advice shaped this memoir: [...]” this shaped advice (635). We find frontthe “A also cover,on Memoir” book his calls Rushdie to scrutinise the “Acknowledgements” the to scrutinise ( Palabras clave presentes. están definición de factores queestos todos ya híbrido, conjunto el pide que lo llamemos novela policíaca, una ocomo novela literaria una como leer puede se también Como Barthes. “contra Roland de sí misma” autobiografía de un ejemplocomo la obra de “ definir “memoria”, de de implicaciones las posibilidad la estudiamos autobiografía, de aspecto el En historias. contar de sobre concepto el énfasis el con versión novelizada, una con autobiografía de sub-géneros Une varios niñez. asu presente el desde ysalta persona tercera yluego sona Rushdie Salman obra de la En Resumen Keywords “hybrid.” generically as described be only therefore can which and are present factors defining apparently these all which awork in created has story, Rushdie detective a also and novel literary as a read aspect, latter thecontribution the of Through “ of JMCoetzee’s example an as the work of “memoir,” implications former, of defining the we study possibility the of story. concept the the In stressing account, anovelised with writing of life sub-genres the combines He childhood. his to theback present from and leaps third-person and first-person Rushdie’s book Salman In Abstract If we begin we begin If Revista CanariadeEstudiosIngleses :
Salman Rushdie, Rushdie, Salman MEDITATIONS ON GENRE IN SALMAN SALMAN IN MEDITATIONS ON GENRE :
Salman Rushdie, Rushdie, Salman Joseph Anton
RUSHDIE’S a memoir: “I would like to thank all those whose help those and all a memoir: to thank “I would like autre- Joseph Anton: A Memoir AMemoir Anton: Joseph Joseph Anton: A Memoir AMemoir Anton: Joseph Joseph Anton: A Memoir, AMemoir, Anton: Joseph 1. AT FIRST GLANCE 1. AT FIRST biography” or autobiography “against itself” à la Barthes. Barthes. àla itself” or autobiographybiography” “against University of Granada University Celia Wallhead Celia Joseph Anton: A Memoir, AMemoir, Anton: Joseph autre by scanning the title pages or turning to the end to the or turning pages title the by scanning -biografía” inventada por J M Coetzee, o incluso oincluso por JMCoetzee, inventada -biografía” JOSEPH ANTON JOSEPH , 70 Joseph Anton Joseph ; May 2015,pp. 89-104; (2012), the narrator alternates between between (2012), alternates narrator the (2012), per primera usa narrador el genre, life writing, novel. writing, life genre, 635-6), we see that Salman Salman 635-6), that we see género, autobiografía, novela género, autobiografía, ISSN: 0211-5913
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REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 89 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 90 cial causes involving diasporic identity, otherwise interpreted as Rushdie’s apostasy Rushdie’s identity, interpreted as diasporic involving apostasy otherwise causes cial blasphemy the perceived in attributes Bhabha Rushdie’s life. incident changed that the of aspect a relevant inherent Rushdie’s in examine us approach. Butlet first contradictions and into ambiguities the further delve alittle utterance,” we can author’s ambiguous: is what is stance amemoir, is as of author the the endowed and butis truth with it assertion the is workwe the opt for, that of is idea apposition, the suggesting thus a colon her (as in bibliography), it Whatever appears stop or adash? even afull title main the after punctuation the Firstly, not much does help us give book itself the regarding it appear. might as it just a memoir straightforward not is as to call that her article author. and title both Ganapathy-Doré quitetime is when she right points out in at one same the are and Rushdie Joseph Salman Anton that and to suggest is page inside the on theeffect frame, the of Because to fitspace. intothe same has and more letters two contains name the as letters, smaller slightly in Rushdie Salman order, that in with though again names, two the with aframe is there page, title ambiguity. inside On the further is there names, authors’ obvious Christian less (Ganapathy-Doré Chekhov” “Conrad to adopt when names he he considering wentIn rejected apparently into hiding, Diego on September, 22 at San University 2012). at the ofof California Rushdie Copperfield in eponymous as title, as of protagonist the to name a novel write the with AMemoir Joseph Anton, Rushdie’s Salman in Selves and Names with Seek Hide and “Playing herIn article title. formed the name wonder author which we the might and whoRushdie, was of Salman at either name the bottom or with top, we were if not more familiar titlethe come forbookmayof a ambiguous, since is deliberately This size. same the order, one of bottom, other at gold come top the the at in the both lettering and Rushdie,” “Joseph that while in Anton” letters, “Salman and small very in though prohibits the visual depiction of the human form in art, it frowns upon the verbal upon verbal it the frowns art, form in depiction of human the prohibits visual the novel the 322). in (Bhabha translated have been Islam Just as of faith concepts the sacred the to more which and profane to spaces the secularization, and from Islam Commenting upon “the Rushdie case” in in upon case” Commenting “the Rushdie of “posture the concerning especially problematics mind, in With this 13) (Ganapathy-Doré frame. or time its substance not diegetic its of utterance, posture of woven text into the tries and en notebook diary the letters, like much self-writing of sub-genre is a The memoir “A of presupposition truthfulness. subtitle book’s the the Memoir” reinforces Besides, or Tom Jones Joseph Anton. Joseph Anton. 2. RUSHDIE AND THE NOVEL THE RUSHDIE2. AND ,” Geetha Ganapathy-Doré reminds us of Rushdie’s us ,” Ganapathy-Doré reminds desire Geetha etc. (12, Lehrer’setc. Seth interview references note which 2, Should it be a comma, as Ganapathy-Doré suggests, Ganapathy-Doré suggests, Should as it acomma, be Joseph Anton. Anton. Joseph
14), these by choosing thus others, among What is really fictional about the narrative is the the is narrative the about fictional really is What The Satanic Satanic The Verses The Location of Culture, Culture, Location of The less to secular so to secular less Joseph Anton Anton Joseph David Homi Homi - - 2. Non-fictional account: the details are made public, which may affect the choiceof affect may made are public,which the details Non-fictionalaccount: 2. the in thoughts and details to record memoir/diary: intimate 1. writing, Life interest would be: involved their what and would be readerships which we see and genres, of following any the as read be undoubted and principles. dignity his he asserts these, within and memoirs, novels, essays, himself: like critic– and –novelist writer apolyfacetic of awriter, rights the especially as of readers communities monster.” novel: the “a baggy loose, called James work Henry what this of He makes “memoir,” with novelistic looks factual. strictly was when originally Joseph Anton, prohibitions the Equally, in former without of faith. respecting his out ideas set his event 2011, in p. 630).the writer, theof novel space as a to to Thus, claim lays he 1989 (a of writing time reference to the an February in its to proclamation almost A Memoir ( Homelands Balloon”in a ( “One Days and Faith”, Sacred?” Thousand “Is Nothing it ( regretted principles, his and self, up point to regards the where as he aline felt crossed he had wives: his “accoutrements” and of description the of Muhammad by ignominious reference to the argument his strengthens Bhabha therein. portrayed of how Prophet the were regardless outcomes– tragic with we recently have seen as magazine, or comic the satirical of course, of novel genre the the –and, would mean which not is sacralized, that space any depiction in of Prophet the Muhammad Step Across This This Line Across Step are told what appears to be the truth, but it is a truth edited by the writer. by edited the but it truth, atruth to the is be toldare appears what thefatwa of of effects the details the areaderhip interested in thus material, shoulder. his over looking contemplate,may butothers which person, himself apparently forfirst work, latest this In him justify even himself, to explain occasions on many tried has Rushdie 322) of cement (Bhabha community. very of the destructive but not simply sacrilegious, novels–is realist or magical –brothels spaces profane into names sacred of these transposition the that fundamentalists of the complaint Prophet. of It the the is wives the after named prostitutes the Mahound; as to referred Mohamed Islam: of the of offence “misnaming” on the much as as Koran, the of misinterpretation the on notfocused has charge fundamentalist The (2012), he sets out in full detail the effects upon his life of the fatwa from thefatwa life of his upon (2012), effects the detail out full he in sets 393-414; 415-429; 1999: 430-439), “February in Ten Years of Fatwa” the JA JA WRITING AND OF DRAMA AND THE NOVEL THE AND OF DRAMA AND WRITING 3 he claims the right to incorporate a mixture of genres, to include of what genres, to amixture incorporate right the he claims . JOSEPH ANTON ANTON . JOSEPH 275-276). “In Good in about fatwa novel the the written and He has 2002: 265-267); and a decade after this piece, in piece, in 265-267);2002: this after adecade and
Rushdie lays claim to certain textual spaces and spaces textual to certain claim lays Rushdie AND THE GENRES OF LIFE OF LIFE GENRES THE AND
Joseph Anton: AMemoir Joseph Anton:
Imaginary formal formal can can -
REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 91 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 92 the truth.Tothe Nabokov, offerparallel: a a andboth biographer autobiographer, not does autobiographies notoriously as are of “unreliable” not terms last, in the be will and autobiography. of fictitious asomewhat paradox to the create in So anyway. to persuaded be opponents, his unlikely and who concerns, are ideologial the merit than rather of literary the terms in stance amorewith critical or less works his enjoy and him reading with who sympathise readership: those bifurcated a he had that he Furthermore, knew avacuum. such in conceive writing of Rushdie to but no mind, itin audience with difficult is for just write themselves, they that Somewritersreadership.insist themhe imagined would out have fleshed his for following, aknown writer with successful and aprofessional as jottings, up” these he aide-mémoire. “wrote an have As been will function it, their but time, at the calls havethe formed“Memoir,”this nucleus of will not coincide.jottings These as he or may period, may over which, later ponderings, atwenty-year his and reactions immediate have included his will thoughts his also, felt Doubtless, and about it all. he recorded which not in but happened only to what a time, him, he what thought or notebook at one have kept at diary least will Rushdie most writers, century. Like of twenty-first the beginning the millennium, the straddling decades two those in Anton Joseph of author. objectives the and wishes to the “true”,or according less on facts, based But when autobiography ostensibly is what anovel, combines more be with it can umbrella of theunder loose autobiography. fall all sub-genres these three of first The truth. it only one full thus is to the known, version, alternative or aversion actually biography, own his written has it version the to and be is Rushdie he wishes aspect. see. we shall hybrid, as fuzzy apostmodern Doré calls Anton story. life Overall, his of part ajustified of is into others of account that the work own criticism of and his he should analysis incorporate that critic, novelist and crime). a is of initial Rushdie the Equally, since perpetrator the he was of course, of (For acrime offended the Muslims, victim potential the was Rushdie that true is autobiography, as from its nature to prevent not does least detract acrime, it since Joseph Anton writing. form life of an To read it “enhanced” make is to writing, life the on first, the pursuers. the to evade managed interest, on of how general victim 5. the story: Detective novel (3 4. Literary again yet is Rushdie aplay which in like almost reading sometimes 3. Are-enacting, wrote his autobiographywrote his Nabokov “When elsewhere: orI have written not as whole truth, the the truth; tell Joseph Anton: A manages to combine all of the genres and sub-genres into Ganapathy- what sub-genres and of genres the to combine all manages Of course, Rushdie is not the first to conceal himself in his autobiographyhis in himself conceal to not is first the Rushdie course, Of of its autobiographical nature the Yet combination changes the of genres the on theeffect and or sub-genres, genres anythese as of be read can Thebook of literature. name the attempt to explain. an later and years back agoing actor: an is undoubtedly based upon fact, upon what really happened to Rushdie happened to Rushdie upon uponreally what fact, undoubtedly based is as a detective story, with the police trying, if not to catch a criminal at not acriminal if to catch story, trying, police adetective the with as rd -person protagonist) and intertextual references (models): references -person in intertextual protagonist) and
Memoir, Speak, Memory, Memory, Speak, Rushdie tries to at once reveal and conceal himself, himself, conceal and to at once reveal tries Rushdie he put into it to he known be what wanted Joseph Joseph what Ganapathy-Doré called his “posture of “posture we utterance,” (13). saw his as Ganapathy-Doréwhat called of ambiguity the of aspect an maybe narrator. anonymous This an with again life, boy [...]” asmall he was of (19), his beginning at the to start time in back going thus “he”. anonymous of an “When story the it begins: Chapter appear Ithen by making mysterious account the to make tries Rushdie although material, autobiographical included (7). Prologue the also no contains is is doubt there So at least wife, that Rushdie’s first mother Clarissa, where his he with lived address the time) as such only son at the (his son Zafar his concerning information Intimate California. and London of Karachi, residence in places their members and mentions family of his are the account theof nature autobiographical confirm that references factual Other Rushdie. as obviously question person is identified in the book, without article) the of the Khomeini’s erroneous naming with disagreement to express quotein marks Khomeini’s condemnation of “‘thetollah Verses’ author (5; of ‘Satanic the book’” not on to However, year. say of quote goes of which Aya text narration the the as felt. Rushdie fear real the reader to the transmitting time same at the while technique, adistancing interpretedbe as may horror. of context the gothic strategy within This story the to atrope place as functions reference filmic The of film. the characters the terror as life-threatening of the heard Rushdie onof day which the referencing Hitchcock’s in film and Blackbird” First “he”. to referred as is the protagonist “The subtitle the tion The and Prologuehas Anton (165).” Idie’ until live (15; Ganapathy-Doré’s to reference here directly is Waitstoic James motto of sailor Conrad’s the in the with them connects from Chekhov’s and emanate writing melancholy that and of alienation feelings the expresses Joseph “the Anton name perfectly self: his of semi-fictionalizing Rushdie’s of this much explanation own more than succintly Verses condemnation book the of his after period the during at least life his of account autobiographical an book was the Anton Chekhov,and that thus and the of pronouncement the after hiding when in used know, “Joseph Rushdie name that code Anton” the was of non-fictionand fiction. cataloguing through problemthe presented or of paradox generic by differentiation the the separation to Rushdie’s back concept to us truth overcome the of story of idea brings using 455). about awriter” (Wallhead to learn likes audience motivationof inner the an little with enthusiast butterfly he achess-playing over comes and about as himself, ). Yet when we begin to read, we see that the text is not). is afirst-person text the Yetnarra that we see to read, when we begin in February 1989, the February in after or “life The bias of the partial truth or the imaginative act elaborationthe of act upon imaginative the or truth the partial Theof bias The second paragraph tells us that it was that was it us Valentine’s tells Day ( Thesecond paragraph not did already that to those out, known made it book came was the When 4. ON THE AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL: AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL: THE ON 4. SUBGENRES IN IN SUBGENRES fatwa , based upon writers he admired, Joseph Conrad Joseph Conrad upon he writers admired, , based fatwa JOSEPH ANTON JOSEPH fatwa fatwa .” up, Ganapathy-Doré and sums As Nigger of the Narcissus Narcissus of the Nigger as if he were suffering the same thesame he were if suffering as The Birds, Birds, The
it
gives an account account an gives JA 3) but it does The Satanic Satanic The [...]: ‘I must Joseph Joseph - -
REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 93 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 94 that “Autobiographythat reputation’ belong should rather to people of or ‘lofty people of “great lives men”. felt it was century extraordinary nineteenth the the In ebrating of cel of works modes acanon subjectivity, with but(western) also masculine and not middle-class of only autobiography, with associated been traditionally it has as generic to to the category aspire want he might Certainly, tion too pedantically. distinc apply work, we this so cannot this of in of seriousness lack him we suspect writing): of life sub-genre 4.1. memoir the On encompass. may term umbrella this that sub-genres and genres possible “a the more of implications memoir” writing explore the then all and round out of “posture the utterance,” alittle book, we can the in shewhat called absolutely “adventure”). producing (hence new is something and we explore But as knowsomein from way Rushdie, what we of differ self-referential and words are not whose does anarrator create Rushdie that she means we assume a language,” notit does notbook is because Doubrovsky’s prioritise autofictional “adventure of fiction” and fact borderline blurs the and between (13).In theconclusion her that combines elements of autobiography, autofiction,andmetafiction fiction detective that of“[h]is writing variety hybrid postmodern memoir afuzzy, and constitutes Anton her misgivings: autobiography? Ganapathy-Doré expresses an as Geetha same the we hope that the quality of his work and its multiple messages will in the long run long the run in will work of its multiple his and messages quality the we hope that but importance, havehistorical been of will case theRushdie that doubt confirm 8). no (Anderson to say” Time importance’ will of ‘historical who have something is a detective story too. story Ganapathy-Doré concludes, more adetective is generally, that That Rushdie might might not be Rushdie That “capable self-reflection”of risible, can is nor are not” who (21).those and self-reflection 8) (Anderson of capable are who beings human those between distinction atypological with up bound –is generic and formal –ostensibly autobiography/memoirs distinction it: puts “The Marcus autobiography. Laura than of As “seriousness” degree lesser involved a they alower order since occupying memoirs with self-representation to in relation values of hierarchy adefinite was there century By nineteenth the genrethe of Definitions “memoir” rather,(or within point differences up as far of so in adventure, language the uses certainly Rushdie it puts (1997, Doubrovsky Serge of adventure,” as language to the (13) dustjacket). than rather of a language “to adventure the account this in preference to give choose not does Rushdie because autofictional Moreover, considered be narrator. it cannot the by transfigured is the real autobiographywhere nor afictitious two, the between distinguish clearly to reader the wide for sufficiently is narrator the and author Anton Joseph amemoir, is ourselves, But, we ask it may along if even complete is and one, is neither an autobiographical novel, where the distance between the the between distance novel, the where autobiographical neither an is Joseph Joseph - - the truth factor? Who has the right to tell stories? Who has power over them? Rushdie power over Rushdie has them? stories? Who to tell right the has Who factor? truth the them: towards attitudes his told and father him stories by his the marked been whole has boyhood, but and his life, of indeed, how not childhood only his a workwith explanation longchapterthis of first the He begins have narratives. epics even poetry; lyric perhaps except genres covers all ofidea story. Storytelling autobiography modes, two memoirthe and fiction, alongside concentrating on by story as 4.2. Auto/biography subject travails. from the of his himself to need distance equal his is of this but obverse account, the of value this truth the to accept readers his he wants book: values” (2001:cultural their4). own reflected which transcendence for autobiography of autonomy, on ideals based authenticity and self-realization, 1960s the principles in 1970s and writing critical modern critics abstract deduced group noble long of continued “an play: as important as to in be values a genius, 20 of the part latter the in to change began continues, attitudes Anderson as case, any of its composition. But in circumstances the than rather readers prove to attract th century, as the subject of an autobiography subject the of an century, or as no man longer to agreat be had So if we live in stories, we must ask questions like: What is the relevance of relevance the is What like: questions we stories, ask we must in live if So it away.take ( could and nobody birthright, his was story The was. it of creature kind what to understand stories told itself that on earth creature only the animal, storytelling the was Man return. in by them life given to be and them by loving by, life and stories with the to give and in live and rejoice in atand laugh to his he when pleased, and as pick up again and discard and renew and to alter his profane, and stories sacred stories, dark and father’s, stories bright were his they as his, were all they else, to everyone and father, Anis, to his belonged they as just him, to belonged all they that second, and him; not tell could truth the that truths know and feel him make could they lamps), untrue but by being or wonderful carpets ing fly or bottles in “genies” true were were notno real stories (there that first, lessons: Tai Hatim the in collected heroes of mighty tales the and born; been ancestors his where Kashmir in created of Story,” story-lake immense the the from awaterfall like poured that of the fables animal the and of tyrants; murderous most the overcome even and to civilise of stories to prove ability the death against way own his in reinvented them and them remade and retold them and told them East, of the wonder tales great the told him atbedtime father boy his asmall he was When of the presented overcomes paradox generic byRushdie the the cataloguing 177) Calle-Gruber of another”. &Mireille (Hélène Cixous place in one story tell narratives all like autobiographies all like “All biographies Perhaps “authenticity” word the is of context to applied be the Rushdie’s in – the stories of Scheherazade from the the from of Scheherazade stories the [...]. To grow up steeped in these tellings was to learn two unforgettable unforgettable two [...]. to learn was tellings To these in up steeped grow Kathasaritsa gara, Thousand and One Nights, Nights, One and Thousand Hamzanama Panchatantra the “Ocean of the Streams Streams of the “Ocean the and the the and ; and the marvels marvels the ; and JA 19) 19) Adventures of stories told told stories -
REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 95 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 96 and famous as if he were the bearer of a banner for of to others acclaim. abanner he were if bearer the as famous and and made public have persona to a new here-and-now “extracted” strange it finds and Weintraubwrites the in (xiii).self this The protagonist-narrator-Rushdie experiences self,” ineffable our of individuality, our cultivation the in perceive anoble task life form, we and one one human constitutes each of irreplaceable us that sense uncanny “We upon by stablebasis: an asolid and captivated building are itself totends see self-realisation our or notion Romantic of selfhood, of essentialist the into fallacy the not to fall care taking While feelings. and attitudes character, to his regard with tory transi and less the basic sense of his self, essential consider his might what he falsifies out is control: of which his of doppelgänger Hyde type aDr Jekyll/Mr is self new this self, though anew old and self an at least he has thus after, an a before and in PEN eventbenefit forCanadian Toronto.the But annual at the entrance people surprise love” hundred by at his twelve shown to him and “solidarity the when recording selves of He these writes stages. and contexts these in selves different sees Rushdie life, eventful of ideology, his ture, because and Tucholsky persecution: who to writers resisted Kurt he awarded the received Prize, where Stockholm, in Academy Swedish to the address his book, he the recalls in Later defiance. with so he point does and from of his view astory to to tell aright claim lays about through half-way story own relation to in his this all asks focusses immediately on a “small boy” and his story is told in the third person, but told third is the story in his boy” and on a “small immediately focusses As regards Rushdie’s use of the third person to refer to himself, Chapter One person to Rushdie’s refer to himself, of third the use regards As also but dangerous, less inventedfar persona is supporters his by This him for original) the in emphasis and (365, marks suspense adversaries. by his constructed demon version of the himself end defeat the in just might and counteracted values, highest the for unwaveringly and flawlessly who stood Liberty of Salman an idealised constructed, had supporters his icon-Salman symbolic The He felt... iconic. feel didn’t He thought. he odd, very was an icon into turned being of business This of different the “communities” belongs he to:Because family, nation, cul (360) free. were indeed societies our proof that best the was culture of our story the remake and to retell ability our that say one could fact, society. In open an of as members right our was That or we chose. however passionately, caustically, them reverently, of irreverently, times. speak should We changing the to reflect change they that insist and them, satirise them, with to argue to task, narratives power. that have should or has, anyone and was: question to the answer only the that he knew artist acreative As third. a was another,and religion was family the story,and a was nation The narratives. grand so-called the stories, inside by and lived told? For be may everyone stories those manner what in to say but also lived, we all which, within and which, with story? the over of profound importance: aquestion was abuse, and tions over dispute of the heart the At Who has, who should have, the power not only to tell the stories stories the not power to tell only the have, should who has, Who actual. But right now it might just be the best weapon he had. he had. weapon best the be just now it But right might The Satanic Verses, Satanic Verses, The We should all be free to take the grand grand the to take free be We all should fatwa fatwa he said, behind all the accusa the all behind he said, has turned his life into life his turned has Joseph Anton Joseph Who shall have control control have shall Who . Here he Everyone Everyone - - - sibility of a succession of of “A selves: asuccession sibility produced by prose narrative retrospective of pos the wrote of development the and thinking of personality, he the was Bulwer-Lytton). by coined itnot Edward been had have known sword” theif may he (even than mightier is pen “The of adage the not unaware was (5).author of abook” We not must however, forget, Khomeini Ayatollah the that merely “the he no is king, that protests further Rushdie by them, and killed was him, who of dethroned those or authority legitimacy the he not did recognise that grotesquely have been inventedselves by others: of story, anew new protagonist not or chosen his been as controlled has by himself, now” (5). self, self himself new anew his hewas most about protests that is What habits were more. of any old no He use his self’s that knew “But life: he also his in (5), no “old longer which of of story. holds his astate being sway self” He speaks self, however much its he existence. denies old the one.)” erased that truth control (436). particular little this over has Thus, he anew establish could “(Repeated denials enough, it true: often becomes something omission by the of initial the distorted but the knew friends his now. self of storm,a new eye the no the person longer in the the He was not “old or his “He at least himself, was self”: story, not does recognise narrator the this In identity, become has confused. that identity but now, affirms, narrator the “the Verses’ author (5), as of ‘Satanic his the book” indirectly confirms him naming (3).Khomeini?’” Khomeini’s quote of Ayatollah the the text from the Also, it [...]does feel you Ayatollah by sentenced have the been just that to to death know “‘How him: asks Wiggins, Marianne as named immediately almost wife, his self, as the authorhim 1989 Rushdie as hero anonymous identified the becomes that and “Valentine’s before no long, year, it or with Day” already, though is that we know eventsthe andon situates person anonymousthird protagonist an on focusses first (19). ( Similarly, “Prologue: the in The Blackbird” First Ganapathy-Doréexplains untoldas and names” fictive of real, a“subtleis mixing there sisters of his naming the in and to reveal, he only what wants reveals Rushdie story.caveat, Therehowever,is a family his as to do with details the through equated and authoridentified and are protagonist the 19), oblique an beginning, after thus ( Rushdie Negin mother as his and Anis as father to refer toit his proceeds then Perhaps when Philippe Lejeune penned his definition of autobiographyPerhaps definition his penned when Lejeune Philippe I, who, however Charles much he declared to King himself He compares (5) to fight. impossible it seemed which version, against whelming over an version of a new him, to construct a man’s and to erase past it was easy bore. they cartoons crude the in tongue red protruding with man city, hanged the of a faraway streets the down by demonstrators carried placards on the Rushdy”, horned creature author, the “Satan satanic their he was Satanic Verses The From St. Valentine’s Day 1989, a new up in caught found himself Rushdie you if repeat that demon is self this concerning Rushdie worries What Rushdie Rushdie was anovel. was who was the author the of who was Satanic Verses Satanic The ”
(5). (5). were verses that were satanic, and and were satanic, that were verses Satanic Verses, Satanic JA JA Hang Satan Rushdy. Rushdy. Satan Hang 3-16), at narrator the a title subtly a title Salman Salman fatwa How How JA JA - - -
REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 97 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 98 The “posture of utterance” is Rushdie in his different contexts, fulfilling his various his fulfilling different contexts, his in Rushdie is The of utterance” “posture construct. social is a that identity,essential, thefrom idea being far to confirm seem also problemthe experiences neither His to show one that for is Rushdie true. us is through The path only of himself. opposing views two wholeness, reconciling in finding in difficulty Rushdie’s this is 5). interesting account (Anderson makes What fragmentation” of anxieties and [...]dangers the alleviating of thepossibility it offers wholeness self. the for stabilizing yet and unmediated an it offers because place first autobiographer,an “...autobiography together: them to bring [...] the to in turned is an author, of search in are andstories selves different these that envisaged be could done person: by one same life-writing the and strictly is what 6),concerning caveat a butadds to find (Lang it” one cares everywhere indeed is “Autobiography concept awide of in authoriality: Lang derson Candace references An do others not. while Linda truth, as to respected considered be and demand stories: considering some in “stories” question posed we had initial to that return nation(s). their within is one That theproblem, anothertruth. is question and of To more or less exist families (2006), asserts Anderson Benedict as imaginary, be may isolation, ideaof in the nation for do not while they exist domains: story of these stories problem he overlooks complicating these the of overlap the on separating end. Yet future and middle astory, as its beginning, seen be with can velop time in de event ofor that events series linear another, yet religion every point that is his it: with not satisfied its author even was that noting pointed definition, out problems the this with order. chronological in has Anderson But of Linda alife-story stages the like (193). on development the personality” of his particular reads Such adefinition in life, individual on his focusing existence, own his person concerning a real literary ambitions and offering himself to his differentreaderships. his to himself offering ambitions and literary In the Romantic or transcendental view of art we mentioned of art before, it view or Romantic transcendental the In 1-2)(Anderson fiction. and fact between division the and representation selfhood, authorship, including of ideas arange about controversies for critical ground testing important an such, as and, genre literary a distinct as century eighteenth late the since recognized been However, also autobiography has and one nation another is the story, that family the asserts Rushdie When of amatter as except established be really never of can speaks Lejeune “identity” the since 1982:(Lejeune 193). condition this is how to apply However, difficulty the the between “identity be must there but absolute: one for autobiography condition was admitted be might cases particular classifying in “latitude” certain A fiction. of and biography genres the adjacent and autobiography between boundary to provide a sufficient seem did notit since this with dissatisfied remained However, himself Lejeune intention on the part of the author. of the (2) part on the author, the the narrator, and the the and protagonist ” - -
López comments as regards the French the “ regards comments as López autobiography is “all said: himself version, Coetzee never asingle is there as and that suggests that cultures. and languages between of hovering asense dislocation, territorial and linguistic underwent Coetzee and Rushdie Both on not fact. fortunately, are entirely based that we these so see dead, is John Coetzee protagonist the installment, third (2009), of this time by the and memoirs: of fictional author the of is atrilogy Coetzee about himself. writer J.M.Coetzee can concept up the of “ calls also 4.4. events. and of not dates and given alist just apersona, as orreader, herself him with for the doing astory so, have in created inevitably awriter must and intoverted text now you don’t.” con been has alife But because de Man’s refuted be cannot view “Now reader to the you me, saying see is of utterance,” Rushdie one say that might “one of another.” place in of idea story the prosopopeia to Rushdie’s Relating “posture De-Facement”as (1979). comments: Anderson Linda As “Autobiography essay his in by Paul de Man argued to everyone’s was satisfaction 4.3. Prosopopoeia A u t That autobiography is “plagued” by such questions that are difficult to answer answer to difficult are that autobiography That by such questions is “plagued” The idea that one’s life-story is converted into a semi-fictional personification that personification one’sconvertedintoThe is idea semi-fictional a life-story Cixous’ssection: this of thethebeginning epigraph at to back harks This (12-13) writing. only is end there the In tropes. through subject autobiographical the of defacement or disfigurement the names also prosopopoeia, of aface, giving the therefore, Paradoxically, writing. by displacement or fictionalization own his or conceal order to mask in of aface attributes the all with text the within tion inscrip to endow his to try is autobiography does of author an the What seek. they self-knowledge the of place in figures or fictions produce thus Autobiographies tropes. or knowledge on figurative depends self-knowledge, including knowledge, all that case: the much more generally fact in is which something it reveals that is Man, of de to autobiography, The interest according or personification. a face, of giving the literally, of prosopopoeia, trope substitutive by the into being called face ora momentfigure is a specular or self-reflexive this in seeing hebut is what thetext, in himself reads Theauthor understanding. own of is subject the himself makes author an time every repeated to be liable is which dilemma alinguistic with biography He identifies of texts. arange across autobiography but also within only not in operation is that understanding” or of reading but “a figure atall not agenre autobiography is that proposes Man de point of departure, alternative own his As re Boyhood: Scenes from Provincial Life Provincial from Scenes Boyhood: - biography autre- biography”, meaning that there is no one truth. As María J. María As biography”, no is onethere that truth. meaning autre- biography”.Afri coined Southis a term by This Autre- autre” biography combination apostmodern is (1997), : Youth (2002) and Summertime - - -
REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 99 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 100 remind us of political suppression of cultural artifacts, as does, of course, the refer the of course, does, as artifacts, suppression of political of us remind cultural Was Thursday (319), Anthony Burgess’s to references Orwell’s then Hitchcock’s horror film comparison to The references. opening intertextual do the as contributes to this, anovel. content, The like 3 worktruth the reads undeniably the novelof in two sub-genres thebriefly on other novel 5.1. The literary (70). one person is similarities: itself’” Rushdie’s of most salient the of third the use attempt”,most famous “to Anderson, autobiography Linda an write says ‘against Barthes Roland by 4.5. “against itself” Autobiography laments: queries and Rushdie As upon when imposed “others” one. frightening and or “other dangerous selves” are Turning now of forms autobiography, from the to comment Iwould like text) the (142) in 2001: marks surface” on the (Anderson 70; suspense remain now [...]. here and matter, I of core the the reaching from distance– Far a great adistance, –at myself to rewrite solution no other “I than had text: written the and writer the between distance of effect the to reinforce attempt an in arbitrarily almost “he”, places “R.B.,” positionings: multiple-subject “you” “I” exchange and instead andsubstituting singular first-person the discarding through achieved is tradition with break text’s The salient genre. most the underlying assumptions major the within from autobiography, an to be it deconstructs purporting While autobiographyBarthes’ Roland with too, Thereis a similarity, destiny, be or abomb? ( could economics which in of strangers, but by those choices not own by your determined be could fate your which destiny, in always no longer was character aworld, of aworld such which stories in the How to tell preferably subject, are by different chosen but the life these in Alternatives “All autobiography is that asserts he similarly Attwell, David with interview a 2002 In exercise. autrebiographical Point the Doubling “ term The self. own his with deals he which in the works all in we find ment that anddetach engagement personal fiction, and truth between inextricability the in order describe to critics Coetzee’s among generalized become has adjective This autre- biography” (359), Calvino’s Italo and (by Roland Barthes, one might add –as long as he long wrote it), as one –as add might “the Barthes, Roland (by The Birds Birds The
A Clockwork Orange Orange A Clockwork was actually coined by Coetzee himself in the “Retrospect” of “Retrospect” the in himself by Coetzee coined actually was (1992a: 394), in which he indulges in a typically Coetzeean Coetzeean (1992a: atypically in he 394), indulges which in Nineteen Eighty-Four Eighty-Four Nineteen 5. 5. JOSEPH ANTON ANTON JOSEPH also points to other genres of popular culture. But culture. of points popular to other genres also autre- If a Winter’s On Night aTraveller... biography”. (216) biography”. (431) (346), Thomas Pynchon’s(346), Thomas AS NOVEL AS , G.K.Chesterton’s G.K.Chesterton’s Joseph Anton. Joseph Anton. rd -person protagonist protagonist -person Regardless of the Regardless Roland Barthes Roland Barthes The Man Who Who Man The Vineland JA (351) (351) 69) 69) - - detective story and the memoir, in this case, may offend both offend may sides. Oneboth hopes not. memoir, the case, and story this detective in the both of cards trump Theonethe revelation secrets, of butof much revealed. is (635-636) names their changed he has that says and protectionmembers of teams his the he thanks Acknowledgements his In services. opens up: security the grievance for field police, anew the possible upset of novel world,much has of Muslim this the provoked and of ire Khomeini Ayatollah the Muhammad novel contained the that Iwonder what if, is as just Also, aggravate. reiterated stopped, and are can attempts whose ears to those comeappeasement successfully preach at aprice: one cannot motivations. the as well as of details pursuit the the in the reader is a that he murderer: such novels engage page first on novel, his the us tells Nabokov again– cite who. –to the for Similarly, example to many-coated, presume be novels that than rather how the is: focus, or the why becomes criminal who the beginning from the enjoyed be but we know novels if crime even can committed, been has no crime, is, no doubt continue to abest-seller. it be is/will It not is that a“whodunnit,” nothing, as 3) etc.; and of “adventure” the suspense, with of stages the story “plot” engaging an is (and 1) pursuers ways: eluded we hope his he he has continues to far so do so); 2) the 3 in It pursuers. successful the is to evade managed possibleand end: how victim the story 5.2. The detective criticism: literary internal self-conscious, sound like strategy rative of of genesis he the gives novel explanation self-conscious the is apostmodern it like read makes that aspect condemned toence books: the Finally, Finally, thetext) in (55-56, emphasis language. that to find try he would and that to match alanguage it loud needed and and vulgar overcrowdedhot and and It not cool. was was India English. Forsterian cool in book his he write Nor would at parties. look cute and uniforms dress to wear was Army British the major for role whom the of and them, Napoleonic Wars mentioning without the during oeuvre her entire write could who Austen, of Jane age no the longer was This keptapart. be no could longer personal the and political The crossroads. that on book his build would public and the and private the between intersection an found had excited. He very feel to began He fiction. point of his the be also must forces, of those direction the to change ability the at times, retained, yet forces, by great were shaped classes social and nations communities, lives, how individual to understand was point of which history, great the and by training a historian was He work. his from lacking been too, had dimension, this that he understood and deconstructive, and creative intimate, and immense pages, into his rushed History But in Rushdie’s latest work, the attempted explanations and overtures of But overtures Rushdie’s and in work, attempted latest the explanations Joseph Anton Lolita , where Humbert Humbert, the narrator of the main part of part of main the narrator the , where Humbert, Humbert Midnight’s Children. Midnight’s is definitely a detective story with a beginning, middle middle beginning, a with story a detective definitely is Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Ulysses, Lolita Lolita Ulysses, Lover, Chatterley’s Lady The decisions he took regarding nar The decisions he took regarding (115). Another hot . It was . It was -
REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 101 REVISTA CANARIA DE ESTUDIOS INGLESES, 70; 2015, PP. 89-104 102 is also the subject, the victim gets to write the story. And story is the appropriate the story. is to the write story gets And victim subject, the the also is where object the story adetective given us he So has someone to into go hiding. has when it what like in is and happened to what him interestedin areadership there” a work. such write We he considered, quite rightly,assume would there “out be that novel. not did But intend Rushdie to prize-winning the long rememberedbe as as autobiography.ostensibly an By comparison, Children, Midnight’s by successful. we mean what and of text. the author, the surface the and between narrator distancing person, the and third and first stances, different autobiography the itself,” in “against especially Barthes’sto similarities also are There his. in did Coetzee work,Anton” as this in would of preposterous have or been “Rushdie” to “Joseph have included death the to Coetzee’s similarities are over alayer There forms self-knowledge. superimposed the that tionalization the fic suggested, Man as de mask, to try that faces himself, of personifications honour in of Rushdie or Ibn Averroes. Rushd adopted surname the Ahmed, Anis father, his as thefamily, in run may Theposturing hiding. enforced ofperiod his “Josephthe Anton” or “Joe” worse, the even or “Arctic the tern” ( and Rushdy,” forced to been become: “Satan of he Liberty” selves has the “Salman are there self, and essential an than rather asocially-constructed as maturity, and been, however much development always in to he has grew to and be as himself ofsort he a is that when more we recognize is understandable but this stance, about his him. with to share readers his he wishes or multiple perspective, the but perspective, is which varied, is which of utterance” a“posture points of has view, Rushdie Ganapathy-Doré shows and quite that rightly only no are there is one there truth, that us taught also Postmodernism has comic. and popular the with serious and formal the mix can and limitations– its strict has memoir no –the longer tradition classical the in as genres between categorically content,of in terms we as also today no longerhavedistinguish to justified be can this and of postmodern the frame temporal the not itare She clear. within places or sub-genres genres the between lines the combination that and its full in read be to work (13), the asks of that writing” modern variety she maintains because it was it “a hybrid post fuzzy, Ganapathy-Doré and called Geetha When a mixed-bag. or as of any these exclusively as read be to produce can work amulti-faceted that story, the anddetective novel theliterary like sub-genres, different novel–the and there are just one or two points of transition that seem to jar, like the beginning, beginning, to jar, the seem one just that like points of are there transition or two is smoothly,done fairly were stories. This they if as all of avictim story the tell and description, detail autobiographical able is word: to factual combine Rushdie strict doppelgänger The questions we have to ask ourselves are whether this mixing is successful, is successful, mixing this are whether ask Thehave ourselves we questions to are that selves creates Rushdie aform Salman of prosopopoeia, as It all is element an is there of and posturing actor at Cambridge an was Rushdie In Joseph Anton, Joseph Anton, or has more than one self. There is the Salman Rushdie he feels he feels Rushdie the oneSalman Thereis self. more or than has which also has a large component alarge of has autobiography, also which not while autre- Rushdie has combined different genres –life writing and writing –life combinedgenres different has Rushdie 6. CONCLUSIONS 6. biography, it hand, of but shows a less free Rushdie Joseph Anton: AMemoir, Joseph Anton is not novelis agreat like is inferior and will not will and inferior is JA JA 149) of the - - Rushdie López Lejeune Lang Ganapathy-Doré Man De Coetzee —— —— Coetzee Cixous Bhabha Barthes Anderson Anderson contradiction. even and outlook variety invites for postmodern the work the ofit is successful, ahybrid that is nature, we accept if say that we can So stance. narrative of varied the nature attention playful to the conspicuous order, juxtaposition in the makes precisely, Rushdie there, even to draw boyhood, but to his back going say that we then could and Hichcock to the referring
, Candace. “Autobiography in the Aftermath of Romanticism.” of Romanticism.” Aftermath “Autobiography the in , Candace. Summertime. Youth. , María J. “J.M.Coetzee’s J. “J.M.Coetzee’s , María , Helene & Mireille Calle-Gruber. Calle-Gruber. & Mireille , Helene , Homi. , Homi. , Paul. “ , Paul. , Philippe. “The Autobiographical Contract”, in Tzvetan in Contract”, Todorov,Tzvetan ed. Autobiographical “The , Philippe. , Salman. , Salman. , Roland. , Roland. , J.M. and David David and , J.M. , J.M. , J.M. Extraterritorial Literary Community.” A Today. AMemoir. Anton, Joseph Print. 2006. Press, of Hawaii University eds. Olver Thoma and H. Ngwenya Meyer, Thengani Stephan Coullie, Lütge Judith Attwell”. by David 1997.York, Routledge, Print. Print. 1977. [1975] Idiom Series). Print. 1983. Print. York: &New Verso, London 2006. , Benedict. , Benedict. Reviews sent to author: 14 January 2015. Revised paper accepted for publication: 30 March 2015. March 30 publication: for accepted paper 2015. 14 Revised January author: to sent Reviews , Linda. , Linda. London: Vintage, 2002. Print. 2002. Vintage, London: Boyhood: Scenes from Provincial Life. Life. Provincial from Scenes Boyhood: Autobiography De-Facement. as The Location of Culture. Culture. of Location The Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1982. Print. Press, University Cambridge Cambridge: Roland Barthes by Roland Barthes. , Geetha. “Playing Hide and Seek with Names and Selves in Salman Rushdie’s Rushdie’s Salman in Selves and Names with Seek and Hide “Playing , Geetha. Joseph Anton: A Memoir. AMemoir. Anton: Joseph London: Harvill Secker, 2009. Print. 2009. Secker, Harvill London: Autobiography. Imagined Communities. Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. of Nationalism. Spread and Origin the on Reflections Communities. Imagined Attwell Selves in Question: Interviews on South African Auto/biography. Auto/biography. African South on Interviews Question: in Selves Summertime: ” . “All Autobiography is is Autobiography . “All Atlantis Atlantis WORKS CITED WORKS London & New York, Routledge, 2001. (The New Critical Critical 2001. New (The York, &New London Routledge, London: Routledge, [1994]2004. (Routledge Classics). Print. 35.2 (2013):35.2 11–25. Print. Rootprints: Memory and Life Writing. Life Writing. and Memory Rootprints: London, Jonathan Cape, 2012. Print. Cape, Jonathan London, Mistranslation, Linguistic Unhousedness, and the the and Unhousedness, Linguistic Mistranslation, ”
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