Title: From Self-deception to Self-awareness Awakening: A Spatial Interpretation of Julian Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending

Abstract: The Sense of an Ending reflects the existential predicament of individuals in postmodern context. Tony’s identity construction has attracted wide attention from critics. Henri Lefebvre’s “theory of spatial triad” and Michel Foucault’s “theory of power relations” offer a cogent explanation for Tony’s identity construction. Within the oppressive “representational space” of “home” and “school,” Tony constructs an idealized “victim” persona through self-deception and unreliable memory. His journey to the United States, a kind of “spatial practice”, prompts him towards self-exploration and the establishment of new social relations. Through such “representation of space” in letters and diaries, Tony corrects his unreliable memory, culminating in a complete awakening of self-awareness. This analysis reveals the intricate connection between identity construction and spatial experience, offering fresh insights into the self-discovery and growth of individuals in postmodern condition.

Keywords: Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending, identity construction, space theory

Authors: Taohua Wang, Professor, School of Foreign Languages, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; Daoshu Zhang, School of Foreign Languages, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

DOI: 10.19967/j.cnki.flc.2024.02.001