Research Article
BibTex RIS Cite

The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje

Year 2021, Volume: 31 Issue: 2, 547 - 564, 06.12.2021
https://doi.org/10.26650/LITERA2020-835634

Abstract

Coined by Stephan Greenblatt in 1980s, new historicism flourished as a literary approach which presents new perspectives on the perception of history. It basically challenges the traditional understanding of history which claims that history records and interprets past events objectively in a chronological order. New historicists, therefore, centre on the representations of history, not the history itself as they assert that there is not a single objective history, but there are multiple subjective histories. As new historicism claims that history may be represented only subjectively, truths for new historicists are always unstable. Thus, new historicism states that history is not regarded as a grand narrative dictating a single meaning, truth or essence. The purpose of this article is to examine how history is represented in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family, which is described as a fictionalised autobiographical memoir, from a new historicist perspective. As a Canadian diasporic writer returning to Sri Lanka, his birth place, after a long absence, Ondaatje reconstructs his family history by depending on memories, gossip, and rumour all of which are unreliable and subjective. Similarly, while reconstructing Sri Lankan history, the narrative is based on colonial discourse which fantasies or even mythologizes the island. Therefore, this article attempts to demonstrate how history is reconstructed and narrated in subjective ways which bring out multiple histories by focalising the unreliable memories and colonial discourse.

References

  • Adams, T. (2000). Light Writing and Life Writing: Photography in Autobiography. New York: University of North Carolina Press. google scholar
  • Barry, P. (2009). Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press. google scholar
  • Bladek, M. (2012). The Place One Had Been Years Ago: Mapping the Past in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. Life Writing, 9(4), 391-406. google scholar
  • Bolton, M. (2008). Michael Ondaaatje’s ‘Well-Told-Lie’: The Ethical Invitation of Historiographic Aesthetics. Prose Studies: History, Theory, Criticism, 30(3), 221-242. google scholar
  • Booker, M. K. (1996). A Practical Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism. New York: Longman Publishers. google scholar
  • Brannigan, J. (1998). New Historicism and Cultural Materialism. London: Macmillan Press. google scholar
  • Davis, R. G. (1996). Imaginary Homelands Revisited in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. English Studies, 77(3), 266-274. google scholar
  • Foucault, M. (1986). The Discourse on Language. In H. Adams & L. Searle (eds.), Critical Theory Since 1965 (pp. 148-162). Tallahassee: Florida State UP. google scholar
  • Foucault, M. (1991). The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences. London: Routledge. google scholar
  • Foucault, M. (1995). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. New York: Vintage Books. google scholar
  • Greenblatt, S. J. (1990). Learning to Curse: Essays in Early Modern Culture. New York and London: Routledge. google scholar
  • Gudmundsdottir, G. (2003). Borderlines: Autobiography and Fiction in Postmodern Life Writing. New York: Rodopi. google scholar
  • Guerin, W. L. (2011). A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. google scholar
  • Huggan, G. (1995). Exoticism and Ethnicity in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. Essays on Canadian Canadian Writing, 57, 116-127. google scholar
  • Hutcheon, L. (1988). A Poetics of Postmodernism: History, Theory, Fiction. New York: Routledge. google scholar
  • Montrose, L. (2000). Professing the Renaissance: The Poetics and Politics of Culture. In J. Rivkin, & M. Ryan (Eds.), Literary Theory: An Anthology (pp. 776-785). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. google scholar
  • Ondaatje, M. (1982). Running in the Family. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. google scholar
  • Said, E. (1979). Orientalism. New York: Vintage. google scholar
  • Said, E. (2000). Invention, Memory, and Place. Critical Inquiry 26, 175-192. google scholar
  • Solecki, S. (2003). Ragas of Longing: The Poetry of Michael Ondaatje. Toronto: University of Toronto Publishing. google scholar
  • Smyth, W. J. (2006). Map-Making, Landscapes and Memory: A Geography of Colonial and Early Modern Ireland. Indiana: University of Notre Dame Publishing. google scholar
  • Tyson, L. (2006). Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide. New York: Routledge. google scholar
  • Zivkovic, M. (2004). Memory and Place in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. Linguistics and Literature, 11, 97-109. google scholar

Michael Ondaatje’nin Running in the Family Eserinde Tarihin Müphem Temsilleri

Year 2021, Volume: 31 Issue: 2, 547 - 564, 06.12.2021
https://doi.org/10.26650/LITERA2020-835634

Abstract

Yeni tarihselcilik, 1980li yıllarda Stephan Greenblatt tarafından öne sürülen ve tarih algısına yeni bakış açıları sunan bir edebi yaklaşımdır. Esasen bu yaklaşım, tarihin geçmiş olayları nesnel olarak kronolojik bir sıra içerisinde kayıt altına alıp yorumladığını iddia eden geleneksel tarih anlayışına karşı çıkmaktadır. Bu yüzden, tek bir nesnel tarihin olmadığını ancak birçok öznel tarihin olduğunu kabul ettikleri için yeni tarihselciler tarihin kendisi üzerinde değil, tarihin temsilleri üzerinde yoğunlaşırlar. Yeni tarihselcilik tarihin sadece öznel olarak yansıtıldığını iddia ettiği için, yeni tarihselciler için hakikatler her zaman değişkendir. Bu yüzden yeni tarihselcilik tarihin tek bir anlam, hakikat ya da öz dikte eden bir üst anlatı olarak kabul edilmediğini belirtir. Bu makalenin amacı, Michael Ondaatje’nin kurgulanmış otobiyografik anı olarak tarif edilen Running in the Family adlı eserini yeni tarihselci bir bakış açısıyla incelemektir. Uzun bir yokluktan sonra doğum yeri olan Sri Lanka’ya dönen Kanadalı diasporal bir yazar olarak Ondaatje, hepsi güvenilmez ve öznel olan anılara, dedikodulara ve söylentilere bağlı olarak kendi aile tarihini yeniden düzenler. Benzer bir şekilde Sri Lanka tarihini yeniden şekillendirirken anlatı, adayı fantezileştiren hatta mitleştiren kolonyal söyleme dayanır. Bu yüzden bu makale, tarihin birçok tarihi ortaya çıkaran öznel yollarla nasıl yeniden şekillendirildiğini ve anlatıldığını güvenilmeyen anılar ve kolonyal söyleme odaklanarak göstermeye çalışmaktadır

References

  • Adams, T. (2000). Light Writing and Life Writing: Photography in Autobiography. New York: University of North Carolina Press. google scholar
  • Barry, P. (2009). Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory. Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press. google scholar
  • Bladek, M. (2012). The Place One Had Been Years Ago: Mapping the Past in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. Life Writing, 9(4), 391-406. google scholar
  • Bolton, M. (2008). Michael Ondaaatje’s ‘Well-Told-Lie’: The Ethical Invitation of Historiographic Aesthetics. Prose Studies: History, Theory, Criticism, 30(3), 221-242. google scholar
  • Booker, M. K. (1996). A Practical Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism. New York: Longman Publishers. google scholar
  • Brannigan, J. (1998). New Historicism and Cultural Materialism. London: Macmillan Press. google scholar
  • Davis, R. G. (1996). Imaginary Homelands Revisited in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. English Studies, 77(3), 266-274. google scholar
  • Foucault, M. (1986). The Discourse on Language. In H. Adams & L. Searle (eds.), Critical Theory Since 1965 (pp. 148-162). Tallahassee: Florida State UP. google scholar
  • Foucault, M. (1991). The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences. London: Routledge. google scholar
  • Foucault, M. (1995). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. New York: Vintage Books. google scholar
  • Greenblatt, S. J. (1990). Learning to Curse: Essays in Early Modern Culture. New York and London: Routledge. google scholar
  • Gudmundsdottir, G. (2003). Borderlines: Autobiography and Fiction in Postmodern Life Writing. New York: Rodopi. google scholar
  • Guerin, W. L. (2011). A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature. New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press. google scholar
  • Huggan, G. (1995). Exoticism and Ethnicity in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. Essays on Canadian Canadian Writing, 57, 116-127. google scholar
  • Hutcheon, L. (1988). A Poetics of Postmodernism: History, Theory, Fiction. New York: Routledge. google scholar
  • Montrose, L. (2000). Professing the Renaissance: The Poetics and Politics of Culture. In J. Rivkin, & M. Ryan (Eds.), Literary Theory: An Anthology (pp. 776-785). Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. google scholar
  • Ondaatje, M. (1982). Running in the Family. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart. google scholar
  • Said, E. (1979). Orientalism. New York: Vintage. google scholar
  • Said, E. (2000). Invention, Memory, and Place. Critical Inquiry 26, 175-192. google scholar
  • Solecki, S. (2003). Ragas of Longing: The Poetry of Michael Ondaatje. Toronto: University of Toronto Publishing. google scholar
  • Smyth, W. J. (2006). Map-Making, Landscapes and Memory: A Geography of Colonial and Early Modern Ireland. Indiana: University of Notre Dame Publishing. google scholar
  • Tyson, L. (2006). Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide. New York: Routledge. google scholar
  • Zivkovic, M. (2004). Memory and Place in Michael Ondaatje’s Running in the Family. Linguistics and Literature, 11, 97-109. google scholar
There are 23 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Creative Arts and Writing
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Ersoy Gümüş 0000-0002-3919-336X

Publication Date December 6, 2021
Submission Date December 3, 2020
Published in Issue Year 2021 Volume: 31 Issue: 2

Cite

APA Gümüş, E. (2021). The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje. Litera: Journal of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, 31(2), 547-564. https://doi.org/10.26650/LITERA2020-835634
AMA Gümüş E. The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje. Litera. December 2021;31(2):547-564. doi:10.26650/LITERA2020-835634
Chicago Gümüş, Ersoy. “The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje”. Litera: Journal of Language, Literature and Culture Studies 31, no. 2 (December 2021): 547-64. https://doi.org/10.26650/LITERA2020-835634.
EndNote Gümüş E (December 1, 2021) The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje. Litera: Journal of Language, Literature and Culture Studies 31 2 547–564.
IEEE E. Gümüş, “The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje”, Litera, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 547–564, 2021, doi: 10.26650/LITERA2020-835634.
ISNAD Gümüş, Ersoy. “The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje”. Litera: Journal of Language, Literature and Culture Studies 31/2 (December 2021), 547-564. https://doi.org/10.26650/LITERA2020-835634.
JAMA Gümüş E. The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje. Litera. 2021;31:547–564.
MLA Gümüş, Ersoy. “The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje”. Litera: Journal of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, vol. 31, no. 2, 2021, pp. 547-64, doi:10.26650/LITERA2020-835634.
Vancouver Gümüş E. The Dubious Representations of Histories in Running in the Family by Michael Ondaatje. Litera. 2021;31(2):547-64.