Notes towards a metamodernist aesthetic with reference to post-millennial literary works J van der Merwe 20303327 Thesis submitted for the degree Doctor Philosophiae- Linguistics and Literary Theory at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University Promoter: Prof PL van Schalkwyk May 2017 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I couldn't have completed this study without the support of my family and friends. Many thanks to my promoter, Prof. Phil van Schalkwyk, for your guidance and mentorship, for always encouraging me to think further and follow through, for your insight and for always being able to see the merit in my tentative thoughts (even when I don't yet), and for always providing me with the resources (new ideas, more connections, more relations, more depth) to develop my ideas into something worthwhile. Thank you for all the conversations through the years that helped to shape not only this study, but my mind as a scholar. Thanks so much to Louise Nortjé, for all the messages of support and encouragement, for always being a patient ear, a willing shoulder and enthusiastic cheerleader — and for taking on the task to read and comment. Thanks to my brothers and sisters-in-law for always expressing interest and for cheering me on, your love is tangible no matter the distance. Many, many thanks to my parents, for your support and love, your concern for me (and over the progress of this study — the weekly skype talks were especially motivating when I knew a progress report would be expected). Thank you for always asking, for always listening to my ideas and for helping me to make sense of them, for offering advice, more ideas, comfort, and help. Thank you, Ma Belia, for reading and editing; thank you, Pa Sarel, for taking care of the technical and practical matters. And to my dear Giselle, thank you so much for your unconditional support and understanding, for always having faith in me even when I do not, for always encouraging me, for taking over the mundane matters of our household when this study became too consuming, for making sure I eat and sleep well, for making short shrift of some of the less pleasant technical things, and — always — for your love. i ABSTRACT This study draws on discussions of post-millennial literary fiction to investigate the emerging body of critical theory about the passing of postmodernism and the formulation of what comes after, designated "metamodernism". The aim is to identify and map the underlying structure of intersections and interrelations between the different theories and ideas in order to provide an approximation of the shape that metamodernism is taking. This study investigates metamodernism's origins in terms of critical theory and situates it in relation to postmodernism and modernism. The failure, absorption, and rejection of postmodernism gave rise to metamodernism, which draws on renewed modernist notions to counter the failings of postmodernism. As a continuation of both postmodernism and modernism, metamodernism is situated both between and beyond its critical predecessors. The emergence of metamodernism in cultural products is traced in a range of post-millennial literary works and studies of literary works. Four recent novels that respond to the ethical imperative of metamodernism provide an in-depth perspective on the aspects of metamodernism: A tale for the time being (Ruth Ozeki, 2013); A brief history of seven killings (Marlon James, 2014); Buys (Willem Anker, 2014) and The Sympathizer (Viet Thanh Nguyen, 2015). A network of interrelated aspects constituting metamodernism is identified in post-millennial fiction. These aspects respond to the perceived deficiencies of postmodernism, and include renewed notions of affect, authenticity, myth, optimism, realism, and sincerity. They are centred around and give rise to affective structures of intersubjectivity, and are founded on and respond to a strongly defined ethical imperative — showing that metamodernism operates on an intersection between ethical concerns, ontology, and (inter)subjectivity. Three bodies of theory recently developed in the humanities and social sciences that express the central theoretical impulses of metamodernism. Affect theories, chaos and complexity theory, and posthumanism are characterised by a renewed emphasis on ontology, a relational understanding of subjectivity, and the formulation of both ontology and subjectivity to respond to an ethical imperative. The emphasis on affective processes and interconnected (inter)subjectivity indicates a relational understanding of being as the basic theoretical tenet of metamodernism, that which animates its ethical imperative and gives rise to its renewed focus on ontology. On a ii metamethodological level, relationality acts as the underlying organising principle of metamodernism, and highlights the interconnectedness of its different theoretical aspects. The structure of this study attempts to express the information relationally, both to preserve the integrity of metamodernist theories that reject linear, hierarchical epistemological frameworks and to reflect the function of relationality as organising principle of metamodernism. Key words: metamodernism; postmodernism; modernism; A tale for the time being; Ruth Ozeki; A brief history of seven killings; Marlon James; Buys; Willem Anker; The Sympathizer; Viet Thanh Nguyen; affect; authenticity; ethical concerns; myth; optimism; realism; sincerity; subjectivity; affect theory; chaos theory; posthumanism; relationality iii OPSOMMING Hierdie studie verwys na besprekings van post-millenniale literêre fiksie om ondersoek in te stel na die ontwikkelende korpus krities-teoretiese studies wat besig is om tot stand te kom rondom die heengaan van die postmodernisme en die formulering van dit wat daarna kom, naamlik die "metamodernisme". Die doel is om die onderliggende struktuur van interseksies en interverwantskappe tussen die verskillende teorieë en idees te identifiseer en te karteer, om sodoende 'n vooruitskatting te maak van die vorm wat die metamodernisme aanneem. Hierdie studie ondersoek die oorsprong van die metamodernisme in terme van kritiese teorie, en plaas dit in verhouding met die postmodernisme en die modernisme. Die mislukking, absorpsie, en verwerping van die postmodernisme het aanleiding gegee tot die ontstaan van die metamodernisme, wat gebruik maak van hernude modernistiese begrippe om die tekortkominge van die postmodernisme teë te werk. Die metamodernisme, as voorsetting van beide die postmodernisme en die modernisme, is tegelykertyd tussen en oorkant sy kritiese voorgangers gesitueer. Die sigbaarwording van die metamodernisme in kulturele produkte word aangedui in 'n verskeidenheid van post-millenniale literêre werke en studies van literêre werke. Vier onlangse romans wat gehoor gee aan die etiese opdrag van die metamodernisme bied 'n in- diepte perspektief op die aspekte van die metamodernisme: A tale for the time being (Ruth Ozeki, 2013); A brief history of seven killings (Marlon James, 2014); Buys (Willem Anker, 2014) en The Sympathizer (Viet Thanh Nguyen, 2015). 'n Netwerk van interverwante aspekte wat die metamodernisme uitmaak word geïdentifiseer in post-millenniale fiksie. Hierdie aspekte reageer op die veronderstelde gebreke van die postmodernisme, en sluit hernude begrippe van affek, outentisiteit, mite, optimisme, realisme, en opregtheid in. Hulle is gesentreer rondom en gee aanleiding tot affektiewe strukture van intersubjektiwiteit, en is gegrond in en beantwoord aan 'n sterk gedefinieerde etiese opdrag — wat aandui dat die metamodernisme werksaam is in 'n interseksie tussen etiese vraagstukke, ontologie, en (inter)subjektiwiteit. Drie teorieë wat onlangs in die geestes- en sosiale wetenskappe ontwikkel is, gee uitdrukking aan die sentrale teoretiese impulse van die metamodernisme. Affek-teorieë, chaos-en-kompleksiteit-teorie en posthumanisme word gekenmerk deur 'n hernude fokus op ontologie, 'n relasionele verstaan van subjektiwiteit, en die formulering van beide ontologie en subjektiwiteit om gehoor te gee aan 'n etiese opdrag. iv Die beklemtoning van affektiewe prosesse en 'n interverwante (inter)subjektiwiteit dui aan dat 'n relasionele verstaan van wese die teoretiese grondslag van die metamodernisme vorm. Dit dien as motivering vir die metamodernisme se etiese opdrag en gee aanleiding tot sy hernude fokus op ontologie. Op 'n metametodologiese vlak vorm relasionaliteit die onderliggende organiserende beginsel van die metamodernisme, en beklemtoon dit die interverwantskap van sy verskillende teoretiese aspekte. Die struktuur van hierdie studie poog om die inligting relasioneel voor te stel, om sodoende die integriteit te bewaar van metamodernistiese teorieë wat lineêre, hiërargiese, epistemologiese raamwerke verwerp, en om die funksie van relasionaliteit as organiserende beginsel van die metamodernisme te weerspieël. Sleutelterme: metamodernisme; postmodernisme; modernisme; A tale for the time being; Ruth Ozeki; A brief history of seven killings; Marlon James; Buys; Willem Anker; The Sympathizer; Viet Thanh Nguyen; affek; outentisiteit; etiese oorwegings; mite; optimisme; realisme; opregtheid; subjektiwiteit; affek teorie; chaos teorie; posthumanisme; relasionaliteit v I am grateful to the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) and the South African Humanities Deans' Association (SAHUDA) for the financial support that made this study possible vi Contents INTRODUCTION 1 the context: post-truth, post-global, post-postmodern 1 the problem: characterising metamodernism