Allegory in the fiction of Janet Frame

284 Pages·2012·4.47 MB·English

by  Panny, Judith Dell

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ALLEGORY IN THE FICTIOONF JANET FRAME
A thesini sp artfuilaflIl meonftt her equirements
fort hed egree
ofD octoorfP hilosophy
in EngliasthM assey University.
JuditDhe llP anny
1991.
i
ABSTRACT
Thisi nvsetigatcioonns idseormse aspoefcJ tasn eFtram e's fictiohna vtehh iatth erto
remained obsTchuers et.u diyn cludtehsee levenno velasn dt hee xtendsetdo ry
"SnowmaSnn,o wman"A.n swertso q uestiroaniss beydt het exthsa veb eenf ound
withtihnew orktsh emselbvyee sx aminitnhges ignificanreciet eorafta enddc ontrasting
motifasn,d b y explortihnegm ostl itearsaw le lals t hefi guratimveea ninogfst he
languagTeh.es tudwyi ll distchledo eslei bepraatttee rningo fF rame'sw ork.I tw ill
bef ountdh anti noef t hei nnovatainvdce r yptfiicct ioanrsea llegoriTehse.y b elong
withian g enrteh ahta se mergewdi tfhr esvhi gouirnt hes econhda loff t hicse ntury.
Allt welvweo rkisn cluadlel egorfiecaatlu res.
Allegory praocvciedtseosms u cho fF rame'isr ontyo,h iddepna thaonsd h umour, and
tos omeo ft hem osts ignifiqcuaenstt iroaniss ebyd herw ork.B y expositnhge
inhumanoifto yu ra geF,ra me prompqtuse stioannidnr ge assessomfet nhteg oalasn d
valuoefsa m ateriacliusltt urLeik.ea lwlr iteorfas l legosrhyef, o cusuepso nt hem agic
ofl anugagae st heb earoefrt rutha sw elals t hev ehicldee coefp tiSohne.s howtsh at
languagient, ra nsferrincgu ltuarned c ustofmr omg eneratitoong eneratiiosnan ,
instrumeonfti mmenspeo wer;i tm ay creataen dp reservoer,i tm ay instigate
destruction.
JudiDtehl Pla nny
Jul1y9 91
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To altlh osweh oh avem ade tshtiusdp yo ssibIl eex,t enmdy thanks.
Iw oulldi kteo t hank JFarnaemtef orh erh ospitaalnidht eyrc ourteoiunst eriensm ty
work.
I havea pprecitahteec da reful attpeenrtcieopnt,qi uvees tioning ando fem ffiyc iency
supervisDorr W illiam Broughtaonnd,h avea ppreciattheedc riticraels ponosfeD r
DoreenD 'Cruz ass econsdu pervisoIr w.o udl likteo t hakn Dr PeteBrr ownf or
discussointo hnet opiocfsM ytha ndR ilkDer,J ohMnu irhefaodsr h arinhgi esx pertise
onP ariasdLeo sDtr,J ohRno ssf orh iasd vicienb ibliograpmhaitctaelMr rss,C heryl
Woollefyo hre ra ssistiannt chefie e lodf p sycholoDgrPy e,t eDro novaDnr,B ronwyn
Elsmoraen dM rsF ayP ollofko rt heihre lopn m atterresl attiont gh eB iblaen,d D r
HazelR iseborofuogrhh e lwpi thu ndetrasndiMnago ri namTeos D.r Jim Pollok,
thanakrsed uef ori nformatrieolna ttiotn hgMe aniotoPtloa itno,D rA lisoCna mpbell,
experitnc hemistfroyrda, ta on bird-liamnedt, o M r ColiGnr iggfso rh ise xpert
knowledogffue n eral procedure and embalminign.c lOuPtdrheoe fress Asxhoeerll pers
Vieregg, L MrRPs o undD,r R ussellPaonodlD er G erardO 'Connor.
Thitsh eshiassp rovidmeadt erifoarlt woc onferepnacpee rTsh.e fi rswta sp resented
tot heA ULLA XXV Con9ressi nF ebruar1y9 98a tM acctuariUen iversSiytdyn,e y,
on thet opic",A llegoarnyd I roniyn " SnowmanS,n owmana"n dL ivinign the
Maniot"o.Tt hoes econpda pere,n tit"lWeodr ladn dU nderworlidn J aneFtra me's
Novelsw"a sp reseedn ttot he1 3thC onferenocfNe e w LiteratuirneE sn gliasth
MannheiGme,r maniyn,J un1e 99T0h.et heshiassa lspor ovidmeadt erifaolar c hapter
whichha sb eeanc ceptfeodra forthcominnegwe ditioofBn i dr,H awkB,o gi,e ed ited
byJ eannDee lbaerTeh.ec haptieser n tit"lOepdp osaintdeA djacetnott h Pe ostmodern
inL ivinignt hMea niot.o"t o
Thankasr ed uet oP rofessJoeanrn e Delbaewrheo k indlsye nmte twoo fh erc ritical
essayosn F rame thawte reu navailianbN leew ZealandT.h ankares alsdou et o
ProfesDsro Nr orbePrtl atzo ft heU niversoiftM ya nnheiPmr,o fesDsro Gre rhardt
Stilotftz h eU niversoifTt iiyb ingaennd P rofesDsroH re rbertKraft oft heU niversity
ofM iinstefro r allomwei tnodg i scutshsew orko fJ aneFtra me witthh ema ndt heir
students.
A two-yeVairc e-ChancePlhlDo Srt'usdA yw ardh asm adet here searcpho ssible.
Tot hset aofff t hMea sseLyi braarnydt hes taofff t hNea tionaanldA lexandTeurrn bull
Librarietsh,a nkasr ed uef ort hewiirl lianngdc ompeteansts istance.
Iam gratetfuolS usanSnhire riffsf orh ere xpertiisnwe o rdp rocessing.
I thank,a lsom,y childrenf ort heiern couragemeanntd,,i np articulIa trh,a nmky
husbanRdo lfH.i sc ontinusouupsp oartn dh iss kialslr eadecrr,i ticd iasncdu ssion
partner hhaevlep etdom aket hef our-ysetaurd ay p leasure.
JudiDtehl Pla nny
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Abstract i
. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . .
Acknowledgeme.n t.s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11. . . . . . . . .
.
1 Introduc.t.i.o .n. . . . 1
. . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .
2 Livinignt hMea nioot .o t 22
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3 Owls DoC ry . ...... . ................ .. . ....... .52
4 Faceisnt hWea te.r. . .. . . ............... . ....... . 68
.
5 The Edgeo ft hAepl habet. . . . 84
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . .
6 "SnowmaSnn,o wman". ........................... 101
.
7 ScenGatredde nfsor the Blind . 101
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8 TheA GklptcU7lMea n . ....... ........... ...... .... .131
.
9 A Sttaeof S eige. . . . 153
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .
10 TheR aindbsi. r .. .. .. . . . . . . . .. 1 27. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
11 InteinvsCear e. . . 168
. . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
12 DaughBtffuearl o 214
13 The Carpathians 233
14 Conclus.i on . . 251
. . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .
Bibliograp.h y . . . 269
. . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. ..
1
CHAPfER 1
INTRODUCTION
Ify ou'raena ctreasnsdp laLayd y Macbetnho,o nei s gotiona gs sume
thayto uy oursealrferu thlesasm,b itioeutsc,.B utif youa rea writer
andw ritea bouat c haract-ewrh icihs a kinodf a cti-nmga nyp eople
1
assumteh atth ec haractebre'lsi eafnsdw ayo f larei fyeo uro wn.
-JaneFtra me
JaneFtr amhea sr eactaegda intshtei nsistoefnc criet itchsa hte rp ersonlailfi esd irectly
manifesitnhe edr s toriaendsn ovelIsn.s piotfed isclaimertsh ec htahraactt edrons o t
portralyi vipnegr sonFsram,e2 hersehlafsb eeind entiwfiietdsh e veroaftl h em:" Istina
Mavett,h em ainp ersoinn F aceisnt hWea teirso ,f c oursJea,n eFtra meu ndearn other
nam.e, ,3A ssumptioofnt sh iksi nda res urprisinsgi,n cteh eyd isregsairgdn ificant
changienst hec ritiacpaplr oatcohl iteratuIrnet h.e c ourosfet hel asfIftty yeartsh,e
emphashiassm oved frhoims toraincdba ilo graphaincaally tsoit sh e tietxstea lnfd on
tot her eadeirn'tse ractwiiotnh ttehxewt h,e thienrt hen ameo f' The NCerwi ticism',
'Structurali'sRmecep't,i onT heoroyr'' NeNwe w Criticism'.
Two factohrasv ec omet ogethteorm akeF rame'sw orke speciaslulsyc eptible to
biographiacnaall yasnidsc ommetaryn . Sincteh ea ppearance in1 694o fa na rtibcyl e
Framei nTh eT mieLsi teSruapryp leemnteintt"lM eedm orayn da PocketofuflW ords,"4
ith asb eepnu blikcnloyw tnh at Frahmaeds peneti ghyte arisnm entailn stiotn.us tHier
Introduction 2
196c5o ntributtioo tnh e" Beginnin gs"s erieisn Land fall profferetdh es ame
infonnatiBounts. isn cteh ep ublicatoifoOw nls DoC ryin 195t7h,ek n owledge that
Frame hads uffermeedn taill lnweasssw idesprienaN de w ZealanTdh.i ksn owledge
hasb eecno uplweidt thh ef actth asth ei s" evebny c ontemporsatrayn darad dsi,ffi cult
novel,i,sI6tt h. a sb eeena styo a ssumteh,e reftohraeFt,ram e'sw orlmdu stb es trange
andt hanto o nec oulrde asonaebxlpye tcote nteirt F.ram e'sw orkh asb eevni eweads
the produacntu nuosfu aelv,e na na berrantm ind.T hel eveolfd ifficulhtaysb een
regardaesad d elibedreavtiebc yeo ne" concernteodp rote(chte rsaeglfja intshto sweh o
wantt or ead( herf)i ctiaosnt sh ee xpressoifot nh ew ritepre'rss oneaxlp erience".7
AlternativFeralmye,' si diosraytnicci maginathiaosbn e enb lamefdo rt het extual
difficultHye.ra dmisstihoanst h es eeesv erydtahyi n"gisna ni maginlairgy-h wth ich
isa briglhitg hwti,t hosuhta d-ea k inodf i nward ,s8 hu ansl" e dt ot hea ssumpttihoant
"aw orlldi bty a ni nwarsdu ni sd ifficuflotro thetross eec lear,l,y9.
One problewmi ths uchr eadinagnsd s ucha ssumptiiosnt sh atth eyd iminitshhe
likelihooofad s atisfaccrtiotriyuc nadle rstanodfai nwogr k.T her eadesre'asr fcohr
a logicpaalt teornra nu nderlyraitnigo nailsfe o restaltlheedri;esn oa pparennete dt o
fmde xplatniaonfso ram biguitoirae nss,w etrosq uestions awrhepi uczzhl inTgo.r ead
ana utholri'fisen taot exitst ob ringp reconceptitoont sh ree adinwghi chc ano bfuscate
orn arrowi tcsri ticaaplp reciatIitio srn e.d uctionnoitas nta,l ytical.
JaneFtra me hasw oni nternatiaocncalla ainmd p restigiaowuasr dsy,eltOd, e spiatne
abundanocfer eivewsa,rt iclaensd e ssayisti, s s urprisitnofg m dt hafte ws ustained
Introduction 3
studioefhs e rw orkh avbee epnu blishSeodm.eo ft hef mesctr iticaipspme airnsB ird,
Hawk,B og,ia e collecotfie osns aybsyd iffercernitt iIctsi .ss carce ly,t herefoar e,
susatinesdt udyt,h ougthh ee ditsourpp lieasn o vervieowf F rame'sw orki nh er
"Introducatnidco onn"t ribtuwtofue rst hecrh apters. PubdliecvaotttieoodF n rasm ea nd
writtebny a singclriet iicn clutdweop amphleatnsdo neb ook.P atricEkv ansa,u thor
oft heb ooka ndo neo ft hep amphlewtrso tien 1 793t hatth,o ugFhra me is" probably
New Zealanmdo'sst s uccesscfuoln temporanroyv elsihseth asre achetdh ipso sition,
curiouesnloyu ghw,i thotuhte i mpetuosf u nifiedc ritiucnadle rsta.n.d..i Tnhgi s
derelictoifoc nr itidcuatlys eemst oh aves temmefdr omt hed ifficulotfys ensing
1
immediatwehleyr teh ec entorfeh erw orkl ie"1s.
Fouyre arlsa teErv,a ncso mpletheibdso oko nF rameI.n h i"sE piloguheen "o,t etsh at
"Wordasr eo fc oursmei nebdri lliafnotrtl hye piore tarnyd a sa sourcofeh umouarn d
wit;b utt hem oreo ftent hiosc curtsh,em orew orladn dw ordb ecomdei vorc,,1e2d .
Sucha j udgement trhaeqi useesst aisotn o w hethtehrec ritoirtc h ew riteirs t ob lame
fort hes o-called divorce baentdww eoernd .E wvoarnlsfd m ds" digresasniodn
'difficulitnyt 'e xtuarned refer,e13,n cIensd .i scussFiranmge 'sv isiohni,so wn
uncertaiisnb teyt rayebdy s tatemesnutcsah s " thaer tisvtiisci oofnJ aneFtra me has
becomer athdeorc trinaainrd"e I"c annohte lfpe elitnhgat th ivsi siiosna lsao l ittle
uncompromis14i nTgh"e.r ies a tentativiennw eosrsd so rp hraselsi k"era ther", "I
cannhoetl fpe elinagn"de, v einn t hefI rsste ntenocft eh eb ook'cso ncluding paragraph:
"Iits p ossitbhlaett h ceh argIeh sa vien dicahteerdce o ulbde s wiftlayn de asirleyb utted
-andI hopet hatth ef oregocihnagp tehrasv ep rovidaemdp lmea terifaolrs ucha
---- - ------------------
Intrcotdiuon 4
rebutt"aIlST. h es tudbyy E vanmsa keasv aluacbolnet ributiitoo np;e ntsh ed iscussion
encompassailnolgf F rame'sw orku nti1l79 7.H e takeuss t ot hep eriphetrhye;
I,i
difficulitnsy e nsi"nwgh erteh ec entorfeh erw ork es"i su ndiminished.
MargarDeatlz ielm'osn ograpihn t hes erie"sN ewZ ealaWnrdi tearnsd T heiWro rk"
appeariend1 890.Lik e Evasnhse,r emaroknst he' difficulotfyF 'ra me'tse xtssh:e
refetros" aw orlodf h intasn dg uesses"t;h1e6ri es" inteenmsoet ioannadls ensuous
experiennoctae l,w ayesx plicianbt leer mwse c an' underst.a1nH7de 'ra" c cournetv eals
thaetx pectatwihoincshs heb roughttoh err eadiwnegre notfu lfille"dA. m ore
comprehenvsiisviewo onu ldi nclutdheeg enerowuasy N ew Zealandreerssp otnod
appeals onb ehaolfft hen eed.y1"D8 a lzieilsn ota lonienw ishitnogs eeg reatberre adth
ofv isiionnF rame'sw ork.T eny earesa rliLaewrr,e ncJeo neosf feraende ssaoyn
Owls DoC ry whichha sb eernep rinterde cenitnlh yi vso lumoefe ssaeynst itBlaerd bed
mrea ndM irrosr.H e fmdst hev isioofnt hen ove"li ntenbsueti ncompl.e1t9He e"
considtehratsth ew orkh asf ailteoda ttauinni versablietlyi,e vtihnatgth ew orlFdr ame
creates oluetaa vletso gettohoem ru ch:" Ast heE pilogiumep litehiss,d arvki siiosn
meantto h avae univervsaalli di[ttyhc;eh aractearrsef] m alplreys entteodu sa st ypes
oft hei nevithaubmlaen t raged,y20,. He conclutdheas"t t hweo rlodf t hinso veilsa
narrow one,o net hadto esn otfu llyj ustitfhyec laimosfu niversamlaidteby y t he
2
Epilog,u1,e E. vansl,i kewicsrei,t ictihse"e isn warodr ientatoifFo ranm"e 'sw ork,
sayintgh a"tt hset atemwehnitc thu rnst hes peciafincd p ersonianltt oh eu niverissa l
madeo nlwyi tdhi fficu,l2,t2y .
Intorduction 5
Iti sw itsho mes urpritshea tth erea dero ft hescer itirceaslp ondsiessc ovtehrasBt i rd,
HawkB,o igep,ub lisinh eDde nmarakn de ditbeyda Belgisahno ul[dm d in wotrhke
ofF rame "ac ompleteonfev siss irareolny achieveadm ongc ontemporwarriyt e,r,s23 .
Thusw ritJeesa nnDee lbaeirenh er" Introduction".
Othecro ntributtoot rhsec ollectafiftrmo n a deptahn db readotfhv isionA.n na
RutherfaornAd u,s traliacno,n clutdheasFt ra mep reseuntsws i tah t errifypiincgt ure
of" thseh ipwroefcc ki vilizati,o,nW2. 4 HA shcroaftl,s aon A ustralian, offerasc hapter
onOw ls DoC ry inw hichhe d iscovtehreus n iversaalllietgybe ydJ onetsob em issing
from thanto vealn,d f romF rame'vsi sigoenn erallAys.h cropftro posetsh atth ew ork
mighbte a llegori"cIanal n :o vewlh icshe emisn tensely seyvmebsnoe llifc-,s ufficiently
allegortihceam lo,s te ffectifveea tuirspe e rhatphsa ittb ecomesso cicaolm menbty
underminisnogm eo ft he humparne misoefsm odemW esternc ultu,re,.2I 5nv iewing
then oveals a llegorhieci asal b,l teo p lacietp ss ycholosgiigcniftacla nciena broader
contex"tT:o r etutrno t heb irth oft het hrea(dt hteh reawdh icAhr iadnoef fered
Theseaussa m eanosf e scapteh)es ourcien,v olavnees x ploraotfii onnn esrp acoeft he
kintdh arte maitnhse c entravlo yagoef t hen ove,l,.2H 6e considtehrastt h ec entral
characteirn'ssa niisat y" metaphfoorra neyx cursiinotndo i mensioofnb se intgh aaret
notp arentbeydt hec onsenosfum se diocr,i,t2y7.
Inre gardt ot heu niverssiagln iftcanocfFe r ame'wso rkt,h ea ssessmeonfEt vsa ns,
Joneasn dD alziealr ea ta no pposietxet remef romt hej udgemenotfsD elbaere,
Rutherfoarndd A shcroftF.ra me'su niversaolroi tthye rwiswei lrle maiann o pen