Simpkins, Ian J. The "Carnivalesque" in Advertising: A Bakhtinian Reading of James Joyce's Ulysses. 2016. Radford University, Thesis. Radford University Scholars' Repository.
 |
PDF
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution No Derivatives. Download (2MB) |
Abstract
This thesis presents James Joyce's engagement with advertisement through the lens of Mikhail Bakhtin's theories of dialogism and the carnivalesque. First, by discussing the construction, presentation, and reception of advertisements in Ulysses, my hope is to show that Leopold Bloom understands the dialogical implications of advertisements, and implements a process of carnivalizing aspects from his daily life in the creation of ads. I will illustrate these points through close readings of both Bloom’s engagement with his own ad and his response to the ads around him. Secondly, by focusing on two female characters, Gerty MacDowell and Molly Bloom, this thesis will analyze and compare the carnivalesquely hyperbolized, or exaggerated, qualities of both Gerty’s and Molly’s performances of femininity as a means of understanding Joyce's presentation of the reception of advertisements and advertising culture by the consumer. By incorporating Bakhtin's theory of the carnivalesque, I hope to expand on our understanding of Molly’s and Gerty's self-presentation, so that we may see them in an active dialogue with the carnivalesque nature of consumer culture. As it will become clear from my analyses, this work contributes a fresh angle to studying Ulysses by opening a new avenue into understanding Joyce's engagement with advertisements.
| Item Type: | Thesis |
|---|---|
| Subjects: | P Language and Literature > PR English literature |
| Divisions: | Radford University > College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences > Department of English |
| Date Deposited: | 27 Mar 2017 17:54 |
| Last Modified: | 20 Apr 2023 19:31 |
| URI: | http://wagner.radford.edu/id/eprint/279 |
Administrative Actions
 |
View Item |
