The operation of language, understanding and misunderstanding in literature

Abstract

This thesis comprises an exegesis which examines the manifestation of understanding and its relationship with language through the literary theory of Mikhail Bakhtin's utterance, primarily focusing on the ideas present in his work The Dialogic Imagination, and the creative works of Felicity Castagna and Luke Carman; and a creative work entitled Capire, a fiction detailing the adolescent struggle of a young boy navigating a series of relationships between family and friends, discovering the importance of language as a part of his life and as part of his understanding. Bakhtin's theory posits that the novel is a combination of artistically arranged languages, operating simultaneously to convey understanding and meaning. This is accomplished through a complex formation of stratified dialogue and discourse. Each example of these stratifications present in literature are able to be analysed as utterances, the smallest discernible unit of speech communication. From within these utterances, language takes its artistic form. The exegesis seeks to mobilise Bakhtin's theory of the utterance within Castagna's No More Boats and Carman's An Elegant Young Man. These works present narratives which allow for the elucidation of the concept of language and the utterance. Castagna presents a story of loss and struggle, while Carman presents readers with a series of conflicting and contrasting voices. Each author constructs for their protagonist a unique language which will be analysed through Bakhtin's dialogic concepts. Within the creative work Capire, the life of Christian Baglio is traced from his first day of school at five years old to his final weeks of high school at the age of eighteen. Christian finds himself in a family who, while loving and supportive, are a point of difficulty when it comes to communication. The Baglio family are all bilingual, able to speak both English and Italian, with the exception of Christian. As he grows older, Christian must navigate a relationship with his family which is inhibited by his inability to speak a language which he perceives as being an integral part of his family experience. His understanding of these relationships and the world around him will change drastically as he matures and begins to contemplate his understanding, and the understanding of those around him.

Date of Award	2019
Original language	English