The Identity Constructed/Deconstructed: Interpreting Narrative Deconstruction of Gender in Daphne Marlatt’s Ana Historic
Journal Title: International Journal of English and Literature (IJEL) - Year 2019, Vol 9, Issue 4
Abstract
Ana Historic (1988) by Daphne Marlatt is a well-known novel for its deployment of disruptive narrative strategies. This novel is unique for its attempt at shattering the illusion of a coherent narrative by defamiliarising our accepted notions of femininity, gender and sexual identity. The story line of this novel revolves around a protagonist called Annie Anderson, who moulds her life story not only from the preconceived traditional images of women, but also ventures into exploring new possible identities that she imagines for herself. It is praiseworthy that Marlatt deconstructs the narrative and linguistic structures to make possible the realisation of an independent woman's identity. Marlatt via her protagonist breaks the traditional stereotype of women as passive, docile or familial. In fact, she falsifies the notion of heterosexuality as the only norm which pushes both men and women into one framework by ruling out other complex constructions of gender and sexual identity. Thus, this research study aims to interrogate the heterosexual matrix by calling into question the concept of gender as stable category. Marlatt shows how gender can be conceived as fluid category by calling into question conventional understandings towards it.
Authors and Affiliations
Ritushmita Sharma
Keywords
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- EP ID EP651943
- DOI 10.24247/ijelaug20193
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