About Time: Narrative, Fiction and the Philosophy of Time (The Frontiers of Theory)

**About Time** brings together ideas about time from narrative theory and philosophy. It argues that literary criticism and narratology have approached narrative primarily as a form of retrospect, and demonstrates through a series of arguments and readings that anticipation and other forms of projection into the future offer new analytical perspectives to narrative criticism and theory. The book offers an account of 'prolepsis' or 'flashforward' in the contemporary novel which retrieves it from the realm of experimentation and places it at the heart of a contemporary mode of being, both personal and collective, which experiences the present as the object of a future memory. With reference to some of the most important recent developments in the philosophy of time, it aims to define a set of questions about tense and temporal reference in narrative which make it possible to reconsider the function of stories in contemporary culture. It also reopens traditional questions about the difference between literature and philosophy in relation to knowledge of time. In the context of these questions, the book offers analyses of a range of contemporary fiction by writers such as Ali Smith, Ian McEwan, Martin Amis and Graham Swift. " About Time Brings Together Ideas About Time From Narrative Theory And Philosophy. It Argues That Literary Criticism And Narratology Have Approached Narrative Primarily As A Form Of Retrospect, And Demonstrates Through A Series Of Arguments And Readings That Anticipation And Other Forms Of Projection Into The Future Offer New Analytical Perspectives To Narrative Criticism And Theory. The Book Offers An Account Of 'prolepsis' Or 'flashforward' In The Contemporary Novel Which Retrieves It From The Realm Of Experimentation And Places It At The Heart Of A Contemporary Mode Of Being, Both Personal And Collective, Which Experiences The Present As The Object Of A Future Memory. With Reference To Some Of The Most Important Recent Developments In The Philosophy Of Time, It Aims To Define A Set Of Questions About Tense And Temporal Reference In Narrative Which Make It Possible To Reconsider The Function Of Stories In Contemporary Culture.--book Cover. Introduction: About About Time -- The Present -- Prolepsis -- Temporality And Self-distance -- Inner And Outer Time -- Backwards Time -- Fictional Knowledge -- Tense Times. Mark Currie. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [152]-155) And Index. Книга About Time: Narrative, Fiction and the Philosophy of Time About Time: Narrative, Fiction and the Philosophy of Time Книги Психология, философия Автор: Mark Currie Год издания: 2007 Формат: pdf Издат.:Edinburgh University Press Страниц: 192 Размер: 1,1 ISBN: 0748624244 Язык: Английский0 (голосов: 0) Оценка:Mark Currie brings together theoretical and philosophical ideas about time in his analysis of anticipation and other forms of projection into the future. In the work of such writers as Ali Smith, Ian McEwan, Martin Amis, and Graham Swift, he considers "prolepsis" or "flashforward," in which a character experiences the present as the object of a future memory, and outlines a set of questions about tense and temporal reference that redefines the function of stories in contemporary culture. He also revisits traditional questions about the difference between literature and philosophy in relation to knowledge of time. Why have theorists approached narrative primarily as a form of retrospect? Mark Currie argues that anticipation and other forms of projection into the future are vital for an understanding of narrative and its effects in the world. In a series of arguments and readings, he offers an account of narrative as both anticipation and retrospection, linking fictional time experiments (in Ali Smith, Ian McEwan, Martin Amis and Graham Swift) to exhilarating philosophical themes about presence and futurity. This is an argument that shows that narrative lies at the heart of modern experiences of time, structuring the present, whether personal or collective, as the object of a future memory as much as it records the past. Brings a range of ideas about time to bear on narrative and contemporary fiction. This book argues that literary criticism and narratology have approached narrative primarily as a form of retrospect, and demonstrates that anticipation and other forms of projection into the future offer analytical perspectives to narrative criticism and theory.