UNNAMEABLE THINGS. THE POETICS OF OMISSION IN BRITISH GHOST STORIES
British ghost stories are full of various omissions: vague and incomplete descriptions, ‘gaps’ in the plot when the reader can only guess what is going on, and all kinds of formulae like ‘too frightful to be described’. These instances of ‘incomplete’ information help to create a fictional world whe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Marina Sokolova Publishings
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Russian Linguistic Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | http://rulb.org/wp-content/uploads/wpem/pdf_compilations/3(23)/129-132.pdf |
| Summary: | British ghost stories are full of various omissions: vague and incomplete descriptions, ‘gaps’ in the plot when the reader can only guess what is going on, and all kinds of formulae like ‘too frightful to be described’. These instances of ‘incomplete’ information help to create a fictional world where can happen something so far from what we are used to that is virtually ‘unspeakable’. Even if the author is unwilling to describe something for the reasons of decency it does not change the whole picture: here is a pure fiction (and thus the dynamics of omissions is here not the same as in a document) which invites the reader to use his or her imagination and experience something that is both terrible and tantalizing. We have very good reasons to regard those omissions, as well as indefinite interpretation, as one of the staples of classic ghost stories. |
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| ISSN: | 2313-0288 2411-2968 |