Picking a Thing Apart:  A Postmodern Reading of Olga Tokarczhuk’s ‘Flights’ as a constellation Novel

Daniel Rubaraj R

Vol-6,Issue-4,July - August 2021

Author: Daniel Rubaraj R

Keywords: Constellation, interconnectedness, inward pushing, tormenting histories, postmodernism.

Abstract: The concept of ‘Constellation’ which means a group of visible stars forms a perceived pattern, typically representing an inanimate object. “Constellation is not sequencing, it carries truth”, in order to Reflect someone’s experiencing more accurately, it is necessary instead to gather a whole, out of pieces. The Present Study attempts a postmodern reading of Olga Tokarczuk’s ‘Flights’ as a ‘constellation’ novel in which bunch of seemingly separate stories, experience and historical artifacts combine into a growing peak of emotional, physical and political interconnectedness. Although the novel is considered a postmodern invention, Olga Tokarczuk presents a unique pattern or style to her novel. ‘Flights’ is ultimately a novel about picking a thing apart. The author has a talent for pushing us inward, into ourselves, our bodies and also our tormenting histories so that we can remerge knowing all of our collective parts

Article Info: Received: 28 Jun 2021; Received in revised form: 20 Jul 2021; Accepted: 03 Aug 2021; Available online: 13 Aug 2021

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.64.31