BETWEEN NOSTALGIA AND DISENCHANTMENT: THE CONCEPT "HOME" IN JAYNE ANNE PHILLIPS' NOVEL MACHINE DREAMS

A discussion of Jayne Anne Phillips' novel Machine Dreams serves to illustrate two aspects of the rediscovery of the concept of home as a prevalent issue in contemporary American literature, whereby "home" refers not only to a geographical region, but above all to the imaginary realm...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Arbeiten aus Anglistik und Amerikanistik 1988-01, Vol.13 (1), p.17-28
Main Author: Bronfen, Elisabeth
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
20th century
American literature
Anonymous writers. Authors
Desire
English speaking literatures
Fathers
French speaking and English speaking literatures
History and sciences of litterature
History of literature
Homes
Mothers
Nostalgia
Popular culture
Regionalism
Traditions
United States
War
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Summary:A discussion of Jayne Anne Phillips' novel Machine Dreams serves to illustrate two aspects of the rediscovery of the concept of home as a prevalent issue in contemporary American literature, whereby "home" refers not only to a geographical region, but above all to the imaginary realm of shared popular culture. On the one hand Phillips delineates the shift from a critical confrontation and disenchantment to an acknowledgement of her cultural heritage. At the same time, this attempt to develop a consoling world view means ultimately embracing conservative values like stability, tradition and an ahistorical timelessness of myth, a narrative strategy which diffuses any intentions of political and social critique.
ISSN:0171-5410