초록 열기/닫기 버튼
Although some scholars argue that meaning in Graham Swift’s Waterland can be defined through its description of external historical events, such theories neglect the internal psychological processes that impact thoughts and behavior of the narrator, Tom Crick. Analysis of narration reveals the emotional growth of Tom, who struggles to develop his own sense of self-worth. He ruminates about the past as a means to understand the significance of various traumatic events, which include the death of his mother and abortion of his child. In order to minimize the significance of past trauma, Tom places personal events within the context of global history. At the same time, he also searches for a material world or objective truth that lies hidden within stories of the past. Through focus on a material realm, referred to as Lacan’s “Real,” the narrator is able to detach from a subjective emotional reality created to cope with past trauma. In this way, the narrator is able to reconstruct a new identity, which ultimately leads to a feeling of self-worth.
