<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> The plots of the novels The Sinistra Zone (1992), The Archbishop’s Visit (1999) and The Birds of Verhovina (2011) by Ádám Bodor unfold in border zones, in spaces of liminal existence. By investigating the intricate relationship between the Self and the Other, using particular space forming techniques with shifts and displacements, these novels extend the scope of postmodern fragmentariness to identity construction as well. In these literary works enforced journeys or travels with well-defined purposes should not be merely understood in their physical sense: identity also undergoes a change, becomes hybrid. In a space characterized by a labyrinth of ethnic diversity, identities distorted by a dictatorial regime often go beyond the border of the human, the characters being endowed with animal features. Starting from Merleau-Ponty’s idea according to which action is not set in space, but rather comes into being through space (Faragó 2001, 7), the consequences of spatial changes must also be taken into account.</p></abstract>

The plots of the novels The Sinistra Zone (1992), The Archbishop’s Visit (1999) and The Birds of Verhovina (2011) by Ádám Bodor unfold in border zones, in spaces of liminal existence. By investigating the intricate relationship between the Self and the Other, using particular space forming techniques with shifts and displacements, these novels extend the scope of postmodern fragmentariness to identity construction as well. In these literary works enforced journeys or travels with well-defined purposes should not be merely understood in their physical sense: identity also undergoes a change, becomes hybrid. In a space characterized by a labyrinth of ethnic diversity, identities distorted by a dictatorial regime often go beyond the border of the human, the characters being endowed with animal features. Starting from Merleau-Ponty’s idea according to which action is not set in space, but rather comes into being through space (Faragó 2001, 7), the consequences of spatial changes must also be taken into account.

Liminality and Border Crossing in Ádám Bodor’s Novels

Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, Philologica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

{"article-title":"Liminality and Border Crossing in Ádám Bodor\u2019s Novels"}

The plots of the novels The Sinistra Zone (1992), The Archbishop’s Visit (1999) and The Birds of Verhovina (2011) by Ádám Bodor unfold in border zones, in...

Liminality and Border Crossing in Ádám Bodor’s Novels

Publié en ligne: 23 sept. 2017

Pages: 117 - 129

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ausp-2017-0009

Mots clés
Ádám Bodor’s novels, borders, liminality, identity

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Liminality and Border Crossing in Ádám Bodor’s Novels

Publié en ligne: 23 sept. 2017

Pages: 117 - 129

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/ausp-2017-0009

Mots clésÁdám Bodor’s novels, borders, liminality, identity

© 2017

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Mots clés
Ádám Bodor’s novels, borders, liminality, identity