Hi everyone,

It has been a little while since I have come across a piece of scholarship that has radically altered my approach to thinking and writing about the two works in my thesis.  I have recently gained a greater familiarity with the concepts of Lacan, which have had this effect on me.

One of the key sections of my thesis is discussing the experience of the protagonists within the interior and how they create a new, separate sphere of experience for themselves that challenges the conventional notions of temporality, history, and experience itself.  I am now contemplating on whether or not Lacan’s theory of the 3 Orders (Imaginary, Symbolic, and the Real) may shed some new light upon my argument.  It might be that his concepts may not apply well to the two texts at all, but for now, the possibilities are very appealing and exciting to me.

I will be taking a closer look at the two texts to consider if the Lacanian model is applicable.  I might even look into some variations of the model as well.  As of now, there are several conceptual obstacles that I foresee in pursuing this path.  Language plays a significant role in Lacan’s theory.  I must reassess the role of language in the texts and how it may or may not correlate with his idea of the symbolic and the signifier.  Lacan’s ideas also seem to be somewhat problematic as regards feminist theory.  Perhaps responses of feminist critics to the Lacanian model may be more applicable for my thesis.  This will also be something that I must examine further.

Sincerely,

Chris