Literature After Ranciere: Ishiguro's When We Were 0rphans and Gibson's Neuromancer

Abstract

In this article the implications of Jacques Ranciere's far-reaching notions of "the distribution of the sensible", "dissensus" and the "three regimes of art" (particularly for literature) are explored. Kazuo lshiguro's roman noir entitled When We Were Orphans and William Gibson's dark science fiction novel Neuromancer are examined to demonstrate the novelty of Ranciere's thought, in terms of which the cherished categories of literary orthodoxy are surpassed. Specifically, Ranciere challenges the usual distinction between premodern "representational literature" and modern self-referential literature, and introduces a radically historical manner of appropriating the art and literature of an era. His distinction between three regimes of art (the "ethical regime of images", the "representative regime of the arts" and the "aesthetic regime of art") are fundamental in understanding the capacity of art and literature to contribute discursively to the "(re)distribution of the sensible", or the symbolic (re)configuration of social and political space, by disrupting the con­ventional space of the "sensible" through "dissensus".

Opsomming
In hierdie artikel word die implikasies van Jacques Ranciere se verreikende idees van "die verspreiding van die waarneembare", "dissensie" en die "drie kunsstelsels" (veral ten opsigte van die literatuur) verken. Kazuo lshiguro se roman noir When We Were Orphans en William Gibson se donker wetenskapfiksieroman Neuromancer word ondersoek om die nuutheid van Ranciere' se denke aan te toon, waarvolgens die gekoesterde kategoriee van literere ortodoksie oortref word. Ranciere bevraag­teken spesifiek die gewone onderskeid tussen premodeme "verteenwoordigende literatuur" en moderne selfreferensiele literatuur, en stel 'n radikaal historiese manier bekend om sigself die kuns en literatuur van 'n era toe te eien. Sy onderskeid tussen drie kunsstelsels (die "etiese stelsel van beelde", die "verteenwoordigende stelsel van die kunste" en die "estetiese stelsel van kuns") is noodsaaklik om die kapasiteit van kuns en literatuur le begryp om diskursief by le dra tot die "(her)verspreiding van die waarneembare", of die simboliese (her)konfigurering van sosiale en politieke ruimte, deur die konvensionele ruimte van die "waarneembare" deur middel van "dissensie" le ontwrig.