Spatial Narrative In Alasdair Gray’s Lanark

Alasdair Gray’s Lanark is regarded as the best representative of contemporary Scottish fiction. Previous studies on this novel are multifarious with their merits and can be chiefly classified into postcolonial, magical realist and postmodernist readings. This paper deviates from the previous studies and makes an analysis of the narrative function of space in light of the spatial theories proposed by Lefebvre and Zoran. It focuses on three types of spaces:topographical space, social space and textual space embodied in the novel to illustrate the narrative function of space centering on the novel’s theme, characters and culture. Then it concludes that both topographical space and social space produce an oppressive, discriminatory and inequitable social relation and elite dominating power structure system, thus influencing characters within the novel and changing narrative process. Regarding textual space, it summarizes that by means of postmodern narrative strategies the novel makes a dexterous usage of structure, plots and anachronies to break sequential line, thus enhancing spatial sense and making readers concentrate on what happens in the space to display the theme. In short, this paper conveys the message that the embodiment of the theme and the acquisition of artistic achievements are greatly related to space.The whole thesis is composed of six parts. The first part serves as an introduction. It gives a brief introduction to Alasdair Gray and the novel Lanark. Chapter One introduces a brief summary of the overseas and domestic research on the novel and expounds spatial theory. Chapter Two applies the notion of topographical space, indicating that by juxtaposition and comparison of three groups of physical spaces, the author not only reveals a fact that the discrepancy on characters’values is resulted from the discrepancy of topographical space but uses space to foil characters, render atmosphere, and promote the development of the story. Chapter Three employs the concept of social space, regarding space as a social relation and further divided as class oppression and gender oppression. By studying the concrete experiences of characters, it reveals the power structure, and diseased social relation. Chapter Four cites the notion of textual space. Starting from the peripheral issue of this postmodern text, this part discusses the function made by narrative structure, point of view, multi plots and anachronies in producing, and widening space within the novel and acquiring artistic achievements. The last part is the conclusion.