Hybridity as a Counter-Hegemonic Discourse in Elizabeth Nunez's Even in Paradise.

Based on postcolonial and postmodern theories, this paper explores Hybridity as a Counter-egemonic Discourse in Elizabeth Nunez's Even in Paradise. While criticism has yet to study Nunez's work from a postcolonial perspective, Even in Paradise reveals two types of narrative discourse: "postmodern na...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Journal of Pan African Studies Vol. 10; no. 8; pp. 41 - 55
Autor principal: Igoudjil, M. Kamel
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Journal of Pan African Studies Sep2017
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Based on postcolonial and postmodern theories, this paper explores Hybridity as a Counter-egemonic Discourse in Elizabeth Nunez's Even in Paradise. While criticism has yet to study Nunez's work from a postcolonial perspective, Even in Paradise reveals two types of narrative discourse: "postmodern narrative" intertwined with "colonial narrative." The narrative is "a perfect zigzag" journey into the past to comprehend the present. Nunez resists the traditional linear narrative by using a zigzag time and space to defy Western Culture and its controlling structures. Nunez also writes against the postcolonial condition with the attribution of a dominant position in the Caribbean and African culture. Finally, Nunez, a Caribbean writer, writes in English not only to answer back to the colonial discourse but also to challenge the oppressive discourse held by men vis-á-vis women. Using both tenacious and strong male and female characters while searching for space and identity, she redefines the status of women in a male-dominated world. What is common to many of today's postcolonial authors is their focus on the linguistic hybridity of the national space, the importance of which must be recognized as an asset to postcolonial spaces rather than viewed as a means of dividing the country for the welfare of the ruling few. Drawing from postcolonial theories, I explore Nunez's hybridity as a counter-hegemonic discourse as an example of third space that works to reclaim a space for the subaltern voice.