An Imaginary Life - Essay
Exam essay question: David Malouf’s brilliant novel “an imaginary life” has been highly praised and studied widely. Analyse the reasons for this success and popularity.
This novel demonstrates an intellectually stimulating and unique way of asking important questions regarding our existence and our relationship with the rest of creation. ‘An imaginary life’ raises many queries about universal valves, what it is to be human, what is language and why it is so powerful, what is death and the nature of reality.
However, not only does this opulent novel ask these eternal enigmas, it also offers possible answers.
Thus, these suggested answers are rendered so plausible because of Malouf’s Midas touch with the five literary elements: historically authentic plot; believable and sympathetic characteristics; naturalistic but symbolic setting; universal themes; final and foremost it’s refulgent style!
Therefore, the novel’s style is richly poetic, possibly due to the fact that Ovid himself is a poet. His story is told through the use of an elongated letter, an uninterrupted journal entry, where the readers are often addressed. The novel is written in first person but he constantly makes assumptions and that gives him a slightly omniscient role. This role is reinforced through his prophetic predictions, when he states that this letter will be “found and read”, “It will be translated” in a “new millennia” where there will be “new furnishings, plants and the world will evolve.” Ovid’s background also greatly influences his writing style as he finds himself constantly exemplifying Greek beliefs (mythology) and making reference to their cultures and customs. However, even though that Malouf uses the character of a Greek in his story, it is blatantly obvious that the aboriginal culture has affected his style of writing, tying the culture of indigenous Australians to the Getae, as they consider the land to be alive, through dreamtime stories. This can be related to Greek Mythology’s Gaia, the goddess of earth. ‘An imaginary life’ is categorized as a modern day romantic novel, where the boundaries of logic and reason are broken, and imagination is free to transcend, to a place where man forgets about civilization and tries to embrace intuition by disembodying their souls. This approach is evident in the quote: “we are free at last to believe in ourselves. Since there are no rules we must make some. Let them be absurd! Since there are no more restrictions, we invent them.” The deep utilization of different imagery allows Ovid to paint pictures with words, to stimulate our senses with varied pulsations. These pulsations are what make up the epiphanies in his living stream of thoughts. Ovid tends to scrutinize anything that comes within reach of his senses, and his uncontrolled and exuberant flow of descriptions allows us to empathize closely with him. The narrator generally applies two major tones, both captivating in their own way: the first being the lonesome and pessimistic tone experienced in the first wave of stagnation, and the second, of euphoria that is transitioned to through a journey of finding his true self. A powerful example of his unique use of imagery is when he says: “…it is like trying to remember something you have forgotten, that glows at the very edge of your mind but refuses to reveal itself.” Here he tries to relate to the readers with generally common experiences through unparalleled ingenuity.
