Bringing the Past to Heel: History, Identity and Violence in Ian McEwan's Black Dogs

Authors: Müller-Wood, Anja; Wood, J. Carter

Source: Literature & History, Volume 16, Number 2, Autumn 2007 , pp. 43-56(14)

Publisher: Manchester University Press

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Abstract:

Ian McEwan's 1992 novel Black Dogs employs postmodern understandings of history while also critiquing these same perspectives. In particular, by depicting the efforts of its protagonist, Jeremy, to write a memoir of his parents-in-law, it draws attention to the subjectivity of historical writing. While this quality has led some critics to condemn the novel for its escapism and amorality, the authors of the essay argue that Black Dogs is a statement about the necessity of history rather than its futility. Indeed, they read the text as a dramatization of humanity-s ability to bear rather than escape the often troubling burden of the past and an endorsement of the writing of history despite the awareness that historiography, while serving deep-seated human needs, is always problematic.

Keywords: VIOLENCE; HISTORIOGRAPHY; MEMORY; IDENTITY; POSTMODERNITY; NARRATIVE

Document Type: Research article

Publication date: 2007-09-01

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Literature & History is a biannual international refereed journal concerned to investigate the relations between writing, history and ideology. It provides an open forum for practitioners coming from the distinctive vantage points of either discipline (or from other adjacent subject areas) to explore issues of common concern: period, content, gender, class, nationality, changing sensibilities, discourse and language. Unique in its essentially plural identity, Literature & History began publication in 1975 and since 1992 has appeared under the imprint of Manchester University Press. Special issues devoted to a particular period or theme (produced under guest editorship) are published from time to time. Literature & History is a well known, theoretically self-conscious, and much referred to landmark in interdisciplinary studies and has consistently attracted contributions of high calibre.
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Bringing the Past to Heel: History, Identity and Violence in Ian McEwan's Black Dogs

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