A Deconstructive Study Of The Sense Of An Ending

Julian Barnes is an important contemporary English writer whose works have been fourth shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize and finally won this award with The Sense of an Ending.This novel features an old man in his 60 s telling his life stories with the help of his fragmented memories.The constructive nature of memory and history comes to the fore,as well as the inaccessibility of truth.The protagonist Tony is a mediocre middle-class white man who pursues peacefulness but ends up in great remorse and unrest.His lonely life is haunted by meaninglessness.From the perspective of Derrida’s deconstruction,this thesis will analyze the deferral of truth,deconstruction of Englishness,and dissolution of meaning in life.First,this thesis will focus on memory and history,analyzing how they deconstruct the truth.Second,the ideologies behind the memory and history will be analyzed,which will reveal the deconstruction of Englishness.Englishness presented in this novel lies in its rationality,gentlemanly conduct,and aristocracy.As the epitome of reason,Adrian used mathematical formula to solve problems concerning human relations,the futility of which led to his suicide.On the contrary,Tony was beset,protected and redeemed by emotions.Patriarchal society enabled Tony and Veronica’s mother to use misogynistic language and behavior to assault her.Veronica,instead,showed her virtue of care,faced life with resilience and independence,thus demonstrating woman’s power.Social status marked by family name is also deconstructed with increased social mobility and under the effect of imagination.Finally,the deconstruction of meaning will be analyzed from the perspective of irony.The paradox between Tony’s ideal-self and reality dissolves life’s meaning.Tony’s omnipresent autism deprived him of his ability to love,the absence of which deepens life’s meaninglessness.Julian Barnes’ work reminds people to reflect on their lives and their limitations,which lays foundation for mutual understandings in a world of meaninglessness.