Welcome to Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art,

Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art ›› 2015, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (5): 106-114.

• Studies in Western Literary Theory • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Historical Totality: The Plight of Re-enchantment: A Critical Review of Jameson's Major Code of Narrative Politics 

Zhang Kaiyan   

  1. Hubei Normal University
  • Online:2015-09-25 Published:2017-09-16
  • About author:Zhang Kaiyan is a professor at Hubei Normal University (Huangshi, 435002), with research interest in literary studies.

Abstract: As one of the major codes in Jameson's cultural and political hermeneutics, "the totality history," while yielding much insight, has a tendency of re-enchantment (mystification). Jameson thinks that the individual perceptual experience is not true for the totality history, while the totality history can not be recognized and grasped by any individual, so his theory has obvious mystification tendency and intrinsic paradox. Meantime, Jameson's totality history view also encounters severe query and challenge in the post-modern context. Solving the plight Jameson faced is not to deny the existence of the historical totality, but to absorb Chinese and western philosophers' wisdom to confirm the existence of historical totality, and attach more importance to the value of individual's present historical experience and recognition. We should make sure that all the individual’s recognition of history points to and belongs to this overall history, but just part of it, they all have reason to exist and also have their limits.

Key words: Fredric Jameson, the Totality History, Re-enchantment, Post-modern, Plight, The grand history, The Small History