Fictional Worlds PDF
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Fictional Worlds Thomas G. Pavel Harvard University Press Cambridge, Massachusetts, and London, England Copyr©i g1h9t8b 6yt hPer esiadneFdne tl lows ofH arvCaorldl ege Alrli grhetsse rved Prinitnte hdUe n itSetda otfeA sm erica 109 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 LibroafCr oyn gCraetsasl oging-Diant-aP ublication PavTehlo,m Ga.s1, 9 41- Fiocntawilo rlds. Bibliogpr.a phy: Incliunddeesx . 1.F icti2o.Sn e.m antIi.Tc ist.l e. ISB0N- 674-2(9a9lp6ka5.p- e(5rc )l oth) ISBN 0-674(-p2a9p%e6r-)3 viii · Preface the Causal Theory of Names" (1979) and "Tragedy and the Sacred" (1982); Studies in 20th Century Literature for "Fictional Landscapes" (1982); Philosophy and Literature for "Incomplete Worlds, Ritual Emo tions" (1982); and Poetics Today for "Borders of Fiction" (1983). I wish to express my gratitude to the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada, for several research grants, and to the Canada Council for the Killam Research Fellowship, which enabled me to spend 1980-81 at Harvard University and 1982-83 at the Ecole Contents des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris, where I finished the first draft of this book. I am grateful to the University of Quebec at Montreal for secretarial help during the last stages of manuscript preparation. A large number of colleagues, students, and friends offered stim ulating criticism and advice. Special thanks are due to Keith Arnold, 1 Beyond Structuralism 1 Morton Bloomfield, Claude Bremond, Christine Brooke-Rose, Lu 2 Fictional Beings 11 bomir Dole2el, Umberto Eco, Wlad Godzich, Claudio Guillen, Ben jamin Hrushovski, Jens Ihwe, Zoltan Kanyo, Shalom Lappin, Georges 3 Salient W odds 43 Leroux, Brian McHale, Dan Nescher, Hilary Putnam, Marie-Laure Ryan, Teun van Dijk, Douglas Walker, and John Woods. 4 Border, Distance, I feel particularly indebted to Menahem Brinker and Kendall Wal Size, Incompleteness 73 ton, whose detailed remarks and suggestions have been included in 5 Conventions 114 the present version. Warm thanks go to my editors, Joyce Backman and Lindsay Waters, for their good advice and unfailing patience. 6 The Economy of the Imaginary 136 Notes 151 References 159 Index 173 FictWoirolndasl Preface T HE LAST few decades have witnessed a considerable variety of research on narrative and dramatic fiction focused on the formal properties of literary texts. The semantics of fiction has remained, however, at the periphery of critical attention. Yet a comprehensive theory of literature needs a viable account of literary content that would complement formal and rhetorical studies. In contrast to the reluctance of formalist poetics to address the semantic aspects of fic tion, recent analytical philosophy and aesthetics have been devoting an ever-increasing energy to their exploration. The temptation to cross boundaries soon became irresistible, and indeed most literary scholars who offer semantic contributions have borrowed their no tions from modal logic and speech-act theory. By proposing a survey of the semantics of fiction, I am attempting to pave the way for a theory sensitive to the nature and function of imaginary worlds, the representational force of fiction, and the links between literature and other cultural systems. After an introduction that criticizes classical structuralism, Chapters 2 and 3 evaluate the literary relevance of various philosophical stands on fictional beings and worlds. An exploration, in the fourth chapter, of several features of fictional worlds leads, in Chapter 5, to a discussion of literary conventions. The links between fiction and the broader economy of culture constitute my last chapter. Earlier versions of parts of this book appeared in the following journals, and I am grateful for permission to reuse the material: Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism for "Possible Worlds in Literary Se mantics" (1975) and "Ontological Issues in Poetics" (1981 ); Poetics (North-Holland Publishing Company, Amsterdam) for "Fiction and TheoorfyN ah(119e97s)" n ad" Tragaentddhy Se a cred" in2 0tChe ntLuirtyre emfo tr"u FictLiaonndaslc apes" anLdi teforra" tIunrceo mpleRtiet EuWmaoolr lds, PoeTotdiacfoysr " BordoefFr isc t(i1 o9n8"3 ). 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Ife epla rticiunldaetrboMlt eyen da hBermi nakneKdre ndWaalll tonw,h odseet arielmeadar nksdsu ggeshtaivboeen eisnn cliund ed thper esveenrtsW iaorntm.h agnokts om ye ditJooryBsca,ec kman anLdi ndWsaatyefo rrts h,e gioroa dd vaincuden faiplaitncig.ee n I,,,, 1 � Beyond Structuralism M Y puripnto hsbieos o ikts o d iusscsso moeft hmea iins ssue raibsyet dht eh eoorffiy c tiaofi ne,le dm ergaittn hgce r oss rosao dflitecrrairtyai ncpdih siml osOonpt hhype.h ilosospihdee,r s' thien teirnfie csttifi otnnsa turianlttlohdy ee veloopfmm eondte rn philosoofplhainegasun aldgo egS itca.r wtiitFnhrg e Rgues,s aenldl , Wittgentshptere oignro,afa m n alypthiiclaolsh oaapdshi ytc se ntral tastkhc el arifiocfpa htiiloons loapnhgiuctaahglre o ugh careful scru tinoyfc onceapnttdsh c eo nstroufcp toiwoenrl fuolgl im coadels. Duritnhgee a rsltyea sog ft hien qupihriyl,o sfoocpsuheetdrh se ir attenotnfri eoenir nagt idoinsaclofr uomr tshete r appoifon rgdsi nary, prelolgaincgauwlah geerv,ea ignua em,b igeuxopurse sosftiedonin ss plaayl i ngufoirsmqt uiicat tve a riwaintctheh eliorg isctarlu cture, sometmiimselse ardeifnegrtlroyni onnge xiesntteinRttei geism.e n tant oifol anguiangveo ltvheeeld i minoafat miboing uaintdoi fe s misguriedfeedr iettnh ceer;eh foartdeo d evoctoen sideenrearbglye tofo rgians ge cluirbneek t wleienng ueixsptriecsa snitdoh snets sa te ofa ffatiarlsak beodbu ett,w leaenng aunadrg eea lBiusttiy n.wc iet,h in thlea nguoafug nem istatkrauebtxlhpe,r esssuicaohs"n tsh fley ing biradn"d" thfley ihnogr srece"e iavd ei ffetrreenatt (mtehfinertt s exprersesaidoaincl cye ptthseeed c,o fanidl rienfegr etnetsiptahsli) , losopwhereeri sn evilteatdb ofal vyo lri tvearrailoe ftl iaensg uage ovefirc tionmaelt aapnhudos reTishc.el ogifocramla lipsrmosp osed duritnhpgie sr eixopdr eeslsilmyifi ncattielodan naglua asag ed eviant phenomtehnhaoitnn dtehrceso urosfre e presenltaantgiuoangael. Morree cenhtolwye,va estr h,ee a rsleilefr- rigsah ntrdee ofusnes ormationrtye notfai noanlsy pthiiclaolsg orpahdyug aalvwleay yt o ano utlmooorkte o leorfta hnveta rioeftlyi nguusiepsshlt,ioi sco sp her ofl ogainclda ngusatgaer ttoqe ude sntt hiseoo undonfle ismsi ting 2 Fictio11ul rVorlds thien qruyti op lna ireferdeinsutcriosaTelh. er eoriebnrtoautgihotn abobuytr eseianrm cohd allo gaincpd o ssiblsee-mwtaoisnrhc lads drawtneha ttenotfli oogni ctioawnatsrh dce l ose bkeitnewsehni p possyia bnifdli icttion:u nfedorrramfitecertdlib,yoe ng itnoses r ve as mae asno fc hecktihenexg p lanpaotwoeorrfly o gical hypotheses anmdo deSlisn.fic cet idoinsaclo ursfeor rna iylm laogwiskn ianblde ofc onfabul,avtiitochnoo nustnt tar,na sdii cnl't hree belplrioopus ertoifle ist earna1dru yy thofliocgdtiuicolanll emnogsmeto dealnsd appetaodr e feya srye gimenlteiartrtaypi hoenn,o mmeanyba eu nder stotoopd r ovais deev teerset girunongdf utrr lrs1e1m1aan1lt ics. Outesl iodgpirco ptehrme,o rreea lxesdt andoafar ndasil cypathli losohpahvlye e tdoa r eviovfca oln cfoerrt nhp er opeorffit tciieosn : aiminpgr oastp etcheteni tnsigpr eec torfulimn gaucitsitvsiiepcte icehs, acpth iloscoapnhnenoretsg lect dfiiscctoiwuohrnistaleole,l erant episltoegmiosrtesp,l atchicenl gac saisldi eoafa r ealuintiyqa uned undiv\iYdieatm dhu ltitpyol fei qc:uitvlallywi odr vledr sihoanvse, comet ol ooaktfi ctiaojsnu satn otohfte hre nsuem ervoeurss ions, b nom eanlse wsosr tthhyai ntc so mpetitors.' y StructaunrLdai ltieSsremam rayn tics Inl ityec rrairtainctdih semo trhgyer, o wiinngt eirnte hspetr operties offi ctnilado iscogurredswue r iapn egr wihoedsn t ructmuertahloidsst anidd eiansc reamseitwni gtclhhyl a elnNgoet.u nltihkeeea yro lp ponenotfsts r ucturwahlodi issml,ti hkieen dv asoifao s nc ientific ideoliongttyohp er ivgartoeu onftd hshe u maniptoisetss,t rtu cturalis andde constrcurcitrtieioacncsait gseatdi s ntsrtu ctutraaslftiiesi mr' s scileinckcecer tiTtout dheqesu .efo srta u niqwueel,l -dsetufircned turoef t hlei tetreaxtrthy,pe o ststrsuc cotnutrratalhsisetse etadr ch form ultriepaldei dnegsestdt,i o sn hotwh tahte irnseo s ucthh iansg thmee anionrtg h e storfau w cotru3k Ir.nae s imivleairan l,ot uhgh froma d ifferanegnltve a,r itoruessni dnr eader-ocrrciiietsnimt ed denoutnhcseet dr uctoubrsaelswisisitotohb n j ecptriovpeeo rftt hiee s litetreaxsrthy,o wtihniagit tn evliylt etadobt hnee gloefrc etc eption proce(sSsuelse i1m9a8Tn0o,;m pksi,9n SlU ). Buitm pati\\'eintschte r uctscuireanlptriiesfittce notriw oiuttshh, e unremittifonrog b jseecaatrnicudvhn e i velristaeplrr aortpyise e,ri s notth oen lcyo nceirveaabctltoeti hotinrs e Onpdp.o sittosir tonnc tuarlismmjayua ss\ tv odrli giinntah ttet.e ' Lt'htwla hiliniegt s stn rgoly adverctaifolsrlae r da tisocniaelcns, tt iuofidfly i terwaatisdun ereed Beyond Stru3c turalism worhpt ursutihnsegt ,r uctwuaryoa fil mipslte meintotswi npn rgo grammo sto ftfaeinl teodd o j usttiotc heeex pectations raised. Inas eroifie nsfl uepnatrpiseta hlal tat ihdfoe u ndaotfiF orne nch structuCrlaaluLidesevm i,- Ssturmamuosnasen dt hroapnomldoo rgey gernaeltlhhyeu miaetnsit or eafocrha enws ciensttiabfitycue sm ulagtt ihaned vanocfse tsr ucltiunrgaualin smdto irsceps e cibfiyc ally apypilnpgh onolomgoidcewalhlsi ,c ihnh ivsi erwe prestehnet ed paramd oifsg cienstuicficicena ss so cfiiaelCl lda.i mtihnaegta rrl ie mytholorgeisceafaalir lctehodu nderstthaaern bdi troaflr iinness guisstiig,hcn e ss ubmitthtsaeitdn mcyet hbse halvieakl ea nguage, tom istshe isss etnrtuiatamhlo unttobe edi bnlgo cakatep dr escientific staFgoehr.i ma,r bitrfraereimdny etshso lomgeiacnaifrlno gmi ts dependoentn hcseeu perficiaolfg ifevasettnuo rroeirsse t sos rcyh e matCaa.rJ lu nga'sss umptthiaaogt ni vmeynt holopagtintca ealrl wayhsa tsh sea mmee an"iincsgo mparaLbelvei,-"Sw trroat"uets,os thleo nsgu ppoerrotrret dh aas to umnady p ossaec sesr taafiftniy n i witamh e anifonrig n:s ttahn'ecl ei qsueimdi'v owwietwlhas t .e.r. Whateevmeern datthioeor ni gfoirnmaull amtaiyno onw c afolrl, everybwioldalyg rteheat thS ea ussuprreiannco iftp hlaeer bitrary chaterroa ftc hlei uicss t(iw�ans ap rereqfourit shaiect cee sosfi on ng lingutiots htseic cise nlteiv"fi4e Tclh .es earfocrth h mee anionfag mytihvn olvgeosi bnegy otnhdfae m ilpiaatrt oefer vne njtussa;ts thseu cceosfps hioonne !mtepisl u/srp /l u/sii :as/s soecdwi iatath mean"itnrgie mep"o stsodi ebrlfrieov mep honeelteimce innOt esd, ipusst'ot rhyne a rraotfmi oonns stlyeiarn gp,a rriacniiddn ec,ie ss t buatna rbisterqaurbeyen hciewn hdi ch luunrekxsp emtcehtaeen di ng: thhee sitbaettiwotenhe beni oloagnicdch atlh oonriiaognfim na n. Thea naliosgs yt riknionnge;t htehlaeet stsao cnpk r estructuralist antophorlomgiys fisrientsch,epe r inlceoi fap rbitrmaariinnteasisn s onltyh tahtee i rnso m otivlaitbneekdt wteheceno ncespitadunead l thpeh onseitodifecal intgiuscii sgindt;o ensod te ntyhs et aboifl ity lingumieasntiinocgn ,ct eh see misoytsitceh mab se eens tablished. Theo bjecttoJi uonng mieatnh odofaliolsgsiy,nn coeot n yli st here noth"iunng- Sausasbuorguertaa nn"ats ienotgfe lemeacn otnss tant meanibnugto ,nt hceo ntrwairtyht,eihS na ussufrraemaewno srek mantsitcai btciyol nstaiu tnuitveetsrr saoaifslt e misosyttiecm s. If,i no rdteour p griatdssec iensttaitfimucys t,h oloagniaclayls is neeldisn gumiosdteiilstcst ,hi altslod ecwihdieac shp oeflcatn guage woulpdr ovtihdmeeo satp proptreiroamfct oem parIimfsy otnh. ologpiactatlwe ernrsme o dealfteedpr ho nemtehse,wy o ullda cikn dependenta nmdej,au ansspit hn ogn,e cmoenss taintddui tset inguish 4 Fictional Worlds morph,e mmeysthoaltortgnewisoc uapllld aa pyni mporrtoailnnet structthuuernt iiosnfh g ih gemre nainglfuelvB eulotsfc .u o rs1eyn t h ologpiactataler nrneos mt e aninigntl heeesmlsssv M.eo reeo,rwv hile inl ingusiysstttiehcmme so rpholloegveniejcloa mylos r vei sibility thadonc psh onoloogryd-teiogrn r p at sehm eanoifan ngu tterance wen atutreantldolp atshsr osuoguhwn idt hnooutti icti-nwgh ere y wouolndefi nadc redciabndldaeifot rea h igmhyetrh olloegviecla,l bothhe terogaenandre boiutslr ianrtkioeml dyy t holpoagtitcearnls ? Itfh lei ngauniasltioitsgcob y ep ursuyetdh,o lmpoagtintcswea orlu ld betrt ceboem patrowe odr d,s.v,hp iocshsm eesasna inncdgo ntribute tot hgel ombeaaln oiftn hgne e xlte, vt ehlsee ntelnetvwiehalil,ic nh turn b,eun saetydod escsrtiabotefae fsfa ainredsv enOtrps e.r haps iwto ulbdee evnm orfreu ittfoau sls utmh,eai tns piotfse u perficial resembwliatwnhoc readsn sde ntencem ystthrssut,co trauinredes ,, morgee nerdaiolsulcryps hee nomoebnsaem ruvcemh o rceo mplex regaurlitsiote hsea;in ra lnyeseiadcs so nceapptpuaarclao tnussi der ablryi cthhearsn e ntleinncgecu sci aspntr iovidbeai.sn tgBh ye ir inqustirriyoc npth lonolmoogdiecslatslr, u ctmuaryhaa lvsiets otpsp ed y shoorfet x ploring genpuaitnfohertsl h yse t iuondftmy ey rtehsst ing anodt hdeirs cuprhseinvoemT ehnear.er foarteth,he aarnc cutshienmg ofh aving extenmedtehdot dosfsoca iirne ttnhotre ie fiacol ftm h e humanitoinmeeas y,fe etlh tahteh ya vfaei lteod deavs eulfofipc ient methodomloomgeinctaaunlhmd a vpree muartealryr etshteienidr qui5r y. Froamn throptohsleto rguyc,t quurefoasrltl i isntg umiosdteilcs , meadtibeydn arraantailvspyers eiiasnd,pt ooe twiictpshh, o nologism proviadc ionmgfo rtable mseotlhuoatdsioc olabnone,gs ieceiannl RolaBnadr teheasrw'losyro knn arrsattcrituvusear neidne arlilty erasreym isoI.tnl ii ctesrtarruyc thuorwaelvmieesrtm,h, o dwoalso gy nodte sttiobn eem daj ocro ncernt;h asrnca rtuhteitrnhm ieez tihng ,1 odoloagdieccqayuol aft hemiord emlo,sp tr opoonfeth nittssr end prefertrote hde eoa rbiozguetn eprraolp eorflt iiteesrw aitttuhhr ee , nontarclio vniseqtuhetahntesc ter ucturacloinsssmt io shriteenr itage theortehteitscheaaaslnms ,a nbye liieanvs teeo ,fs c iemnettihfiocd s. Amontgh etshee tshemeso ,sw ti deshparvbeeea emdny thocentrism, semafunntdiacm entaantldhi eds omc,t orfti hnceee ntroaftl eixtty, \Viittchso rolalnaa rniteise,x psrteaasnnsdadi n iv mem antnsieta p proatcoch u lture.e caAhwl atasht to huoegr hi ogfii nl luminating propocsoanlcse rnr nyiatnnhgld i tertahteeuynr tean,io lneedt heless al imitoafrts eiaeornch ho rizons. Accortdomi yntgh ocenntarriresafo mtr,imc v onstaip tiruivt-es
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