University of Khartoum Faculty of Arts Department of English INVESTIGATING THE NARRATIVE TECHNIQUES IN F. SCOTT FITZGERALD'S THE GREAT GATSBY AND TENDER IS THE NIGHT: A DECONSTRUCTIONIST ANALYSIS A thesis submitted to the Department of English in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of PhD By Nada Hussein Osman Wanni B.A (Honours), M.A. (University of Khartoum), M.Phil. (University of Cambridge) Supervisor Dr. Gubara Abdallah al-Hassan Department of English Faculty of Arts University of Khartoum August 2007 Acknowledgement The preliminary idea of this study first saw light when I was studying at the University of Cambridge in 1999. Dr. Laura Wright my first supervisor, sociolinguist and stylitician at the Faculty of English, was the first to share my enthusiasm about ‘tackling Fitzgerald’ as she used to call it. She was the one who impressed upon me the importance of engaging in multidisciplinary research particularly between the disciplines of applied linguistics and literary criticism. I am thankful for her close supervision and guidance in formulating the Proposal of this study. For documentation purposes, it should be mentioned that this study had been formally registered at the Faculty of English, University of Cambridge under the supervision of Dr. Wright from 1999 till 2001. For funding constraints, however, I was unable to proceed with it. I am grateful to Mr. John Abaza, Professor of English at the Department of English, Faculty of Art, University of Khartoum with whom I registered this research, upon my return from the UK for the many fruitful discussions we have had on the topic. Above all, my warmest regards and deepest gratitude are due to Dr. Gubara Abadallah Alhassan with whom I registered when Mr. Abaza had to leave the university. I am further indebted to Dr. Gubara for his steadfast encouragement, his insightful comments and - most of all- his unfailing moral support throughout the drafting of this research. ii Furthermore, I wish to acknowledge my indebtedness to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their generous fund which availed me the opportunity to travel to the United States as a Resident Scholar as part of the Five Colleges Program in 2005 and to the International Visitors Program for inviting me for a second time in 2006. The contribution of these two research visits to the completion of this study cannot be overemphasized. My deep gratitude is likewise extended to the staff of the University of Massachusetts for the membership they gave me of their resourceful library when I was a resident scholar there. I am also much in the debt of Smith College for giving me the office, overlooking the beautiful lake, in which I worked during my residency period. My thanks are extended to the staff at Amherst College, Hampshire and Mount Holyoke Colleges for their time and assistance. I am particularly grateful to Dr. John Lemly, Professor of English Literature, at the Faculty of English, University of Massachusetts for all his valuable assistance and corrective feedback. The visits arranged by the Five Colleges to Princeton and Yale Universities were invaluable to this study. Research is usually written at times deducted from loved ones – my final words are therefore to my family: to my mother, for her enduring support and boundless patience, to my brother and sisters, and their children, particularly to Wail, for bearing with me during all the hard work and lengthy hours and for all their encouragement and love. iii Abstract The purpose of this study at the macro-level, is to underscore the importance of ‘Theory’ to the field of Literary Criticism Studies. It is argued that Literary Criticism cannot regard itself as a science, as a discipline of excellence, without this theoretical grounding. The importance of ‘Theory’ to the field of Literary Studies is based on the contention that it is necessary to bind the readings and interpretations reached by various literary studies within a developing body of research knowledge. At the micro-level, the study discusses the most influential literary works of F. Scott Fitzgerald, the highly controversial American writer of the 1920’s. The main proposition is that these literary productions were informed by an underlying Principle of Dual Vision. It is argued that a profound grasp of this duality of conceptualization is integral for any attempt at a critical engagement with this writer’s ideas and themes. In order to provide evidence supporting this argument the study applied a systemic deconstructionist analysis of Fitzgerald's narrative techniques and structural architecture in his two most influential literary achievements: The Great Gatsby (1925) and Tender is the Night (1935). The study begins with Chapter One, a Background highlighting the socio- cultural dynamics governing the Jazz Age as well as the focal personal events that have contributed in shaping Fitzgerald’s intellectual growth and artistic maturity. iv Chapter Two presents an account of the Conceptual Framework, within which the study has been conducted, focusing on the Post-structuralist theoretical approach and its applied method of Deconstructionist analysis. Chapter Three provides a detailed chronological Review of the Literature on Fitzgerald studies up to the present time, highlighting critical studies pertaining to the two novels scrutinized in this research. Chapters Four and Five conduct a Deconstructionist Analysis at the Thematic and Characterization levels of The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night respectively. Chapters Six and Seven, the core of the study, implement the Deconstructionist Analysis of the Narrative Technique and Structural Organization of the two novels respectively. Chapter Eight provides a Comparative Analytic account of the two novels highlighting areas of commonalities and divergences. The research is wrapped up by a Conclusion where the aims of the study are recapitulated and the Recommendations for Further Study are presented. v ﻣﺴﺘﺨﻠﺺ ﺩﺭﺍﺳﺔ ﺍﻟﻮﺳﺎﺋﻞ ﺍﻟﺴﺮﺩﻳﺔ ﰲ ﺭﻭﺍﻳﱵ ﻑ. ﺳﻜﻮﺕ. ﻓﺘﺰﺟﺮﺍﻟﺪ "ﺟﺎﺗﺴﱯ ﺍﻟﻌﻈﻴﻢ" ﻭ "ﺣﻨﻮﻥ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟﻠﻴﻞ" :ﲢﻠﻴﻞ ﺗﻔﻜﻴﻜﻲ ﺘﻬـﺩﻑ ﻫﺫﻩ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺔ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﻭﻯ ﺍﻟﻜﻠﻰ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺘﺄﻜﻴﺩ ﺃﻫﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻅﺭﻴﺔ ﺍﻷﺩﺒﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻤﺠﺎل ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻨﻘﺩﻴﺔ. ﻭ ﺘﻘﺭﺭ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺔ ﺃﻨﻪ ﻟﻴﺱ ﺒﻭﺴﻌﻨﺎ ﺍﻋﺘﺒﺎﺭ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺎﺕ ﺍﻷﺩﺒﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻘﺩﻴﺔ ﻋﻠﻤﺎ ﺃﻜﺎﺩﻴﻤﻴﺎ ﻭﺘﺨﺼﺼﺎ ﺩﻗﻴﻘﺎ ﺩﻭﻥ ﺇﻋﻁﺎﺀ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﻌﺩ ﺍﻟﻨﻅﺭﻱ ﻗﻴﻤﺘﻪ ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺭﻓﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺤﻘﻴﻘﻴﺔ. ﺇﻥ ﺃﻫﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﺴﺘﺼﺤﺎﺏ ﺍﻟﻨﻅﺭﻴﺔ ﺍﻷﺩﺒﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻨﻘﺩﻴﺔ ﺘﺭﺘﻜﺯ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻀﺭﻭﺭﺓ ﺭﺒﻁ ﺍﻟﻘﺭﺍﺀﺍﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﻨﺘﺎﺌﺞ ﺍﻟﻤﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﺘﻭﺼل ﺍﻟﻴﻬﺎ ﺘﻠﻙ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺎﺕ ﺩﺍﺨل ﻜﻴﺎﻥ ﻤﻌﺭﻓﻲ ﻤﺘﻁﻭﺭ. ﺃﻤﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﻭﻯ ﺍﻟﺠﺯﺌﻲ، ﺘﻨﺎﻗﺵ ﺍ ﻟ ﺩ ﺭ ﺍ ﺴ ﺔﹶ ﺃﻫﻡ ﻨﺘﺎﺝ ﺃﺩﺒﻲ ﻟﻠﻜﺎﺘـﺏ ﺍﻷﻤﺭﻴﻜﻲ ‘‘ﻑ.ﺴﻜﻭﺕ. ﻓﺘﺯﺠﺭﺍﻟﺩ’’ ﻓﻲ ﻓﺘﺭﺓ ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺭﻴﻨﻴﺎﺕ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﻘﺭﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﻀﻲ. ﻭﺘﻘﺭﺭ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺔ ﺃﻥ ﻫﺫ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺘﻭﺝ ﻜﺎﻥ ﻴﺭﺘﻜﺯ ﻓﻠﺴﻔﻴﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ "ﻤﺒﺩﺃ ﺍﻟﺜﻨﺎﺌﻴﺔ ﺍ ﻟ ﻔ ﻜ ﺭ ﻴﱠ ﺔ"، ﻭﺘﺭﻯ ﺃ ﻥ ﺍﻻﺴﺘﻴﻌﺎﺏ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﻴﻕ ﻟﻬﺫﻩ ﺍﻟﺜﻨﺎﺌﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﻔﺎﻫﻴﻤﻴﺔ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﻀﺭﻭﺭﺓ ﺒﻤﻜﺎﻥ ﻗﺒل ﺍﻻﻨﺨﺭﺍﻁ ﻓﻲ ﺃ ﻱ ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺔ ﺘﻔﺎﻋل ﻨﻘﺩﻱ ﻤﻊ ﺍﻷﻓﻜﺎﺭ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﻀﺎﻴﺎ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﻴﺜﻴﺭﻫﺎ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﻜﺎﺘﺏ. ﻭﻟﺘﻘﺩﻴﻡ ﺍﻟﺩﻻﺌل ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﺩﻋﻡ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻻﺩﻋﺎﺀ ﺘ ﻡ ﺘﻁﺒﻴﻕ ﻤﻨﻬﺞ ﺍﻟﻤﺩﺭﺴﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻔﻜﻴﻜﻴﺔ ﺍ ﻟ ﺘ ﺤ ﻠ ﻴ ﻠ ﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻨﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺴـﺭﺩﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻨﺎﺀ ﺍ ﻟ ﻬ ﻴ ﻜ ﻠ ﻲ ﻷﻫﻡ ﻋﻤﻠﻴـﻥ ﺃﺩﺒﻴﻴﻥ ﻟﻠﻜﺎﺘـﺏ، ﻭﻫﻤـﺎ ﺘﺤﺩﻴـﺩﺍ: ‘‘ﺠﺎﺘﺴﺒﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﻅﻴﻡ’’(1925)، ﻭ‘‘ﺤﻨﻭﻥ ﻫﻭ ﺍﻟﻠﻴل’’ (1935). vi ﺘﺒﺩﺃ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺔ ﺒﻔﺼل ﺘ ﻘ ﺩ ﻴ ﻤ ﻲ ﻴﺒﺭﺯ ﺍﻟﺤﺭﺍﻙ ﺍﻻﺠﺘﻤﺎﻋﻲ ﻭﺍﻟﱠﺜﻘﺎﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺫﻱ ﻜﺎﻥ ﺴ ﺎ ﺌ ﺩ ﺍﹰ ﻓﻲ "ﻋﺼﺭ ﺍﻟﺠﺎﺯ" ﻜﻤﺎ ﻜﺎﻥ ﻴﻁﻠﻕ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻓﺘﺭﺓ ﺍﻟﻌﺸﺭﻴﻨﻴﺎﺕ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻭﻻﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺤﺩﺓ ﺍﻷﻤﺭﻴﻜﻴﺔ، ﺇﻀﺎﻓﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺃﺒﺭﺯ ﺍﻷﺤﺩﺍﺙ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺴﺎﻫﻤﺕ ﻓﻲ ﺨﻠﻕ ﺍﻟﺘﻜﻭﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﺫﻫﻨﻲ ﻭﺍﻟﻨﻀﺞ ﺍﻟﻔﻨﻲ ﻟﻠﻜﺎﺘﺏ ﻤﻭﻀﻭﻉ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺔ. ﻴﻘـﺩﻡ ﺍﻟﻔﺼل ﺍﻟﺜﹼﺎﻨﻲ ﺘﻘﺭﻴﺭﹰﺍ ﻋﻥ ﺍﻹﻁﺎﺭ ﺍﻟﻤﻔﺎﻫﻴﻤﻲ ﺍﻟﺫﻱ ﺴﺘﻌﻤل ﻋﻠﻰ ﻀﻭﺌﻪ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺔ، ﺒﺎﻟﺘﺭﻜﻴﺯ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻨﻅﺭﻴـﺔ ﻤﺎ ﺒﻌﺩ ﺍﻟﺘﺭﻜﻴﺒﻴﺔ ﻭﻤﻨﻬﺠﻬﺎ ﺍﻟﺘﻔﻜﻴﻜﻲ، ﺒﻴﻨﻤﺎ ﻴﻌﺭﺽ ﺍﻟﻔﺼل ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻟﺙ ﻤﺭﺍﺠﻌﺔ ﻤﻔﺼﻠﺔ ﻟﻠﺩﺭﺍﺴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻨﻘﺩﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﻗﹸﺩﻤﺕ ﺤﻭل ﺍﻟﻜﺎﺘﺏ ﻭﺃﻋﻤﺎﻟﻪ. ﻴﻨﺎﻗﺵ ﺍﻟﻔﺼﻼﻥ ﺍﻟﺭﺍﺒﻊ ﻭﺍﻟﺨﺎﻤﺱ ﻜﻴﻔﻴﺔ ﺘﻁﺒﻴﻕ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﻬﺞ ﺍﻟﺘﻔﻜﻴﻜﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻤﺴﺘﻭﻯ ﺍﻟﻘﻀﺎﻴﺎ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﱠﺸﺨﻴﺹ ﺍ ﻟ ﺭ ﻭ ﺍ ﺌ ﻲ ﻓﻲ ﺭﻭﺍﻴﺘﻲ "ﺠﺎﺘﺴﺒﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﻅﻴﻡ" ﻭ"ﺤﻨﻭﻥ ﻫﻭ ﺍﻟﻠﻴل" ﺘ ﺒ ﺎ ﻋ ﺎﹰ. ﺒﻴﻨﻤﺎ ﻴﺘﻨﺎﻭل ﺍﻟﻔﺼﻼﻥ ﺍﻟﺴﺎﺩﺱ ﻭﺍﻟﺴﺎﺒﻊ ﺘﻁﺒﻴﻕ ﺫﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﻬﺞ ﻤﺴﺘﻭﻱ ﺍﻟﺒﻨﺎﺀ ﺍﻟﺭﻭﺍﺌﻲ ﻭ ﺍﻟﻭﺴﺎﺌل ﺍﻟﺴﺭﺩﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﺭﻭﺍﻴﺘﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺫﻜﻭﺭﺘﻴﻥ. ﺜﻡ ﻴﻘﺩﻡ ﺍﻟﻔﺼل ﺍﻟﺜﺎﻤﻥ ﻤﻘﺎﺭﻨﺔ ﺘﺤﻠﻴﻠﻴﺔ ﻤﻌﻤﻘﺔ ﻟﻠﺭﻭﺍﻴﺘﻴﻥ ﺍ ﺴ ﺘ ﻨ ﺎ ﺩ ﺍﹰ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻤﺎ ﺘﹸﻘﺩﻡ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻔﺼﻠﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﺴﺎﺒﻘﻴﻥ ﺒﺎﻟﺘﱠﺭﻜﻴﺯ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻤﺤﺎﻭﺭ ﺍﻟﺘﺸﺎﺒﻪ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﺒﺎﻋﺩ. ﻭﻴﺨﺘﺘﻡ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﺒﺨﺎﺘﻤﺔ ﺘﻌﺭﺽ ﺍﻟﻨﺘﺎﺌﺞ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻭﺼﻴﺎﺕ. vii Table of Contents Acknowledgement..........................................................................................ii Abstract.........................................................................................................iv Abstract (Arabic)...........................................................................................vi 1. Introduction: Research Area and Topic............................................. 2 2. Research Aims ............................................................................................ 7 3. Research Questions ................................................................................... 9 4. Methodology .............................................................................................. 10 5. Rationale.................................................................................................... 11 6. Research Significance ............................................................................. 12 7. Nature of Data.......................................................................................... 13 8. Data Collection ......................................................................................... 14 Chapter One .............................................................................................. 16 Background ............................................................................................... 17 1.0 Introduction................................................................................................... 18 1.1 The Roaring Twenties................................................................................