Relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of Ian McEwan

The present study examines and analyses the relationship between conflicts in the macrocosm (world and society) and conflicts in the microcosm (individuals). While exploring cultural and political conflicts, and pinpointing the major and influential causes of problems, it scrutinizes the individuals...

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Main Author:	Abbasiyannejad, Mina
Format:	Thesis
Language:	English
Published:	2013
Subjects:	McEwan Ian - Criticism and interpretation Conflict (Psychology) in literature Microcosm and macrocosm in literature
Online Access:	http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/41380/1/FBMK%202013%2027%20ir.pdf
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id	my-upm-ir.41380
record_format	uketd_dc
spelling	my-upm-ir.413802016-02-12T03:04:34Z Relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of Ian McEwan 2013-03 Abbasiyannejad, Mina The present study examines and analyses the relationship between conflicts in the macrocosm (world and society) and conflicts in the microcosm (individuals). While exploring cultural and political conflicts, and pinpointing the major and influential causes of problems, it scrutinizes the individuals’ lives to recognize the existing conflicts between characters through the identification and interpretation of signs, symbols and metaphors. The selected stories, for this study are On Chesil Beach, Atonement, The Innocent and Black Dogs. Using theories of social stratification and sexual politics as a framework, the study reveals the omnipresent effect of societal power on people’s relationships. Semiotics as a tool assists the reader in identifying any signs related to the conflicts in order to recognize meanings hidden beyond words. The selected novels are tales of incompatibility, generated by economic inequality, sexual restrictions or political power. On Chesil Beach and Atonement are both stories marked by unequal relationships both from class and sexuality. On the other hand, The Innocent and Black Dogs are riddled with party (political) domination and sexual conflicts in society. Moreover, political challenges to the power in society give rise to other diverse conflicts,e.g. the struggle among the victors of the Second World War during the Cold War that followed. In the same vein, sexual politics demonstrates that sex is not merely biological act but has political implications. The study shows the multi-dimensional aspects of sex,demonstrating how women can be oppressed in economic and political terms. The oppressive period before the sexual revolution, generates conflicts among people particularly the young, which is shown in various ways in the novels. McEwan demonstrates how conflicts between humans (microcosm) are metaphors for world and social turmoil (macrocosm). The study also shows McEwan’s concern with issues such as war, class and sexual conflicts in his novels which mirror his personal life. The findings of this study indicate that economic inequalities and political conflicts along with sexual restrictions permeate the affluent and powerful who are in a position to dominate the impoverished and the powerless, who seem to be easy targets for oppression. McEwan, Ian - Criticism and interpretation Conflict (Psychology) in literature Microcosm and macrocosm in literature 2013-03 Thesis http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/41380/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/41380/1/FBMK%202013%2027%20ir.pdf application/pdf en public phd doctoral Universiti Putra Malaysia McEwan, Ian - Criticism and interpretation Conflict (Psychology) in literature Microcosm and macrocosm in literature
institution	Universiti Putra Malaysia
collection	PSAS Institutional Repository
language	English
topic	McEwan Ian - Criticism and interpretation Conflict (Psychology) in literature Microcosm and macrocosm in literature
spellingShingle	McEwan Ian - Criticism and interpretation Conflict (Psychology) in literature Microcosm and macrocosm in literature Abbasiyannejad, Mina Relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of Ian McEwan
description	The present study examines and analyses the relationship between conflicts in the macrocosm (world and society) and conflicts in the microcosm (individuals). While exploring cultural and political conflicts, and pinpointing the major and influential causes of problems, it scrutinizes the individuals’ lives to recognize the existing conflicts between characters through the identification and interpretation of signs, symbols and metaphors. The selected stories, for this study are On Chesil Beach, Atonement, The Innocent and Black Dogs. Using theories of social stratification and sexual politics as a framework, the study reveals the omnipresent effect of societal power on people’s relationships. Semiotics as a tool assists the reader in identifying any signs related to the conflicts in order to recognize meanings hidden beyond words. The selected novels are tales of incompatibility, generated by economic inequality, sexual restrictions or political power. On Chesil Beach and Atonement are both stories marked by unequal relationships both from class and sexuality. On the other hand, The Innocent and Black Dogs are riddled with party (political) domination and sexual conflicts in society. Moreover, political challenges to the power in society give rise to other diverse conflicts,e.g. the struggle among the victors of the Second World War during the Cold War that followed. In the same vein, sexual politics demonstrates that sex is not merely biological act but has political implications. The study shows the multi-dimensional aspects of sex,demonstrating how women can be oppressed in economic and political terms. The oppressive period before the sexual revolution, generates conflicts among people particularly the young, which is shown in various ways in the novels. McEwan demonstrates how conflicts between humans (microcosm) are metaphors for world and social turmoil (macrocosm). The study also shows McEwan’s concern with issues such as war, class and sexual conflicts in his novels which mirror his personal life. The findings of this study indicate that economic inequalities and political conflicts along with sexual restrictions permeate the affluent and powerful who are in a position to dominate the impoverished and the powerless, who seem to be easy targets for oppression.
format	Thesis
qualification_name	Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.)
qualification_level	Doctorate
author	Abbasiyannejad, Mina
author_facet	Abbasiyannejad, Mina
author_sort	Abbasiyannejad, Mina
title	Relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of Ian McEwan
title_short	Relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of Ian McEwan
title_full	Relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of Ian McEwan
title_fullStr	Relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of Ian McEwan
title_full_unstemmed	Relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of Ian McEwan
title_sort	relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of ian mcewan
granting_institution	Universiti Putra Malaysia
publishDate	2013
url	http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/41380/1/FBMK%202013%2027%20ir.pdf
_version_	1747811865064374272

Relationships between socio-political and character conflicts in selected novels of Ian McEwan

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