Deconstructing Domesticity and the Advent of a Heterotopia in Chuck Palahniuk's Lullaby

Authors

Jeanette Garcia, Florida International UniversityFollow

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Major/Program

English

First Advisor's Name

Bruce Harvey

First Advisor's Committee Title

Committee Chair

Second Advisor's Name

Michael Gillespie

Third Advisor's Name

Ana Luszczynska

Keywords

chuck palahniuk, lullaby, domesticity, heterotopia, foucault, tuan, lefebvre, domestic space, spatial theory, affect, sentimentality

Date of Defense

3-5-2012

Abstract

Chuck Palahniuk’s Lullaby is a novel that evaluates modern spaces both abstract and physical, especially in regards to an individual’s experience in and attachment to domestic, regulated space as a source of identity, intimacy, and spatial representation. My thesis demonstrates how the destabilization of domestic space as a result of loss and grief led the characters of the novel to question their normative perceptions of space, and in turn, incited them to produce a new kind of space, a heterotopia, to compensate for their loss of identity and place in the world. The critical analysis of this text within this thesis demonstrates how Chuck Palahniuk employs his literary style, complex characters, and surreal plot to highlight the significance of how individuals interact and are affected by space, especially in regards to identity and relationships within society, particularly when confronting cognitive dissonance and uncanny affect. By assessing the haunting attributes of domestic space, the heterotopia that arises from cognitive dissonance, and the sentimental traits that anchor us to certain social spaces, readers will be able to value the influence of spatial practice, not only in the novel, but also in everyday life.

Identifier

FI12042315

Recommended Citation

Garcia, Jeanette, "Deconstructing Domesticity and the Advent of a Heterotopia in Chuck Palahniuk's Lullaby" (2012). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 581.
https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/581