A Narratological Approach to the Treatment of the Asia Minor Refugee in Modern Greek Novels
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REFUGEES AND NARRATORS: A NARRATOLOGICAL APPROACH TO THE TREATMENT OF THE ASIA MINOR REFUGEE IN MODERN GREEK NOVELS. Chrysoula Tirekidis A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of New South Wales, Australia 2012 PLEASE TYPE THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: Tirekidis First name: Chrysoula Other name/s: Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: PhD School: International Studies Faculty: Arts and Social Sciences Title: Refugees and Narrators: A narratological approach to the treatment of the Asia Minor refugee in modern Greek novels. Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) In this thesis, I examine the structures of a variety of modern Greek novels referring to the Asia Minor refugees to examine how the form of a text articulates a message to produce a particular effect on the reader. By applying Gérard Genette’s methods of structural narratology, my main aim is to determine the role of refugee characters within the narrative situations. This will allow us to explore the depiction of the refugees within these narratological conventions and will indicate the authors’ choices in employing particular narrative techniques to present the refugees. In this way, we may be able to determine whether the treatment of refugee characters in the narrative structure of the novel can be correlated with the author’s level of perceived historical experience of the refugee situation in Greece. One might expect that as a result of the refugee writers’ personal background they would give more emphasis to the refugees by using them as narrators of their own stories than authors from Constantinople and the Greek mainland; however, a major finding of the way these authors use the refugees in their narrative situations shows that this is not the case. The chapters of this thesis are organised according to the narrative situations identified from the examination of the 13 novels that fit the appropriate criteria set for this study. Each novel had to include the theme of the Asia Minor refugee in Greece after the Asia Minor Disaster. As well as this, the author’s biography had to suggest the possibility of their direct knowledge of the refugees in Greece, either by being a refugee, witnessing the influx or by living amongst them after their immediate arrival. Ultimately, what I ask is: How do authors who simply observed the refugees’ situation and refugee authors who experienced this situation at first-hand employ the refugee character in narratological conventions? In addition, what are the affects of these techniques on the reader’s perception of the refugee characters in the novels? Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). 3/08/2012 …………………………………………………………… ……………………………………..……………… ……….……………………...…….… Signature Witness Date The University recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the approval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: THIS SHEET IS TO BE GLUED TO THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THE THESIS ii iii Refugees and Narrators Thesis/Dissertation Sheet ii Refugees and Narrators Originality Statement ORIGINALITY STATEMENT I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material, which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project‟s design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged. Signed.............................................................. Date.................................................................. iii Refugees and Narrators Copyright Statement COPYRIGHT STATEMENT I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation. Signed.............................................................. Date.................................................................. iv Refugees and Narrators Authenticity Statement AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format. Signed................................................................. Date.................................................................. v Refugees and Narrators Abstract ABSTRACT In this thesis, I examine the structures of a variety of modern Greek novels referring to the Asia Minor refugees to examine how the form of a text articulates a message to produce a particular effect on the reader. By applying Gérard Genette‟s methods of structural narratology, my main aim is to determine the role of refugee characters within the narrative situations. This will allow us to explore the depiction of the refugees within these narratological conventions and will indicate the authors‟ choices in employing particular narrative techniques to present the refugees. In this way, we may be able to determine whether the treatment of refugee characters in the narrative structure of the novel can be correlated with the author‟s level of perceived historical experience of the refugee situation in Greece. One might expect that as a result of the refugee writers‟ personal background they would give more emphasis to the refugees by using them as narrators of their own stories than authors from Constantinople and the Greek mainland; however, a major finding of the way these authors use the refugees in their narrative situations shows that this is not the case. The chapters of this thesis are organised according to the narrative situations identified from the examination of the 13 novels that fit the appropriate criteria set for this study. Each novel had to include the theme of the Asia Minor refugee in Greece after the Asia Minor Disaster. As well as this, the author‟s biography had to suggest the possibility of their direct knowledge of the refugees in Greece, either by being a refugee, witnessing the influx or by living amongst them after their immediate arrival. Ultimately, what I ask is: How do authors who simply observed the refugees‟ situation and refugee authors who experienced this situation at first- hand employ the refugee character in narratological conventions? In addition, what are the affects of these techniques on the reader‟s perception of the refugee characters in the novels? vi Refugees and Narrators Contents CONTENTS Acknowledgments ix Introduction Aims and method 1 Outline of the history of the Asia Minor refugee 7 Literature review 22 Methodology 38 Structure of the thesis 62 PART ONE Refugees in minor roles: Extradiegetic-heterodiegetic narrators Chapter 1 Two different views: zero focalization 63 Chapter 2 The refugee in internal focalization 99 PART TWO Refugees as protagonists: Extradiegetic-heterodiegetic narrators and zero focalization Chapter 3 A refugee author‟s narrative 139 Chapter 4 A Constantinopolitan author‟s view 162 Chapter 5 A native author‟s perspective 185 PART THREE Experiencing vs. observing: Extradiegetic-homodiegetic narrators Chapter 6 „I, Refugee‟. Refugees as narrators. 212 Chapter 7 Observing the refugees: A case for paralepsis. 242 Conclusion 261 Bibliography 269 vii Refugees and Narrators Acknowledgments ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like extend my sincerest and