Works Of Fiction Research Articles

Hyphae Networks of Queer Love

Set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic future where as a result of infections due to rapid mutations in most earthly organisms, human civilisation has significantly declined, the Danmei Novel Little Mushroom by Shisi narrates the tale of a mushroom on a quest to recover the spores stolen by some humans. At the beginning of the novel the mushroom attempts but is unsuccessful in saving the life of an injured human, however, in the process the mushroom absorbs the human’s genes and memories, and is able to shapeshift into a human form called An Zhe and thus sets on a course towards the location of human civilisation whereby he encounters Lu Feng the other protagonist of the novel. The research paper examines how this work of speculative science fiction embodies the concepts of post-humanism and queer masculinity and rejects the narratives of strict binaries and the superiority of the human race over others. The paper highlights the novel’s attempt to move away from anthropocentric and heteronormative thinking as the novel engages in narratives that showcase queer love and queer masculinities in a positive way that does not conform and restricts itself to the boundaries set up by a backward society.

‘Going to Collage’: Ali Smith’s <em>Autumn</em> and Post-Liberal Democratic Imagination

Across her many works of fiction, Ali Smith at once laments the breakdown of civic conversation and, in what seems a paradoxical move, draws stark ethical demarcations between characters who represent different political orientations. This tension is acute in her Seasonal Quartet, and especially the first of the four novels, 'Autumn.' Hailed on publication as the first serious literary response to Brexit, 'Autumn' gives vivid account of the 'end of dialogue' at a time when 'all across the country, there was misery and rejoicing.' On one hand, in 'Autumn' and elsewhere, Smith laments the consequences of the 'end of dialogue' between citizens and populates her fiction with sympathetic characters who notice, with alarm, that 'people [are] saying stuff to each other and none of it ever actually becom[es] dialogue.' Yet on the other hand, her work is itself partisan, specifically in its tendency to draw caricatures of complacently xenophobic middle-class Britons. This article argues that this tension is in fact crucial to the political outlook suggested in Smith’s work, which hints at a positive, post- or nonliberal vision according to which neither novels, nor politics, draw democratic power from empathetic exchange or dialogue, but rather through world-affirming judgment. The specific sort of judgment Smith endorses, I argue, is rooted in 'Autumn's' 'collage' aesthetic, and its significance crystallizes when read alongside Hannah Arendt's account of political judgment. For both Smith and Arendt, the foremost threat to contemporary political life is not partisanship, but rather, the fragility of the 'common world,' and Smith proposes that the collage aesthetics of work like hers play a specific function in helping restore the 'common world.' This article thus proposes that Smith, read alongside Arendt, articulates an original, political purpose for art in the contemporary era.

Biography of Writers as a Motivation for Creative Skills of Primary School Students

In addition to education and training, formation of skills of practical application of the acquired knowledge is the goal of modern school. Therefore, the ability to use what has been learnt as a sample, as an example, is formed in pupils who get acquainted with biographies of writers and poets. Literary works play a special role in the formation of a person's personal qualities and his further development. Presenting information about the author's biography is one of the ways to arouse interest in reading and analyzing a work of fiction. The article argumentatively shows the role of studying the biography of the writer as a motivation in teaching for the development of creative abilities of younger pupils. The biographical method should be used as an element, which helps to prepare children to perceive and analyze the studied literary work.

Centenary Paper: ‘Nossas amorizades’: Homosexual Love in José Luandino Vieira’s João Vêncio: os seus amores

The Angolan writer José Luandino Vieira was imprisoned by the Portuguese colonial regime from 1962 to 1972, first in a Luanda prison, then, after 1964, in the Tarrafal concentration camp on the island of Santiago. Most of Vieira’s fiction was written during his incarceration. His early stories and short novels presented the mixing of the Portuguese and Kimbundu languages in the poor musseques (Black townships) around Luanda as a potentially revolutionary idiom capable of forging the future Angolan nation. The present article argues that, due to external pressures that accumulated in 1968, Vieira’s short novel João Vêncio: os seus amores marks a watershed in its more free-flowing linguistic experimentation and its explicit account, glossed over by earlier criticism, of a homosexual male relationship. Through textual analysis and the study of intertextual references to the work of João Guimarães Rosa and Ernest Hemingway, this article establishes João Vêncio: os seus amores as both a pioneering work of gay fiction in Angolan literature and the necessary prelude to the books that Vieira would write during his final years in Tarrafal.

Grimalkin

This is a work of fiction examining the impact of witch-fears on the lived realities of women in mid-seventeenth-century Germany. It is largely based on the seminal work on demonological witchcraft, Heinrich Kramer's Malleus Maleficarum (1486), which reflected the principle fears and beliefs surrounding witchcraft, and which dominated much of the next few centuries' discussion on it. Demonological beliefs, the most common school of thought on witchcraft in early modern Germany, were deeply (and often sexually) misogynistic, as well as blood–writers imagined witches to be infanticidal, cannibalistic, and insatiable. Previous research has stressed that women were disproportionally both accused and accusers during German witch panics; this project attempts to imagine the experience of the former and the motivations of the latter. It also argues that (while the modern reader knows witches did not and do not exist), due to the widespread belief in witchcraft, the frequency of the trials, and the extent to which it motivated women's and men's actions, the fear of witches constituted the reality of witches. 

Homecoming: Returning to Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities after 50 Years

Abstract The articles in this special collection are a tribute to Italo Calvino and a work of fiction that has not lost its power to fascinate readers and scholars for over half a century. This special issue draws attention to how this very short work of fiction continues to serve as a source of inspiration for geographers, as well as for scholars all across the humanities and social sciences.

A preliminary exploration of feminist translation strategies

Abstract Interventionist feminist translation theory prompts translators to identify and rectify sexist notions in source texts. It encourages critical awareness and reinterprets texts through a feminist lens. Based on interventionist feminist translation theory, this research investigates how depictions of women’s physical charm, often unnecessary and rooted in stereotypes, are handled in translations. Focusing on seven instances from Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Trilogy — a notable Chinese science fiction work debated for its sexism —, the study contrasts the source text with its English and Spanish translations. By analysing the selected fragments of the Chinese novel and the unmissable alterations to the original in the target texts, this paper demonstrates how the techniques of elision and adaptation can help translators iron out the sexist implications. The findings contribute to our understanding of feminist translation strategies for addressing sexist elements in literary works.

Allegorization of History in Burial at Sea

The paper titled “Allegorization of History in Burial at Sea” investigates Khushwant Singh's novel as an allegorized history of post-independent India. Published in 2005, Singh's narrative intertwines the lives of fictional characters with historical figures. Using a combination of textual analysis and historical data, this study examines how Singh's portrayal of these characters serves as an allegorical representation of broader historical narratives. By analyzing the allegorical elements within the novel, the study reveals how Singh's fictionalization serves to critique the idealized images of prominent historical figures, such as Jawaharlal Nehru, and the socio-political dynamics of their time. The findings suggest that Singh's work offers a complex re-interpretation of historical events and figures, highlighting the intersection of fiction and history. The significance of this study lies in its contribution to the discourse on the allegorical nature of historical fiction. This research provides a comprehensive analysis of how fictional works can reshape our perceptions of historical reality.

A Literacy Narrative in Legal Discourse of Russia

The paper elucidates the role of a literacy narrative in the construction and content of domestic legal discourse. On the basis of communicative methodology, the author examines the value aspects of the impact of the fiction on the consciousness and behavior of subjects of law and the construction of legal reality. An analysis of the literacy narrative as a collection of works of fiction having existence in a certain space-time continuum made it possible to conclude that the literary narrative is both a specific form of knowledge of legal reality and a means of influencing human consciousness and behavior in the process of legal socialization. Of all the sociocultural paradigms that mediate a person’s perception of the essence of law, not only in the legal, but also in the social sense, it is fiction that occupies the most significant place. Being a form of collective consciousness, a literary work in the process of legal communication broadcasts information about value attitudes, the implementation of which will make it possible to give the addressee’s legal behavior a purposeful character and ensure its identification with the community of which he is a member. The images of law and legal reality formed in domestic works of art are an explication of legal archetypes and broadcast the primacy of the value component of legal reality over the normative.

Carnival Land: An creative consideration of sequential storytelling to discuss cultural dislocation

This article will outline the practice-led research project Carnival Land, a picture book that weaves together sequential storytelling and illustration to discuss cultural dislocation. Based on the researcher’s experiences as an immigrant from Brazil to New Zealand, it provides a narrative in metaphors and a creative orchestration of photomontage, bilinguality, and theatricised multi-page spreads. The story tells of the trials and eventual transformation of a young girl in a foreign land, where aspirations appear as costumes in an annual Carnival parade. Several theoretical frameworks significantly influenced Carnival Land. These were notions of transgression, carnality, and Carnival (Bakhtin, 1968); structure and discourse surrounding bricolage (Strauss, 1962); and writings relating to journey both as a rite of passage (Gennep, 1960; Turner, 1979); and as a process of immigration. Methodologically, the project emanates from an artistic research paradigm (Klein, 2010) that supports a heuristic approach (Douglass & Moustakas, 1985) to the discovery and refinement of ideas. The project employed autoethnography as a research design intended to facilitate the strategic accessing of personal experience and synthesised it into a fictional work. Thus, the research draws upon both tacit and explicit knowledge in developing the narrative, its structure, and stylistic treatments.

Analysis of Marketing Strategies for Bestselling Books in the Context of Publishing Convergence: A Case Study of The Fugitive Artist

Driven by the dual forces of the digital wave and global trends, the publishing industry is undergoing unprecedented transformation, with publishing convergence becoming the new norm for industry development. In this context, the deep integration of traditional publishing and digital publishing has not only reshaped the methods of content production, distribution, and consumption but has also raised the bar for marketing strategies of international bestsellers. The Fugitive Artist, a fictional literary work that has made a global impact, owes its success not only to its profound literary value and captivating plot but also to its precise and innovative marketing strategies. This provides a valuable case for the market promotion of international bestsellers. This paper aims to analyze the marketing strategies of The Fugitive Artist in the context of publishing convergence, exploring how the book stood out in a complex and ever-changing market environment, and offering insights for the international promotion of similar works from China.

Dystopian Visions and the Making of Privacy Law

This article explores the role of references to dystopian literature in the context of developing privacy laws. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of a large corpus of legislative and judicial texts from Germany and the United Kingdom, I demonstrate that references to popular dystopian works of fiction like Orwell’s 1984 have animated and shaped the legal recognition of privacy. Specifically, dystopian visions are evoked as reasons that warrant the legal protection of privacy rights. I explore lawmakers’ vision of a technologically empowered totalitarian state and discuss how these connect to historical, contemporary, and hypothetical examples of unjust regimes. I argue that literary imaginations of dystopia are often themselves built on historical experience, suggesting that the aptness for social critique is, as literary critics suggest, built into dystopia as a genre. I furthermore explore how the theme of democracy is employed as a counterpoint to fears of dystopian totalitarianism. Portraying privacy invasions as harmful to democratic ideals discursively amplifies their dangerousness—and thereby works to justify regulatory intervention. My research findings prompt us to view legal norms as a cultural artifact that reflect cultural imagination and literary narratives.

Techno-ethical concerns related to genetic sequencing reports

Recombinant DNA technologies of the current era, most of which are comparable to past works of science fiction, have had diverse and significant impacts on social life. Among them, genetic sequencing deserves particular attention. The widespread use of genetic testing has raised numerous concerns regarding autonomy, confidentiality and privacy. In this context, the proliferation of ‘gene for X’ reports influences debates about the potentially beneficial or detrimental uses of genetics. While several studies have reported concerns related to the collection, storage and use of genetic data, few have considered the technical shortcomings that can affect the reliability of interpretation of sequencing data. In this essay, we will cover some of the current practices of genetic testing and safety aspects of DNA data. To evaluate the reliability of DNA data we will raise the question whether an ‘overestimation’ of researchers' results might reflect an ‘underestimation’ of our genetic make-up in terms of the limitations of the parameters necessary for the correct interpretation of genomic DNA. Following that question we will highlight the responsibility of researchers for proper science communication to avoid misleading information about genetic sequencing data.

Artistic-Stylistic Search for Cinematic Expression and Hybrid Documentary: To the Question of Genealogy of Mockumentary

The purpose of article is to analyse the artistic-stylistic search for cinema expression in connection with the emergence of hybrid documentary as an audio-visual environment and a context for the development of mockumentary. Research methodology is based on the culturological approach that allowed us to expand the context of consideration of the problem genealogy of mockumentary and special-scientific methods of art history. Considering the synthetic nature of the researched phenomenon, the work is comprehensive and interdisciplinary. Without involving knowledge in philosophy, aesthetics, the theory of cinema and television is difficult to understand such multifaceted and complex phenomena, such as hybrid documentary and mockumentary. Scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that for the first time, at the level of a single research, attention is focused on the role of artistic-stylistic searches for cinematic expressiveness and hybrid documentary in shaping the context of the formation of mockumentary as a genreform and phenomenon of audio-visual culture in the second half of the XX century. Conclusions. If is proved that they should not exclude the practice of embodying life material in a work of fiction and documentary, which is directly related to the stylistic search for cinematic expressiveness as an important determinant of the genealogy of mockumentary. It is affirmed that the advent of television convinced us that the mobility of the boundaries between the chronicle and the staged aspect is not limited to on-screen synthesis and experiments with form, but also refers to semantic hybridisation, which has led to the formation of various genreforms within television documentaries, such as mockumentaries, documentary drama, or “docudrama”. Genre mutations and convergent processes, which also encompassed hybrid documentaries, eventually led to the expansion of the documentary sphere towards the emergence of mixed forms as hybrids of the fiction, fictional and real spheres, i.e. the transformation of the artistic-aesthetic system of documentary led to the emergence of mockumentary as a fiction film with fictional content in documentary form in the audio-visual culture of the second half of the XX century.

Simplifying Cosplay Costume Selection with a Web-Based Recommendation System

Cosplay is an activity where individuals imitate the dressing style of a character, typically from fictional works such as games, anime, VTubers, and others. Before engaging in cosplay activities, cosplayers need to choose the desired costume according to their individual needs. Therefore, cosplayers often experience confusion in selecting a cosplay costume due to the many costume options and the desired costume criteria. One way to assist in making decisions is through a recommendation system. A recommendation system can help users make decisions based on their preferences. In this study, the design and development of a webbased recommendation system for selecting cosplay costumes using the Simple Additive Weighting method were conducted. This system was then evaluated by 52 respondents. Based on a survey conducted using the EUCS method to measure user satisfaction levels, an average score of 80.65% was obtained.

Image Archetypal from the Novel “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” is a crucial work in Gothic literature and science fiction, exploring human ambition, innovation, and isolation. Using Carl Jung's archetypal imagery, this study examines the novel’s key themes and characters. A qualitative content analysis was conducted on the text and secondary literary sources. Prominent archetypes identified include the Overreacher, the Monster, the Promethean Figure, the Wanderer, and the Tragic Hero. Victor Frankenstein is analyzed as both the Overreacher and the Tragic Hero, symbolizing hubris and downfall. The Monster embodies isolation and alienation, while Victor’s act of creation reflects the Promethean Figure, symbolizing innovation and ethical dilemmas. Both characters are portrayed as Wanderers, emphasizing their existential quests for meaning and belonging. These archetypes play a central role in the narrative. Shelley’s use of archetypal imagery enhances the novel’s critique of scientific advancement and ethical responsibility. Victor’s tragic heroism serves as a cautionary tale about unchecked ambition, while the Monster’s plight underscores the societal need for empathy and acceptance.

Beyond Frankenstein: the Politics of the Gothic in Iraqi Fiction

Abstract This article examines works of post-2003 Iraqi fiction that draw on the aesthetic and thematic conventions of the postcolonial gothic genre by centering the grotesque figure of the animated corpse. Through these figures, the texts bring the disposable victims of necropolitical violence back into view, resisting their erasure while also resurrecting the buried histories that contributed to the outbreak of ongoing conflict. As these texts foreground the victims of violence both past and present, they issue powerful critiques of neocolonial and sectarian violence, particularly through their inversion of the gothic trope of the terrifying Other. In these texts, initially frightening animated corpses are revealed to be the sympathetic victims of violence, rendering necropolitical violence, rather than the corpses, the true source of horror in the texts and issuing a call to the reader to sympathize and even empathize with the frightening Other.

Predicting subjective ratings of affect and comprehensibility with text features: a reader response study of narrative poetry.

Literary reading is an interactive process between a reader and a text that depends on a balance between cognitive effort and emotional rewards. By studying both the crucial features of the text and of the subjective reader reception, a better understanding of this interactive process can be reached. In the present study, subjects (N=31) read and rated a work of narrative fiction that was written in a poetic style, thereby offering the readers two pathways to cognitive rewards: Aesthetic appreciation and narrative immersion. Using purely text-based quantitative descriptors, we were able to independently and accurately predict the subjective ratings in the dimensions comprehensibility, valence, arousal, and liking across roughly 140 pages of naturalistic text. The specific text features that were most important in predicting each rating dimension are discussed in detail. In addition, the implications of the findings are discussed more generally in the context of existing models of literary processing and future research avenues for empirical literary studies.

The Colonial Java Town and Beach: Chronotopical Analysis of Augusta de Wit’s Two Travelogue Chapters

When the twentieth century was around the corner, the plurality of residents and newcomers grew in numbers, forming a dynamic and heterogeneous urban society in colonial Java. Augusta de Wit was one of the Dutch authors who wrote about Java during her stay there in her book form travelogue titled Java: Facts and Fancies. Her experience in Java had left an influence on her, which is shown in her fiction works. One of them is the short story Vijandschap that portrays mostly the rural and idyllic life of a coastal community, yet includes the participation of the town (Batavia) as a commercially promising place. This qualitative study aspires to illuminate how the rural beach community reconciled with the town and to confirm what she means by natural beauty by focusing on two chapters “The Town" and “On the Beach.” It is conducted by employing a close reading method and Torop’s chronotopical analysis consisting of topographical, psychological, and metaphysical chronotopes in Augusta de Wit’s perspective while considering the notion of tropicality. This study discovers that there is a relational function of town as a dynamic marketplace to the local folks on the beach and a “space of home” for the Europeans, while the beach as fruitful home to the native beach community and a soothing recreational place to de Wit. Moreover, natural beauty is not confined to nature solely, but includes the locals alongside their character and habits, who are an intrinsic tropical part of Java.

The Insiders and the Outsiders in Short Fiction: Is the Behaviour of Women and Men Determined by Living in and Living Out?

The study discusses traditional gender roles and the resulting behavior in the selected works of short fiction. These gender roles dictate that men must work outside to provide for their families while women are compelled to remain inside the house, taking care of children and doing household chores. These roles are accompanied by different stereotypical traits: Men are thought to have positive traits like rationality and bravery while women are said to possess negative traits like sentimentality and cowardice. As writers are also part of society, so we can expect to see the same gendered thinking in their creation. This research takes up five short stories and looks at the behavioral traits of male and female characters and the connection of these traits with the fact that males are outsiders and females are insiders.