Normalization in Literature & Literary Theory

Normalization: Etymology/Term, Meanings and Concept

Etymology/Term: The term “normalization” derives from the Latin word “normalis,” meaning “according to the rule” or “standard.” In its etymology, normalization suggests conformity to established norms or standards. The concept has evolved across various disciplines, including sociology, psychology, and medicine, to describe processes that make certain behaviors, conditions, or practices conform to prevailing norms within a given society or context.

Meanings and Concept:

• Social Conformity: Normalization often refers to the societal process of conforming to established norms, behaviors, or values.
• Psychological Normalcy: In psychology, normalization can denote the process of individuals adapting to social expectations and internalizing normative behaviors.
• Medical Context: Within healthcare, normalization may involve interventions or treatments aimed at enabling individuals with certain conditions to function within established social norms.
• Deviations from the Norm: The concept also acknowledges that what is considered “normal” varies across cultures and contexts, and it recognizes the diversity of human experiences.
• Potential Pitfalls: Critiques of normalization highlight the potential for marginalization of non-conforming individuals, reinforcing power imbalances, and stigmatizing differences.
• Normalization of Deviance: In certain contexts, normalization is associated with the acceptance or gradual overlooking of deviations from established standards, leading to potentially unsafe practices or behaviors.
• Cultural and Social Construction: Normalization is a dynamic and culturally specific process, influenced by historical, social, and political factors that shape societal norms.

Normalization, while often serving as a mechanism for social order and cohesion, is a concept that prompts critical examination regarding its impact on individual autonomy, inclusivity, and the recognition of diverse identities and experiences.

Normalization: Definition of a Theoretical Term

Normalization, as a theoretical term, encompasses the sociocultural and psychological processes through which certain behaviors, conditions, or identities align with established norms within a given society. It involves the shaping of individual and collective practices to adhere to prevailing standards, often influencing perceptions of what is considered “normal” or socially acceptable. The concept is multidimensional, operating in various domains such as sociology, psychology, and medicine, and raises critical questions about power dynamics, inclusivity, and the impact of normative expectations on diverse individuals and groups.

Normalization: Theorists, Works, and Arguments

Theorists and Works on Normalization:

1. Michel Foucault:
   • Work: “Madness and Civilization” (1961), “Discipline and Punish” (1975).
   • Arguments: Foucault explored how societal institutions, particularly in the context of mental health and prisons, use normalization to define and control deviations from established norms. He introduced the concept of the “disciplinary society” where normalization is a tool of power.
2. Erving Goffman:
   • Work: “Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates” (1961).
   • Arguments: Goffman discussed the process of “total institutions” where normalization operates to shape the behavior of individuals within closed systems, such as mental asylums, emphasizing the impact of institutional normalization on identity and self-perception.
3. Foucault and Goffman Combined:
   • Work: “The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life” by Erving Goffman in conjunction with Foucault’s ideas.
   • Arguments: Combining Goffman’s dramaturgical approach with Foucault’s focus on institutional power, scholars have explored how normalization operates in everyday interactions, shaping individual performances and contributing to the maintenance of societal norms.
4. Judith Butler:
   • Work: “Gender Trouble” (1990).
   • Arguments: Butler’s work in gender theory challenges normative constructions of gender and explores how the normalization of certain gender performances contributes to the perpetuation of power structures. She emphasizes the performative nature of gender and critiques the constraints imposed by normalized gender roles.
5. Ivan Illich:
   • Work: “Medical Nemesis” (1975).
   • Arguments: Illich critiqued the medicalization and normalization of various aspects of life, particularly in healthcare. He argued that medical interventions can lead to the creation of iatrogenic illnesses and contribute to the disempowerment of individuals by normalizing medical dependencies.

Common Arguments:

1. Power Dynamics:
   • Scholars argue that normalization often serves as a mechanism of power, reinforcing social hierarchies and marginalizing those who deviate from established norms.
2. Institutionalization:
   • The process of normalization within institutions, as discussed by Foucault and Goffman, raises concerns about the impact of institutional practices on individual autonomy and identity.
3. Resistance and Subversion:
   • Some theorists, influenced by these ideas, explore strategies of resistance and subversion against normalization, emphasizing the importance of acknowledging and embracing diversity.
4. Cultural Relativity:
   • Arguments highlight the culturally relative nature of normalization, emphasizing that what is considered normal varies across societies and historical periods.

These theorists and their works contribute to a critical understanding of how normalization operates in different social contexts and its implications for individuals and society at large.

Normalization: Major Characteristics

• Social Conformity:
  • Characteristic: The process of individuals aligning their behaviors, identities, or conditions with established social norms.
  • Literary Reference: George Orwell’s “1984” explores the dystopian consequences of extreme social conformity, where individuals are expected to adhere to the norms dictated by a totalitarian regime.
• Psychological Normalcy:
  • Characteristic: The internalization of societal norms, influencing individuals to perceive certain behaviors or conditions as psychologically normal.
  • Literary Reference: Sylvia Plath’s “The Bell Jar” delves into the psychological struggles of the protagonist as she grapples with societal expectations and the pressure to conform to conventional notions of success and femininity.
• Medicalization and Institutionalization:
  • Characteristic: The tendency to view and treat various aspects of life through a medical or institutional lens, shaping behaviors and identities.
  • Literary Reference: Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” critiques the medicalization of mental health and the institutional normalization of individuals within psychiatric facilities.
• Normalization of Deviance:
  • Characteristic: The gradual acceptance or overlooking of deviations from established standards, potentially leading to unsafe practices.
  • Literary Reference: The space exploration novel “The Challenger Launch Decision” by Diane Vaughan explores the normalization of deviance in organizational culture, particularly in the context of the Challenger space shuttle disaster.
• Cultural and Social Construction:
  • Characteristic: The dynamic and culturally specific nature of normalization, shaped by historical, social, and political factors.
  • Literary Reference: Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart” depicts the clash between traditional African cultural norms and the imposition of European colonial values, highlighting the cultural construction of norms.
• Impact on Marginalized Groups:
  • Characteristic: The potential for normalization to marginalize and stigmatize individuals or groups that deviate from established norms.
  • Literary Reference: Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye” explores the impact of societal beauty norms on the self-esteem and identity of a young African American girl, addressing the normalization of Eurocentric beauty standards.
• Resistance and Subversion:
  • Characteristic: Efforts to challenge or subvert normalization, asserting the importance of diverse perspectives and identities.
  • Literary Reference: Audre Lorde’s essay collection “Zami: A New Spelling of My Name” incorporates narratives of resistance against societal norms, addressing issues of race, gender, and sexuality.

These characteristics, illustrated through literary references, provide insight into the multifaceted nature of normalization and its implications for individuals within different societal contexts.

Normalization: Relevance in Literary Theories

Literary Theory	Relevance to Normalization	Example/Reference
Feminist Literary Theory	Examines how societal norms contribute to normalizing gender roles and expectations, impacting female characters and their agency.	Reference: Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway,” where the protagonist navigates societal expectations related to gender norms.
Postcolonial Literary Theory	Analyzes normalizing of colonial ideologies and their impact on cultural norms, exploring how postcolonial literature challenges or perpetuates these norms.	Reference: Chinua Achebe’s “Things Fall Apart,” addressing the impact of colonialism on African cultural norms.
Psychoanalytic Literary Theory	Explores the normalization of psychological norms and behaviors, examining how characters’ identities are shaped by societal expectations.	Reference: Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca,” delving into the psychological impact of societal expectations on the protagonist.
Marxist Literary Theory	Investigates how economic structures and class norms contribute to the normalization of power dynamics and societal hierarchies in literature.	Reference: George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” where societal norms reflect and perpetuate class distinctions.
Queer Literary Theory	Critiques the normalizing heteronormativity in literature, exploring how LGBTQ+ identities are marginalized or subverted.	Reference: James Baldwin’s “Giovanni’s Room,” addressing the impact of societal norms on queer identities.
Critical Race Theory	Examines the normalizing racial ideologies and stereotypes in literature, emphasizing how racial norms influence character representation.	Reference: Toni Morrison’s “Beloved,” exploring the normalization of racism and its impact on African American characters.
New Historicism	Analyzes how literary works reflect and contribute to the normalizing historical norms, ideologies, and power structures.	Reference: William Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” examining how societal norms of power are reflected in the play’s political context.

Normalization: Application in Critiques

1. 1984 by George Orwell:
   • Application: Orwell’s 1984 critiques the normalization of a totalitarian regime where conformity to the ruling party’s ideologies is enforced. The novel explores how the normalization of surveillance, thought control, and the suppression of dissent leads to a dystopian society where individual autonomy is eradicated.
2. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey:
   • Application: Kesey’s novel critiques the normalization of institutional practices within mental health facilities. The story highlights how the medicalization and institutionalization of individuals can lead to the normalization of oppressive norms, stripping patients of agency and perpetuating harmful power dynamics.
3. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood:
   • Application: Atwood’s novel critiques the normalization of patriarchal and theocratic norms in a dystopian society. The story examines how the normalization of gender roles, restrictions on women’s autonomy, and the institutionalization of power contribute to the oppression of women in the fictional Gilead.
4. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe:
   • Application: Achebe’s novel critiques the normalization of colonial ideologies and their impact on indigenous cultures. It explores how the imposition of Western norms disrupts and ultimately leads to the downfall of traditional Igbo societal structures, shedding light on the consequences of normalized colonial influences.

In each critique, the concept is applied to analyze how societal norms, whether political, institutional, gender-related, or colonial, shape the characters and events within the narratives. The goal is to uncover the implications of normalized behaviors, ideologies, and power structures, offering insights into the broader social and cultural contexts depicted in the literary works.

Normalization: Relevant Terms

Term	Definition
Standardization	Process of establishing and adhering to standards.
Conformity	Acting in accordance with prevailing norms.
Homogenization	Making uniform or consistent; reducing diversity.
Assimilation	Integrating into and adopting the norms of a group.
Compliance	Adhering to rules, regulations, or societal expectations.
Regulation	Controlling or governing according to established norms.
Bias	Tendency to perceive normality based on one’s own experiences.
Socialization	Process of learning and internalizing societal norms.
Mainstreaming	Incorporating minority or non-conforming elements into mainstream culture.
Prescription	Authoritative imposition of norms or rules.

Normalization: Suggested Readings

1. Foucault, Michel. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. Vintage Books, 1995.
2. Goffman, Erving. Asylums: Essays on the Social Situation of Mental Patients and Other Inmates. Anchor Books, 1961.
3. Kesey, Ken. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Viking Press, 1962.
4. Orwell, George. 1984. Signet Classic, 1949.
5. Plath, Sylvia. The Bell Jar. Harper & Row, 1971.
6. Vaughan, Diane. The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA. University of Chicago Press, 1997.
7. Woolf, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1925.