The Affective Nature of Metafictional Trauma Narratives

Abstract

The present thesis majorly argues for a re-interpretation of metafictional narratives of traumatic experiences approached through Affect Studies and its innovative theories having largely contributed to literary critique and theory. Indeed, it can be argued that the suggestions advanced by Affect Theory may shed new light on a specific kind of literary content, namely, trauma, and on a specific type of literary form, that is, metafiction. This is suggested to be due to what apparently unites both Trauma Literature and Metafiction: their affective potential. The literary examples that have been selected to undergo an experimental affective re-reading are Agota Kristof’s famous trilogy (The Notebook, The Proof, The Third Lie) and Ian McEwan’s Atonement, which, besides arguably standing out as great contemporary literary achievements, they promised to meet the pre-set analytical expectations. From an initial reflection upon why metafiction can be regarded as the “form of affect” owing to its underlying intrinsic doubleness, to the identification of trauma and its belated, frozen nature as the “content of affect” and, finally, to the ethical weight implied by both writing and reading of affective narratives, the thesis ultimately argues that literature should provide the best forms and tools to read of and speak of human trauma. Ultimately, affect is likely to encourage a more human and all-embracing approach to traumatic representations.