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<p>This thesis attempts to address the notion of unreliable narration and its treatment tn the postmodern novel. More specifically, it seeks to identify a number of characteristics shared by novels which offer fictional treatments of historical biographies and autobiographies. These characteristics include the use of dual ontological narrative structures, self-reflexivity, the deconstruction of authority and the genre in question, and finally, the existence of psychological truth in the narrators.</p> <p>Chapter One briefly addresses the historical development of unreliable narration, examining works from Henry Fielding through to postmoderntsm. Chapter Two begins the Inquiry into specific works by examining Michael Ondaatje's autobiographical novel, Running in the Family, and the way that the narrator fabricates a relationship with the father he has barely known in order to cope with the experience of loss. Chapter Three concerns Timothy Findley's The Wars, and the deconstruction of authority in the portrayal of history through a narrator who, because of emotional involvement with his/her subject, actively fictionalizes what ts ostensibly intended to be a faithful historical account. Finally, Chapter Four examines Carol Shields' The Stone Diaries, and its narrator's active invention of emotional experience in order to impose meaning on what she perceives as a meaningless existence.</p> / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

How people survive and thrive through adversity is a question which has prompted much research. There is little agreement on the definition of resilience beyond the basic idea of "bouncing back", resulting in many studies which offer contradictory and confusing information. This study sought to organise the literature into broad conceptual categories, and attempted to explain some of the differences in definitions and research methods at the level of paradigm. A need to reconceptualise resilience was identified and undertaken in view of input from ecosystemic, cybernetic and postmodem paradigms. Attention was given especially to the role oflanguage, meaning and description, and the role of the observer/researcher in such a reconceptualisation. Guidelines were offered for approaching research in future. Finally, the context of the researcher was examined in an attempt at self-reflexivity as part of the process of research as proposed in the reconceptualisation. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since John Grierson first coined the term “documentary film” in the 1920s, there has been a debate about the objectivity or subjectivity of the filmmaker. Some theoreticians believe that a documentary filmmaker may not interact subjectively with her subject. Contemporary perspectives lean towards acknowledging the subjectivity of the filmmaker, and accept that subjectivity is intrinsic to the making of a documentary film. Some would even argue that it is precisely the subjectivity of the filmmaker – the meeting of an individual, subjective perspective with the pro-filmic world – that makes a particular film unique. Brecht believed that the structure of a theatre piece could be used to counter the audience's uncritical emotional engagement and identification with the content of the work. This Verfremdungseffekt enables the audience to engage intellectually with the work. The audience does not get lost in the content of the piece, but rather views it from a critical distance. Brecht believed that this distantiation does not exclude entertainment, but that the audience would be able to enjoy the production while viewing it from a critical, intellectual distance. The self-reflexive mode of representation is identified by Nichols as one of the primary ways for a filmmaker to engage with her subject. Self-reflexivity entails the inclusion of cues within the film reminding the viewer that it is, indeed, a film. The motivation for this is to make the audience aware of the constructed nature of the film, thereby acknowledging the subjectivity of the filmmaker. The most overt form of self-reflexivity in documentary films is the inclusion of the director in the film. The focus of this study is, however, more specifically on how editing devices can be used to foreground the construction of a film. Structural analysis of a selection of recent South African documentary films is undertaken as part of this study. The result of this in-depth analysis is a list of twenty-eight conspicuous, selfreflexive editing devices used in these films. To test the effect of self-reflexive editing devices, I purposely incorporated them into the construction of a documentary series, Booza TV, of which I was one of the editors. The goal of Booza TV is to change viewers' perceptions of alcohol and alcohol abuse. Both quantitative and qualitative research results pointed to the ability of the series to achieve this goal. The perception change, however, is not the focus of this study. Instead, findings specifically related to the viewer's experience of the editing of the production are analysed. These findings show that viewers do notice self-reflexive devices, that the devices can contribute to their enjoyment of the production and that self-reflexive devices are able to communicate subtext to the audience. The conclusion is drawn from the research conducted in this study that the potential of a documentary film to change viewers' perceptions is as dependent on the way the film has been constructed as it is on the content of the film. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert John Grierson in die twintigerjare begin het om die term 'dokumentêre film' te gebruik, word daar gedebatteer oor die objektiwiteit al dan nie van die filmmaker. Party teoretici glo dat 'n dokumentêre filmmaker nie subjektief mag omgaan met haar onderwerp nie. Kontemporêre perspektiewe neig egter om te erken dat die dokumentêre filmmaker subjektief is, dat subjektiwiteit intrinsiek is aan die maak van 'n dokumentêre film, en boonop dat dit juis die subjektiwiteit van die filmmaker is wat 'n film uniek maak. Dit is die ontmoeting van 'n individuele, subjektiewe perspektief met die waarneembare wêreld. Brecht het geglo dat die struktuur van 'n teaterstuk of film gebruik kan word om die gehoor se verbintenis met die inhoud daarvan te verbreek. Hierdie Vervremdungseffekt lei daartoe dat die gehoor in staat is om krities om te gaan met die produksie. Dit lei verder tot 'n kritiese interaksie met die materiaal. Die gehoor raak nie verlore in die inhoud van die stuk nie, maar slaag daarin om dit intellektueel te beskou. Brecht het geglo dat hierdie vervreemding nie vermaak uitsluit nie, maar wel die gehoor toelaat om die teaterstuk of film te geniet terwyl hulle dit krities en intellektueel beskou. Die self-refleksiewe voorstellingsmodus word deur Nichols geïdentifiseer as een van die primêre maniere vir 'n filmmaker om met haar onderwerp om te gaan. Selfrefleksiwiteit behels die insluit van tekens binne 'n film dat dit 'n film is. Die motivering hiervoor is om die gehoor bewus te maak van die konstruksie van die film, om sodoende die subjektiewe perspektief van die filmmaker te erken. Die mees blatante vorm van self-refleksiwiteit in dokumentêre films, is die insluiting van die regisseur in die film. Die fokus van die studie is egter op die gebruik van redigeringstegnieke om die konstruksie van 'n film op die voorgrond te plaas. Daar word van strukturele analise gebruik gemaak in hierdie studie om 'n verskeidenheid hedendaagse Suid-Afrikaanse dokumentêre films in diepte te beskou. Die resultaat van hierdie analise is 'n lys van ag-en-twintig sigbare redigeringstegnieke wat in hierdie films gebruik is. Om die effek daarvan te toets, het ek doelbewus self-refleksiewe tegnieke gebruik in die konstruksie van 'n dokumentêre reeks genaamd Booza TV, waarvan ek een van die redigeerders was. Die doel van Booza TV is om gehore se persepsie aangaande drank en drankmisbruik te verander. Beide kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsingsresultate het aangedui dat die reeks dié doel wel bereik. Persepsieverandering is egter nie die fokus van hierdie studie nie. In stede daarvan word daar in diepte gekyk na gehore se ervaring van die self-refleksiewe redigeringstegnieke in die produksie. Daar is gevind dat gehore self-refleksiewe redigeringstegnieke raaksien, dat die tegnieke kan bydra tot gehore se genot van die produksie, en dat die tegnieke gebruik kan word om subteks in die film te kommunikeer.

The master thesis discusses the novel Spas by Ivan Matoušek published in 2001. The description of the structure and narrative time of the novel is followed by a characterization of the ironic self-conscious narrator and his relationship to the fictional world and the main character. The interpretation is partly inspired by a theoretical paper on irony by Vladimir Jankélévitch, which is compared with Paul de Man's concept of irony. The thesis also refers to Linda Hutcheon's theory of self- reflexivity and metafiction and employs the concept of mise en abyme.

This thesis evaluates metafictional self-reflexivity, and presents it within the scope of certain structuralist and post-structuralist approaches especially by referring to William Gass&rsquo / definition of metafiction and Raymond Federman&rsquo / s theories on the devices of metafiction. Then aspects of the works of William Gass&rsquo / Willie Master&rsquo / s Lonesome Wife and Laurence Sterne&rsquo / s The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy are discussed within this framework.

How people survive and thrive through adversity is a question which has prompted much research. There is little agreement on the definition of resilience beyond the basic idea of "bouncing back", resulting in many studies which offer contradictory and confusing information. This study sought to organise the literature into broad conceptual categories, and attempted to explain some of the differences in definitions and research methods at the level of paradigm. A need to reconceptualise resilience was identified and undertaken in view of input from ecosystemic, cybernetic and postmodem paradigms. Attention was given especially to the role oflanguage, meaning and description, and the role of the observer/researcher in such a reconceptualisation. Guidelines were offered for approaching research in future. Finally, the context of the researcher was examined in an attempt at self-reflexivity as part of the process of research as proposed in the reconceptualisation. / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T18:56:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Alessandra_ valerio.pdf: 1828536 bytes, checksum: 89dd3fd7694f358de4b3ff9ec3267ef3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06-06 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The research presented here is intended to address the literary phenomenon of metafiction and its performance, in particular, from the set of aesthetic and political principles that are conventionally designated by postmodernism, which is assigned the crucial condition descriptor of contemporary culture. From the survey of gaps and critical contradictions of other approaches to the same object, the proposal is to make our own conceptual construction of this fictional model, reminiscent of an important philosophical and literary tradition, articulated around the cognitive and aesthetic development of self-awareness and modern self-reflexivity (GUMBRECHT, 1998). Given that most of the studies of metafiction, until then, tends to exhaust the characteristics of a single object (author, work), exempting to establish wider connections between different self-conscious manifestations and self-reflexive and the epistemic lines in general, which are the forms of contemporary thought, this research seeks to build an interpretive system that integrates these discontinuities in a larger set of self-conscious cultural experiences. It is a connection line between modern literary self-consciousness (CERVANTES, STERNE, JOYCE) and postmodern metafiction, giving evidence of the main differences and connections between forms of activities of self-referential models in each context. To this end, the articulation of an expository approach to literary phenomenon that is not limited to the immanent aspect was necessary, much solidified position on some critical perspectives, but to consider the urgent need to understand literature as a complex communication system. As a result, the theoretical alternative that presented itself as the most productive in this case was the pragmatic approach of the literary act, announced some time ago by the Theory of Speech Acts of Austin and Searle, developed in the literary context by Derrida (1992), Culler (1999) and Maingueneau (1996). / A pesquisa ora apresentada tem por objetivo abordar o fenômeno literário da metaficção e sua atuação, em especial, a partir do conjunto de princípios estéticos e políticos que se convencionou designar por pós-modernismo, ao qual se atribui a condição crucial de descritor da cultura contemporânea. Partindo do levantamento das lacunas e contradições críticas de outras abordagens do mesmo objeto, a proposta é proceder a nossa própria construção conceitual sobre esse modelo ficcional, remanescente de uma importante tradição filosófica e literária, articulada em torno do desenvolvimento cognitivo e estético da autoconsciência e autorreflexividade modernas (GUMBRECHT, 1998). Tendo em vista que a maior parte dos estudos sobre a metaficção, até então, tende a exaurir as particularidades de um único objeto (autor, obra), eximindo-se de estabelecer conexões mais amplas entre as diferentes manifestações autoconscientes e autorreflexivas e as linhas epistêmicas gerais que constituem as formas de atuação do pensamento contemporâneo, a presente investigação procura construir um esquema interpretativo que integre essas descontinuidades em um conjunto maior de experiências culturais autoconscientes. Trata-se de estabelecer uma linha de conexão entre a autoconsciência literária moderna (CERVANTES, STERNE, JOYCE) e a metaficção pós-moderna, que evidencie as principais diferenças e articulações entre as formas de atuação dos modelos autorreferentes em cada contexto. Para tal, foi necessária a articulação de uma abordagem enunciativa do fenômeno literário que não se restringisse aos aspectos imanentes, postura muito solidificada em algumas perspectivas críticas, mas que considerasse a urgente necessidade de compreender a literatura como um sistema complexo de comunicação. Em virtude disso, a alternativa teórica que se apresentou como a mais producente para este caso foi a abordagem pragmática do ato literário, anunciada já há algum tempo pela Teoria dos Atos de Fala de Austin e Searle, desenvolvida no âmbito literário por Derrida (1992), Culler (1999) e Maingueneau (1996).

Thesis (MA (VA))--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study offers a critical exploration of the ways in which Jean Baudrillard’s theory of the simulacrum is ‘true’ or viable as a theory of representation in contemporary visual culture, with particular reference to digital imaging technologies. Using a selection of images and texts dating from the Renaissance to present day, I trace issues of subjectivity and self-reflexivity in modern image culture, questioning the extent to which digital imaging technology and information substantially departs from the early modern devotion to naturalistic representation (verisimilitude) as a reflection of knowledge and truth in the modern world. I offer a critique of the simulacrum theory that concerns two principle issues: firstly that simulacrum is a strictly self-reflexive operation and not an effect of digital imaging technology as Baudrillard claims; and secondly, that simulacrum necessitates an underlying dualist worldview in order to exist. With reference to the use of metaphor in magical realist texts and visual art, I draw the argument together with a discussion of my own art practice, particularly a body of work that takes Etienne van Heerden’s novel Toorberg (1986) as a starting point. The examples I refer to serve as visual evidence in support of my speculative philosophical argument against hyperreality; that is, how the simulacral nature of metaphor (as operating within a poststructuralist model of the sign) functions a critical aspect of a self-reflexive individual consciousness; and argues for subjectivity itself as inherently bound up in the operation of simulacrum. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is ’n kritiese ondersoek na die wyse waarop Jean Baudrillard se teorie van die simulacrum ‘waar’ of grondig is as ’n teorie van representasie in visuele kultuur, met spesifieke verwysing na digitale beeldtegnologie. ‘n Verskeidenheid beelde en tekste (van die Renaissance tot die moderne era) word betrek ten einde kwessies rondom subjektiwiteit en selfrefleksiwiteit in moderne beeldkultuur te ondersoek. Die mate waarin digitale beeldtegnologie en inligting merkbaar afwyk van ‘n vroeë moderne toegewydheid aan naturalistiese representasie (verisimilitude) as ‘n refleksie van kennis en waarheid in die moderne wêreld, word vervolgens krities ondersoek. Baudrillard se simulacrum-teorie word krities beoordeel: in die eerste plek is die simulacrum ‘n streng selfrefleksiewe proses en nie ‘n effek van digitale beeldtegnologie, soos Baudrillard beweer nie; en tweedens veronderstel, of noodsaak die simulacrum ‘n onderliggende dualistiese wêreldbeeld ten einde geldig verklaar te kan word. Met verwysing na die gebruik van metafoor in magies realistiese tekste en visuele kuns, word die argument saamgevat deur ’n bespreking van my persoonlike kunsprojek, vernaam ’n versameling werk wat Etienne van Heerden se roman Toorberg (1986) as verwysingspunt gebruik. Die voorbeelde waarna ek verwys ondersteun my spekulatiewe filosofiese argument teen hiperrealiteit (hyperreality); hoe die simulakrale (simulacral) aard van metafoor (soos werksaam binne ’n poststrukturalistiese model van die ‘teken’) as ’n kritiese aspek van selfrefleksiewe individuele bewussyn funksioneer. Ek argumenteer vervolgens dat subjektiwiteit sigself inherent deel is van die werking van simulacrum.

Thesis (MEdPsych (Educational Psychology)--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this research voyage of discovery, we story the voices of me (the research inquirer), my family and a teacher about our experience with a young woman with Autism Spectrum Disorder – my youngest sister Leyna.1 This is our attempt to give Leyna and (dis)ability a voice. Their voices have been silenced from research for too long. I try to explain a narrative research lens as a foundation for this document – one that views autism not as a disorder, but as a difference that needs to be embraced. People often live their lives according to the problem stories they tell themselves, and do not see the alternative stories that surround them every day. On this voyage I therefore tell our story to document the inspirational experiences that people with autism bring about in the lives of those supporting them. Little research that focuses on alternative stories about autism has been done on a global scale. Moreover, little research has been done on autism specifically in the South African context. This thesis relates the stories of the people involved in caring for my sister with autism. It brings a message of hope and suggests possibilities for future research voyages about autism. 1 Pseudonym / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie navorsingsontdekkingsreis vertel ons 'n storie deur verskeie stemme te laat hoor: ek, die navorsingsondersoeker, my gesin en 'n onderwyseres vertel 'n storie oor ons ervaringe met 'n jong vrou met Outisme Spektrum Versteuring – my jongste suster Leyna.2 Hierdie is ons onderneming om vir Leyna en gestremdheid 'n stem te gee. Te veel stemme is al te lank deur navorsing stilgemaak. Ek probeer die narratiewe navorsingslens te verduidelik as 'n grondslag vir hierdie dokument – een wat outisme nie as 'n versteuring sien nie, maar eerder as 'n verskil wat aangegryp en gerespekteer moet word. Mense leef dikwels hul lewens uit op grond van die probleemgesentreerde stories wat hulle aan hulself vertel, en sien nie die alternatiewe stories raak wat hulle daagliks omsluit nie. In hierdie reis vertel ek dus ons storie om die inspirerende ervarings wat mense met outisme in die mense wat hulle ondersteun teweeg bring, te dokumenteer. Min navorsing wat op die alternatiewe stories oor outisme fokus is tot op hede op 'n globale skaal gedoen. Verder is daar nog min navorsing oor outisme spesifiek in die Suid-Afrikaanse konteks gedoen. Hierdie studie vertel die stories van die mense wat betrokke is in die versorging van my suster met outisme. Hiermee word 'n boodskap van hoop gebring en moontlikhede voorgestel vir toekomstige navorsingsreise oor outisme. 2 Skuilnaam is gebruik