Materiality in Literature & Literary Theory

Etymology of Materiality

The term “materiality” originates from the Latin word “materia,” which refers to matter or substance.

In an academic context, “materiality” is employed to denote the significance or relevance of material, tangible, or substantial factors in various fields, including law, accounting, philosophy, and cultural studies.

It underscores the importance of physical, concrete, or objective aspects when assessing the impact, validity, or existence of phenomena, particularly in contexts where material evidence or substance plays a vital role in determining outcomes or judgments.

Meanings of Materiality

Aspect	Meaning
Financial Accounting	In financial accounting, materiality refers to the significance of financial information or transactions. It is a crucial concept in determining what financial information needs to be disclosed or reported, as immaterial items may be omitted.
Legal Context	In the legal context, materiality pertains to the relevance and significance of evidence or facts in a legal case. Material evidence is essential to proving or disproving a case’s key elements.
Philosophy and Metaphysics	In philosophy, materiality relates to the nature of physical substance and the question of whether reality is primarily composed of material objects. It is central to metaphysical discussions about the nature of existence.
Cultural Studies	In cultural studies, materiality refers to the study of material culture, which includes objects, artifacts, and physical aspects of culture. It explores how material objects shape and reflect cultural practices and identities.
Environmental Sciences	Materiality in environmental sciences focuses on the physical properties and composition of environmental elements, such as soil, water, and air. It plays a role in understanding environmental processes and impacts.
Audit and Assurance	In auditing, materiality is the threshold used to assess the significance of misstatements in financial statements. Auditors use materiality to determine the extent of their audit procedures.
Art and Aesthetics	Materiality in art and aesthetics considers the physical characteristics of artworks, emphasizing how the choice of materials and their properties can impact the meaning and experience of art.
Information Theory	In information theory, materiality is related to the idea that the physical carrier of information (e.g., paper, digital storage) can influence the transmission and reception of messages.
Existentialism	In existentialist philosophy, materiality is connected to the notion of human existence and the idea that individuals are fundamentally rooted in their physical bodies and the material world.
Construction and Architecture	In construction and architecture, materiality pertains to the selection of building materials and their role in shaping the design, aesthetics, and structural integrity of buildings.

Definition of Materiality as a Theoretical Term

Materiality, as a theoretical term, denotes the significance or relevance of material, tangible, or substantial factors in various academic and practical contexts. It emphasizes the importance of tangible elements in determining outcomes, whether in accounting, law, or philosophy, where materiality is essential in assessing the nature of existence. Materiality is integral to understanding how physical attributes influence meaning, impact, and decision-making within diverse disciplines and inquiries.

Materiality: Theorists, Works and Arguments

Theorist	Work	Argument
Bruno Latour	Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory	Latour’s actor-network theory emphasizes the agency of both human and non-human actors, highlighting the materiality of objects in shaping social processes. He argues that material objects play a crucial role in the formation of networks and associations.
Donna Haraway	A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist-Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century	Haraway challenges traditional distinctions between humans and machines, highlighting the material agency of cyborgs as hybrid entities. She explores how the fusion of human and machine elements blurs boundaries and redefines identity.
Jane Bennett	Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things	Bennett’s work delves into the vitality of non-human entities and their material agency. She argues that material objects possess a form of agency that impacts human actions and ecological relationships.
Tim Ingold	Making: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art and Architecture	Ingold’s perspective emphasizes the active role of materials in human practices. He argues that materials, rather than being passive, actively engage with humans in the processes of making and shaping culture.
Michel Serres	The Five Senses: A Philosophy of Mingled Bodies	Serres explores the interconnectedness of human bodies and material objects. He argues that our senses are fundamentally intertwined with materiality, influencing our perception and understanding of the world.
Jane Harrison	Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Religion	Harrison’s study of ancient Greek religion underscores the material aspects of religious practices, rituals, and artifacts. She argues that materiality plays a central role in religious expression and experience.

These theorists and their works contribute to the understanding of materiality as a complex and multifaceted concept that transcends disciplinary boundaries. Their arguments highlight the active agency of material objects, challenging traditional human-centered perspectives and shedding light on the dynamic relationship between humans and the material world.

Materiality and Literary Theories

1. New Materialism:
   • New Materialism challenges traditional literary theories by emphasizing the active role of non-human entities in shaping narratives. It explores how material objects and matter contribute to the creation of meaning in literature.
2. Ecocriticism:
   • Ecocriticism focuses on the materiality of nature and the environment in literary texts. It explores how landscapes, ecosystems, and natural elements are portrayed and how they influence human experiences and narratives.
3. Material Culture Studies:
   • Material culture studies examine the material objects and artifacts depicted in literature. These studies explore how objects and their materiality reveal cultural practices, social hierarchies, and individual identities.
4. Postcolonialism:
   • Postcolonial literature often incorporates the materiality of colonial and post-colonial spaces. It explores how colonial material culture, such as architecture and objects, influences the narratives of power, resistance, and identity.
5. Marxist Literary Theory:
   • Materiality is a key concept in Marxist literary theory. It examines how economic and material conditions impact character development, social class, and the representation of social structures in literature.
6. Narrative Theory:
   • Narrative theory considers how the materiality of texts, including their physical format, presentation, and medium (e.g., printed books, digital texts), affects the reading experience and interpretation of narratives.
7. Aesthetic Theory:
   • Aesthetic theory explores how the materiality of art objects, including the choice of materials and their physical properties, influences the aesthetic and emotional impact of literary works.
8. Media Studies:
   • In the age of digital media, materiality is relevant to media studies as it addresses how the medium through which a text is transmitted, such as print, digital, or audio, affects the audience’s engagement and understanding.
9. Narratology:
   • Narratology examines the material aspects of narrative production, including the physical components of printed texts and how they influence narrative structures and reader responses.
10. Historical and Cultural Context:

• Materiality is essential in understanding the historical and cultural contexts of literary works, including the portrayal of everyday life, objects, and technologies from a specific time period.

Materiality enriches literary analysis by offering insights into how the physical world, objects, and technologies contribute to the creation of meaning and the interpretation of texts. It encourages a deeper exploration of the complex relationship between material culture and literary narratives.

Materiality in Literary Criticism

Work	Critique
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes	Materiality is evident in the physical objects that shape Don Quixote’s delusional adventures. The transformation of everyday objects, such as windmills, into menacing giants underscores the protagonist’s perception of reality. The novel explores the blurring of material and imaginative worlds, challenging the boundaries of perception.
Moby-Dick by Herman Melville	Materiality is central to the novel’s exploration of whaling and the material culture of the 19th-century maritime world. The physicality of the whaling industry, harpoons, and the hunt for Moby-Dick reflects the characters’ obsessions and the dangerous, unforgiving nature of their pursuits.
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald	Materiality is depicted through the opulent parties and material excesses of the Roaring Twenties. The novel highlights how material objects, such as Gatsby’s extravagant mansion and lavish parties, symbolize the pursuit of wealth and the American Dream. These objects shape the characters’ desires, ambitions, and ultimately their disillusionment.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy	Materiality is prominent in the post-apocalyptic setting where physical objects, such as canned food, clothing, and a shopping cart, become essential for the survival of the father and son. The scarcity of material resources influences their decisions, relationships, and the overarching theme of hope and despair.

These novels illustrate how materiality can be a powerful literary tool, influencing character motivations, narrative development, and reader engagement. Material objects and their properties often serve as symbols that convey deeper meanings, reflecting the characters’ desires, fears, and the material world in which they exist.

Suggested Readings

1. Bennett, Jane. Vibrant Matter: A Political Ecology of Things. Duke University Press, 2010.
2. Brown, Bill. A Sense of Things: The Object Matter of American Literature. University of Chicago Press, 2003.
3. Daston, Lorraine, and Peter Galison. Objectivity. Zone Books, 2007.
4. Ingold, Tim. Making: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art, and Architecture. Routledge, 2013.
5. Latour, Bruno. Reassembling the Social: An Introduction to Actor-Network-Theory. Oxford University Press, 2005.
6. Mauss, Marcel. The Gift: The Form and Reason for Exchange in Archaic Societies. W. W. Norton & Company, 1990.
7. Serres, Michel. The Five Senses: A Philosophy of Mingled Bodies. Bloomsbury Academic, 2008.
8. Tilley, Christopher, and Webb Keane. Handbook of Material Culture. SAGE Publications, 2009.
9. Turkle, Sherry. Evocative Objects: Things We Think With. MIT Press, 2007.
10. Yelavich, Susan, and Barbara Adams. Design as Future-Making. Bloomsbury Academic, 2014.