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Valuing the Human Animal: Biomorphic Representation in Gunesekera’s The Prisoner of Paradise
English Studies in Africa Pub Date : 2019-01-02 , DOI: 10.1080/00138398.2019.1629681 Maija Ploof
English Studies in Africa Pub Date : 2019-01-02 , DOI: 10.1080/00138398.2019.1629681 Maija Ploof
Abstract This article tracks the notion of ‘creative biomorphism’ in Romesh Gunesekera’s novel The Prisoner of Paradise. Creative biomorphism refers to the interpretive representation of human characters as non-human beings. What might be dismissed as the occasional instance of metaphor or natural imagery within the novel is in fact utilized consistently and purposefully. Gunesekera’s sympathetic characters – those who are either directly or indirectly oppressed by the island’s colonial government – are those depicted with non-human traits or mannerisms, while his unsympathetic characters – the colonial agents – are transformed only into inanimate objects or dead animals. Non-human beings have long been considered inferior to humans, so the demonstration of human decency by similarity to non-human beings seems particularly striking. The idea that dehumanization might be a celebratory, rather than derogatory, transformation raises questions of value, valuation and hierarchy that resonate with questions raised by various postcolonial writers, philosophers, scientists and historians.
中文翻译:
评价人类动物:Gunesekera 的《天堂的囚徒》中的生物形态表征
摘要 本文追踪了罗梅什·古内塞克拉 (Romesh Gunesekera) 的小说《天堂的囚徒》(The Prisoner of Paradise) 中“创造性生物形态”的概念。创造性生物形态是指将人类角色解释为非人类。可能被认为是小说中偶尔出现的隐喻或自然意象的例子,实际上是一贯且有目的的。Gunesekera 富有同情心的角色——那些直接或间接受到岛上殖民政府压迫的角色——被描绘成具有非人类特征或举止的人,而他的冷漠角色——殖民代理人——只会被转化为无生命的物体或死去的动物。长期以来,非人类一直被认为不如人类,因此通过与非人类的相似性来证明人类的体面似乎特别引人注目。
更新日期:2019-01-02
中文翻译:
评价人类动物:Gunesekera 的《天堂的囚徒》中的生物形态表征
摘要 本文追踪了罗梅什·古内塞克拉 (Romesh Gunesekera) 的小说《天堂的囚徒》(The Prisoner of Paradise) 中“创造性生物形态”的概念。创造性生物形态是指将人类角色解释为非人类。可能被认为是小说中偶尔出现的隐喻或自然意象的例子,实际上是一贯且有目的的。Gunesekera 富有同情心的角色——那些直接或间接受到岛上殖民政府压迫的角色——被描绘成具有非人类特征或举止的人,而他的冷漠角色——殖民代理人——只会被转化为无生命的物体或死去的动物。长期以来,非人类一直被认为不如人类,因此通过与非人类的相似性来证明人类的体面似乎特别引人注目。