Tremblings In The Distinction Between Fiction And Testimony
Abstract
Fiction as a genre not only tends to be disregarded as testimony, fiction and testimony are often seen as mutually exclusive. By using a Derridean model of testimony, I aim to break down the division between fiction and testimony and to show that literary fiction can make a valuable contribution to the testimonial engagement with past traumas. Over the course of this article it will emerge that trauma plays a central role in breaking down the distinction between fiction and testimony. I will demonstrate how Derrida's theory can be applied to key scenes from Yvonne Vera's novel Under the Tongue, thus enabling one to read this fictional work as a testimony to Zimbabwe's violent past and present.
Keywords
testimony; trauma; Vera; Derrida; rape
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PDFDOI: https://doi.org/10.63260/pt.v4i2.934