18 MONIKA FLUDERNIK Identity/alterity |dentity and alterity (or otherness) are key concern inthe context of post colonial studies, which focuses onthe power relations erween colonizer and colonized. Util recently, however, the centrality of identity and alteity for narrative theory has nor been sufciendly recognized. While the final par of ‘ny chapter wil focus on identity and alterityin postcolonial narratives, wll hegin by considering wo more general questions; namely (1) the status of identity in narrative and narrating (outside a postcolonial framework) and (2) the importance of alert, difference, of deviation from culrual, societal narrative, and stylistic norms that are constitatve of storytelling. The basic Argument ofthe chapter is that issues of identity and alerity are relevant toll nacratives, even though ~ for thematic and ideological easons ~ they seem to be more prominently addressed in postcolonial texts. [deniy, empathy, and narration In conversational narratives, or "i them, natration doesnot necessarily only serve the purpose of eling a good story it additionally ~ and often primarily ~ has the function of protecting “face."* The narrator wants to demonstrate that he or she is courageous, 3 rough guy, a really shrewd person astute in judging others, able to fend for heeselfadepr at repartee, and generally a good person. Such narrative, then, «doesn simply project referential identity (“Lam John and noe Thomas")~ the narrator’ identity in this sense is either 2 ven, or quite ielevant. Instead, naural narrative ctcaes and elaborates an image ofthe self which the narrator wants others to revognze as his o her character o¢ personhood Narratives construc selthood a individuality and functional role. Such identities are imaginary in much the same way as Benedict Andersons imaginary homelands of national andlor ethne origi.” They do not really “exist independently of a conversational context since they are constituted in imeracton with other, in fluid sel presentation, They aso deliberately enicyaerity lide or camouflage possible negative facets ofthe sl, One will end to resent oneselas frugal and not misery aastutein nancial mattersand 0 srasping: as loving and caring but aot clinging. You donot on your fst date mention that you are an appalling bad cook, but will maybe dell on your expertise as a good organizes. Images projected in conversational narrative, Fike images of one's self tha one rest iv up ton one's behavior "1 am a responsible person”; “T understand and forgive") are fctionsfaneasies that the narrator is at pains to uphold naratively,sltimags to emulate and realize. Many such versions ofthe self even fnot downright fraudulent, ae nevertheless prone tothe selfs sel-deceptve inclinations ~ one would like tobetiee that one isa nice person and tends to throw a vil over ones ess likeable eats [arative identity, therefore is part of general performative identity Ihich we creat inside out social roles ~a teacher 8 wives, a8 parent Ahivers, et. These roles do noe neesarily cohere, so somebody can bean inesponsible driver butacaring so to his or her aged parents, We also deine couseles through these roles ~ a pers may lke to think of himself asa superb gardener and define himselfles asa competent salesperson, which he ‘sforhis customers, collegues, and employers entity should therefore be ed inthe plural ~ identities ~to acknowledge the mukiplicy of roles and ther contextual relevance. None ofthese ga allows one establish a el sea definite idem. Rather ides are consid nthe interplay of individuals with other peopein social contexts of family, work, stud, sure actives, etc, Although narrators generally believe they have a laren, thavidentty Sean aesumulation of pe orm stanessane memoric of Pat ‘experiences which erates a continuity of elFunderstanding Benween roles tnd beeen contents entities eannor be upheld withou the co-operation of gers, The con- tinity between present and past ef that subjectively exis for individuals ‘sls toa significant extent onthe support that identity construction receives from the othe, especially beeause ~ a6 Jacques Lacan argues ~ we se our sevesas ther anda thers un. The best ae-preservingechniques arn io failures i the addtessces~ those nteacting with ws — donot Believe in the projected set, Even more importantly, the sl is projected inthe fst, lace in order to answer the glance of the othe Consequently identity i noc merely differentiated from alert, the otet, by singling itself out froma mult of others:itis tet consttuedina dialectic process that ineracts wit the othe. In this sense, che psychological dynamics that Homi Bhabha describes fr the relationship heeween olonizer and colonized already noted by Albert Memmi and Frantz Fanon) derives fom the constitutive proces of identity construction, and goes back ro what Lacan characterizes as the esimaginary mieror phase in our development and to the child's fixation on the mother a primal Other Identity, moreover, is (re)consttuted continuously in our sel-naceations, ‘We do not merely tell stories about our recent experience in which Wey make ourselves look good; we also narrate and retell ourlivesto ourselves. In ‘order to create continuity hetween pastand present, in order to lend meaning tothe experiences that we have undergone, we construct story of our life. In this story we may be the victim of external forces that keep intruding on uss ‘we may also project ourselves a the shrewd manipulator who isin contol of «everything: the sociable guy who hs innumerable friends; the ual duckling who is unable to attract the right partner; and so on. Again, in these tories it isles the plot that counts than the gyaluaton thay given to often recurring) Reed Nala tsie espn ceed Socicieey uses ‘he eruth (there is no truth about the sel jus as theres no core sel), but to «create a story of one's life with which one can live, a story of success, or of hope. By putting a diferent consruetion onthe same occuerencs, one can ‘omvert failure, depression, or anxiety into placid confidence inthe furre. ‘Telling ones own life, however, s not the only way of constituting self Telling other people’ lives similarly works by consteucting uniformity and consistency onthe hass of a mas of recalcitrant material. Just as autohiogra Pies (whether iterary or non-iterary) often open up interpretative gaps that allow one to ead between the ines and uncover unintended or veiled mean ings in the account, biographies ikewise do not always manage to shut out all inconsistencies regarding the ations oftheir subjects. Eighteenth lous access that it affords to another person’ (te protagonist) mind. In fac, besides access to consciousness, ctional narrative has stated to deploy whole panorama of non-natural stryeling situations whose ally at Jease initially, consists precisely in che imposible scenarios that they enact