Table Of ContentMediating the World in the Novels of Iain Banks
MEDIATED FICTIONS
STUDIES IN VERBAL AND VISUAL NARRATIVES
Series Editors: Artur Blaim and Ludmiła Gruszewska-Blaim
Editorial Board
Antonis Balasopoulos
Joanna Durczak
David Malcolm
Fátima Vieira
VOLUME 1
Katarzyna Pisarska
Mediating the World in
the Novels of Iain Banks
The Paradigms of Fiction
Bibliographic Information published by the Deutsche
Nationalbibliothek
The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the
Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is
available in the internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Pisarska, Katarzyna, 1977-
Mediating the world in the novels of Iain Banks : the paradigms
of fiction / Katarzyna Pisarska.
pages cm – (Mediated fictions ; volume 1)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-3-631-62614-6
1. Banks, Iain, 1954-2013–Criticism and interpretation.
2. Mediation in literature. I. Title.
PR6052.A485Z83 2013
823'.914–dc23
2013048324
This publication was financially supported by
Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin.
Cover illustration printed with kind permission of Jerzy Durczak.
Reviewed by Zofia Kolbuszewska.
ISSN 2194-5918
ISBN 978-3-631-62614-6 (Print)
E-ISBN978-3-653-02006-9 (E-Book)
DOI 10.3726/978-3-653-02006-9
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For my parents
Contents
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... 9
Introduction. The Case of Iain (M.) Banks ...............................................................11
Chapter 1. Ab Ovo: The Wasp Factory as the Blueprint of Fictional Worlds .........33
1.1. Model ONE: Alternative Worlds ..............................................................41
1.2. Model TWO: Community Worlds ............................................................54
1.3. Model THREE: Mythical Worlds .............................................................68
1.4. Model FOUR: Apocalyptic Worlds ..........................................................79
Chapter 2. Alternative Worlds: Walking on Glass,
The Bridge, and Transition ............................................................................91
2.1. Language, Literature, and Multiple Reality
in Walking on Glass.................................................................................92
2.2. Into the Subconscious: The Dream Worlds of The Bridge..................... 112
2.3. Across the Multiverse: The Many Worlds of Transition ........................130
Chapter 3. Community Worlds: The Crow Road,
The Steep Approach to Garbadale,
Espedair Street, and Stonemouth................................................................. 143
3.1. The Wor(l)ds of Magic, Memory,
and Truth in The Crow Road................................................................. 144
3.2. Gardens of Love and Communities of the Heart in
The Steep Approach to Garbadale........................................................ 164
3.3. The Land of Music and the Music
of Homeland in Espedair Street............................................................ 175
3.4. Big Movies and Private Narratives in Stonemouth ................................. 189
Chapter 4. Mythical Worlds: Whit,Canal Dreams,
and The Business ..........................................................................................201
4.1. Into the Unholy Lands: the Pilgrimage
of a Goddess in Whit ..............................................................................202
4.2. AFemale Samurai’s Journey
to the Centre in Canal Dreams ..............................................................217
4.3. The Virgin, the Mother, the Crone: the Return
of a Mythical Woman in The Business ..................................................238
Chapter 5. Apocalyptic Worlds: A Song of Stone,
Complicity, and Dead Air .............................................................................253
5.1. King Arthur in Distress: Post-apocalyptic
Transgressions in A Song of Stone .........................................................254
5.2. From Virtual Reality to the Waste Land: Public
Apocalypse and Post-traumatic Syndrome in Complicity .....................268
5.3. On-Screen Catastrophes and Post-apocalyptic
Romances in Dead Air ...........................................................................285
Chapter 6. Coda: The Quarry................................................................................. 303
Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 321
Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 333
Index ...................................................................................................................... 345
Acknowledgements
I would like to express my gratitude to Professor Ludmiła Gruszewska-
Blaim and Professor Artur Blaim, the general editors of the series, for
their invaluable help and support in the preparation and publication of
this book. I owe special gratitude to Professor Andrzej Zgorzelski (Uni-
versity of Gdańsk), who read the first draft of this book and offered il-
luminating comments and criticism. I would also like to thank Professor
Zbigniew Mazur (Maria Curie-Skłodowska University of Lublin) for his
kind assistance in my mediation studies. I am grateful to Professor An-
drew Milner (Monash University, Melbourne), Professor Zofia Kol-
buszewska (John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin) as well as the
members of the Editorial Board of the series, Professor Joanna Durczak,
Professor Fátima Vieira, Professor Antonis Balasopoulos, and Professor
David Malcolm, for their kind suggestions which helped me to improve
this book. I should express special thanks to Professor William Sullivan
(Maria Curie-Skłodowska University of Lublin), without whose help the
book as it is now would be impossible. I must not forget the kindness of
my colleagues from the Department of English Literature at Maria Cu-
rie-Skłodowska University, Dr Justyna Galant, Dr Marta Komsta, Dr
Urszula Terentowicz-Fotyga, Dr Andrzej Sławomir Kowalczyk, as well
as Professor Anna Kędra-Kardela from the Department of Anglo-Irish
Literature,who always lent a sympathetic ear. Last but not least, I would
like to thank Jorge for his unwavering love, support, and encouragement,
which helped me weather the crises and complete this book.
Special thanks to Maria Curie-Skłodowska University for funding this
publication.
