Fictions of Dementia: Narrative Modes of Presenting Dementia in Anglophone Novels

540 Pages·2022·20.148 MB·English

by  Susanne Katharina Christ

SusanneKatharinaChrist
FictionsofDementia
Narratologia
Contributions to Narrative Theory
Edited by
Fotis Jannidis, Matías Martínez, John Pier,
Wolf Schmid (executive editor)
EditorialBoard
CatherineEmmott,MonikaFludernik,JoséÁngelGarcíaLanda,InkeGunia,
PeterHühn,ManfredJahn,MarkusKuhn,UriMargolin,JanChristophMeister,
AnsgarNünning,Marie-LaureRyan,Jean-MarieSchaeffer,MichaelScheffel,
SabineSchlickers
Volume 82
Susanne Katharina Christ
Fictions
of Dementia
Narrative Modes of Presenting Dementia
in Anglophone Novels
Cotutelle-VertragzwischenJustus-Liebig-UniversitätGießen,Fachbereich05–Sprache,
Literatur,KulturundKarl-Franzens-UniversitätGraz,GeisteswissenschaftlicheFakultät–
AnglistikundAmerikanistik,Einreichung2020.
Prämiertmitdem1.PreisfürDissertationen2022vonderGeisteswissenschaftlichenFakultät
derUniversitätGraz.
GedrucktmitfreundlicherUnterstützungderGeschwisterBoehringerIngelheimStiftungfür
GeisteswissenschafteninIngelheimamRhein.
ISBN978-3-11-078975-1
e-ISBN(PDF)978-3-11-078980-5
e-ISBN(EPUB)978-3-11-078987-4
ISSN1612-8427
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2022941957
BibliographicinformationpublishedbytheDeutscheNationalbibliothek
TheDeutscheNationalbibliothekliststhispublicationintheDeutscheNationalbibliografie;
detailedbibliographicdataareavailableontheinternetathttp://dnb.dnb.de.
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Acknowledgements
Theroadfromformtofunctionislongandwindingindeed.Iwanttothankall
ofyouwhopavedit.Thankyoutothosewhoprovidedthetrafficinfrastructure
inthefirstplace,theteamofroadmaintenanceworkers,andthepetrolstations
that provided fuel. Thank you most of all to those individuals who accompa-
nied me along the way, kept cheering, pushed me back on track, advocated
breaks, and who waved the chequered flag in my face. Thanks to those who
were lost along the way and are sorely missed. Words can hardly express the
gratitudeIfeel.Thankyouforbearingwithme,andformakingthecompletion
ofthisdoctoralthesispossible.
Thank you, Professor Ansgar Nünning and Professor Roberta Maierhofer,
for supervising this thesis. I am immensely grateful for all the opportunities
youprovidedmewith,thegreatsupportandtheinvaluablefeedbackyougave
me.ProfessorNünning,yourpositivecan-doattitude,yourloveforliteraryand
culturalstudies,andyourencouragementaswellasyourunwaveringguidance
was paramount. Roberta, thank you especially for the warm welcome in Aus-
tria, for your generosity, for your help with structure, and for your inspiring
newperspectives.
Iwouldalsoliketoexpressmygratitudetotheprofessors,staffandmyfel-
low PhD students at the GCSC, the IPP and the PhD-Net. Your feedback in the
manycolloquiawasmosthelpful.ThankyoutoTeonaMicevskaandAnn-Marie
Riesner for your friendship. Thank you also to my Austrian colleagues at CIAS
Graz.
Professor Elisabeth Herrmann, thank you for mentoring me. I immensely
appreciate your effort and your time. Our conversations have always been a
vitalsourceofencouragementandgoodspirits.
I also thank Professor Mirjana Stančić, the team at Ruhr-Universität Bo-
chum,andalltheparticipantsofRUBEuropadialogfortheinspiringmonthsin
BochumandthejointtravelsthroughEurope.
AbigthankyoutoProfessorGerhardKöpfwhokepttellingmetocheerup
andbebrave.
MassivethankstomyindefatigablereadersNadjaSchlüterandAnnaKatha-
rinaSchmidt.Ioweyou.
Kerstin Rüther, thank you for helping me to stay organised, Leonie Höck-
bert, thank you so much for helping me with the format, and especially Ina
Weckop – I cannot thank you enough for your companionship during the last
years.
IalsowanttoextendmythankstomycolleaguesattheChairofPublicand
BehaviouralEconomicsatJGUMainzforlettingmebecomepartoftheteam.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110789805-202
VI Acknowledgements
To ¾ of Vokalquartett Quartuos: Judith Brombacher, Dr. Thorsten Laux,
andPitMarquardt–thankyou.Itisanabsolutepleasuretosingwithyouand
spend time with you. I am certain that our musical work made a difference in
thelivesofmanywithandwithoutdementia.
I am indebted to my friends, my family, and my partner. Thank you so
much.
Contents
Acknowledgements V
ListofFigures XIII
ListofSigla XV
1 Introduction:CulturalandLiteraryFictionsofDementia 1
1.1 MappingtheFieldofResearch 8
1.2 ResearchQuestion,AimandArgumentofthisStudy 16
1.3 TheInterfaceofSubjectiveExperience,Narrationand
Dementia 18
1.3.1 QualiaandtheProblemofOtherMinds 18
1.3.2 NarrativeintheCaseofDementia 24
1.3.3 TransparencyofMindsandExperientialityinNarrative
Fiction 30
1.4 NarratingDementiainFiction:ANarrative-Epistemological
Paradox 35
1.4.1 DementiaasaNarrativeSubjectwithParadoxical
Qualities 38
1.4.2 DelineatingtheCorpus 42
1.4.3 OutlineofthisStudy 45
2 NarrativeModesfortheRepresentationofDementia 47
2.1 DevelopingaModelofNarrativeModesforRepresenting
Dementia 47
2.1.1 FromPerspectivetoNarrativeMode 48
2.1.2 TypesofNarration 53
2.1.3 TechniquesforConsciousnessRepresentation 61
2.1.4 EpistemicStrategiesforApproachingtheSubjective
ExperienceofDementia:SimulatingwhatisandReflecting
Uponwhatitislike 66
2.1.5 ApproachestotheNarrative-EpistemologicalParadox 69
2.1.6 FromAffordancesandConstraintstoHypothesesabout
Functions 74
2.2 Narrating‘withDementia’:PrimarilyAffectedCharacter
Narration 79
2.2.1 DefinitionandOntological-EpistemologicalProfile 81
2.2.2 AffordancesandConstraintsof‘NarratingWithDementia’ 100
VIII Contents
2.2.2.1 NarrowingofScope:ForegroundingtheCharacterWith
Dementia,BackgroundingtheNarrativeEnvironment 101
2.2.2.2 FocusingonConsciousness:IntrospectionandNarrationof
SubjectiveExperiencevsPlotandStory 106
2.2.2.3 ConsequencesofCharacterConsciousnessCongruence:
ConfrontingtheNarrative-EpistemologicalParadox,Exhibiting
thePotentialofNarrativeDifference 114
2.2.3 TheEndofStory? 123
2.2.4 OnLeavingReadersAlonewiththeCharacterwithDementia 126
2.3 TheViewofaFamilyCaregiver:SecondarilyAffected
CharacterNarration 128
2.3.1 DefinitionandOntological-EpistemologicalProfiles 130
2.3.2 AffordancesandConstraintsofSecondarilyAffectedSelf-
Narratives 144
2.3.3 ConsequencesofSecondarilyAffectedCharacterNarration
fortheRepresentationoftheCharacterwithDementia 154
2.3.4 ElucidatingDementiafromanInvolvedPointofView 164
2.4 TheRelationalSidebySideofMultiperspectivalAffected
CharacterNarration 167
2.4.1 MultiperspectivityandtheNarrationofDementia 169
2.4.2 DefinitionandOntological-EpistemologicalProfiles 176
2.4.3 AffordancesandConstraintsofMultiperspectivalAffected
CharacterNarration 187
2.4.3.1 WideningNarrativeRangeandScope 189
2.4.3.2 ContextualisingandEmbeddingDementiainaCulture 193
2.4.3.3 ExhibitingtheNarrativePotentialofFragmentation,Inviting
Complexity 195
2.4.3.4 StagingDifference 199
2.4.3.5 EncirclingtheNarrative-EpistemologicalParadoxofDementia
NarrationandQuestioningEpistemicCertainty 201
2.4.3.6 TransparencyandEpistemicSelf-Regulation 203
2.4.3.7 ReflectingUpontheNarrativeProcess 208
2.4.3.8 DemandingReaderEngagement 210
2.4.4 EncirclingDementiawithMultipleAffectedVoices 214
2.5 NarratorialAccompanyingoftheCharacterwithDementia:
InspectiveNon-CharacterNarration 216
2.5.1 DefinitionandOntological-EpistemologicalProfiles 220
2.5.2 AffordancesandConstraintsofInspectiveNon-Character
Narration 234
Contents IX
2.5.2.1 PermeatingtheCharacterBoundary:ElucidatingSubliminal
StrataandCounteringDementia-RelatedImpairments 235
2.5.2.2 TranscendingCharacterBoundariesandWideningNarrative
ScopewiththeNon-DiegeticExternalView 249
2.5.3 NarratorialElucidating,ChangingthePositionofthe
CharacterwithDementiaandChangingtheNarrative
FunctionofDementia 259
2.5.4 NarratorialAccompanyingoftheCharacterwith
Dementia 263
2.6 ConstraintsandAffordancesofthisApproach 265
2.7 FourNarrativeModesforRepresentingDementiainFiction:
ASummaryOverview 269
2.7.1 PrimarilyAffectedCharacterNarration:Self-Narrated
Dementia 269
2.7.2 SecondarilyAffectedCharacterNarration:
DiegeticOther-NarratedDementia 271
2.7.3 MultiperspectivalAffectedCharacterNarration:
TheRelationalSidebySideofSelf-Narratedand
DiegeticOther-NarratedDementia 274
2.7.4 InspectiveNon-CharacterNarration:
Non-DiegeticOther-NarratedDementia 277
3 Elucidating-explainingDementia,ShowingFamilyRelations,and
HighlightingthePowerofAmbiguityinSelf-NarratedDementia
inEmmaHealey’sElizabethIsMissing(2014) 281
3.1 NarrativeSituation:ACapableSelf-ElucidatingCharacterin
NarrativeMid-Distance 282
3.2 AffordancesandConstraintsofElucidatingWhatItIsLiketo
LivewithDementia 291
3.2.1 Narrating‘through’Dementia,despiteDementia 292
3.2.2 ProblematisingLonelinessinOldAge 295
3.2.3 ShowingMemoryandForgetting 296
3.2.4 HighlightingMaud’sAffects 300
3.2.5 PortrayingFamilyRelationshipsduringDementia 302
3.2.6 CombiningDetectionandDementia 306
3.2.7 ExhibitingEpistemologicalBlankEffectsandthePowerof
Ambiguity 309
3.3 Self-ElucidatingDementia 315
X Contents
4 ShowingCaringandCoping,ExploringtheLimitsofMemoryand
Knowledge,andCelebratingImaginationintheSecondarily
AffectedCharacterNarrationinStefanMerrillBlock’sTheStory
ofForgetting(2008) 320
4.1 NarrativeSituation:DetachedCaregiverNarratives 321
4.2 AffordancesandConstraintsoftheExpansiveCaregiver
Narratives 334
4.2.1 CaringandCopinginSeth’sandAbel’sNarrativesofFamilial
Dementia 335
4.2.2 BranchingOuttheFamilyTree:MultiplyingVoices,Writing
History,ReadingCulturethroughDementia 343
4.2.3 ExploringtheLimitsofMemoryandKnowledgewithSeth’s
Investigations 348
4.2.4 ValuingImaginationwiththeCounterworldofIsidora 351
4.3 ThePowerofNarrativeintheFaceofDementia 354
5 ProbingCharacterProximity,StagingIndeterminacyand
ReflectinguponNarrativeintheMulti-perspectivalAffected
CharacterNarrationinNaomiKruger’sMay(2018) 360
5.1 NarrativeSituation:CloseProximity,LimitedTangencyand
HighlightedDifference 361
5.2 AffordancesandConstraintsoftheOpenMultiperspectivity
inMay 368
5.2.1 May’sMonologue:ProbingConsciousnessCongruence,
CreatingIndeterminacy 369
5.2.2 May’sIndeterminabilityinaMultiperspectivalEnvironment:
PlayingwithDifference,QuestioningEpistemic
Self-Regulation 385
5.2.3 ShowingProfessionalCareandSeekingConnectionswith
Afsana’sPerspective 393
5.2.4 UsingDementiaasaLooking-GlassonContemporary
Ailing 398
5.2.5 ProblematisingNarrationandNarrativeandEngaging
Readers 400
5.3 May’sNaggingEpistemicLack 404