Theatrical Gestures and Speeches in Richard Ford’s A Multitude of Sins
This article explores the theme of theatricality and its negative connotations in the ten stories in Richard Ford’s collection A Multitude of Sins. First, spatial framing is emphasized, highlighting recurring motifs like characters observing the world through glass panes and the connection between t...
Salvato in:
| Pubblicato in: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/jsse, |
|---|---|
| Autore principale: | |
| Natura: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Lingua: | Anglais |
| Pubblicazione: |
Journal of the Short Story in English
2024
|
| Accesso online: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Riassunto: | This article explores the theme of theatricality and its negative connotations in the ten stories in Richard Ford’s collection A Multitude of Sins. First, spatial framing is emphasized, highlighting recurring motifs like characters observing the world through glass panes and the connection between theatrical framing and solitude. Ford’s stories are then depicted as extramarital affairs whose participants meet in closed, artificial spaces, reflecting a conflict between the desire for interaction or intimacy and societal constraints. Finally, the article concludes by connecting those affairs to the characters’ crisis of identity and loss of moral framework. Overall, the analysis emphasizes the artificiality and insincerity in characters’ attempts to redefine themselves and find contentment, leading to an atmosphere of detachment or absurdity. Nevertheless, Ford’s humanist approach ensures empathy for characters facing the consequences of their actions, thus creating a rich and complex narrative texture. |
|---|