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Diplomarbeit DIPLOMARBEIT Titel der Diplomarbeit Memory and the Testimonial Mode Verfasserin Stefanie Sabathy angestrebter akademischer Grad Magistra der Philosophie (Mag. phil.) Wien, Dezember 2008 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 344 333 Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt: LA Englisch Betreuer: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ewald Mengel For Mum For Dad For Danny Table of Contents 1.Introduction ........................................................................................................................................9 2.Testimony ..........................................................................................................................................13 2.1. Defining Testimony........................................................................................13 2.2. Historical Roots of Testimony........................................................................15 2.3. The Testimonio Debate...................................................................................16 2.4. Testimony and the Subaltern...........................................................................17 2.5. The Other and Othering..................................................................................19 2.6. Reconstructing the Self...................................................................................20 2.7. Truthfulness of Testimony.............................................................................24 2.8. What is truth?..................................................................................................25 3. Traumatic Memory - Speaking the Unspeakable..........................................................................30 3.1. Hot and Cold Memory....................................................................................32 3.2. Traumatic Memory..........................................................................................33 3.3. Narrative Exposure Theory.............................................................................36 3.4. Traumatic Memory and the Testimonial Mode in Contemporary South African Fiction.......................................................................................................38 4. Country of My Skull (Antjie Krog, 1999)......................................................................................40 4.1. Testimonies in Country of My Skull...............................................................44 4.2. Krog's Testimony............................................................................................47 4.3. Is there a South African Truth?.......................................................................48 4.3.1.Truth versus Justice?................................................................................50 4.4. Reconstructing the Self in Country of My Skull.............................................53 4.5. Traumatic Memories in Country of My Skull.................................................56 4.6. The Other in Country of My Skull..................................................................58 4.7. The Testimonial Form in Country of My Skull..............................................60 5.I Speak to the Silent (Mtutuzeli Nyoka 2004).................................................................................64 5.1. Traumatic Memories in I Speak to the Silent..................................................66 5.2. Testimony of a Prisoner..................................................................................69 5.3. Memories of Exile...........................................................................................71 5.4. Truth and Justice in a White Man's World......................................................73 5.5. Silence and the Subaltern in Testimony..........................................................76 5.6. Narrative Exposure Theory in I Speak to the Silent.......................................79 5.7. The Discourse of the Other.............................................................................80 5.8. Testimonies to the Commission in I Speak to the Silent................................86 6.Mother to Mother (Sindiwe Magona, 2001)....................................................................................89 6.1. Historical background to Sindiwe Magona's Mother to Mother.....................89 6.2. Magona's Novel and the Subaltern..................................................................92 6.3. Truthfulness of Testimony..............................................................................96 6.4. Loving Rejection and Atonement...............................................................100 6.5. The Testimonial Form...................................................................................101 6.6. The Narratee and the Novel..........................................................................109 6.7. Paratext..........................................................................................................111 7. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................116 8. Bibliography...................................................................................................................................119 8.1 Primary Sources.............................................................................................119 8.2. Secondary Sources......................................................................................119 8.3. Electronic Publications.................................................................................125 8.4. Figures...........................................................................................................129 9. Index...............................................................................................................................................130 10. Abstract.........................................................................................................................................133 11. Curriculum Vitae.........................................................................................................................136 12.Appendix........................................................................................................................................137 Acknowledgments First of all, I would like to thank my supervisor Prof. Dr. Ewald Mengel for the enthusiasm he shows for his subject and the effort he puts into teaching. His courses were always well prepared and his reading lists more than interesting. I have learned a lot in his lectures and seminars, especially about South African literature. When I decided to write my diploma thesis in this field, he immediately encouraged me. I would like to thank him for his professional guidance, patience and support, also in relation to helping me realise my dream of studying and researching for this thesis abroad. I am indebted to the Research Service and International Relations Office of the University of Vienna for granting me a brief scientific stay abroad to do my research. Also I would like to express my deepest thanks to David Attwell and Derek Attridge at the University of York for their time and advice. They did not only make me feel welcome at the university but also helped me find adequate sources and guided my selection of secondary references. This way I came back to Vienna well-prepared and with many new ideas. I owe a special debt to John who spontaneously, despite his being on holiday in Vienna, was so kind to sacrifice his time for me and my thesis. I am especially thankful because he even helped me when he had already returned home. Thank you for consistently making insightful suggestions, even when time pressure started to kick in. Thanks also to my extended family Moogy, Jonny, Maria, Kerstin, Bene, Amy, Dani, David, Zimba and Yakumo who have always made me feel welcome and especially during the last few weeks have helped me to relax and prepare for my final exams. My thanks also go to all my friends, especially to Andrea W., Christine, Helga, Sonja and Andrea N. for their outstanding patience, understanding and helpful assistance. I 6 would like to thank them for putting up with me as a stressed thesis-writing student as well as for their general support and encouragement. Thank you to Susanne and Edgar for providing me with valuable information and new input for both my thesis and when studying for my final exams. Your time and helpful comments are really appreciated. I cannot express how deeply grateful I am to have my 24/7 support team: my parents, Maria and Walter, not only because of their support when I was writing my thesis, but for the many years of their encouragement, love and time. Special thanks go to my mum, who was there for me day and night when I needed her most. Without both of you I would not have been able to pursue my studies in the first place. Thank you for introducing me to English at an early age and for broadening my horizons due to world wide travelling with you. Finally, I would like to express a special debt of gratitude to my partner Danny who has always supported me but has been especially considerate and caring during my writing phase. Thank you for calming me down when I was apprehensive and for comforting me when I was in doubt and despair. Most of all, thank you for your love and persistent belief in me. 7 Declaration of Authenticity I declare that this thesis is my original work and has not been
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