Liberation and Translingualism in Monique Roffey’s The Mermaid of Black Conch | ||
| CDELT Occasional Papers in the Development of English Education | ||
| Article 2, Volume 82, Issue 1, April 2023, Pages 87-111 PDF (902.49 K) | ||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||
| DOI: 10.21608/opde.2023.313615 | ||
| Authors | ||
| Heba Nayef Morsi1; Rania Samir Youssef2 | ||
| 1Humanities Department, College of Language and Communication, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, (AASTMT), Cairo, Egypt | ||
| 2Language & Translation Department, College of Language and Communication, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, (AASTMT), Cairo, Egypt | ||
| Abstract | ||
| This study employs Dussel's philosophy of liberation and the concept of Translingualism to explore the capacity for surmounting obstacles encountered by the subjugated in a fluid realm free from center-focused paradigms, such as Eurocentrism, anthropocentrism, and patriarchy. The paper investigates the unprobed connection between Translingualism, Transmodern fluidity, as well as the notions of liberation and exteriority. Addressing a gap in existing research, this study attempts to explore new ground in examining Translingualism as a literary tool for achieving freedom from binary thought structures. Monique Roffey's novel, The Mermaid of Black Conch, is analyzed as a case study. The analysis revealed that Roffey employed fluidity resulting from Translingualism to challenge Eurocentrism, anthropocentrism, and patriarchy. Through the use of various languages and vernaculars, Roffey asserted the unique heritage and imagination of the Caribbean people, and promoted a fluid and dynamic identity. The novel's unconventional approach to storytelling and communication emphasized the value of non-verbal communication and contested the notion of human language dominance. Additionally, the novel's exploration of interspecies communication and the inversion of traditional gender roles demonstrated how Translingualism could serve as a tool for social transformation. The study presents new perspective on the power of Translingualism as a way to resist systems of oppression and to achieve liberation. | ||
| Keywords | ||
| Anthropocentricism; Eurocentrism; Fluidity; Liberation; Mermaid of Black Conch; Translingualism | ||
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