Outside of the
peripheral context of "," Mikhal Bahktin's theories of polyphony and heteroglossia
closely correspond to Marx's theory of alienation and dialectic materialism. In fact, Marx was
strongly influenced by many of Bakhtin's ideas, particularly polyphony.
To
understand the connection between Marx's and Bakhtin's theories in this context, it is necessary
to delve into the subtle yet important differences between heteroglossia and polyphony.
Heteroglossia refers to the speech and words of another person, many of which are appropriated
expressions filtered through an individual context, as demonstrated in the narrator's perception
in "Araby." Polyphonic theory incorporates many speakers or voices with various styles
and assumptions with a clear distinction between these voices and the speaker's. Heteroglossia
is influenced by other voices and it can be difficult to tell the difference between the speaker
and those outside influences. The distinction between the speaker and other styles is far more
pronounced in polyphony.
Dialectical materialism, according to Karl Marx, is
a method of understanding reality that serves as the foundation of Marxist thought. Dialectical
materialism seeks to understand the reality of things in a concrete manner by getting to the
root of their existence. In dialectical materialism, each thing has its own objective reality
that can be arrived at apart from any spiritual or immaterial interpretation, but immaterial
things may be obtained through material means.
The interplay between
dialectical materialism, polyphony, and heteroglossia is best illustrated in Bakhtin's
discussion of dialectics. Bakhtin explains that dialectics is derived from dialogue, and that
there are various socio-linguistic dialects that contribute to the phenomenon of heteroglossia.
In the Marxist dialectic, the voice of the oppressed triumphs over the voice of the oppressors
and effectively creates a dialogue between these two competing voices.
In a
sense, Bakhtin's heteroglossia supports Marx's dialectical materialism by reinforcing objective
reality through a dialogue between competing voices that is eventually won or lost. Under this
definition of dialectic materialism influenced by heteroglossia and polyphony, the intangible is
brought about by the material. For example, the narrator in "Araby" attempts to gain
something immaterial (the girl's affection) by taking a physical action (visiting
"Araby" to bring her a present). In "Araby," these concepts are strongly
illustrated in the competing internal voice of the narrator and the external voices of the
adults he encounters.
Marx's theory of alienation can be found throughout
"Araby" as well. As the story progresses, the narrator moves from youthful idealism to
a kind of alienation that is found in many of Marx's writings. He is not only alienated from the
adults in his life, but also from the girl whose affections he hoped to win with a present. As
his alienation increases, the narration shifts from heteroglossia to polyphony. In the
beginning, the narrator's own voice was heavily influenced by the adults and culture around him,
but towards the end those influences begin to take on their own voices and become distinct form
the narrator's own unique way of speaking.
Each of these unique theories
plays a role in understanding "Araby." While the work seems simple on the surface, its
simplicity is used to showcase the practical application of both Marx's and Bakhtin's
theories.
No comments:
Post a Comment