Anna Chiari
Anna Chiari is a researcher at the University of Edinburgh and Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris. Her research interest focuses on comparative literature, modernism, trauma and gender studies.
Activity
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Anna Chiari replied to dee french
@deefrench Not really. I could read last August's run to get an idea of my comments on your posts this year, which were almost double, so there is a substantial difference. But I would like to understand if you want a different approach when you talk about input because, at the moment, our role in the discussions is to moderate them.
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Anna Chiari replied to Jane Maskell
I'm not familiar with past years but I found the debates in this run very lively and inspiring, but of course if more input is needed you just have to say so. I followed all the threads and you seemed very autonomous, at the same time I felt that a more academic mould was not what was being sought.
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Anna Chiari replied to dee french
@deefrench I'm sorry you feel that way: I followed all the threads and your debates, intervening whenever there were questions and trying to give further input when I saw you were a bit stuck. On the other hand, we prepare all the materials in advance and the questions themselves, and when things go smoothly, like this year, I prefer to leave the word to you...
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Anna Chiari replied to dee french
@JanB This is the first time this has been pointed out to me. I would like to know how you would have liked more input or the differences from past years. I have been in this role since January, and this is the first time it has been pointed out to me. As a moderator, I deliberately tried not to interfere too much with your discussion as it progressed...
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Anna Chiari replied to Jane Maskell
Thank you too!
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Anna Chiari made a comment
We have come to the end of these four weeks. I know that some books have challenged you, and you have not liked them, but your debate has always been constructive and profound, particularly in the face of this year's challenges. I hope that, from what I have read, the last two weeks have been lighter and more entertaining and that, while complex and sensitive...
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@InekeFioole thank you!
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Anna Chiari replied to Samantha H
that's a very good question.
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Anna Chiari replied to Janet P
@JanetP I don't know if you've read the book, but the abstract is the beginning of a new paragraph; it is not anticipated by anything that introduces it or explains it, but it is an excellent example of the relationship between the characters' feelings and emotions and the surrounding nature and how this also reflects the couple dynamics between the two. While...
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@InekeFioole, there is absolutely no pressure. My task is only to moderate these discussions, help you, and guide you through the course so that you can make the most of it, but you absolutely must not feel uncomfortable but prioritise your perosnal learning.
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@JanB Healthy relationships should be based on exactly that, whereas the one between Lori and Joe is unbalanced and toxic for at least one of them.
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Anna Chiari replied to Sue C
that's a very good point.
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@JanB, that's indeed a metaphor for their marriage.
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Anna Chiari replied to Ineke Fioole
@juliamansell exactly!
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@InekeFioole @JanB I apologise; I completely missed this notification. University students do not take the course but are PhD students who evaluate the shortlisted books yearly. Given the level of this year's debate, I thought I would encourage you to take it a step further: I saw you as very passionate and wanted to encourage you to take all the narrative...
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@deefrench, both your points about Micheàl's character are comprehensive, deep and attentive; they look at details as a function of a broader psychological picture.
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@MariaTeresaPerez That's a very thoughtful analysis!
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@MariaTeresaPerez "I had not seen its importance in the plot. However, it is not a pivotal moment, in my view..." it is very interesting to see how the same episodes can be read in a completely different way and give a very different key to the character; how do you think the author manages to maintain this fluidity and ambiguity? What emerges from this...
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What is for you 'literature'?
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@JanB that's a very good observation!
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@SamanthaH Do you mean her role as a "saviour"? I have also heard people comment that they do not find it traumatising but instead uplifting to help someone in that way, even a child.
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@deefrench, this is a very good point. It is indeed one of the most crucial moments in the representation of the mother's character, and the ambivalence of Micheàl's perception is a symptom of that.
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@BarbaraK-S Thank you for pointing this out, it is indeed a very sensitive matter.
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@BarbaraK-S That's true; thanks for pointing it out. I was referring to the moment when the mother asks Micheàl if he wants to continue, finally giving him a choice, and he decides to proceed. This is crucial because it adds ambiguity to the mother's character—she doesn't force him but steps back as she sees his reluctance. It's also when Micheàl becomes...
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@SamanthaH Sorry, whose role?
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@JanB Sorry: I reply to every single post, but the site does not specify which one. Anyway, yes, mine was an invitation to evaluate the book more as a whole rather than focusing on individual details unless they are crucial to a broader discourse. But I reiterate that mine are only suggestions to guide you in the debate and reflection.
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@SamanthaH Religious faith plays a fundamental role in the book, symbolised by Christ, which the mother keeps in the house, and Micheàl does not dare to remove it even after his disappearance.
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@JanB Exactly!
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@JanB My suggestion is to try to move more on the how than the what to take full advantage of the possibilities this course offers. For example, instead of looking in detail at what happens and where, you could take a step back and try to see if the plot is believable, creates enough narrative tension, there is cohesion between the flashbacks and the narrative...
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@MichaelRobinson, these are good observations that assess whether the book is capable of building a certain narrative tension that is more or less believable, whether it succeeds in a certain way in maintaining that suspension of disbelief that it should, how it uses narrative techniques to do so.
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@deefrench Yes, exactly; by ‘neglect’, I apologise, but I meant something else. One can certainly talk about emotional abuse as well as other things: I have also heard opinions opposite to those that are emerging in this conversation.
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@deefrench I think it's great, and I think that's partly what the book wants to communicate with such nuanced characters: how difficult it is to evaluate human nature, and your position is perhaps the most sympathetic of all.
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@InekeFioole I think this is an excellent goal; mine is just a suggestion for you to get the most out of this course. Don't feel confused; some of this year's books are difficult and particularly dense, so an analysis is complex. Praiseworthy, in particular, would perhaps deserve a whole university course. Think of them as food for thought instead, but if you...
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@JanB It is undoubtedly important to foster debate and discussion among you and open up a constructive dialogue. However, I have noticed that it tends to take over, with many participants commenting on plot details and meditating on those rather than distancing themselves and trying to look not so much at the ‘what’ but at the ‘how’. This is my suggestion for...
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@JanB Indeed, I used the word ‘challenge’ because it is an almost impossible challenge for someone who has read the book. We are led to empathise with the protagonist, but at the same time, we see how his motives can harm others around him.
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@BarbaraK-S If you interpret it this way, you can undoubtedly say that she exposed her children to emotional harm. However, it must be made clear that she never forced them and left Micheàl the opportunity to renounce his role and be replaced by his sister, who had come forward. However, I invite you again not to focus on plot details but to observe how the...
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@juliamansell Exactly!
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With "morally ambiguous," we intend novels that present situations, choices, or characters in which the distinction between right and wrong is unclear. These novels challenge readers to reflect on ethical dilemmas without offering a simple resolution.
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@FrancesHeffernan One of the central themes of the novel is indeed generational trauma.
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@SamanthaH, that's a very good question; why do you think he needed to hide his past? In the end, he was not guilty of anything.
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@JanetP She does not neglect her children. Indeed, she proves to be a loving mother on several occasions. The author constructs complex and ambivalent characters that are incredibly realistic in their flaws, shortcomings, and humanity. The novel wants to explore the relationship between devotion to others (moral duty, let's say) and a more selfish,...
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Anna Chiari replied to Fionna M
@MariaTeresaPerez Sure! Climate fiction (cli-fi) is literature that deals with climate change. Generally speculative but inspired by climate science, works of climate fiction may take place in the world as we know it, in the near future, or in fictional worlds. The genre frequently includes science fiction and dystopian or utopian themes, imagining potential...
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@InekeFioole @JaneMaskell The selection process takes place through a vote by all the judges that work by majority vote: the book that gets the most votes wins. This is preceded by a debate on the literary merits of each book, but it is no secret that the same judges can have very different ideas about the same book. So, I would ask you not to be impressed by...
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Anna Chiari replied to Fionna M
@SusanAnneMurray That's true. Many other writers (also more contemporary ones) have experimented with the genre.
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
I see what you mean, and you are not the only one who thinks so. I think, but this is only my opinion, that it is the author's intention to leave the reader bewildered, let's say. As for genres, we can find traces of different ones like epic, cli-fi, dystopia...
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@JanB The author employs many elements of magical realism. Indeed, Praiseworthy reminds of some of the masterpieces of Latin American literature.
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Anna Chiari replied to Fionna M
Sure! Magical realism is a literary current of the 20th century that characterised Latin American authors in particular. The most famous are: Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortàzar, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabelle Allende.
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
There are indeed many things that are hard to believe in Praiseworthy, it plays a lot with the reader's suspension of disbelief.
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@JanB, it is also legitimate not to appreciate their merits. Some novels are controversial and not easy to appreciate. I think the term longevity is right; time is always the best judge.
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Anna Chiari replied to Janet P
The "death" of Aboriginal Sovregnity is one of the mysteries, or plotlines if you will, that serves as the narrative driving force and whose true nature is only revealed towards the end of the novel. For matters of space but also so as not to spoil the ending for those who wish to undertake the reading of all the almost 800 pages, we have decided not to dwell...
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Anna Chiari replied to Janet P
@JanetP The opening suggests something ancient and timeless in the context of advancing modernity and introduces the novel as something mythical that occurred in a remote time and space. Praiseworthy, however, plays a lot with a mixture of genres and intents without ever dwelling on a specific one, resulting in a complex text that can be analysed from many...
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Anna Chiari replied to Fionna M
It is indeed very difficult as it is a combination of genres rather than one.
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
@JanB the role of feral donkeys is explained in these words, however the novel has for sure a nonsensical character: "He places his faith in Australia’s five million feral donkeys, aiming to create an Aboriginal-owned carbon-neutral transport industry to weather the end times on their resilient, load-bearing backs."
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
Just because the books are finalists doesn't mean they have to be liked; it's not a given that they will resonate with everyone's sensibilities.
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Anna Chiari replied to Fionna M
It is indeed a tricky question. Maybe consider the books that have left you more in your life, the ones you still think about after time or want to re-read once in a while.
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Anna Chiari replied to Kathleen Walker
Another good question could be this: what do you look for in a book?
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Anna Chiari replied to Frances Heffernan
@FrancesHeffernan, this is so true! Also, art is very subjective, as we know some things resonate with us and others don't.
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone! Thank you; you have all been very participative, interested and polite! It has been a pleasure to go on this journey with you. I have read your comments and found them all very interesting! It is nice to know that there are so many literature enthusiasts to talk to on such a high level. Thank you very much for the kindness you have shown me....
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Anna Chiari replied to Jan B
Thank you! I'll take care of the summer run and consider all these suggestions!
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Anna Chiari replied to Ian Browne
Thank you too!
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Anna Chiari replied to Anna Chiari
@MH Thank you for the suggestion!
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello, everyone! As this is our last discussion, I would like to expand it; I would like you to use all the tools you have been given so far to read a novel and put them together to analyse the books we have discussed so far or even just the one you have preferred and which you find most interesting.
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone, we have reached our last week. It's unbelievable! I hope you enjoyed this trip, discovered or deepened new and different aspects of the novel and how to approach it, and enjoyed the exchange with each other. I certainly did! This last week, we will focus on another fundamental element of the genre, namely the setting, which can directly...
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Anna Chiari replied to Anna Chiari
@juliamansell, thank you so much for such lovely feedback on my work!
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello, everyone; as we're nearing the end, we could review the books we've tackled so far and compare them. Which of these three interests you the most, and which one do you plan to read if you haven't already done so? Or even more generally, which one comes closest to your sensibilities and interests? Soon, we'll tackle the last week, the last book among the...
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone!
I want to share with you a novel that I love by one of my favourite authors, where the dialogues form the plot itself (in a story where very little happens) and create a narrative tension on which the whole story is based. I am talking about Henry James' Turn of the Screw, where the two main characters’ dialogues compose a pattern of blank... -
Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone, welcome to this third week of 'How to Read a Novel.'
We are already halfway through the course; I can't believe it! I hope you have found it valuable and inspiring so far and that it gives you insights into reading a novel.
This week, we will focus on dialogue, how it can give voice to a character, tell or conceal essential parts of the... -
Anna Chiari replied to M H
@MH What you say is very true; these are just stimuli to work on. It may be that a flat character results from an author's inability to create complex and multifaceted characters who can communicate something to the reader instead. What do you think in this case? :)
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone! Again, I would like to know your opinions on this week's book, 'Bitter Orange Tree.' Are you planning to read it if you haven't already? It's been an exciting week. I've seen some lively and thought-provoking debates about character, which are more compelling and less so, and I'd like to see that continue. I have seen you collaborating, helping...
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Anna Chiari replied to M H
@MH It's a difficult question: most of Duras' novels are pretty experimental, and choosing one over the other is difficult. Whichever you choose, you can't go wrong. ;)
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Anna Chiari replied to M H
@JanB Thank you for sharing this with me!
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Anna Chiari replied to M H
@MH My research is specifically on Virginia Woolf and Marguerite Duras, an author I recommend if you are interested in trauma related to women and the female sphere.
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Anna Chiari replied to M H
@JanB It is an excellent point: a character can also be portrayed as 'flat' because that is the choice many trauma victims make, to suppress it as much as possible and hide the disturbances of the mind even from themselves.
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Anna Chiari made a comment
I am starting this discussion by telling you about my favourite character, Elizabeth Bennet. I am probably being incredibly trite, but I first read Pride and Prejudice when I was about 11 years old and was going through a difficult time. The wit of her intellect, her nonconformity, her disregard for social constraints, and her ante-litteram feminism made her...
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Anna Chiari replied to M H
@MH @JanB
Your observations are very interesting. My doctoral research is, in fact, on trauma and how it can be represented in literature. Some authors have dedicated themselves to this; just think of Virginia Woolf and her Mrs Dalloway, where almost all the characters are haunted by painful experiences, and how the rambling of their minds is rendered... -
Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone, welcome to this second week of 'How To Read A Novel'. I hope you have enjoyed the first week and that it has given you a lot to consider and take into future readings. This week will be dedicated to the core of each narrative, namely the character, whose interiority and narrative arc can shape the entire novel. I hope this week will also lead...
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Anna Chiari replied to Anna Chiari
@TomHalsall, thank you! It sounds really interesting, and I'm fascinated by the topic. I'll add it to my list for sure!
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone; this could be an excellent occasion to dig into your favourite kind of narrator and the reasons why. Do you have specific genres you particularly enjoy that use one more than the other?
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone! I thought of expanding this discussion board by asking you what are your impressions of ‘Demon Copperhead’ so far if you haven’t read the book just by the abstracts you have encountered. What did you find interesting? Is it a reading you’re willing to pursue in the future? Did it intrigue you or not at all? Have you read its model ‘David...
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Anna Chiari replied to elwe janasSon
That's a very good comparison! Wuthering Heights is indeed a good example of this.
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone! I hope you’re enjoying your first days of ‘How to Read A Novel’ and already familiarizing yourself with some technical terms while getting to know each other! Remember that literature, like any form of art, has this unique power of shortening distances and resonating with each of us, so take advantage of that and share your passions and...
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Anna Chiari made a comment
Hello everyone, and welcome to this new run of ‘How To Read a Novel’!
It’s great to see so many returning and new participants. I look forward to discussing these acclaimed books again - the 2023 JTB fiction shortlist is nothing short of amazing and worth exploring further!
No worries if you haven’t read the texts - you’ll find several quotes from the books...
