Die Hausarbeit soll dem Leser am Beispiel des Werkes die verschiedenen Ebenen der Fokalisation etc. näherbringen.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Analysis
3. Interpretation
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the narrative structure of Penelope Lively’s novel "Moon Tiger" to determine whether the protagonist, Claudia Hampton, maintains a truly liberal storytelling approach or if she dominates the narrative in an egocentric manner by subjectively altering memories and perspectives.
- Narrative levels and focalisation theories by Gérard Genette and Stanzel.
- The discrepancy between Claudia’s self-perception as a liberal storyteller and her actual narrative control.
- Subjective manipulation of flashbacks and character portrayals.
- The role of the extradiegetic narrator in undermining Claudia’s egocentric account.
- Feminist perspectives on Claudia’s rejection of conventional roles.
Excerpt from the Book
3. Interpretation
Claudia Hampton refers to herself as a storyteller who lets other voices speak, too. However, in the novel there is evidence that she is not quite as liberal as she claims to be.
She lets other voices speak to, as one can see in the flashback episodes. However, she does not give the exact wording of other characters, she influences them, consciously or unconsciously, subjectively by remembering them, whereat she adds words, changes wordings or leaves out phrases other characters have said. This happens for example when she is standing with Jasper in front of the Chinese dish in the Museum (Lively 11, 12). There are two flashbacks of the same scene, at first sight only differing in length and the focalisation, one internally focalised by Claudia and one by Jasper. On second sight some changes occur in the precise wording of both characters. It is only words like “incidentally” or the mere fact that some direct speech in Claudia’s part is indirectly spoken in Jasper’s. However, the inconsequence of Claudia’s storytelling is clearly visible in the exact part. She does not only leave out things in Jasper’s part that have been said already in her part. She also changes what is said, partially even significantly.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the novel "Moon Tiger" and the protagonist Claudia Hampton, outlining the thesis's intent to analyze the novel's narrative levels using the theories of Genette and Stanzel.
2. Analysis: This section details the various levels of narrative within the novel, including hospital episodes, interior monologues, and flashbacks, while defining their specific focalisation and functions.
3. Interpretation: This chapter investigates evidence of Claudia’s subjective manipulation of memories and character depictions, contrasting her claims of liberal storytelling with her actual egocentric control.
4. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the previous arguments to confirm that Claudia is an egocentric storyteller whose narrative control is ultimately superseded by the extradiegetic narrator.
Keywords
Moon Tiger, Penelope Lively, Claudia Hampton, Narrative Levels, Focalisation, Gérard Genette, Stanzel, Egocentrism, Subjectivity, Flashbacks, Extradiegetic Narrator, Feminist Literature, Memory, Storytelling, Historiography.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this academic work?
The work explores the narrative complexity of Penelope Lively’s "Moon Tiger," focusing specifically on how protagonist Claudia Hampton’s memories and storytelling methods shape the reader's perception of truth.
What are the central themes examined in this thesis?
The central themes include the subjectivity of memory, the power dynamics of storytelling, the reliability of a narrator, and the feminist implications of Claudia’s unconventional life choices.
What is the core research question?
The research question asks whether Claudia Hampton is truly a liberal storyteller who allows other voices to be heard, or if she exercises an egocentric, dominant control over the narrative.
Which theoretical framework is applied in this analysis?
The analysis utilizes the narratological theories of Gérard Genette and Franz Stanzel to categorize and evaluate the different levels of narration and focalisation present in the novel.
What is the focus of the main body of the work?
The main body breaks down the novel into its distinct narrative layers (hospital episodes, interior monologues, and flashbacks) and interprets specific text passages where Claudia’s account diverges from other perspectives.
Which keywords best characterize this research?
Key terms include narrative levels, focalisation, subjectivity, egocentrism, unreliable narration, and Penelope Lively.
How does the author define the relationship between Claudia and her daughter Lisa?
The analysis suggests that Claudia views her daughter as inferior and attempts to "snuff her out" or diminish her significance, which is contrasted with the view of the overall narrator in the hospital scenes.
What is the significance of the flashback scenes in the interpretation?
The flashbacks are critical because they depict the same events from different perspectives, revealing how Claudia intentionally or unintentionally alters the wording and content to favor her own narrative position.
Why is the role of the extradiegetic narrator considered significant at the end of the book?
The extradiegetic narrator is crucial because they provide an objective perspective that contradicts Claudia’s subjective account and continues the story even after Claudia’s character dies, effectively stripping her of her narrative authority.
- Quote paper
- Yannick Allgaier (Author), 2013, Penelope Lively's "Moon Tiger". Levels of narrative, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/271320
