Ageing Corporealities in Contemporary English Fiction: Redefining Stereotypes - Softcover

Oró-Piqueras, Maricel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3843393788 ISBN 13: 9783843393782

Publisher: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, 2011

Synopsis

This study takes its point of departure from thepremise that, despite the progressive ageing ofWestern society, the process of ageing is surroundedby negative connotations and contradictions.Throughout history, Western art and literature havepresented old age as a period of loss and dependency.In present times, consumer culture overwhelms us withmessages of eternal youth, offering a wide range ofproducts and techniques. Thus, the body that has keptits youth and vigour is considered virtuous whereasthe body that looks 'old' becomes synonymous withsterility, illness and dependency. Taking symbolicinteractionism as a methodological framework andtwenty-six novels by fourteen English contemporaryauthors as a data-base, this study sets out todemonstrate that, while not denying the biologicalelement, the negative connotations attached to theageing body are mainly based on cultural beliefs.

About this title

About the Author

B.A. in English Philology (University of Lleida, CataloniaSpain), B.A. in English Literature with Language(University of Surrey, U.K.) and PhD in Contemporary EnglishFiction (University of Lleida). She has been teaching Englishlanguage, literature and culture to both university students atUdL and to adults in state language schools since 2002.

Edition details

• Publisher: LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 3843393788
• ISBN 13: 9783843393782
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 476