Metatnarrative in Conrad's Heart of Darkness
C. Patrick Ormos
Prof. William Napier
LIT-500-Q1098 Gr Studies in Literary Theory 14TW1
3 October 2014
Compose a short two- to three-page paper in which you illustrate how one of the literary theories discussed in Modules Two through Five applies to either James’ The Turn of the Screw or Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. As this is a short paper, be sure to narrow the theoretical focus of your application. For example, if you use narratology, you might choose to apply Chatman’s concepts of how narrative “records thought and feeling” or Bahktin’s ideas of “heteroglossia” but not both; if you work on postmodernism, you might focus on Lyotard’s theory of “metanarratives” or Baudrillard’s theory of “the simulacrum” but not both.
The main purpose of your paper will be to demonstrate how your theory works in and helps to illuminate some element of the novel. Although they tend to be longer than and not always as focused as required in this assignment, the conclusions to Peter Barry’s chapters offer such examples of theory applied.
Metanarrative in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
In seeking truth, science legitimates itself through metanarratives, grand narratives which attempt a broad unity through generalization, and which provide meaning through these narratives. (Lyotard 355) In this article, Lyotard examines the nature of the discourse/narrative which legitimates these truth claims, arguing that metanarratives are used for the truth claims, and that these grand metanarratives are inevitably false. He urges us to find truth in mini-narratives, “which are provisional, contingent, temporary, and relative and which provide a basis for the actions of specific groups in particular local circumstances.” (Barry 83) Lyotard seeks to privilege the local and the particular over the universal and the general. Thus, he approaches these metanarratives with skepticism, including in his questioning reason, technology and the assumptions of both science and industrial society.
Prof. William Napier
LIT-500-Q1098 Gr Studies in Literary Theory 14TW1
3 October 2014
Compose a short two- to three-page paper in which you illustrate how one of the literary theories discussed in Modules Two through Five applies to either James’ The Turn of the Screw or Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. As this is a short paper, be sure to narrow the theoretical focus of your application. For example, if you use narratology, you might choose to apply Chatman’s concepts of how narrative “records thought and feeling” or Bahktin’s ideas of “heteroglossia” but not both; if you work on postmodernism, you might focus on Lyotard’s theory of “metanarratives” or Baudrillard’s theory of “the simulacrum” but not both.
The main purpose of your paper will be to demonstrate how your theory works in and helps to illuminate some element of the novel. Although they tend to be longer than and not always as focused as required in this assignment, the conclusions to Peter Barry’s chapters offer such examples of theory applied.
Metanarrative in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
In seeking truth, science legitimates itself through metanarratives, grand narratives which attempt a broad unity through generalization, and which provide meaning through these narratives. (Lyotard 355) In this article, Lyotard examines the nature of the discourse/narrative which legitimates these truth claims, arguing that metanarratives are used for the truth claims, and that these grand metanarratives are inevitably false. He urges us to find truth in mini-narratives, “which are provisional, contingent, temporary, and relative and which provide a basis for the actions of specific groups in particular local circumstances.” (Barry 83) Lyotard seeks to privilege the local and the particular over the universal and the general. Thus, he approaches these metanarratives with skepticism, including in his questioning reason, technology and the assumptions of both science and industrial society.
Cited: Barry, Peter. Beginning Theory (3rd Ed.). Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 2009. print. Conrad, Joseph. "www.Scribd.com/heart of darkness." 2010. www.scribd.com. web. 15 09 2014. Lyotard, Jean-Francois. "The Postmodern Condition." Rivkin, Julie & Michael Ryan. Literary Theory: An anthology (second edition). Blackwell Publishing, 2010. 355-364. Print.