Picture this: a stormy Yorkshire moor, a haunted mansion, and a cast of characters more dysfunctional than your aunt's Thanksgiving dinner. That's right, we're diving headfirst into "Wuthering Heights"! It's a tale of love, obsession, and enough emotional turmoil to make a roller coaster look tame. Forget everything you thought you knew about classic literature, because Emily Brontë's masterpiece is about to take you on a wild ride through fragmentation, magical realism, and metafiction through the postmodern playground.
You guessed it…. metafiction:
Literary Tradition Text: In "Wuthering Heights," Catherine expresses her longing for a timeless, unchanging reality in a moment of intense emotion: "Heathcliff, make the world stop right here; make everything stop and stand still and never move again. Make the moors never change and you and I never change.” Her longing for enduring stability mirrors her inner turmoil over life's transience and the fleeting nature of storytelling. Her plea embodies the metafictional exploration of the artificiality of narratives and the human desire for permanence amidst the constant changes of life.
Link to Postmodern Media Source: Tolstaya throws in a literary Easter egg by name-dropping Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" into the mix. It's like a nod to all the bookworms out there, a cheeky wink that says, "Hey, I see you, fellow reader!" By mixing reality with fiction, Tolstaya blurs the boundaries and creates a literary mash-up that's as confusing as it is captivating. By blurring the boundaries between fiction and reality, Tolstaya invites readers to reflect on the ways in which literature shapes our understanding of the world. This metafictional twist adds a layer of complexity to the story, like a puzzle waiting to be solved. It's like saying, "Sure, life is messy and unpredictable, but isn't that what makes it interesting?" By referencing Faulkner, Tolstaya invites readers to ponder the deeper meanings behind the story and maybe even go on a wild goose chase for hidden connections.
My Take: Both "Wuthering Heights" and the reference to “A Rose for Emily” utilize metafiction to blur the boundaries between reality and fiction. In "Wuthering Heights," Catherine's plea for a timeless reality reflects the characters' awareness of their own narrative construction. Similarly, Tolstaya's incorporation of Faulkner's story within her own narrative invites readers to reflect on the ways literature shapes their understanding of reality, adding layers of complexity and encouraging engagement beyond the surface narrative.
Moving on to
F r a g m e n t a t i o n
Literary Tradition Text: Throughout the movie, various characters offer their own accounts of events, showcasing the fragmented nature of the narrative. For instance, Lockwood narrates his experiences at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, providing insights into the lives of the residents. However, his perspective is limited and often biased. As Lockwood tries to understand the mysterious inhabitants of Wuthering Heights, he reflects on his own perceptions, stating, "I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath, and hare-bells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.” Lockwood's observations illustrate his attempt to make sense of the enigmatic characters and events he encounters, but his perspective remains fragmented and incomplete. The novel also employs temporal shifts to disrupt the linear progression of the plot, adding to its fragmented structure. One instance of this occurs when Lockwood delves into the history of Wuthering Heights and its inhabitants. Reflecting on the past, Nelly Dean, the housekeeper, recounts the turbulent relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine. She describes Catherine's conflicted emotions, stating, "My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary.” This quote not only highlights Catherine's complex feelings for Heathcliff but also underscores the enduring nature of their connection, despite the passage of time. By weaving together past and present narratives, the novel creates a fragmented sense of time, blurring the boundaries between past and present.
Link to Postmodern Media Source: Postmodernism is all about smashing traditional forms, right? Well, Cummings totally gets it. For example, the lack of punctuation and funky spacing disrupts the typical flow of the poem, creating a sense of disjointedness and challenging the reader's expectations. Who needs normal structure, right? This fragmentation reflects the Postmodernist notion that meaning is not fixed but constantly shifting and never set in stone. By ditching the usual poetry rules, Cummings makes us think about language in a whole new way. When Cummings messes with the normal way poems are written, it's not just for kicks. The deliberate fragmentation of traditional poetic forms in Cummings' poem serve a significant purpose. By breaking away from conventional structures, he's actually saying something big about love. This disruption of the typical flow of a poem mirrors the complexity and unpredictability of love itself. See, love isn't tidy and neat like a perfectly written poem; it's all messy and unpredictable. So when Cummings throws punctuation out the window and messes with the order of words, he's showing us that love can't be boxed in. It's wild and untamed, just like his poem. Thus, the fragmentation serves to highlight the transcendent nature of love, inviting readers to embrace its messy and unpredictable qualities.
My Take: Both "Wuthering Heights" and “[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in)]” challenge conventional narrative structures through fragmentation. In the novel, multiple perspectives and temporal shifts create a fragmented portrayal of events and characters. Similarly, the poem disrupts traditional poetic forms with its lack of punctuation and unconventional spacing, reflecting the fluid nature of meaning and the unpredictability of love. Through fragmentation, both works invite readers to reconsider their understanding of storytelling.
Lastly: Magical Realism
Literary Tradition Text: The movie, “Wuthering Heights" portrays the supernatural and the mystical atmosphere surrounding Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff's origins are shrouded in mystery, and his arrival at Wuthering Heights is marked by a sense of the uncanny. Nelly Dean describes his appearance, saying, "Mr. Earnshaw found him stray on the moor, I shuddered to be near him, and thought on the servants’ talk about his having been a gipsy.” The ambiguity surrounding Heathcliff's background and the circumstances of his arrival contribute to the novel's atmosphere of mystery and the supernatural. In addition, after Catherine's death, her presence continues to haunt the moors and influence the lives of the characters. Heathcliff's obsession with Catherine transcends the boundaries of life and death, as he declares, "I cannot live without my soul!” Catherine's ghostly presence and her enduring influence on Heathcliff's life add a layer of the supernatural to the movie's narrative.
Link to Postmodern Media Sources: Welcome to the enchanting realm of "Pyramid Song" by Radiohead, a song that resonates with the mesmerizing visuals and immersive storytelling of the movie Avatar. Just as Avatar transports audiences to the lush, otherworldly landscapes of Pandora, "Pyramid Song" invites listeners on a journey through a surreal dreamscape where reality and fantasy intertwine. Much like the Na'vi's connection to their natural surroundings in Avatar, the song's lyrics evoke a sense of deep connection to the world around us, although in a more abstract and introspective manner. The mention of black-eyed angels swimming in a river and astral cars cruising through a moonlit sky mirrors the awe-inspiring beauty and otherworldly nature of Pandora's flora and fauna. Similarly, the music video for "Pyramid Song," with its whimsical animations and dreamlike imagery, captures the spirit of exploration and wonder that permeates Avatar. Avatar follows a traditional narrative structure, with a clear plot and character development, whereas "Pyramid Song" is more abstract and open to interpretation. The song's lyrics and imagery invite listeners to explore their own interpretations, rather than following a linear storyline. So whether you're soaring through the skies of Pandora or floating in the dreamy visuals of "Pyramid Song," both Avatar and Radiohead's masterpiece invite us to embrace the beauty and mystery of the world around us, reminding us that sometimes the most profound experiences lie beyond the boundaries of our imagination.
My Take: In both "Wuthering Heights" and the song "Pyramid Song," elements of magical realism are distinct, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy. In the movie, Heathcliff's mysterious origins and Catherine's ghostly presence evoke a sense of the supernatural, adding depth to the narrative. Similarly, "Pyramid Song" by Radiohead transports listeners to a surreal dreamscape where abstract imagery and introspective lyrics create a sense of wonder and enchantment. Both works invite audiences to explore the beauty and mystery of the world, transcending conventional storytelling to embrace the fantastical and otherworldly aspects.
Conclusion: In "Wuthering Heights," Emily Brontë crafts a narrative that challenges traditional storytelling through metafiction, fragmentation, and elements of magical realism. Characters grapple with the artificiality of their own narratives, while the fluidity of time blurs past and present. Heathcliff's mysterious origins and Catherine's ghostly presence add an otherworldly dimension to the story. Similarly, Radiohead's "Pyramid Song" invites us into a surreal dreamscape, blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy. Also, Cummings' unconventional approach to poetry, characterized by the deliberate lack of punctuation and unconventional spacing, reflects the Postmodernist notion of challenging traditional forms to convey the complexity and unpredictability of love, inviting readers to embrace its messy and unpredictable qualities. Lastly, Tolstaya's inclusion of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" serves as a metafictional nod to readers, blurring the boundaries between reality and fiction while inviting reflection on the transformative power of literature and the intricate complexities of storytelling. Through these postmodern lenses, all works invite us to explore the transcendent nature of storytelling.