Linearity, Disruption, Simultaneity, and Circularity in Narratives - Why Time Matters in Storytelling

Event details

Monica Mastrantonio, visiting Professor at the University of York, presents a talk in the series “Current Research in Narrative Studies,” the research seminar of the British and Irish Association for Narrative Studies. These seminars are held in a hybrid format, with speakers and audience from the Association membership around the country, hosted at York by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Narrative Studies. 

Abstract:

Time is a fundamental category of human experience. Being so, it is deeply imbricated in human relations and language, playing a significant role in how the world is narrated. Ricoeur's model from Time and Narrative combines aspects of sequentially and causality, providing the structure to comprehend and interpret language in a linear model. However, there are other time conceptions and frames which are connected to disruption, instability, simultaneity, and circularity. This study will focus on fragmented and disruptive literature to elucidate how temporal disconnections are important in providing ruptures in the linear model, leading to new experiences and possibilities. Bergson’s concept of time as ‘la durée’ will be used as new narrative aesthetics in which language is not for comprehension, but for co-creation. Non-canonical authors, i.e. Thomas King and Hilda Hilst, will illustrate the matter: ‘Raven votes for herself and becomes Prime Minister. How could this happen, ask the animals. It’s easy, says Raven, when no one is paying attention, anything is possible’ (Thomas King, in 77 Fragments of a Familiar Ruin, 2019). ‘Do you intend to live under the stairs permanently? Are you listening to me, Hillé? Look, I don't want to upset you, but the answer isn't under there, do you hear? It's not under the stairs nor up here, on the top landing, can't you understand there is no answer? No, I didn't understand then and I don't understand now’ (Hilda Hilst, in The Obscene Madame D, 2012). Disruption, simultaneity, circularity, déjà-vu, dissonance, and dissidence are experienced when the chains of time are ruptured, leading to destabilization and unpredictability. New possibilities arise as disruptive authors play and experiment with multiple temporal possibilities showing that time is indeed relative, as are authors and readers. 

Bio:

Dr. Monica Mastrantonio is a visiting Professor at the Department of English and Related Literature at the University of York, UK. She is a psychologist and holds a Ph.D. in Critical Social Psychology. She has studied time narratives in a variety of projects from working hours in a factory to the year 2000 millennium turn in a national newspaper. Now, her research interests are in the literature of the self, memoirs, diaries, and letter studies with a focus on disruptive and non-linear narratives.