Assignment of Paper 203: Struggling for Voice and Agency: Susan Barton's Journey of Resistance and Identity in J.M. Coetzee's Foe

Assignment of Paper 203: Struggling for Voice and Agency: Susan Barton's Journey of Resistance and Identity in J.M. Coetzee's Foe

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This blog is part of an assignment for the Paper 203: , Sem.3, 2024.

Personal Information:-

Name:- Pallavi Parmar

Batch:- M.A. Sem 3 (2023-2025)

Enrollment Number:- 5108230034

E-mail Address:-pallaviparmar501@gmail.com

Roll Number:- 20

Assignment Details:-

Topic:- The Dual Realm of Women: Domesticity and Public Life in The Home and the World and in other works

Subject code:- 22408

Paper 203: The Postcolonial Studies 

Submitted to:- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar.

Date of Submission:- 20, November, 2024

Table of Contents:

Abstract

Key words

Introduction

Susan Barton

Power Dynamics and Colonial Relationships

Identity Construction

Susan Barton as a Survivor and Narrator

Struggle for Narrative Control

Relationship with Friday: Power and Silence

Relationship with Cruso: Submission and Authority

Feminist and Postcolonial Struggles

Metafictional Role

Conclusion

Abstract:

This assignment explores the journey of Susan Barton, the protagonist of J.M. Coetzee’s novel Foe, as she navigates themes of voice, identity, and resistance in a post-colonial and patriarchal context. It examines her interactions with Friday, the voiceless colonized subject, and Foe, the male author, as she struggles to claim authorship and preserve the authenticity of her narrative. The analysis highlights power dynamics, gendered silencing, and the complexities of representing marginalized voices. By positioning Susan as both a survivor and a narrator, Coetzee critiques the limitations imposed on women and the colonized in a society that favors dominant narratives, while also interrogating the ethics of storytelling.

Key Words:

Post-colonialism, Narrative authority, Feminist struggles, Identity construction, Resistance.

Introduction:

In J.M. Coetzee's novel Foe, Susan Barton navigates complex themes of power, identity, and resistance within a post-colonial context, grappling with the limitations imposed on her voice and agency. This assignment examines her struggle to establish her own narrative in a male-dominated society, highlighting her interactions with Friday, a character representing the silenced colonized subject, and Foe, the male author who holds power over her story. Through Susan’s journey, Coetzee critiques the power dynamics and gendered biases in storytelling, illuminating the intricate challenges faced by marginalized voices striving for authenticity and autonomy.

Susan Barton:

In J.M. Coetzee’s novel Foe, the character of Susan Barton embodies the complexities of power, identity, and resistance within a post-colonial framework. This analysis focuses on her struggle for voice and agency, particularly in her interactions with Friday, a character who represents the silenced colonized subject. The dynamics between Susan and Friday illustrate the broader themes of colonialism, identity construction, and the challenges of expressing agency in a world dominated by oppressive narratives.

Power Dynamics and Colonial Relationships

> Colonizer vs. Colonized

Susan Barton is portrayed as a colonizer who seeks to assert her narrative over Friday, who is rendered voiceless. This relationship reflects the inherent power imbalance where Susan's perspective dominates the discourse. As she attempts to narrate Friday's story, she simultaneously reinforces her own position of authority while marginalizing his identity. The novel critiques this dynamic by showcasing Susan's ambivalence towards Friday; she oscillates between viewing him as an equal and acknowledging his subjugation.

> Ambivalence and Hypocrisy

Susan's struggle is marked by hypocrisy as she claims to seek freedom for Friday while simultaneously imposing her own definitions of freedom upon him. This contradiction highlights her inability to recognize Friday as an autonomous individual with his own desires and voice. The narrative illustrates how colonial relationships are fraught with complexities where the colonizer often fails to understand or respect the identity of the colonized.

Identity Construction

> Self vs. Other

The interplay between Susan and Friday underscores the theme of identity construction in a post-colonial context. Susan’s identity is constructed in opposition to Friday’s; she perceives herself as “the self” while relegating Friday to “the other.” This dichotomy serves to reinforce colonial ideologies that view non-Western identities as inferior or incomplete. Through this lens, Coetzee critiques the simplistic binaries often employed in colonial narratives.

> Resistance through Silence

Friday’s silence can be interpreted as a form of resistance against Susan’s attempts to narrate his story. His refusal to engage with her efforts symbolizes the struggle of marginalized voices against dominant narratives. While Susan seeks to articulate his experience, Friday’s silence speaks volumes about his agency and the limitations imposed upon him by colonial discourse.

Susan Barton as a Survivor and Narrator:

> Survivor’s Resilience: 

Susan’s story begins with her survival of a shipwreck that leaves her stranded on an isolated island with two unlikely companions, Cruso and Friday. Her resilience is evident as she adjusts to the challenging island life, enduring hardships and adapting to isolation. This survival journey not only shows her physical endurance but also her mental determination to make sense of her experiences. Her resilience extends beyond her physical ordeal, as she later confronts societal and personal obstacles in her struggle to share her story and have her voice recognized in a world that often silences women. Susan’s survival, therefore, becomes both a literal and metaphorical journey, emphasizing her determination to endure and be heard.

Complicated Role as Narrator:

 As Susan seeks to document her experiences, her position as a female narrator in a male-dominated society complicates her role. To publish her story, she relies on the writer Foe, who holds the power to bring her narrative into the public eye, which underscores the societal barriers that prevent women from being seen as independent storytellers. This reliance puts her at risk of having her voice altered or appropriated, a consequence of needing male validation to tell her story. Susan’s dual role as both survivor and narrator highlights her determination to share her experience despite social constraints, revealing the difficulty women face in establishing their voices and perspectives in literature and society.

Quest for Authorship:

  Susan’s journey to become an author is marked by her dependency on Foe, an established male writer, to give her story legitimacy. This reliance underscores the difficulty women face in having their stories validated within a patriarchal framework that often discounts female voices. As Susan realizes that Foe may alter her story to suit his own literary ambitions, her dependency becomes a source of vulnerability, emphasizing the limited options available to women seeking to assert their narratives. Coetzee uses this dynamic to critique the structures of male validation that restrict female authorship, illustrating the challenges women face in sharing their authentic experiences in a world that filters them through male perspectives.

Struggle for Self-Expression: 

 Beyond mere authorship, Susan’s journey is also about self-expression and a search for identity. She believes that by documenting her island experiences, she can give meaning to her life and assert her autonomy. However, as she relies on Foe’s interpretation of her story, her sense of self becomes entangled with his perspective, complicating her quest for identity. This struggle emphasizes the inherent conflict between individual experience and public validation, as Susan’s attempts at self-expression are hindered by her dependency on Foe, forcing her to confront the limits of her own independence.

Struggle for Narrative Control:

Conflict with Foe’s Creative Freedom: 

  Susan’s desire to tell a truthful account of her time on the island conflicts with Foe’s intentions to dramatize her experiences for broader appeal. Foe’s desire to add elements of romance and adventure clashes with Susan’s preference for honesty and simplicity, underscoring their contrasting approaches to storytelling. This ongoing conflict highlights the power struggle over narrative authority, as Susan fights to keep her experiences from being altered or sensationalized. Coetzee uses this tension to expose the gendered biases within storytelling, as Susan’s perspective is constantly challenged by Foe’s interpretation, threatening the authenticity of her narrative.

Symbol of Gendered Power Dynamics:

  The battle between Susan and Foe for narrative control reflects a larger struggle between male and female perspectives. Foe’s attempts to reshape Susan’s story mirror societal forces that often manipulate or distort women’s stories, illustrating the gendered power dynamics that determine whose voices are heard and how they are portrayed. By showing Susan’s struggle to maintain her narrative, Coetzee critiques the literary world’s preference for male-authored interpretations, emphasizing the difficulty of asserting one’s voice and the ways in which female perspectives are marginalized in the storytelling process.

Relationship with Friday: Power and Silence:

Susan’s Attempts to Give Voice to Friday: 

   Throughout the novel, Susan feels compelled to give voice to Friday, the mute former slave, believing that doing so will help complete the narrative of her island experiences. Her attempts to interpret his silence, however, reflect her own biases, as she projects her understanding onto him without fully grasping his experiences. This dynamic illustrates the ethical challenge of speaking on behalf of others, particularly those who have been silenced by oppression. Coetzee uses this aspect of their relationship to underscore the limitations of empathy and the complexities involved in representing marginalized voices.

Silence as Symbol of Resistance: 

  Friday’s silence becomes a powerful symbol of resistance, challenging Susan’s narrative authority and refusing easy interpretation. His voicelessness acts as a metaphor for the experiences of the colonized, who often remain silent or misunderstood in historical accounts. As Susan grapples with Friday’s silence, she confronts the limits of her own understanding and her inability to impose a narrative on him. Coetzee uses this silence to illustrate the resilience of the oppressed, as Friday’s refusal to be defined by Susan’s story highlights the agency and individuality that remain beyond the reach of those who seek to interpret him.

Relationship with Cruso: Submission and Authority:

Cruso as a Symbol of Colonial Authority: 

  On the island, Susan views Cruso as a natural leader and “kingly figure,” instinctively deferring to his authority despite his apathy toward both her and Friday. Cruso’s control over the island and over Friday represents the colonial dynamic of master and servant, with Susan’s initial deference illustrating the influence of established power hierarchies. This dynamic reveals the ingrained tendency to submit to authority figures, even when those figures restrict individual autonomy and ignore the needs of others.

Internal Conflict Between Submission and Independence:

   Although Susan submits to Cruso’s authority, she experiences an inner conflict as she simultaneously desires independence and freedom from his control. This tension reflects the broader struggle women face in navigating patriarchal power structures while striving for autonomy. Through Susan’s conflicting feelings, Coetzee illustrates the complexity of female agency, as her behavior is shaped both by societal expectations and her personal desire for self-determination, revealing the nuanced nature of submission and independence within gendered power dynamics.

 Feminist and Postcolonial Struggles

> Parallel Oppressions of Gender and Race: 

In Foe, Susan’s struggle as a woman parallels Friday’s struggle as a colonized subject, as both face systemic silencing within a patriarchal and colonial society. Coetzee highlights this intersection of feminist and postcolonial struggles, suggesting that both women and the colonized are denied agency and subjected to oppressive structures. Susan’s limited voice and Friday’s silence underscore the shared plight of the marginalized, emphasizing the common ground between feminist and postcolonial issues.

Resistance Against Oppression:

  Despite their marginalized positions, both Susan and Friday resist the systems that seek to define and control them. Susan fights for her right to tell her story as she experienced it, while Friday’s silence defies Susan’s interpretations, challenging her assumptions and resisting her narrative. Coetzee uses their respective forms of resistance to illustrate the varied ways in which oppressed individuals can reclaim their agency, highlighting the complexities of storytelling and self-representation for those who are historically silenced.

Metafictional Role:

> Questioning the Nature of Storytelling:

 Foe serves as a metafictional exploration of the art of storytelling, as Coetzee examines how narratives are constructed and controlled. Susan’s struggle with Foe over how her story should be told invites readers to question the ethics and authenticity of storytelling itself. By blurring the lines between fiction and reality, Coetzee emphasizes the limitations and biases inherent in narrative authority, challenging readers to consider how stories shape, alter, or erase individual experiences.

> Critique of Authorial Power: 

  Through Susan’s dependence on Foe, Coetzee critiques the power dynamics that govern authorship, as Foe’s role as gatekeeper allows him to reshape Susan’s experiences. This dynamic exposes the ways in which authors wield authority over the stories they tell, often at the expense of the authenticity of marginalized voices. By highlighting these issues, Coetzee calls attention to the role of authorship in defining narratives and critiques the literary establishment’s role in perpetuating biased perspectives.

 Conclusion: 

Susan’s journey from shipwreck survivor to storyteller represents a revolutionary act of self-determination, as she asserts her right to narrate her story despite societal limitations. Her pursuit of authorship becomes a powerful symbol of resistance against patriarchal and colonial narratives that attempt to silence her. Through her determination to be heard, Susan embodies the fight for agency and self-representation, challenging the systems that seek to marginalize her.

 In her insistence on telling her story truthfully, Susan becomes a symbol of defiance, rejecting Foe’s attempts to distort her narrative. Her journey represents the broader struggle for identity and authenticity in the face of oppression, serving as a testament to the power of storytelling to reclaim voice and challenge the status quo. Through Susan’s character, Coetzee emphasizes the importance of resisting imposed narratives and illustrates the transformative power of self-representation.

Word count: 2178

Image: 5

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References

Azam, Nushrat. “A Feminist Critique of ‘Voice’ and the ‘Other’ in J.M. Coetzee’s Post-Colonial Novel ‘Foe.’” International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 1 Dec. 2018, https://journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJALEL/article/view/5048. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.




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Neimneh, Shadi. “(PDF) Postcolonial Feminism: Silence and Storytelling in J. M. Coetzee’s Foe.” Research Gate, May 2014, www.researchgate.net/publication/263849320_Postcolonial_Feminism_Silence_and_Storytelling_in_J_M_Coetzee’s_Foe. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.


Nicklasson, Margaretha. “Susan and Friday.” Diva-Portal , 2014, www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:695538/fulltext01.pdf. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.


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