The thesis examines the novels of Anglo-American author Russell Hoban (1923-) and
Japanese author Murakami Haruki [Chinese characters] (1949-) as Menippean satires.
The Introduction defines the Menippean satire and considers possible sources for this
genre as found in the works of Hoban and Murakami. Parts I and II examine several
novels by Hoban and by Murakami respectively, demonstrating how their works
conform to the conventions of the Menippean satire. In examining Murakami's fiction,
Part II also considers possible antecedents in Japanese literature for tropes and topoi
that appear Menippean in the light of Western genre theory; there is a special emphasis
on Murakami's most recent work, [Chinese characters] Nejimakidori kuronikuru
(1994-6, The Wind-up Bird Chronicles).
The Conclusion examines why these two authors write Menippean satires. No claim is
made that either author has chosen this genre in deliberate imitation of classical or
Renaissance models. Rather, from the standpoint of cultural history, the thesis argues
that the Menippean satire—or at least a form of postmodernist novel with notable
affinities to the Menippean satire—has re-emerged as a genre for our times. Drawing on
examples from the fiction of Murakami and Hoban, the conclusion demonstrates that
central features of this genre—fantasy, crudity, philosophical dialogues, inserted genres,
invented languages, and the descent into hell—are particularly appropriate for the
fictional treatment of life in a postmodern world. Moreover, these features are
serviceable not only in a Western context. Murakami Haruki, despite his Japanese
cultural background and his avowed intention to write about Japan, relies on many of
the same generic strategies as does Russell Hoban.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/6772 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Fisher, Susan Rosa |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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