3 options
The infinite longing for home : desire and the nation in selected writings of Ben Okri and K.S. Maniam / David C.L. Lim.
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Lim, David C. L.
- Series:
- Cross/cultures ; 80.
- Cross/cultures, 0924-1426 ; 80
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Home in literature.
- Nationalism in literature.
- Malaysian literature.
- Nigerian literature.
- Okri, Ben--Criticism and interpretation.
- Okri, Ben.
- Maniam, K. S--Criticism and interpretation.
- Maniam, K. S.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (251 p.)
- Edition:
- 1st ed.
- Place of Publication:
- Amsterdam ; New York : Rodopi, 2005.
- Language Note:
- English
- Summary:
- The Infinite Longing for Home is a groundbreaking study of Ben Okri's and K.S. Maniam's literary problematization of 'home' in relation to subjectivity and the nation within and beyond the context of Nigeria and Malaysia. Drawing on Lacan, Žižek, Laclau and Mouffe, and weaving through history, politics, philosophy and literature, this book critically examines the motives and means by which peoples forced to live together in a country love and hate each other, and overlook the truths about themselves, their actions and beliefs. It looks into why some embrace heterogeneity and open-endedness while others are internally compelled to over-identify passionately with their religion and race, and to posit theirs as irreducibly distinct from and superior to others'. The Infinite Longing for Home also traces through Okri's and Maniam's writings a way out of today's political aporia, a path to the re-creation of a new society humbled and unified by the recognition of its participation in flawed humanity.
- Contents:
- Acknowledgements
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- PART I. NATION(S)
- 1 Nation: Conceptions
- 2 Becoming Nations: Nigeria, Malaysia
- PART I I. BEN OKRI: THE ABIKU TRILOGY
- 3 The Famished Road
- 4 Songs of Enchantment
- 5 Infinite Riches
- PART I I I. K.S. MANIAM: TWO NOVELS
- 6 The Return
- 7 In A Far Country
- Conclusion
- Appendix
- Synopsis of K.S. Maniam's Unpublished Novel Delayed Passage
- Works Cited
- Index.
- Notes:
- Description based on print version record.
- Revised thesis (Ph.D.).
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 209-222) and index.
- ISBN:
- 94-012-0149-8
- 1-4237-8902-4
- OCLC:
- 714567327
- Publisher Number:
- 10.1163/9789401201490 DOI
The Penn Libraries is committed to describing library materials using current, accurate, and responsible language. If you discover outdated or inaccurate language, please fill out this feedback form to report it and suggest alternative language.