Abstract
Jacques Ranciere (2011, p. 53) observes that rather than create works of art, contemporary artists want to get out of the museum (...) and induce alterations in the space of everyday life, generating new forms of relations. In this context, the aim of this paper is to discuss the power of literature to turn experience into life-narratives that will eventually give rise to a differentiated kind of social experience (SMITH; WATSON, 2010), through the reading of the novel Sangati (1994) by the Indian Dalit writer Bama. In order to make visible the experiences of the Dalit women, Bama rewrites the genre autobiography, as understood in the West, since in her narrative the voice of the community imposes itself upon the voice of the individual. In so doing, she changes the quality and style of canonical narratives considered as literary so that they will accommodate the stories of silenced people articulated through a differentiated kind of aesthetics.
Highlights
Jacques Ranciere (2011, p. 53) observes that rather than create works of art, contemporary artists want to get out of the museum “[...] and induce alterations in the space of everyday life, generating new forms of relations”
Narratives for them are spaces in which they can become “[...] both the observing subject and the object of investigation, remembrance and contemplation” (SMITH; WATSON, 2010, p. 1), crossing the border between life and art, aesthetic detachment and everyday life events so that their stories contribute to raising an awareness that, eventually, will be foremost to improve their living conditions
The aim of this paper is to discuss the power of narratives to turn experience into narratives and, eventually into a differentiated kind of experience (SMITH; WATSON, 2010), through the reading of the novel Sangati
Summary
Jacques Ranciere (2011, p. 53) observes that rather than create works of art, contemporary artists want to get out of the museum “[...] and induce alterations in the space of everyday life, generating new forms of relations”. 1), crossing the border between life and art, aesthetic detachment and everyday life events so that their stories contribute to raising an awareness that, eventually, will be foremost to improve their living conditions In this context, the aim of this paper is to discuss the power of narratives to turn experience into narratives and, eventually into a differentiated kind of experience (SMITH; WATSON, 2010), through the reading of the novel Sangati. These women are recreated as deconstructing the stereotype of the victim as is revealed by their liveliness and the myriad ways they resist the yoke imposed upon them by both, the people of the higher castes and Dalit men In her novel, Bama helps make visible the experiences of the Dalit women and rewrites the genre autobiography, as understood in the West, when the voice of the community imposes itself upon the voice of the individual. She changes the quality of canonical narratives considered as literary so that they will accommodate the stories of silenced people
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