Defamiliarisation in Literature & Literary Theory

Etymology of Defamiliarisation

The term defamiliarisation originates from Russian Formalism, a literary theory developed in the early 20th century by scholars such as Viktor Shklovsky. In Russian, it is known as “ostranenie” (остранение), which can be roughly translated as “making strange” or “estrangement.”

As a concept, defamiliarisation describes a technique in literature and art where the familiar is presented in an unfamiliar or surprising way, encouraging the audience to see everyday things from a fresh perspective.

This technique aims to disrupt automatic perception and provoke deeper thought and engagement with the subject matter, ultimately enhancing the artistic or literary experience. Further clarification about its meanings

Meanings of Defamiliarisation

Meaning	Description
Making the Familiar Strange	Defamiliarisation is a technique in literature and art that involves presenting everyday or familiar things in an unfamiliar or surprising way. It aims to disrupt automatic perception and encourage a fresh perspective.
Encouraging Deeper Thought	Through defamiliarisation, artists and writers aim to provoke deeper thought and engagement with the subject matter by challenging preconceived notions and inviting the audience to reconsider what they know.
Enhancing Artistic and Literary Experience	Defamiliarisation is used to enhance the artistic or literary experience by creating a sense of novelty and wonder, making the audience more attentive and reflective.
Originating from Russian Formalism	The term “defamiliarisation” has its roots in Russian Formalism, particularly in the concept of “ostranenie” (остранение), which means “making strange” or “estrangement” in Russian.

Definition of Defamiliarisation as a Theoretical Term

Defamiliarization is a theoretical concept in literature and art that involves presenting familiar or everyday elements in a way that makes them appear unfamiliar, thereby disrupting automatic perception and encouraging a fresh perspective.

Defamiliarization: Theorists, Works, and Argument

Theorists

– Viktor Shklovsky: A prominent figure associated with the concept of defamiliarization, Viktor Shklovsky, a Russian Formalist, introduced the idea that making the familiar appear strange is a crucial technique in literature and art.

Works

– Ulysses by James Joyce: James Joyce’s novel Ulysses is a notable example of a work that uses defamiliarization techniques. Through complex narrative structures and linguistic experimentation, it challenges readers’ accustomed ways of perceiving and engaging with literature.

– The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka: Kafka’s novella The Metamorphosis uses defamiliarization by transforming the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, into a giant insect. This narrative device forces readers to confront the absurdity of the situation and question societal norms.

Argument

– The central argument behind defamiliarization is that by presenting the familiar in an unfamiliar or unexpected manner, literature and art can disrupt routine perception. This disruption prompts audiences to reexamine their preconceived notions and engage more deeply with the subject matter, ultimately enriching the artistic or literary experience.

Defamiliarization Across Literary Theories

• Russian Formalism: Defamiliarisation plays a central role in Russian Formalism, a literary theory that emerged in the early 20th century. It is associated with theorists like Viktor Shklovsky. In this theory, defamiliarisation is a fundamental concept, emphasizing the importance of making the familiar appear strange.
• Structuralism: Structuralist literary theories, such as those developed by Roland Barthes and Claude Lévi-Strauss, recognize the value of defamiliarisation in analyzing the underlying structures of narratives. By highlighting elements that disrupt the norm, structuralists reveal hidden patterns and meanings.
• Poststructuralism and Deconstruction: Poststructuralist theories, including Jacques Derrida’s deconstruction, embrace defamiliarisation as a means to question fixed meanings in texts. Deconstruction reveals how language and concepts are inherently unstable, inviting readers to reconsider established interpretations.

Importance of Defamiliarisation

• Challenging Perception: Across these literary theories, defamiliarisation serves the crucial role of challenging conventional perception. By presenting familiar elements in an unfamiliar or unconventional manner, it forces readers to view them with fresh eyes.
• Inviting Interpretation: Defamiliarisation invites readers to actively engage with the text, encouraging them to question assumptions and explore multiple interpretations. This interactive aspect is vital for a deeper understanding of literary works.
• Highlighting Artistry: In literature, defamiliarisation highlights the artistry of the author. It showcases the writer’s ability to manipulate language and narrative to provoke thought and evoke emotional responses.
• Catalyzing Critical Analysis: Literary theorists use defamiliarisation as a tool to analyze texts critically. It helps them uncover layers of meaning, dissect narrative techniques, and explore the nuances of language and representation.

Examples: Defamiliarisation in Literary Criticism

1. In Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, the main character, Gregor Samsa, awakens one morning to find himself transformed into a giant insect. This sudden and bizarre transformation exemplifies defamiliarisation as Kafka takes the familiar human experience of waking up and turns it into a nightmarish and unsettling scenario, challenging readers’ perceptions of identity and humanity.
2. Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse shows the use of defamiliarisation through its stream-of-consciousness narrative style. The narrative shifts from character to character, fragmenting time and perspective, defamiliarising the traditional linear narrative structure and immersing readers in the inner thoughts and experiences of the characters in a way that disrupts conventional storytelling.
3. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez defamiliarises the ordinary world through its magical realism. The novel seamlessly blends the ordinary and the extraordinary, making fantastical events like levitation and time distortion appear commonplace. This blurring of reality and fantasy challenges readers to question the boundaries between the two.
4. Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five employs defamiliarisation with its nonlinear narrative structure. The protagonist, Billy Pilgrim, becomes “unstuck in time,” experiencing moments from his life in a seemingly random order. This technique defamiliarises the traditional chronological progression of a life story, inviting readers to contemplate the impact of time and trauma on one’s perception of reality.

Suggested Readings

1. Shklovsky, Viktor. Theory of Prose. Translated by Benjamin Sher, Dalkey Archive Press, 1991.
2. Derrida, Jacques. Of Grammatology. Translated by Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997.
3. Woolf, Virginia. To the Lighthouse. Harcourt Brace & Company, 1927.
4. Kafka, Franz. Metamorphosis. Translated by Stanley Corngold, Norton & Company, 1996.
5. García Márquez, Gabriel. One Hundred Years of Solitude. Translated by Gregory Rabassa, Harper & Row, 1970.
6. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five. Dell Publishing, 1969.
7. Barthes, Roland. S/Z: An Essay. Translated by Richard Miller, Hill and Wang, 1974.
8. Doležel, Lubomír. Heterocosmica: Fiction and Possible Worlds. Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998.
9. Culler, Jonathan. Structuralist Poetics: Structuralism, Linguistics, and the Study of Literature. Routledge, 2002.