*s a Musl*m group) belongings and their loss t*erewithal:
Wh** *illat cam* hom* that evenin*, a great bonfire was r*g**g in the *ack ga**en.
All hi* secular s*uff -
f**r ye*rs\ worth o* co** pre- and post-Raggasta*i, eve*y
album, every poster, s*ecial-ed*tion t-s*irt*, club fliers collect** an* preserved over
two years, beautiful Air Max trainers, copies 20-75 *f 2000 AD Magaz*ne, signed
photo of Chuc* D., impossib*y rare copy of Sl*ck R*ck\* Hey Young Wo*ld, Catcher
in the Rye, his guitar, Godfather I and *I, Mean Streets, Rumblefish, Dog Day
A**ernoon
and Sha** in A**ic* - all had *een placed on the *un*ral p**e (S*ith
2 0 5 ).
Rev. *SA, Teres**a PI, v. *5, n. 5, *r*. 9, *. 169-*85, *et./out. *01*
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L. F. F. Sá
180
Langua*e is leaving *he narr*tive voice i* silence, f*r changes are shifting outsi*e t*e words.
Narrat*ve i*sel* s*em* *o collap*e, f*r instead *f bounc*ng home n*rrative bran*hes out a*d
bounce* a*ound the disp*rate things reg*stere* *d libitum. T*e subje*tive standpoints clash in
*e*m* of what *s suppose* to be "cool" and simul**ne*usly p*in* t* a time before and *ft*r the
s*-*alle* "oc*an-cros*ing experim*nt." V**ue is fragile and m*aning is elus*ve in *he
l * *t
above, espe*ially be*a*se *he movem*nt *t *erform* is one of *esire l*adi*g to des*air and to
desire again after the p*re c*nsumes the *hing* in*e*toried.
*h* se*ond l*st I wa*t to focus on relates to Marcus\s (Marcus is a scientist who has
*e*etica*ly engin*ered a mouse *o grow ca*cerous tumors. His work inspir** a great *eal of
d*sapproval ***m *any gro*ps, includin* an ani*al rights grou*, Millat's K*VIN, and
t he
Jehovah's W*tnesses) b*l*ngings and his room:
Marcu*\s room was p*rely *evoted to Marcus and Marc*s\s wo*k. A s*ud*. Like in
Austen or Upstairs, Downstairs or S*erlock H**me* There were four f*ling
c*binets, ope*-mouth*d *easts spitting pap*r; pap*r in pile* on th* flo*r, on the
shelve*, *n ci*cl*s ar*und th* chai*s s*are *outh*ieces, pipes ranging f**m the
standard U-bend t* ever m*re cu*ious shape*, *nuff box*s, a s*l**tion *f gauzes - a*l
*a** out in * velv**-lin*d le*ther case like a d*ctor\s ins*rument*. S*attere* abo*t the
wal*s *nd lining th* *ireplace *e*e p*oto* of the Chalfen clan, includin* c*me*y
p*rtrai*s of Joyc* in h*r pert-breasted h*ppy yout*, a retrou*sé nose sneak*ng ou*
be*ween two great sh*aths of
hair. And
th** a
fe* larger framed
centerpiece*. A
m** of th* Chalfen family tree. A hea*sho* *f Mendel looking p*eased with himse*f.
A big poster o* Einstein i* his Am*rica i**n stage - nu*ty professor ha*r, \su*prised\
lo*k an* *uge **pe - subtitled with *he quot* God *oes not p*ay dic* w*th the w****.
Finally, Marcu*\s large o*ken a*m*hair ba**ed on t* a portra*t of Crick and Watson
looking tired but ela*ed in fr*nt o* th**r *odel of deoxyribon*c*eic acid, a spiral
staircase of metal clamps, reaching from the floor of t*eir C*m*r*dge lab ** b*yond
the *co*e o* t*e *hotograph*r\s lens. (Smith 289-90).
Again, this second
list clearl* partic*p*tes in the
overall break-*p of language:
*he w**l*
scenario i* an u*decidable pr**lem f*r *hich it is imposs**l* t* cons*ruct a single set o* rules
*hat will lead *o a c*rrect or *lear-cu* answer. The *xtent t* which th*
two sets of people
alluded to e*plic*te the type of *a**ly the *halfens are is th* puzzle here: o*e the one hand,
Austen, Heid* Tho*as, and Holmes, and *n th* ot*er hand, M*ndel, Einstein, C*ick, Watso*,
an* God *imself. It *s a*so *lear how narrative col*aps*s in t*is exce*s *f meaning, something
that
i*evitabl* le*ds to *h* feeling that co*peting an* anomalous ide*s are *onfronted and
that g*uging their wo*th or useful*ess is n*t only a Herculea* but is a*so a P*otean ta*k.
T*e thi*d list that I w*** briefly ana*yze is *ssocia*ed with Mag*d (the eldest Iqbal so*
by tw* minu**s, he is a fo*mal y*ung man, polite and kind) a*d hi* witnessi*g *f the m*use:
*e*. FS*, Teres*na, v. 15, n. 5, art. 9, p. 16*-1*5, set./out. 2018
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Novelisti* Rui*s: Textual *ragme*tation *nd Contemp*rary Brit*sh Litera*ure
181
Magid *as proud to say he witnessed *very sta*e. H* witnessed th* custom design
*f the genes. He witnessed the germ injection.
He wi*nessed the artificial
ins*mination. And he witnesse* the birth, so different fr*m his
own. One mo*s*
only. No batt*e **wn the birth canal, no f*rst and s*cond, no saved and *n*ave*. *o
pot-luc*. No r*ndom fac*ors. No you have your *ather\s snout *nd *our **the*\s
*o*e ** *heese. No myst**ies ly*n* in wait. No doub* as to wh*n dea*h will arri*e. *o
h**i*g from ill*ess, no run*i*g *rom p*in. No *ue*tion
a*out who *as pu**ing *he
strings. No doub**u*
om**potence. No s*ak* fai**. No **estion
of a jour*ey, no
questio* o* gr*ener *ra*s, fo* wherever this m*use w*nt, its *i*e *ou*d be precise*y
the same. It would not travel *hro*gh time (and Tim*\s a bi*ch, Magid knew that
much now. Time i* the bi*ch), becau*e i*s future was equal to it* pr*sent which was
equal *o its past. A Ch*nese box of a mouse. No ot*er road*, n* missed
opportuniti*s, no parallel *o*sibi*ities. No secon* guessi**, no wh*t-i*s, no might-
*av*-been*. J*st c*rt*inty in its pure*t *or*. *nd what m**e, th**ght Magid - once
*he witne*si** was ove*,
once t*e mask *nd gloves were removed, once the white
coat was returned to it* ho*k - wh** *ore is *od than that? (Smith 4*9).
**is wh*l* l*st serv*s as * meta-com*entary on the Iqbal
twins (*i*l*t a*d Magid) and
*n
their ordeals relat** to t*e *ollo*ing
c*nflict*ng
pai*s: identity and heredity, re*i*ion and
*cien*e, six degre*s of *epa*ati*n (a small worl*) an* six *egrees of *reedom (*he *heoretical -
- fr*ught with irony *f directed to **e mind in cult*re -- freedom of movement of a rigid body
in three-dimen**onal space). Both conjunctiv* (the r*pe*ition of "n*") and disjunctiv*
(expressing * shattering o* schizophrenia in terms of th* items li*ted t*rough via negativa),
the *ist above reac**s the zeni*h of **ntradicti** or paradox: amidst u*certainty, a *erta*nty i*
its p*rest form, and *l*e*nat*vel*, amidst darkne*s, the p*rest visib*lity. In short, *his elo*uent
list serve* as a tr**ectory of past tenses prod**in* imperf*ct *uture* and as a directory of
m*moirs of the blind (un-see*ng w*at wa* not nec*ssarily shown).
The fourth *is* g*a*itates around the space of/for Briti*hnes*:
b*cause fo*tuna*ely after years of co*porate *ynaesthesia (salt & vin*g*rb**e, cheese
& *niongreen) pe*ple can finally g**e the answers requ**e* when a space is being
designed , or when s*mething is *eing rebrande* , a room/ furnitur*/ Br*tain (that
w*s the bri*f: a new *ritish r*o*, * spa*e for Britain, Brit*shn*ss, space of Brit**n,
British industrial spac* cul***al spa*e *pace); they know what *s mean* when a*ked
how matt chrome makes them feel;
and
they know what is meant by nation**
identity? symbols? *a*ntings? map*? music? air-condi*io*ing? *mi*ing
black
ch*ldren or s*iling Chi*ese
childr*n or [t*ck the box]? world *usic? shag or pile?
tile
or floorboards? plant*? ru*nin* water? they know wh*t th** wan*, especially
th*se wh*\ve lived this ce*tury, f*rced from one space to an**her l*ke Mr D* Winter
(né *ojci*ch), rena*ed, rebranded, the answer ** every *uestionnaire nothi*g
nothi*g spa*e pleas* just space nothing please nothin* space. (Smith 443).
With th*ir i*voca*ion appare*tly bo*rowed from Borges\s Ch*nese encycloped**t an* **eir
embracing of the principle accor*ing to which di*jointedne*s is t*e contemporary for* of the
ut*pian hope, i*a*e, an* resp*nse, Smith\s catalo*ue* multi*ly, apparently ad libi*um and
s*metim*s a* nause*m, the plays on sl*p*age an* shiftin*, and of *hings-within-t*ings, of
R**. FSA, *eresina PI, v. 15, n. 5, art. 9, *. 169-185, set./out. 20*8 www4.fsa**t.com.*r/revis**
L. F. F. *á
18*
lists-with**-lists t*at are pr**ent in *xplic** fashion, t* a greater or l*sser degr*e, in t** utopian
spa*e *f *ists *n co*temporary novels. T*e past-present-and-*mperfect-futur*s above is
a
checklist
of the "monstrous" or "mon*t*rly" things to come: fict*o* stranger than fiction,
fiction funni*r tha* f**tio*, f*c*io* cr*el*r than fiction, again a *a*t t*nse l*ading to a future
imperfect. (Smith 393) T*is *ast and ultimate collapse of langu*ge, narra**ve, standpoin*,
*alue, and me*n*ng is co*veyed thro*gh a *oetic, borde*ing on th* epic**, and highly *ronic,
*ist that *nds i* a t*utol*gy/te*atology: no*hing not**ng spa*e > just space > *othin* s*ace. Is
that supposed *o m*an that *pace r*branded or re*a*ed is not space? I w**ld *n*wer yes *nd
*o, *or the tr*ditional narrative s*ace of novels in **e *ast **s *een *eform*lated i*
*ontemporary
novels as t*e spatial int*rs*ice of the list/collection, *he
non-spa*e s*acing or
the *ee*ng w*thout s*owing *f a formal utopianism.
*hro*gh a*cumula*ion a*d paradox, t*e
poe**cs of t*e
list r*aches *he ac*e *f
orthodo*y a*d at the *ame tim* confounds all pre-constituted logi*a* or**r *r ordi*ary rea*ism
by emp*asizing an overall break-up of language, * collapse of *a*r*tiv*, a clash of *ubjecti**
standpoints, fragility of valu*, and elusi*en*ss of mean*ng. Disjointednes* in *i*ts, *hat I have
be*n c**l*ng formal
utopi*nism, is no* merely a f*rrago of morsels an* f*agments (**en
t*ough it *s clea*ly *e**ual f*agmentation), not merely t**nsi*ory insights into th*s *ra*mentary
j*gsaw, which *s *ur contemporary world, no* merely *he celebration of a mosaic with mis*ing
pi*ces. Disjointedness in l*s*s is
*ltimately the
c*llection of techn*ques by wh*ch
cont**porary nove*ists *eg*n to represent t*e
unrepresentable *i*e of a m*re particular and
circu*stantial vi*w of life.
Formal r*a*i*m has
to d* *ith a techni*ue -- how instead of what --, *nd formal
rea*ism, *ccordi*g to Eagl*ton, insis*s mo*t ar*e*tly upo* "th* recalcit*ance of reali*y to *ur
desires, t*e s*eer stub*o*n i*ertia with *hich it baf*l*s our designs upon it." (4-5) I p*opose
*hat *orma*
utopianism will focus, ** m*ans of lists, catalog*e*, in*en*ories,
and
enumerati*ns o* the subordination of rea*i*y
to our desires,
*e*ce the *heer stubborn irony
with which it wil*
contin*ous*y baffle our designs
up** i*. * mu*t add that in our
contem**rary w*rld t*is reco*niti*n is
s*elle*
out as a ce*ebration, perh*ps even as
t he
celebration *f *n irony. Novels are
a
*ense-making enterpr*se, espe*ially *n the*r l*sts,
inve*to*i*s, and accum*la*i*ns. The nov*l* d*scussed here are simultaneou*ly a se**e-making
*nterprise and a ki** o* ruin, in Ja**u*s D*rrida\s sense of the wor* in *emo*rs of the Blin*,
f** t*e ruin is tha* *emembr*n*e open as an eye or as th* hole in the skull cavi*y, w*ic* allows
u* to *ee w*thout *h*wing any*hing, *othing at all.
Rev. F*A, Teresi*a, v. *5, n. 5, art. 9, p. 169-*85, *et./out. 2*18 www4.fs*net.com.*r/revis*a
No*elistic Ruins: Textual F*agmentat*on and Conte*porary British L*teratu*e
**3
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i
More on lis*s, see Eco (2009), ** the order*ng of thing*, se* Foucault (1970), *n* on
co*lec*ions, see Baudr*llard (1996).
*i * keep p*rt o* *he m*thodology of my article pu**ished in 2*1*, ma*nly Terry Ea*leton and
Ge*rg *u**cs, and *se di*ferent object* of study.
iii Very illuminat*ng readi*gs of McEwan\s novel are: Finney (200*) and *idalgo (2005).
iv The *ritic** rec**tion of Haddon\s The Curious In*iden* of the Dog in the Night-T*m* is
diverse *n the *ay *he artic*e* shed light *n d*ffer*nt ar*a* *f the n**el: Blackford (2013),
Wo*den (*011), Ray (2013) and *arter (2007).
v There is n*t much in terms of ac*demic crit*cal r*cep*ion o* Mantel\s *ovel, b*t I d*rec* the
readers t* Rode** (2014).
*i Wh*te Teeth h*s en**ndled a plethora of rea*ings, but I w*ll c*te onl* the *r*ic*es that have
*ome connec*ions w*th the *resent discussion: Wa*ts (2*13), McMann (2012), Trimm
(2015) *nd *ell (2*06).
*ev. FSA, T*resin*, v. 15, *. 5, a**. 9, p. 169-185, set./out. 2018
www4.*sanet.*o*.b*/revista
Nov*listic Ruins: Textu*l Fragmen*ation and C*ntemp**ary Br*tish *iteratu*e
1*5
Como Re*erenc*ar ***e Artig*, confo*me ABNT:
SÁ, L. F. *. Novelistic Ruins: Tex*ual Fr*gmentation *nd Contempo*ary British Literature. Rev.
FS*, Ter*sina, v.15, n.5, art. 9, p. *69-185, set./o*t. 2018.
Cont*ibuição dos A*tores
L. F. F. Sá
1) c*ncep*ão e plan*jamento.
X
2) análise e i*ter*retação *os dados.
X
3) elaboração do rascunho ou *a revisão crítica do c**te*do.
*
4) par*icipação na aprovação da versão *inal do *a*uscrito.
X
R*v. FSA, Teresina PI, v. 15, n. 5, art. *, p. *69-185, set./out. 2018
www4.fsanet.co*.br/r*vis*a
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