Who Ami and Why? - Pressures on the ]Vriting Self

Victoria University WHO AMI AND WHY? - PRESSURES ON THE ]VRITING SELF by Gary Smith (BA, Hons) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Department of Communication, Language and Cultoral Smdies Victoria University March 2004 FTS THESIS A828.409 SMI 30001008090864 Smith, Gary (Gary Francis) Who am I and why? : pressures on the writing self m Dedication I would like to dedicate this thesis to Wendy, whose omnipresent love, patience and understanding were the warm gardenbeds in which both writer and writing could winter and spring. IV Acknowledgements I would Hke to thank the postgraduate department of Victoria University for accepting my candidature and granting me the scholarship that made this project possible. I am especially indebted to my principal supervisor, Professor John McLaren, for his invaluable advice and assistance in aU aspects of the thesis, and for his patience and persistence in working through some of the more problematic stages of this PhD project. Thanks also go to my co-supervisor. Doctor Ian Syson for his assistance and advice when I needed it, and to Judith Rodriguez for helpful conversations. I would also like to thank those who've helped me keep my personal equilibrium — sometimes with advice and feedback on poems and stories, but mostiy for their friendship and encouragement at tougher moments - thank you Max & Peg, Patrick & GiU, Jo, Mary. Table of Contents Section Page Title Page i Declaration ii Dedication Hi Acknowledgements iv Abstract vi 1: Introduction 1 2: Snapshots of Broken Things 32 The Stories 33 The Poems 167 3: Critical Essays 213 4: Conclusions 286 Bibliographj 315 Appendix ?>z2. VI Abstract This PhD diesis, entitied Who Am I, and Whj? (WAW) comprises a creative component. Snapshots of Broken Things (SNAPSHOTS): a collection of poetry and short prose fiction amounting to 70 percent of the thesis, plus a critical and exegetical smdy of 30,000 words which represents a concurrent and retrospective analysis and reflection of the creative work in relation to the central research questions, plus a Hterary-critical study of issues of identity and function pertaining to writers of literary fiction and poetry. The broad thematic concerns for the subject matter of SNAPSHOTS are personal and societal notions of identity: perceptions regarding the roles and functions of individuals within their famQies and communities; and the power structures, gender politics and social interrelationships inherent in these notions. In this regard SNAPSHOTS echoes the issues and concerns of the critical study, whilst the processes of its writing (detailed in a series of essays) serve as a major focus for investigation of the research questions regarding the function and identity of the writer. Section 1 Introduction Contents Page Outiine 2 Tensions for the writer 7 Pressures of critical theory 11 The person\writer split 21 Ethical considerations 23 Internal pressures 27 Ramifications 30 Outline Some explanation regarding the symbiotic relationship existing between SNAPSHOTS and WAW wiU be helpfiil. Though the namre of functionality and identity for characters portrayed in SNAPSHOTS and the issues therein being investigated in a fictional\poetic way are not identical to those of the identity and functionality of the writers under investigation in WAW, they are complementary aspects of the same thematic concern. The second, crucial function for SNAPSHOTS is that it serves as a creative artefact whose processes of formation, and their effects, are integral to the critical exploration, through WAW, of the research questions for the thesis. SNAPSHOTS explores a range of characters in the context of their notions of self-identity, and the way their families and societies\communities identify them in terms of their status and functionality. In a formative sense it's important to understand differences in the ways that different genres set about developing a specific thematic concern. A novelist's approach is generally to take a specific time, place, set of characters etc., and to create a single idiom or narrative entity through which the theme wiU be carried, explored and revealed. It is therefore both logical and prudent for novelists to spend a great deal of time establishing main characters, plot events and so on, and to do a chapter breakdown and plot development plan before proceeding to write the novel. But poets and short story writers need to approach this task of thematic exploration (through a novel length collection) very differentiy. My project works to present a range of stories and poems that explore various situations and characters in a series of self-contained (though thematicaUy linked) entities whose aspects wiH cohere to reveal the thematic concerns, and engage the reader with them by virme of the variety of thematic instances they offer. Two excellent examples of this particular model are Tim Wmton's collection. Scission (Penguin Books, 1985), and Raymond Carver's, Cathedral (Vintage Books, 1984). The first contains a range of stories m which the relationships of characters are marked by physical and emotional violence and are revealed as having sharp edges of tension that disturb, disrupt and unbalance their lives. The main concern of Cathedral\s> the exploration of dysfunctional, working class males dealing with the problems of poverty, alcohoHsm, and so on. Again, sHghtiy different aspects of the theme are carried through the collection by different characters in different situations and dilemmas. Emerging from this, and with a firm focus on my thematic concerns, the characters comprise female and male (adult and child) protagomsts and antagonists from a variety of familial, racial, social, political and religious backgrounds and situations. The settings in which these characters play out the various problematic aspects of their personal and social fianction\identity is diverse, but always converges on the thematic concerns. In light of my own origins, background and experiences the majority, though not aU of the creative pieces have taken on an Australian context. With a view to giving the best expression to my theme, and in trying to demonstrate the universal namre of the effects of perceptions of identity\function, thinking in terms of national boundaries became a restricting factor. The theoretical exegesis, WAW explores notions of a writer's identity' and function in both a personal and social context. This includes analysis of the namre and effects of expectations that critics, readers and writers themselves have regarding these notions of writerly functions and sense of identity. The investigations wiU centre on the pressures encountered by a writer addressing issues such as his or her responsibilities, morality, ethics and the attimdes that in mrn inform and shape the nature of the writing. Though a wealth of opinion has been articulated by critics and theorists regarding perceptions and expectations of a writer's role and function within literary fiction and poetry, my initial research indicates very Httie has been done to assess or explore the effects of these expectations upon both the person in the act of writing (the writer) and the writer when not in the act of writing (the person) — expectations that can then affect what a writer chooses to write (subject matter, themes, character types, etc) and the ways in which a writer goes about exploring and reveaUng that subject matter. Through WAW, I believe that the revelation and analysis of these expectations and their effects contributes to a greater understanding bv writers, writing students, critics and readers, of the tensions involved for writers, and thereby encourages an environment that maximises unselfconsciousness and a freedom of creative expression^ in which ' Whilst appreciating the ambiguities of this term in light of modern literary theory - such as the post-structuralist notion on the arbitrary nature of the sign, and contending views of the role of writers can render theic perceptions of subject matter as accurately as possible. WAW also researches the issues in the context of incidents, both historical and contemporary, where writers have been observed to be influenced by the perceptions and expectations of function\identity, or where writers themselves have indicated an awareness of these tensions that in mrn have impacted upon theic writing in ways that can be identified as either positive or negative. Throughout the history of Uteramre expectations regarding the function and role of poets and writers of literary fiction have been defined and redefined. Comment, opinion and judgment have come from specific communities of readers, critics, theorists, and from writers themselves and have reflected or responded to particular agendas of Hterary movements plus a variety of contemporary social and\or political mores. My research is an attempt to feed into the debate and broaden the knowledge of these issues by articulating and analysing the effects of these imposed and self imposed expectations; the ways in which they contribute to shaping the identity of the writer, the tensions that are created for the person who houses the writer and, ultimately, the writing that is produced. the author in 'creative expression' - this project, focusing as it does upon the practicalities of creative writing processes rather than theories of literature, uses the term to relate to the notion of a writer being able to work in an environment that minimizes the pressures that inhibit\dissuade\disallow a writer to produce work that the writer considers paramount to her\his function and identity as a writer. Impacting issues include censorship (external and self, subtle and overt\official); ideas of political correctness whereby ideas\expressions that may be offensive to certain individuals or sections of society are nonetheless deemed necessary by the writer (in terms perhaps of a faithful character portrayal), for the writing. The thesis as a whole attempts to contribute to the knowledge on these issues within the creative writing, cultural smdies and literamre smdies disciplines.

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