The Distant Relation
Time and Identity in Spanish American Fiction
Description
The Distant Relation breaks down the artificial division between philosophy and literature by weaving contemporary philosophic arguments through close readings of Carpentier, Rulfo, Paz, and Garcia Marquez. Thomson draws the reader into the largely uninhabited space between philosophy and literature, providing new critical strategies that allow text and reader to respond to the very distance they share. These strategies involve a reconceptualization of distance that recognizes the productive and affirmative nature of separation. The Distant Relation will attract anyone interested in the ongoing struggle to overcome conventional interpretations of language, time, and identity within the broader context of philosophical trends and Spanish American studies.
Reviews
"Well structured and thought provoking. Thomson's scholarship is solid, and he demonstrates an impressive mastery of the philosophical and theoretical positions held by Levinas, Blanchot, Deleuze, and Lyotard. The Distant Relation is exceptionally well written, very enjoyable reading, and intellectually stimulating." Daniel Chamberlain, Head, Department of Spanish and Italian, Queen's University "The novelty in Thomson's work consists of his having developed a philosophy that eschews some of the more traditional approaches and heads in new directions, while his application of this philosophy to literature permits him to engage in some of the debates concerning twentieth-century Spanish American literature (on magical realism, alterity, and temporality, for example) in ways which allow him to critique existing postures and to broaden the horizon of debate by introducing concepts which have not been explored hitherto." Richard Young, Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, University of Alberta