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"Claiming ownership of that freed self:" Toni Morrison's American counter-narrative
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"Claiming ownership of that freed self:" Toni Morrison's American counter-narrative
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McFarlane
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Caryl
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Caryl McFarlane
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Katherine
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Katherine Bassard
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Rutgers University
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Graduate School - New Brunswick
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theses
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2007
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2007
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English
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electronic
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vi, 251 pages
Abstract
This dissertation lends its voice to the works of those scholars who have used Morrison's numerous interviews, essays, and other works of non-fiction to navigate their reading of her prose. Focusing specifically on the similarity of historiographic approaches between The Black Book, Morrison's one historical project, and her fiction, I assert that all of Morrison's novels can be read as historical texts. The Black Book is comprised of variegated pieces of memorabilia, gathered by the authors from collectors, "people who had the original raw material documenting our life" ("Rediscovering" 15). It is, therefore, a (re)collection of pieces of memory, documented and undocumented. Although Morrison's first four novels, do not conform to the traditional definition of the historical novel in "recall[ing] a life which no longer exists," they are based on the same method of historical (re)collection employed in The Black Book, each incorporating documented and undocumented pieces of memory and memorabilia (Christian 328). Based on the aforementioned methodological similarity, I read Morrison's works in historical chronology rather than publication sequence to excavate her multi-layered narrative approach that she lays bare through the process of time.
While each of the novels discussed are comprised of various layers of interwoven individual narratives they unfold against the backdrop of a larger American narrative, the National Narrative. Reformulating Morrison's usage of the event based "national narrative" in her Simpson analysis, I argue that the National Narrative is the cohesion of two constructed narratives, white domination and black subjugation ("Official Story" 16). Although each protagonist, with the exception of Sethe in Beloved, has corporeal freedom, all are spiritually bound by difficult past histories, and by the Narrative impact in their present circumstances. Yet, the narrative of the protagonist's life serves as a counter-narrative to the National Narrative's constructions as he/she journeys towards spiritual recrudescence. However, none of Morrison's novels proceeds or concludes in a linearly definitive manner. Contrary to narratological convention, each novel includes fragmented time sequences and concludes with numerous questions unanswered encouraging the reader to participate in the textual conversation Morrison elicits with each opening sentence.
While each of the novels discussed are comprised of various layers of interwoven individual narratives they unfold against the backdrop of a larger American narrative, the National Narrative. Reformulating Morrison's usage of the event based "national narrative" in her Simpson analysis, I argue that the National Narrative is the cohesion of two constructed narratives, white domination and black subjugation ("Official Story" 16). Although each protagonist, with the exception of Sethe in Beloved, has corporeal freedom, all are spiritually bound by difficult past histories, and by the Narrative impact in their present circumstances. Yet, the narrative of the protagonist's life serves as a counter-narrative to the National Narrative's constructions as he/she journeys towards spiritual recrudescence. However, none of Morrison's novels proceeds or concludes in a linearly definitive manner. Contrary to narratological convention, each novel includes fragmented time sequences and concludes with numerous questions unanswered encouraging the reader to participate in the textual conversation Morrison elicits with each opening sentence.
Note
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Ph.D.
Note
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Includes bibliographical references (p. 239-249).
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Literatures in English
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Morrison, Toni--Criticism and interpretation
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African American women authors
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Graduate School - New Brunswick Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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doi:10.7282/T3W09693
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ETD doctoral
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Caryl McFarlane
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Rutgers University. Graduate School - New Brunswick
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I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
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