Mapping History; Surveying the Unfathomable in Pynchon’s Mason & Dix

This article examines Thomas Pynchon's Mason and Dixon, as a leading example of historiographical metafiction which seamlessly blends fictional narratives with factual elements. This novel explores the relationship between geography and parageography, and emphasizes the relationship between ca...

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Main Authors: Marwan Maho Abdi, Sherzad Shafie Babo
Format: Article
Language:Arabic
Published: Salahaddin University-Erbil 2024-08-01
Series:Zanco Journal of Humanity Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://zancojournal.su.edu.krd/index.php/JAHS/article/view/1482
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author Marwan Maho Abdi
Sherzad Shafie Babo
author_facet Marwan Maho Abdi
Sherzad Shafie Babo
author_sort Marwan Maho Abdi
collection DOAJ
description This article examines Thomas Pynchon's Mason and Dixon, as a leading example of historiographical metafiction which seamlessly blends fictional narratives with factual elements. This novel explores the relationship between geography and parageography, and emphasizes the relationship between cartography and storytelling. By exploring the power dynamics which are inherent in mapmaking and storytelling, the paper examines how mapmaking and the inscription of history assist imperial authorities to impose and perpetuate their dominance over others. Through a close examination of Pynchon's non-linear and complex narrative structure, this article highlights the manners in which Mason & Dixon counters the conventional notions of truth, hence inviting the reader to question any constructed nature either, maps or historical representation. Ultimately, this metafictional narrative prompt deeper investigation of the intricate intersections between fiction, historiography, geography, and the manipulation of knowledge.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2412-396X
language Arabic
publishDate 2024-08-01
publisher Salahaddin University-Erbil
record_format Article
series Zanco Journal of Humanity Sciences
spelling doaj-art-919cd36b4ac840f6a9799f46db9584d62025-08-20T03:43:41ZaraSalahaddin University-ErbilZanco Journal of Humanity Sciences2412-396X2024-08-0128SpB10.21271/zjhs.28.SpB.29Mapping History; Surveying the Unfathomable in Pynchon’s Mason & Dix Marwan Maho Abdi0Sherzad Shafie Babo1Department of English, College of Languages, University of DuhokDepartment of English, College of Langiages, Salahaddin University-Erbil, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. This article examines Thomas Pynchon's Mason and Dixon, as a leading example of historiographical metafiction which seamlessly blends fictional narratives with factual elements. This novel explores the relationship between geography and parageography, and emphasizes the relationship between cartography and storytelling. By exploring the power dynamics which are inherent in mapmaking and storytelling, the paper examines how mapmaking and the inscription of history assist imperial authorities to impose and perpetuate their dominance over others. Through a close examination of Pynchon's non-linear and complex narrative structure, this article highlights the manners in which Mason & Dixon counters the conventional notions of truth, hence inviting the reader to question any constructed nature either, maps or historical representation. Ultimately, this metafictional narrative prompt deeper investigation of the intricate intersections between fiction, historiography, geography, and the manipulation of knowledge. https://zancojournal.su.edu.krd/index.php/JAHS/article/view/1482Historiographic Metafiction, Cartography, Parageography, Power Dynamics, Pynchon.
spellingShingle Marwan Maho Abdi
Sherzad Shafie Babo
Mapping History; Surveying the Unfathomable in Pynchon’s Mason & Dix
Zanco Journal of Humanity Sciences
Historiographic Metafiction, Cartography, Parageography, Power Dynamics, Pynchon.
title Mapping History; Surveying the Unfathomable in Pynchon’s Mason & Dix
title_full Mapping History; Surveying the Unfathomable in Pynchon’s Mason & Dix
title_fullStr Mapping History; Surveying the Unfathomable in Pynchon’s Mason & Dix
title_full_unstemmed Mapping History; Surveying the Unfathomable in Pynchon’s Mason & Dix
title_short Mapping History; Surveying the Unfathomable in Pynchon’s Mason & Dix
title_sort mapping history surveying the unfathomable in pynchon s mason dix
topic Historiographic Metafiction, Cartography, Parageography, Power Dynamics, Pynchon.
url https://zancojournal.su.edu.krd/index.php/JAHS/article/view/1482
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