SELF-REFLEXIVE NARRATION IN J.M. COETZEE’S NOVELS FOE, THE MASTER OF PETERSBURG AND ELIZABETH COSTELLO
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2410-0927-2024-21-15Keywords:
self-reflection, reflexivity, narration, creativity, J.M. CoetzeeAbstract
This paper explores the evolution of self-reflexivity in the works of South-African English-speaking writer J.M. Coetzee. The emergence of self-reflexivity –a narrative mode focusing on the process of literary creation – is highlighted as a reaction to modern complexities. Self-reflexive texts often address their own creation, revealing their artificiality and questioning the boundaries between fiction and reality. The theoretical foundation draws from structuralist and semiotic approaches, with contributions from scholars like L. Hutcheon, J. Genette, W. Shmidt, P. Waugh, V. Zuseva-Ozkan etc. The study examines Coetzee’s novels Foe, The Master of Petersburg, and Elizabeth Costello, where self-reflexivity manifests in different forms. In Foe, Susan Barton, the protagonist, embodies the act of authorship, deconstructing conventional adventure narratives and reflecting on the art of storytelling. The narrative frequently includes metatextual commentary, emphasizing the novel’s constructedness. In The Master of Petersburg, the protagonist Dostoevsky transforms reality into an artistic narrative, blending his creative process with intertextual references to Russian literary traditions. The novel uses free indirect discourse to merge the narrator’s and protagonist’s perspectives, illustrating the fluidity between fiction and the creative mind. Elizabeth Costello blurs the lines between fiction and commentary, with the protagonist reflecting on the creative process and the nature of the novel itself. The narrative includes explicit interruptions, metatextual commentary, and sensory engagement with language, folding the story back upon itself. The analysis underscores the significance of Coetzee’s self-reflexive narrative techniques in revealing the intricate relationship between text, author, and reader. By focusing on the mechanisms of self-reflective writing, the study offers new insights into how contemporary literature addresses the interplay between fiction, reality, and creativity.
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