Fact fiction and the feminine a study of aritha van herks novels

Abstract

The present study on Fact, Fiction and the Feminine in Aritha van Herk s novels newlineanalyses how Aritha van Herk recreates real experiences, existing knowledge of myths, newlinehistories and geography into fiction which prioritizes women as heroines of potential newlinedimension. Aritha van Herk is a contemporary Canadian writer, whose novels are grounded newlineon factual reality, while at the same time her narrative skill gives the facts an air of fiction. It newlineexamines the postmodern features in the novels, such as blurring of boundaries and newlinesubversion of traditional narrative patterns and stereotypical presentations in literature, with newlinespecial focus on women. newlineThe introductory chapter gives a brief introduction to Canadian literature, explaining newlinethe various methods of narration involved in it, traces the chronological list of the literary newlinewriters who in many ways influenced the contemporary novelist Aritha van Herk and the newlineremarkable place occupied by the novelist, and the life and works of Aritha van Herk. The newlinestudy priorities the postmodern theory as Aritha van Herk s novels are open-ended. The newlinenovels incorporate the subjective elements of the writers as opposed to the objective newlinetraditional narration. Moreover, the blending of fact with fiction that causes a gap between newlinethe two offers a postmodern attire to the novels of Aritha van Herk. The chapter in addition newlineto explaining the various methods of narration involved in Canadian literature traces the newlinechronological list of the literary writers who in many ways influenced the author. newlineThe second chapter Quests, Journeys and Mapping explores how cartography and newlinelandscape are relevant to the development of the protagonists, and how they embark on newlinejourneys of self-discovery.