Munro, "The Shining Houses" (1968)

First published 1968 in Dance of the Happy Shades.

Loss of story

Introduction (Geddes 232-3)

Narrator: limited omniscient -- focalises on Mary; she represents both sides, renders her impotent at the end

Setting: Mrs Fullarton's house: the place, p. 234, 235

-- contrast with new, p. 236 -- temporary nature of the new? p. 239

Character: individuality (non-stereotypical): Mrs Fullarton, p. 234; Mary?

vs. group behaviour, e.g., p. 237; and their stereotype of community

power struggle manifested in torn up hillside, violence of men's work on gardens (236), legal strategy to evict Mrs Fullerton; children's party an interesting mirror image reversal of this: constraint of flash cameras and birthday games, then they go wild (236)

"community"? p. 239 (end); as organized violence on character, imposed on setting

gender issue: individuals under attack, rendered powerless, happen to be the women: Mrs Fullerton and Mary; real power lies with the men, Carl and Steve, and their "lane deal."

Munro's commentary in "What is Real?":

Story like a house, move about in it different ways (not directional, plotted), p. 363

-- thus, starts with a certain kind of structure, around feeling, p. 363

Needs bits of the real, "starter dough," p. 364

Lyotard (Postmodern Condition (1984), p. 37): no more grand narratives, the turn to instrumentality; loss of plot -- clash of values instead; Munro's story is indecisive ("put your hands in your pockets" p. 239 -- but who is saying this? Mary or Munro?)

something like a more global or totalizing "crisis" in the narrative function in general, since . . . the older master narratives of legitimation no longer function in the service of scientific research -- nor, by implication, anywhere else (e.g., we no longer believe in political or historical teleologies . . . )" (Jameson, Forward to Lyotard, xi-xii)

More on Lyotard:


return to course page

Document prepared September 4th 2002 / updated October 23rd 3002