On The Impossibility Of Postmodern History Writing: Narrative In Libra

None of the renowned American novelist Don DeDillo's works diverges from the preoccupation of contemporary American society and culture. His Libra focuses on the American recent historical event, viz. the Kennedy Assassination. However, it is more than a historical novel. Western critics have commented on its historical theme, artistic skills, and social cultural significance. Whereas researches on Libra are not enough in China, Chinese scholars'attention is chiefly focused on its narrative techniques and literary style. But that is insufficient to fully interpret the content of Libra by merely studying the above aspects. In light of the relative theories about postmodern view on history writing, which is a prosperous approach applied to postmodern works in recent Chinese critical field, the paper re-examines Libra's narrative techniques and works to prove the impossibility of postmodern history writing imparted, and to provide a new interpretation about the postmodern historical novel.This thesis consists of six parts including the introduction and the conclusion.The introduction part briefly introduces Don DeLillo and his work Libra. Besides, it also does the work of summarizing early and present literary study on Libra, both abroad and at home. And that is followed up with the methodology and significance of the thesis.In the first chapter, introduction of postmodern view on history writing is made. In addition, the development of history writing is traced. Those views on history writing are specifically presented with regard to several representative theories, including White's postmodern historical narratology and Hutcheon's theory on language representation and historiography. The generalization is made to provide a theoretic framework for the dissertation and to further demonstrate the impossibility of postmodern history writing within Libra.The second chapter discusses the inevitable textuality and the representational essence of historical objects. It is impossible for historians to recover the past objectively. Rather, they could merely construct the past history from the present perspective, with the aid of textual materials. The retired CIA agent Branch who is charged with the work of writing a secret history of the Kennedy Assassination is the best proof. Moreover, history itself may well be the result of fabrication. On the one hand, Libra imagines the puzzling troubles in the process of history writing through the characters of the story. On the other, it involves concern for the fictionality of history as well. The other main character Win in Libra invented by DeLillo is a downright historical faker, who firstly conceives a plan of assassination, then takes advantage of various tools to forge an identity of gunman. The textuality and fictionality of history writing are revealed by means of metafiction. So this chapter begins with the definition and characteristics of metafiction, and then tries to prove the impossibility of history writing via some typical scenes in the novel.The third chapter addresses the effects of limited point of view has on history writing. In fact, narrating story from characters'limited point of view can avoid the arbitrary subjectivity of omniscient narration. With regard to the mysterious assassination, DeLillo deftly presents the uncertainty of historical fact in characters'limited point of view. Since history does not equate to any individual's description or subjective judgment. Therefore, narrators in Libra never speak in their own voices. Thus the narration turns out half clear which leaves enough artistic gaps for readers to consider the possibility of history writing.In the fourth chapter, fragmented narration in Libra is explored. Upset time and space, scenes flashing forward and backward, together with overlapping incidents impress the readers with fragmented time and space. Besides, the unity and integrity of historical figurers are broken. So they are in the condition of split and contradiction, among whom the hero of Libra is a Libran in horoscope. Oswald is a character being continually split. Fragmented world and split individual make the act of history writing impossible to attain.Finally the conclusion part sums up all the statements and evidences of each chapter. Believing the narrative techniques of metafiction, limited point of view and fragmented narration have obscured the historical fact, it thus draws a conclusion that the impossibility of postmodern history writing is indicated in Libra.