Metaphors of pain: the use of metaphors in trauma narrative with reference to <i>Fugitive pieces</i>

This article is a contribution to the recent interdisciplinary discourse between psychoanalysis, trauma theory and narrative by discussing the traumatic experiences of characters in the novel “Fugitive pieces” by Anne Michaels, with a specific focus on the metaphorical style of this novel. The ar...

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Main Author: J. Anker
Format: Article
Language:Afrikaans
Published: AOSIS 2009-07-01
Series:Literator
Subjects:
Online Access:https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/78
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author J. Anker
author_facet J. Anker
author_sort J. Anker
collection DOAJ
description This article is a contribution to the recent interdisciplinary discourse between psychoanalysis, trauma theory and narrative by discussing the traumatic experiences of characters in the novel “Fugitive pieces” by Anne Michaels, with a specific focus on the metaphorical style of this novel. The article addresses the role of metaphor in the memory of trauma while comparing the relation between trauma, narrative and memory with reference to the work of Cathy Caruth, Van der Kolk and Margaret Wilkinson. Recent neurobiological research in the working of the brain during trauma and the insights of Borbelly in the role of metaphor during therapy are discussed. Insights of Lacan, Modell and Laplanche are integrated with those of psychologists like Knox, Borbelly and Van der Hart to counter arguments against the criticism brought against some of the metaphorical themes in “Fugitive pieces”. Metaphor is seen as one possible way of saying the inexpressible and the progression in the use of metaphor by patient and character alike is seen as one of the signs of healing from trauma.
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spelling doaj.art-a2d5a6f467524ec98874520a551ffe562022-12-22T03:33:33ZafrAOSISLiterator0258-22792219-82372009-07-01302496810.4102/lit.v30i2.7864Metaphors of pain: the use of metaphors in trauma narrative with reference to <i>Fugitive pieces</i>J. Anker0Faculty of Education & Social Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Wellington CampusThis article is a contribution to the recent interdisciplinary discourse between psychoanalysis, trauma theory and narrative by discussing the traumatic experiences of characters in the novel “Fugitive pieces” by Anne Michaels, with a specific focus on the metaphorical style of this novel. The article addresses the role of metaphor in the memory of trauma while comparing the relation between trauma, narrative and memory with reference to the work of Cathy Caruth, Van der Kolk and Margaret Wilkinson. Recent neurobiological research in the working of the brain during trauma and the insights of Borbelly in the role of metaphor during therapy are discussed. Insights of Lacan, Modell and Laplanche are integrated with those of psychologists like Knox, Borbelly and Van der Hart to counter arguments against the criticism brought against some of the metaphorical themes in “Fugitive pieces”. Metaphor is seen as one possible way of saying the inexpressible and the progression in the use of metaphor by patient and character alike is seen as one of the signs of healing from trauma.https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/78HealingMetaphorMemory TraumaTrauma Theory
spellingShingle J. Anker
Metaphors of pain: the use of metaphors in trauma narrative with reference to <i>Fugitive pieces</i>
Literator
Healing
Metaphor
Memory Trauma
Trauma Theory
title Metaphors of pain: the use of metaphors in trauma narrative with reference to <i>Fugitive pieces</i>
title_full Metaphors of pain: the use of metaphors in trauma narrative with reference to <i>Fugitive pieces</i>
title_fullStr Metaphors of pain: the use of metaphors in trauma narrative with reference to <i>Fugitive pieces</i>
title_full_unstemmed Metaphors of pain: the use of metaphors in trauma narrative with reference to <i>Fugitive pieces</i>
title_short Metaphors of pain: the use of metaphors in trauma narrative with reference to <i>Fugitive pieces</i>
title_sort metaphors of pain the use of metaphors in trauma narrative with reference to i fugitive pieces i
topic Healing
Metaphor
Memory Trauma
Trauma Theory
url https://literator.org.za/index.php/literator/article/view/78
work_keys_str_mv AT janker metaphorsofpaintheuseofmetaphorsintraumanarrativewithreferencetoifugitivepiecesi