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Gray, Ann. Research Practice for Cultural Studies. ( 2003 )
Barnes, Julian. The Sense of an Ending ( 2011 )
Thank you.
Name
: Dharma J. Gohel
Roll
No : 09
Class
: M.A. Sem-4
Paper
– 13 : The New Literature
Batch
: 2017-19
Enrollment
No : 2069108420180014
Submitted
to : Smt. S. B. Gardi Department of English, MKBU
Topic
: Ann Gray’s concept of knowability
with
reference to The Sense of an Ending
Introduction:
Ann Gray in
‘Research Practice for Cultural studies’ (2003) elaborates three fundamental
research questions that structure any research project.
1. What
is there that can be known – what is knowable?
2. What
is the relation of the knower to the known?
3. How
do we find things out?
A brief
about The Sense of an Ending:
It is a
novel, written by Julian Barnes. The Man Booker Prize winner novel is famous
for its post-modern narrative technique, as memory novel and psychological
thriller.
The story is
of an old man Tony Webster, narrator, who tries to revisit his past and solve
some of unsolved mysteries. His quest for getting knowledge about his friend –
Adrian’s suicide and other characters lives can be elaborated with concept of
knowability and three methodological questions.
What is there that
can be known – what is knowable?
This
is an ontological question, it refers to the aspect of social reality to
be studied, but it also deals with assumptions we are willing
to make about the nature of reality. It requires you to take a
position in relation to your project and to define your ‘knowable space’. How
you construct your knowable space and how you go about exploring and
investigating that knowable space will depend upon your theoretical approach to
the social world and the actors
or texts
involved. (Gray)
With
reference to The Sense of an Ending
Illustrations
from the text:
The novel
describes journey or quest of getting knowledge of Tony Webster, who didn’t
get, who never get properly!! The narrator tells his story and all the
incidents with his memory and tries to evaluate past, and with that he also
tries to get knowledge.
For Tony
‘Knowable’ is not only to know the reason of Adrian’s suicide or his diary or
about Veronica but also to know about his own life, to illustrate his own
memory and self examine, why he is not getting or what is problem with him.
As it is
mentioned in explanation that,
“…it also
deals with assumptions we are willing to make about the nature of reality…”
Here Tony,
while in the process of getting knowledge, assumes many things at different
stages.
For example:
after part one, he is in assumption that ‘he knows’ all the things. After
getting letter, he supposes that he now knows about Veronica and Adrian. After
watching Adrian’s son, he becomes very sure that now he knows all the
things…
His all
assumptions are constructed. With these stages, constructed knowledge, he
didn’t get, or reach to true knowledge. With these stages his ‘knowable space’
is also changing and moving.
“How you
construct your knowable space and how you go about exploring and investigating
that knowable space will depend upon your theoretical approach…”
Tony does
not stop with his assumptions (like Silas in Da Vinci Code). His one of
the knowable space is “himself”. And one of the reasons of his keep
investigating and processing towards knowledge, ignoring his assumptions, is
his “self” as knowable space and his approach towards other events like
Veronica’s words “you still don’t get it…” or other characters’ attitude
towards him and his own memory, who tells him as he is not able to get sense.
Because of
some incidences, he comes to know that whatever he believes is his assumptions
and he proceed further. He decides his ‘knowable space’ with illustrating and
investigating. He keeps on trying to reach true knowledge with his approach of
investigating like going into several pubs and shops several times, ignoring
his believed, constructed assumptions.
What is the relation
of the knower to the known?
epistemological
question and, put simply, asks how we know what we know. The assumptions
that are made about this depend on how we perceive of the reality, and,
although Guba does not suggest this, how we are located as subjects within our
research. What we bring to our work, how our own knowledge and experience is
brought to bear on the research itself will certainly shape it.
It is
important to make these explicit. The point about who we are and how we relate
to the project itself is a key issue. (Gray)
Illustrations
from the text:
Relationship
between knower and known is very important to evaluate. In the novel, Tony
tells his own experiences with his memory. He is in self search and also in
search of reasons and relations of other characters’ life.
In this
process of knowing, Tony’s relationship is with self. He is insider. In his
attempts of knowing anything his self becomes barrier. For example, his memory,
a mirror or self projection always distract him.
He knows
that Adrian and Veronica have relationship after his break up with her and, he
also came to know from his friend that Adrian was happy and in love before his
death. With these two statements, he makes an assumption that the reason for
Adrian’s death or before his death he is in love with Veronica.
Only because
of his partial memory, he cannot know that Adrian has relationship with Mr.
Sarah Ford. As he is subjective and inside his memory and assumptions, he
cannot know the things clearly.
All the
time, he gets true knowledge from outside. Like, he comes to know about his
cruel letter when it is given by Veronica.
He can know
himself when Margaret communicates with him. Even he gets the “Knowledge” about
young Adrian when other person Terry tells him that “Mary is not his mother,
but sister…”
So, when ‘he
is in his own’, he cannot reach to the knowledge. Even when he assumes that the
young Adrian is son of Adrian and Veronica, if Veronica did not tell him “You
still don’t get…” perhaps he can never reach to his knowledge.
Thus, in
Tony’s case the relationship is self with self and self itself becomes barrier
of knowledge. And whenever Tony becomes objective, he gets knowledge from
outside and reach where he wants to…
So, his view
is from inside and he perceives reality from outside. With ignoring his
assumptions, he shapes his way to get knowledge from outside.
How do we find
things out? Or What is the procedure of knowledge?
This
is methodological questions. What kind of methods must I employ in order
to know, or to put me in a position of being able to interpret and analyse this
aspect of the social world? This, then, is where one can begin to think about
the kinds of data we need and how to gather it in order to begin to explore
research questions. (Gray)
Illustrations
from the text:
With example
of both chapters and narrative style, we can say, Tony always tries to aware
readers that, whatever he is telling is not hundred percent true but it is what
he remembers. Tony, in his narration, goes on deconstructing his own words. He
even accepts that what he said is not trustworthy but with his own cast of
mind. Some of beautiful quotes in the novel suggest this thing clearly.
One of the
way, to get knowledge of Tony, is to become out of own self. At some stage, he
accepts that, “he is not getting sense” means he knows that still he has to
work hard to get knowledge (not like Silas or Fache in Da Vinci Code).
Though he
constructed many assumptions in his case, from outside, he is also getting some
kind of hints or knowledge which proves that he is not getting properly. So, he
is not in blindness, but he keeps trying.
At every
stage, he comes to know from outside. He knows his relationship with known and
also barriers of his knowledge. So, he tries to be objective from subjective.
He rejects his assumptions and accepts hints from outside with being objective.
He doubts
his statements and tries to think the way knowledge comes to him from outside.
In Tony’s procedure of knowledge, knowledge dawn upon him from outside, from
other characters, after his several attempts.
Throughout
the novel, everyone tries to give him hints or signs. Though he has inability
to understand signs, which are in front of his eyes, and get the ‘sense’, he
can reach to knowledge because of his ability to accept his inabilities, and to
become objective with knowing his own self. He knows his barrier of his
knowledge and tries to go beyond it, to overcome it.
Conclusion:
Thus, Tony’s
journey to his knowable space is going on expanding in the second part and he
tries to overcome from his subjective relationship with his self.
In the
novel, Tony, the narrator’s quest for knowledge is interesting and amazing, and
worthy to study. It becomes very exiting end when Tony meets with his knowledge
and gets “his sense” after long journey.
Bibliography:
Gray, Ann. Research Practice for Cultural Studies. ( 2003 )
Barnes, Julian. The Sense of an Ending ( 2011 )
Thank you.
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