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"Recalling this": Language and Irony in Nadine Gordimer's My Son's Story.

  • Published In: Modern Fiction Studies, 2023, v. 69, n. 4. P. 707 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Makkar, Jap-Nanak Kaur 3 of 3

Abstract

This essay interprets Nadine Gordimer's My Son's Story in relation to the history of irony, focusing particularly on the ideas of Paul de Man. By considering Gordimer's engagement with theory in essays she wrote during the novel's composition, I argue that she acquired an appreciation for the notion that language mediates one's relationship to reality; such a principle lets her develop the novel's ironic conceit. The effect of the novel is to shift attention away from ethical conundrums posed by oppression to problems of representation: an effect that helps us to understand certain features of theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Modern Fiction Studies. 2023/12, Vol. 69, Issue 4, p707
  • Document Type:Literary Criticism
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0026-7724
  • DOI:10.1353/mfs.2023.a915963
  • Accession Number:174424672
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Modern Fiction Studies is the property of Johns Hopkins University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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