NANCY HUSTON: WRITING OTHERNESS WITH A TRANSCULTURAL IMAGINARY

Abstract

Losing North" is an expression in French which means "to be disoriented". The expression is translated into English by Nancy Huston – bilingual writer (English-French) as “to be all abroad” which literally means “to be totally foreigner in abroad”. It's an expression that catches Huston's attention to exactly define her position as a writer, which is why she titles her autobiographical book "Losing North" written in 1999. In this book, she questions her attachment to the French language and her bilingualism which she experiences in a conscious way. This study aims to detail the experience of the writer whose imaginary universe is filled with transcultural marks at the crossroads of several languages, identities and cultures. At Huston we witness this estrangement from one's culture and language of origin to seek refuge in the culture and language of others. From that moment the other becomes the mirror of the self. Thus, the reconceptualization of the terms of identity, of cultures, of languages in Nancy Huston leads her to create "doors" through the distinctive lines of demarcation which differentiate one from the other. In this context, transculturality becomes a plane where the biological, historical, social, economic, philosophical, cultural forms of sovereignty and power relations are problematized both geographically and socially. These power relations are analysed using Huston's concepts of language, culture, identity and literature, and the literary archive is used as a field of social transformation, emancipation and disclosure in order to overcome them. The polyphonic voices and the writing of Huston who is in exile are transformed into a medium where different identities, languages and cultures are inscribed.