'Helplessly culpable': The Other and the ethical relationship in Ian McEwan's 'Saturday'

摘要

As part of an examination of the post-9/11 novel, this thesis explores the changes that have taken place since September 11, 2001 in the relationship between the self and the Other. While society has grown more hostile and isolated the relationship with the Other has begun to self-destruct, perpetrating a dangerous cycle of mistrust and violence. Specifically, this thesis examines Ian McEwan's 2005 novel, Saturday, through the lens of two conceptualizations of the Other, including that of the Lacanian/Marxist theorist Slavoj Zizek and the philosopher and Talmudic scholar Emmanuel Levinas. Ultimately, this thesis argues that in order to move beyond the trauma of September 11, society needs to find a more ethically responsible way to coexist with the Other.