Identity As Ethical Responsibility: A Manifesto For Social Change In Toni Morrison’s Fiction

ABSTRACT

Reading Morrison’s fiction at the hand of Bakhtin and Levinas, as well as considering

her own non-fiction, led to the conclusion that sufficient evidence exists to argue

Morrison’s novels present identity as ethical responsibility that can advocate for a

manifesto for positive social change.

Analysis focused on the investigation of identity construction in Morrison’s The

Bluest Eye (1970), Tar Baby (1981), Paradise (1997), and A Mercy (2008). Through

her fiction Morrison can be argued to construct identity in a fashion similar to the

philosophies of Bakhtin and Levinas, which present the subject’s identity as an ethical

responsibility for the other/Other. Morrison’s non-fiction, such as her Nobel lecture,

her academic writing, her social commentary and interviews provide further support

to strengthen the aforementioned claim.

An investigation into the subject’s identity construction indicates it is always-already

in relation to other people. The notions Self, other and Other are thus used throughout

this study. The Self, should be understood to refer to the subject, the I. The lower case

“other” should be understood as referring to any “other” person who is not the Self,

while the capitalised “Other” refers to the marginalised, the binary opposite of the

Self.

This study is comprised of three components of analysis. The first component

concerns the Bakhtinian theory of dialogism. Analysis of the acts of looking, seeing

and naming demonstrates the Self’s identity is constructed in relation to the

other/Other. The second component of analysis involves viewing the four novels through the

Levinasian notions of responsibility and infinity. Revealingly, all four novels deal

with the theme of responsibility and stylistically portray a grappling with infinity.

Applying the concept of answerability, which functions in the theories of both

Levinas and Bakhtin, further demonstrates Morrison’s focus on responsibility as

signified by the pariah figures, function of community and her stylistics that invite

reader responsibility.

The contribution of this study is in having articulated the humanity and

commonalities the exploiting and abusing Self shares with the exploited and abused

other/Other, in order to demonstrate it is in the Self’s interest to value the other/

Other.