Space and Identity in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian: A Deleuze and Guattarian Reading
Zahra Barfi
1
(
Department of English Language and Literature, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran
)
Fatemeh Azizmohammadi
2
(
Department of English Language and Literature, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran
)
Mohammad Reza Noorollahi
3
(
Department of English Language and Literature, Qom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qom, Iran
)
Saeed Yazdani
4
(
Department of English Language and literature, Bushehr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Bushehr, Iran
)
الکلمات المفتاحية: Keywords: Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian, Deleuze and Guattari's Geocriticism, Space, Identity,
ملخص المقالة :
Space and Identity in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian:
A Deleuze and Guattarian Reading
Abstract
This study explores the intricate relationship between space and identity in Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, utilizing the geocritical concepts of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. By examining his novel, the study investigates how the interaction of smooth and striated spaces shapes and reshapes characters' identities. Through the lens of Deleuze and Guattari, the research highlights the fluidity and dynamism of spaces, focusing on the continuous interplay without rigid distinctions between space and place. As the integration of Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of the war machine, nomad, and rhizome is essential to understanding the influence of space on characters' identity, this study begins with examining these key concepts. The rhizome concept parallels the non-linear, interconnected narrative structures in McCarthy's work in which the nomadic existence of characters underscores their search for meaning and survival in a world of constant flux. Through detailed analysis, this study aims to uncover the ways in which McCarthy's characters grapple with their identities amidst perpetual change, offering a nuanced understanding of the interplay between space and identity in contemporary literature.
Keywords: Cormac McCarthy, Blood Meridian, Deleuze and Guattari's Geocriticism, Space, Identity
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