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Image and Narrative - Article

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Issue22.Autofictionand/inImageAutofictionvisuelleII

ImageandText,FactandFiction:NarratingW.G. Sebald'sTheEmigrantsintheFirstPerson
Author:ToddHeidt Published:May2008
Abstract(E):Thisarticlefocusesontheambiguousrelationshipbetweenreality andfictioncraftedbyW.G.Sebaldinhiscollectionofshortstories,The Emigrants.Whilescholarshavetraditionallyfocusedontheuseofphotographyin theworkofSebald,thisarticleseekstobroadentheattentiongarneredbyhis oeuvretoincludetheautofictitiousInarratorheemploys.Bothserveas referents,whichextendbeyondthefictionandintoreality,yetsimultaneously andintentionallyblurthelinestheyseemtodrawbetweenfactandfiction.As such,thetextandimagescontinuallydestabilizeeachother.Iconcludeby readingSebaldwithHomiBhabha,arguingthathispostcolonialtheoriesoftime lagandthedisplacementofenunciatorypowercanbeappliedtothepost HolocaustwritingsofSebald. Abstract(F):Cetarticleproposeuneanalysedtailledurapportambiguentre ralitetfictiondanslesnouvellesdeW.G.SebaldruniessousletitreThe Emigrants.TandisquelesspcialistesdeluvredeSebaldsesontsurtout intressslusagedelaphotographiedanssesouvrages,leprsentarticle cherchelargirlechampdinvestigationouvertparluvredeSebald, notammentensoulignantlenarrateurcaractreautofictionnelutilispar lauteur.Lesdeuxprocduresserventderfrents,quitransgressentles frontiresentrefictionetralitet,defaonintentionnelle,rendentflouesles lignesdedmarcationentrelesfaitsetlafiction.Ainsi,texteetimagese dstabilisentlunlautresansrelche.Danslaconclusiondelarticle,jepropose derelireSebaldtraverslesidesdeHomiBhabha,enavanantlhypothseque lesthoriespostcolonialesdeceluici,concernantlesnotiondetemporalitetde dplacementdupouvoirdnonciation,peuventgalementtreappliquesaux critsdaprsAuschwitzdeSebald. keywords:W.G.Sebald,HomiBhabha,photography,Inarrator,postHolocaust writing
Tocitethisarticle: Heidt,T.,ImageandText,FactandFiction:NarratingW.G.Sebald'sTheEmigrantsintheFirstPerson. Image[&]Narrative[ejournal],22(2008). Available:http://www.imageandnarrative.be/autofiction2/heidt.htm

W.G.Sebaldclaimeduntiltheendofhislifethatthephotographsanddocuments heusedwereinlargepart"authentic"thatistosaythatthepeoplehewrites aboutexisted,andthatthevastmajorityofhisphotographsare"whatyouwould describeasauthentic"and"areadirecttestimonyofthefactthatthesepeopledid existinthatparticularshapeandform."(Wood:25)Thissenseof"authenticity"to whichSebaldlaysclaiminvolvesofcoursethemannerofhisdiscourseaswell. Theimplicitassumptioninhisstatementisnotonlythatthesephotographsare veraciousartifacts,butalsothe"testimony"onecouldeasilyalsosay"narrative" isendowedwithameasureoftruthvalue.Interestingly,inattestingtotheir statusas"authentic",Sebaldalreadymitigatesthetruthvalueofthephotographs, relativizingtheclaimwithacareful"whatyouwoulddescribeas."Inlayingclaim

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totheobjectivepowerofcertificationandproofwhichphotographyseems inherentlytolendhisnarratives,Sebaldleavesthedooropentofiction,invention andultimatelyuncertainty.Muchinasimilarfashion,though,Sebaldappealsto thegenreofautobiography.TheSebaldianInarrator"suture[s]himselfintothe storiesofothersandconstruct[s]asenseofnarrativeandbiographical continuity"(Long:137)andyetSebaldquaauthoropenlydiscussedhisinvention andfictionalizationofstorieshecouldn'trecover(orrecollecthimself)fromthe materialobjectshecollected,andsometimesinvented. Whiletheimagesmay,atleastinmostcases,havebeentrulyofthepersons namedinSebald'sprose,thisdoesnotmeanthattheywerereproducedwithout havingfirstbeenalteredaccordingtoSebald'sintentionaluse(s).Sebaldwas"an exactingcustomerattheUniversityofEastAngliacopyshop,discussingwhat mightbedonewithhisimages,adjustingthesizeandcontrast."(Homberger:20) Suchanalterationofaphotographcouldundermostcircumstances(suchasuse inworksclaimingameasureofhistoricalaccuracy)renderthepiecea falsification.Indeed,"ifyouwanttoattacktheveracityofaphotographyoucan suggestthatthestandardprocedurewasnotactuallyfollowed"(Mitchell:30) SuchanapproachwouldcertainlydiscountSebald'sclaimtotruth.Heopenly spokeofhisworkasasortofhistoricalproject,atonceliteraryandinventive,for healsoopenlyadmittedfillinginthegapsofthesestorieswithhisowncreation, passingfreelyfromonetotheother.Setintooralongsideatextualaccountofthe narrative,onewonderswhichisthefalsification:either,noneorboth.Which questionistheproperonetopose:Towhatextentdoesthetextchallengethe veracityofthephotograph?Ortowhatextentdothephotographschallengethe veracityofthetext? ThispaperwillfocusonthephotographsincludedinW.G.Sebald'scollectionof four"longstories"asheputsit,TheEmigrants(theEnglishtranslationomittedthe subtitle"FourLongStories"andchangedthenameoftheprotagonistofthelast epynomousstoryto"MaxAurach"ratherthan"MaxFerber"),astheystraddlethe boundarybetweenmedia,historyandfictionandasobjectscollectedandinserted intothetextbyanautofictionalInarrator.PrototypicallySebaldianinstyleand structure,eachofthesestoriescontainsanarratorwhoencountersaJewish migraffectedbytheHolocaustandthenproceedstoreconstructthelostand shatteredremnantsofthisindividualandtheirfamilyand/orfriends.Collapsing andblendingtheexperienceofthereaderandthenarrator,aswellasthe narratorandhischaracters,Sebaldchartsthedevelopmentsintheseintimate, familyhistoriesasaseriesofanecdotes,artifactsandphotographsfromthelives oftheindividualsaffectedbyaHolocausttheyescapedphysically,butwhose "traumaispreciselytheirabsencefromtheexperiencesofdeportation,detention, andmurderthatbefelltheirfamilyandfriends."(GregoryGuider:439)Inwriting thesestories,Sebald'smultimedialapproachrenderstheshatteredlivesofthese historicalindividualscumcharactersinstarkreliefwhileelidingadirect confrontationwiththehorrorsoftheHolocaustitself.

Two(Three?)KindsofPhotographs
WilliamJ.Mitchell'sdiscussionofthetruthvalueofimagesinthepost photographiceraaddressestheconcernsofauthenticityandaccuracydirectly."A reallyboldliar(particularlyonewhocanexploitsomemantleofauthority)can simplyappropriatelegitimatepicturestofalsenarrativesbyprovidingthemwith fakeprovenancesmuchasconfidencetrickstersequipthemselveswithfake biographies."(Mitchell:49)Indeed,ononelevel,thisispreciselywhatSebald

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does.Liftingimagesfromunknownsources,researchedbutnotinamannerwhich onenormallyconsiderstobehistoricallyaccurate,thephotographstellaparallel storyalongsidethetext(seeHarris:379).Theymatchafacewithanameanda bodywiththepsychologicaltraumaofthenarrative.However,heplayswiththis statusashistoryand/orfiction,archaeologyand/orconstitutionofthesestoriesin thephototextitself. Theprocessionofphotographsinthebookcanbasicallybetreatedastwoparallel andinterrelatedgroups.Suchdivisionshaveprovidedfruitfulreadingsbefore,but IdonotwishtocontinueJ.J.Long'sdistinctionbetweentextualorparatextual here(i.e.thosephotographswhichreceivedirectmentioninthetextversusthose whichaddressareaderoutsidethetext,see"History,Narrative,Photography": 118120)Thefirstgroupconsistsofthephotographstakenbythe narrators/Sebaldduringtheprocessofcraftingandfleshingoutthesestories.One isthenencounteredwithcontemporaryphotographsofcemeteries(3,222225), keys(221)andevenoneofthenarrators(89),collectedasapartoftheprocess ofputtingtogetherthepiecesofthesestoriesatthemomentoftextual production.Thisgroupchartstheproductionofthetextprovidingasetof "certificate[s]ofpresence"andfunctioningasasortof"authentication"(Barthes: 87)oftheirresearchpracticesasthenarrativeselfconsciouslyunfolds.Itisas thoughSebald'snarrators,inattemptingtojustifythe(hi)storiestheyarewriting, documenttheprocessofwritingitinimages,lettingthephotographstellaparallel storyofreconstructioninwhichthe"exclusionofhumanbias"(Mitchell:28) normallyascribedtotheobjectivityofphotographylendsitselftoboththeobject ofstudyandthemannerinwhichitiscarriedout. Theothergroupofphotographsareolderandhavebeencollectedbyorgivento thenarrators.Ishyfromcallingthesephotographs"historical"photographs becauseoftheinterpretivelibertiestowhichSebaldadmitshowever,the temporalgapbetweenthesephotographsandthecontemporaryphotographsis certainlyoneofthemostimportantconsiderationsininvestigatingthenatureof Sebald'suseofimages.Forlackofabetterterm,Iwouldliketocallthesefound photographs,whichoftenfunctionlikeafamilyphotoalbum,focusingprimarilyon peopleasopposedtoplacesandthings.Theseareoftenofgroups:schoolgroups (39,47,75),families(71,74,101,217)andfriends(48,49,81,92)pictured togetherandframedasacommunity.WithSebaldhowever,binarydivisionsyield verylittleafewphotographsstraddlebothofthecategories.Theimagesof AmbrosAdelwarth'sagenda(Sebald:132,135)areadmittedlyafalsification. (Angier:13)Aphotographwhichiscontemporaneoustothetextualproductionis beingpassedoffasafoundphotograph.Sebaldmixescreationwithcollection liberallytoachievehisworks,playingtheroleofobserverandobservedinhis historicalmodeofwriting.Matchingthetext,thesetwo(orthree)groupsofphotos helptoestablishandreinforcetheebbandflowoftimeinthetext,sweepingfrom pasttopresentandacrossmultiplenarrators,textualandvisualperspectivesand timeframescoveringafullcentury. Indoingso,onefindsoneselfreturningagaintoMitchell'squoteabove,realizing thatSebaldisabletodothisbecauseofacertain"mantleofauthority."Itismy contentionthatSebald'smantleofauthorityishisautofictionalInarrator. Doublingtherealityeffectofhisprosebyusingphotographyandwritinginthe modeofamemoir,Sebald'simagetextsreinforceandthendestabilizethiseffect byexposingitsowninconsistenciesandtherebycausingthereadertoquestion wheretheboundariesliebetweenhistoricalfactandSebald'sinvention.

BlendingFactandFictionintheFirstPerson

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ThedoubledrealityeffectofSebald'sproseissimultaneouslyaproblematicand theoreticallyexcitingobfuscationofboundariesbetweenhistoryandinvention. Theimagetextsultimatelyserveasasortofspringboardinthecatechretical spacesbetweentheostensibleveracityofthephotographandthegenreof memoirononehandandtheacceptedandacceptablefictionofproseliterature ontheother.Inmanyrespects,Sebald'stextsareareificationoftheLacanian "answerofthereal".AsSlavojZizekdescribesit,"[t]heroleoftheLacanianreal isradicallyambiguous:true,iteruptsintheformofatraumaticreturn, derailingthebalanceofourdailylives,butitalsoservesasasupportofthisvery balance."(29)Thus,"[t]his'answerofthereal'isnecessaryforintersubjective communicationtotakeplace.Thereisnosymboliccommunicationwithoutsome 'pieceofthereal'toserveasakindofpawnguaranteeingitsconsistency."(30) Indeed,thephotographsandobjectsSebaldcollectsanddisplaysserveasthis sortofpawn,extendingbeyondtheacceptedboundariesofafictionaltextand penetratingreality.Sebaldunderscoreshisresearchand"authentic"objectsof studyevenchartingandrecordinghisresearchmethods,aswillbediscussed belowyetfreelyinventswhererealityfailstoprovidethedetailsorcontinuethe threadofthestory.Theserealpeople,verifiedinphotographsandschoolhouse diagrams,agendasandcallingcardsarecastinsurreal,almostmagicalnarrative trajectoriesconfoundedbySebald'swebofchancemeetings,serendipitous accidentsandsharedanniversaries.(onSebald's"electiveaffinities",see Friedrichsmeyer's"Sebald'sElectiveandOtherAffinities"in:Denhamand McCulloh7790)SuchjuxtapositionslieattheheartofSebald'sautofiction,ashe exploitsthe"presumptionoftruthvalue[which]isexperientiallyessentialitis whatmakesautobiographymattertoautobiographersandtheirreaders."(Eakin: 30) Sendingthereaderbackandforthbetweentruthandfictionadistinctionwhich, whenviolated,canunleashgravescandalsandraiseseriousethicalquestions(as inthecasesofthefalsifiedHolocaustmemoirofBinjaminWilkomirskior,more recently,thehyperbolizedaccountofaddictionandrecoverybyJamesFrey) textandphotographcalleachotherintoquestion,whilealsoextendingthisdoubt intotheotherformsofhistoricalwritingandevidencewhichweencounterinour dailylives:history,memoirandautobiography.Situatingitselfinallandno genres,Sebald'sblendof"authentic"photographsandfirstpersonnarrationhas beenthesubjectofmanyastudy,andyethisblatantallusionstohisown autobiographypresentperhapsmostpowerfullyinTheEmigrantsduetoitsfour foldrepetition,arisingineachstoryhasgonelargelywithoutdiscussion.(The connectionstoSebald'sbiographyarewellcharted:SeeBigsby3637,56,59, DenhamandMcCulloh:22,McCulloh:xxiiixxivand32) HisearlierworksNachderNatur(AfterNature)andSchwindel.Gefhle(Vertigo) hadbeenwellreceivedcritically.AfterNatureisalong,prosepoemwhich achievedmuchofthenarratologicalacrobaticswithregardtotimeandhistory whichwouldbecomeahallmarkofSebald'sstyle.ThenovelVertigotoowouldbe astageinSebald'sdevelopmentwhichonecannotoverlook.Hissegueintoprose hasscenesofdisorientationanderuptionsofpasteventstriggeredbypresent visionswhichwouldalsobeindicativeofhislaterwork.But,asPoltronierinotedin hisinterviewwithW.G.SebaldfollowingthepublicationofTheEmigrants,this workhadbecomelesspersonalthanhispreviousworks.(138)ThoughSebald disagreeswithhisinterviewerslightly,statingthatthenarratoralwaysshines throughthetext,thoughitshouldbetheauthor'sgoaltocraftthenarrator's opinionasdiscretelyaspossible(139),Poltronieri'sobservationshedslightonan importantshiftinSebald'soeuvre.TheEmigrantsisarguablythefirstseriesof storiesinwhichSebaldcombinesphotographyandanInarratorwhobecomesso

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distinctlydisplacedfromthecenterofthenarrativebytheframedstoriesof others.Sebald'ssubsequentworks,includingthemasterfulAusterlitz,areinmany respectsmoredirectlytheaestheticoffspringofTheEmigrantsthanSebald's previousworks.(AlthoughMorganprefersachronologicaldivisionofSebald's worksintodecades(leavingAusterlitzinacategoryofitsown)othershave corroboratedmyviewofalineagebetweenTheEmigrantsandAusterlitz.See particularlyBarzilai:210)Thisisperhapsthebasisofthepreferentialtreatment TheEmigrantsenjoysinthesecondaryliterature,forfarmorehasbeenpublished onthiscollectionthanonanyotherindividualworkbySebald.Austerlitzisaless pureexperimentwiththisstyleinsomeways.Itslengthalonestandsasperhaps thelargestobstacle,andSebaldhimselfsaidthatthisstorywasmorea"collation" consistingoftwoandahalfrealstories.(Bigsby:70)Onthecontrary,thefocused formatofTheEmigrantsallowsjustsuchanautobiographicalslant. Oneofthemoststrikingfeaturesofhisstyleis,withoutquestion,hisnarrator.As mentionedabove,anInarratoralwaysplaysaroleinthisprocessofdiscovery andreacquisitionofmemoryandindeed,asortofreclaimingofbiographyfor thosepersonsencounteredbythisnarrator.Thisisnearlyalwaysmentionedin scholarshiponSebald,thoughadeeperanalysisisdifficulttofind.EricSantner's recentstudyofWalterBenjamin,RainerMariaRilkeandW.G.Sebaldcarefully mentionsa"centralnarratorfigure,'W.G.Sebald'"(49),conspicuouslyin quotationmarks.Similarly,FriedrichsmeyerinterjectsquicklythatSebald'sstories aretoldthrough"narratorswhomweallknowtobearanoftenuncanny resemblancetotheircreator."(80)Sebald'sformerfriendandcolleague, ChristopherBigsby,wovetogetherSebald'sbiographywithaninterpretationofhis work.However,theclosesthecomestoteasingaparttheroleofautofiction directlyinSebald'sworksisinthefollowingstatement:"Theghost[ofthepast]is withinandhencethekeytoconfrontingitlies,asitwouldforSebald,inpart throughautobiography,inpartthroughfiction,inpartthroughdocumentedtruth, inpartthroughareanimatedhistorycontainedwithinanarrativeofthepresent." (89)ThatSebald'snarratorsareautofictionalavatarsofhimselfseemstohave becomeaforegoneconclusioninSebaldstudies.(SeealsoFurst:220,Morgan: 8788andMcCulloh:1011) TheshorterformatoftheshortstoriescontainedwithinTheEmigrantslendstothe volumeanautofictionalflexibilitywhichSebald'sotherworksperhapsdon'tenjoy. Eventhemuchlongerpiece,MaxFerber/Aurach,canbeboileddowntoafew briefepisodesandautobiographicaldetailsoftimeandplace.Themeetingsare few,thenarrator'sconnectionstoManchesterandthepainterFrankAuerbachcan beestablishedeasily.(Santner:100)Intheotherstoriescontainedinthisvolume, similarsuchconnectionscanbedrawndirectlytoSebald'slifeandexperiencesas mentionedabove.IfSebald'sphotographyhangsbetweentherealmsofhistorical accuracyandhistoricallyinspiredfictionalnarratives,theundeniableconnections betweenSebaldandhisInarrator(s)inthesestoriesshouldalsobeinvestigated. Thetacitassumptionthatthenarratorandauthorarethesameleadstoyet anotherqualifyingcharacteristicofautobiography,despite"smallmismatches" whichseem"accidentalorbesidethepoint"andwhichareoftenadeliberate methodof"keepingthereaderoffbalanceintermsofthebook'sgenre"ashas beenthecaseinotherautofictitiousmemoirs(Adams:62).Whetherornotoneor moreInarratorsarepresent,orifinfactalldetailsrelatingtothisInarrator parallelSebald'sownlife,becomesirrelevant.Itisinsteadtheaestheticand ethicaldimensionoftheautofictitiouseffectSebaldcraftsinhisworkswhichmust betakenintoconsideration.Theveryuncertaintyisthepointofhisproseandhe activelychallengesthereader.Sebald'sgameof"Isthissoorisn'titso?"ismost oftendiscussedinrelationtohisphotography.Hehimselfplainlystatesthathe employsphotographyforarealityeffect,callingphotography"wonderfullyuseful"

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inthisregard.(SebaldandTurner:27)Sebaldnotonlywantsthereadertoask thesequestionsofwhererealityleavesoffandfictionbegins,hewantsusto assumethatheisatleastinpart,butcertainlynotintototellingthetruthinhis ownInarrative. Hedoesthisinmyriadothermannersaswell.Notonlyhisphotography,buthis detaileddescriptionsofrealphysicalspaceshavealsoprovenimportanttohis prose(Furst:220).Evenhisphotographsofticketsandkeys,forexample,serve adocumentarydrivetocataloguetheveracityofthenarrativeconstruction (Sebald2002a:221,226).Eachoftheseistetheredtoanirrepressible"I"of narrativeauthority,whichbecomesagrammaticalaffidavitofauthenticity.J.J. LonghasnotedthatSebald'snarratorsimbricatethemselvesinthestoriesthey aretellingbyusingthemetaphorofsuturing.(137)Thehistoricalreference points,photosandautobiographicalelementscontributefurthertothistechnique. Foritisnotjustthenarratorbutanhistoricalsubject,W.G.Sebald,whoseemsto besuturinghimselfintothesestories.Furthermore,thisisbridgedwiththereader bymeansoftheubiquitous"I"ofhumanexperience.Sebald'sautofictionbrings questionsofautobiographytohistreatmentofthetumultuoustwentiethcentury, butimplicatesthereaderaswellinthisprocessofmourningandrememberingas weask"questionsaboutourselvesandourlifestoriesindirectlybyobserving othersastheystruggletofindanswers."(Eakin:14).Nolongerrelegatedtothe closedsystemofsignificationrenderedbothuncannyandsafeforitsabilityto replicaterealitywithinfantasy,thesecurityoffictionfadesastherealityofthe autobiographicalthreadinSebald'sworkcomestothefore. Sebald'ssometimesdizzyingstylisticmaneuveringsblendhisInarratorstogether, rootingthestoryintherealityoftheInarratorwhichisSebald(oratleasthis autofictionaldoubleheleadsustobelieveitis)andextendingintothestory,into othercharactersandobscuringthefictionalqualitiesofthebookbystainingitwith thepotentialoftruth.McCullohhasnotedthat"amajorthemeinSebald'sworkis theheightenedorintensifiedrealitycreatedbyfiction."(7)Whilethisiscertainly true,thenatureoftheinterplaybetweenrealityandfictioniswhatcraftsthis dynamic.Notsimplytransgressingtheboundariesbetweenrealityandfiction, Sebaldsendshischaractersandhisreadersbetweenthetwountiloneisno longercertainwhereoneendsandanotherbegins.Bywritingfromthe autofictionalperspectivewhichhasbecomehishallmark,Sebaldutilizesthe universalizing"I"ofhisproseasasortofreferentintherealworld.Muchashis photographs"confirmadetailofappearanceor()'document'anevent,"(7)his Inarratorsexploitthe"presumptionoftruthvalue"Eakinunderscores.(Eakin 1992:30).Thisservesasadoubleanchorintherealworld,infusinghisprose withtheethicaldemandsposedbyanyconfrontationeitherdirectorindirect withtheHolocaust,andparticularlyintheformofHolocaustmemoir,foras EphraimSicherhasproclaimed,"nowhereisthedistinctionbetweenfictionand nonfictionsoproblematicasinHolocaustliterature."(xvi)Bycontinually underscoringtheostensiblyfactualbasistohisnarratives,whilesimultaneously questioningrecollection,Sebald'sprosebringstolightnotjustagroupof Holocaustmemoirsinparticular,rathertheproblematicstatusofrepresentation forHolocaustmemoiringeneral.

Sebald'srealityeffect
Sebald'sphotographsareinneedofbeingreadinconjunctionwiththetext,but morespecificallyinconjunctionwiththestyleofnarration.TheautofictionalI narratorwholoomsinthewingsbringsthereaderbacktoquestionsoftruthand

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fictioninnewregisters.AsHeinrichDeteringnotes,thethinlyveiled autobiographicalnarratorW.G.Sebaldeffectsaheightenedfocusonthetruth valueofthephotographsandotherfoundobjects.Havingreallyencountered thesecharacterssoDeteringassumesSebaldhasmeticulouslylistenedtotheir stories,traveledthestationsoftheirlivesandpreservedthematerialobjects (photographs,callingcards,andsoforth)whichtheyhaveleftbehindasameans of"certify[ing]theunbelievabletruths"ofthesestories(85,mytrans.).Inorder tosecurethesenarrativesinatruthofsomekindorother,thestoriespass throughthephotographsandbacktoSebaldhimselfplayingtheroleofanI narratorofanautoficitonalworldrenderedpreciselytocastdoubtuponthe boundariesbetweentruthandfiction,whilereaffirmingtheethicalimperativeto continuetobearwitnesstothetraumatictwentiethcentury.Thisisperhapsthe sortofdynamicbetweenfictionandrealityMcCullohsuggestsliesattheheartof Sebald'sworkwhenhespeaksofSebald's"heightenedorintensifiedreality createdbyfiction"(7) Sebald'sabilitytoaugmentthereferentialpowerofaphotographbytakingitout ofitshistoricalcontextandcreatinganarrativearoundsuchan"accurate" referentoftheworldisherebyreaffirmed.ThephotographicrecordoftheI narrator'scollectionandwritingoftheselifestoriesbecomesitsowncertificateof presenceforasetofmethodologicalapproaches.TheautofictionalInarratoris alsoanautofictionalIphotographer.Sebald'sreorganizationofthereferential natureofhisfoundphotographsfoldsbackuponthenarrativeinthe fictionalizationofhisresearchandcollectionmethods.Perhapsthemostglaring instanceoftheintersectionoffictionandphotographyaretheimagesofAmbros' agenda(Sebald2002a:132,135)whichSebaldadmitsareafalsification. (Angier:13)Thisphotographisinsomesenseevenmoredubiousthanthefaked photooftheNazibookburningin"MaxFerber"(184)sinceitiscontemporary photographmeanttoserveasproofofthenarrator'sownresearchmethods. Sebaldmixescreationwithcollectionliberallytoachievehisworks,playingthe roleofobserverandobservedinhishistoricalmodeofwriting.Inthis fictionalizationoftherealworlditistheInarratorwhomwe,asreaders,are inclinedtobelieve.Thismetanarrativeofthewritingofthestoryasthestory unfoldsblendstemporalboundaries,butalsoservesasaparallelautofictiontothe lifestoriesSebaldcollects.

BhabhaandSebald:PostColonialandPostHolocaust?
WhilethepostcolonialliterarycriticHomiBhabhamayseemthematicallyfar removedfromSebald'spostHolocaustwritings,hisanalysisoftrendsin internationalpostcolonialliteratureandhistheorieslaidoutinTheLocationof CulturemayalsobeusefulinunderstandingSebald'smultimedialtexts. Inreferringtotheprocessofwritingitselfthroughoutthestories,Sebaldnarrates thepassageoftimeinnarration.Inoneparticularcaseneartheendof"Max Ferber",Sebaldupdatesthereaderontheprogressofthefinalpieceofwriting whichthereaderiscurrentlyengaging,stating:"Duringthewinterof1990/91,in thelittlefreetimeIhadIwasworkingontheaccountofMaxFerbergiven above.[]OftenIcouldnotgetonforhoursanddaysatatime,andnot infrequentlyIunraveledwhatIhaddone,continuouslytormentedbyscruplesthat weretakingtighterholdandsteadilyparalysingme."(230)Themultipletime framesandpassageoftimewithinthetextasSebaldjumpsfromgenerationto generationandacrossdecadestoreconstructastory,arealsopresentinthe

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structureofnarrationitself.Sebaldherecombinesyetanothertimeframe:thatof theplot(hisjourneytoBadKissingen)hasbeeninterruptedbythepresentof narration,reflectingontheearlierprocessofcreatingthenarrativeinthewinter of1990/91,whichisthenconsumedbyareaderinanewpresent.This experienceoftimebecomesbothatextualandmetatextualelementwhich Sebaldbringstothereader'sattentiontimeandagain. ThisstructureoftimelagispreciselywhatBhabhadescribesinhistreatmentof postcolonialliteratureandculture.Thechasmoftimebetweentheeventandits narrationbecomesitselfanimportantnegotiationinmeaningandintentionalityin retrospect(Bhabha:183).InthecaseofSebald,thisretrospectiveposition becomesradicallyredefinedasthisprocessofeventandenunciationalready separatedbytimebecomesdividedbetweenmultipleInarratorsandvarious pastsandpresentsinthetextjustasinthenecessarilydiachronicexperienceof viewingaphotograph.Attimes,thesesubjectsevenseemtocompetewithone anotherforthepositionofenunciationasSebaldimbricatesandblendsfirst personnarratorsandprimarydocumentsdirectlyintothepresentnarrativemode (suchasMmeLandau'sextendedmonologuein"PaulBereyter"orthepassages fromthejournalin"AmbrosAdelwarth"). Sebaldisabletotherebyreclaimdiscourseforthemarginalizedbyreenactingthis timelaganditsinherentdisplacementofthepositionofenunciationfromone persontoanother.AsBhabhasaysinhisdiscussionofBarthes'"writingaloud"," [i]tistheartofguidingone'sbodyintodiscourse,insuchawaythatthesubject's accessionto,anderasurein,thesignifierasindividuatedisparadoxically accompaniedbyitsremainder,anafterbirth,adouble."(184)Inthecaseof Sebald,oneseesaliteralizeddoubleofthesubject,materializedandcapturedin theformofaphotographadoubleboundbothtotheirretrievablepastnessof theselostpersonsandtotheuniqueconditionsoftimeandspacewhichbrought aboutthephotograph,matchinganindividualwithaparticularhistoricalmoment. Itwouldseemthattheinclusionofphotographswouldhelptopindownand reinforce(ifnotenforce)theidentityofthesubjectintheformofthesignifier. Oneshouldthereforebeabletoorderthesubjectintoalargerwebofmeaning, givendetailsandimageswhichsupportasetofhistoricalcircumstanceslinkedby theevidencefurnishedbyphotography.However,Sebald'scharactersare anythingbutlocalized,delimitedanduncrypticsignifiers,andthemedialdoubling betweenimageandtextisadoubledfailure,leavingtworemainders,two afterbirths.Similarly,thenarrativedoublingbetweenSebald'scharactersandhis autofictionalInarratorsspawnevenmoreremaindersleftunresolved. Itisthe"completedyetparadoxicallyopenendedexperience"ofreadingSebald's textsinwhich"everythingisinterrelatedbysomesecretorderliness,buteventhe authorisn'tcertainpreciselyhow"(McCulloh:24,22)thatforcesadeteriorationof traditionallytemporallydependentmodelsofnarration.Instead,thesenarratives optforanimagetextandasortofassociativeshufflingofyearsandlives mediatedbyanothersubject,theInarrator,toachieveatoncea"directionand contingentclosurebutnoteleologyorholism."(Bhabha185)TheSebaldianI narratorspecificallyeschewsthetotalizationofateleologicalrecapitulationof events,extendinginalogicalformatfrombeginningtoendorasaflashback whicheruptsatameaningfulmomentorinreferencetoameaningfulphotograph. Insomeways,theveryavoidanceofthesesortsofemotionalhooksinthe narrativestandsasastrategywhichsidestepsasaccharinesentimentality. Whereastraditionalphotographictheorydependsuponthenaturalhuman responsetophotography'sstatusasproof,hereSebaldproblematizesthat seeminglyessentialcharacteristic.Similarly,oneisremindedofEakin'sstatement aboveconcerningtheinherentfaithreadershaveinInarrators(Eakin1992:30) andthecomparablecertificationofproofthegenreofautobiographynormally

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commands. Yet,insteadofcraftingameaningfulrelationshipbetweentheautofictionaltext andreality,inwhichphotographsfunctionastheproofbindingthetwotogetherin asortofgrammarofsignification,thetextcausesthereadertoquestionthe photographsandviceversa.Inobviouscases,aswiththereproductionofthe fakedphotographoftheNazibookburning(184),oursenseofphotographyasa certificateofrealityisquestioned.InmoresubtlemannersasinSebald'slackof captions,unnamedsubjectsandsometimespurposefullyconfusingpositioning therearebreakswiththetraditionalstrategiesofrepresentation.Thephotographs standasobjectsobscuredinmeaningbythetexts:Whoaretheotherpeoplein thecarinthisphotographofPaul'sfather?(53)Thenarratortellsusheisinone schoolhousephoto,butwhichchildishe?(47)Whereandwhenandwithwhom wasthefamilyphotoofMaxFerber'smothertaken?(217)Andinturn,thetexts createafieldofmeaningsandassociationswhichaffectourreadingofthe photographs.Inlightofsuchuse,thenatureofphotographyasacertificateof presencefadesasitbecomesanarrativeinitsownright.Photographsdonot merelytrapamomentintimeratheronereadsthefacesandplaces photographed,investigatingcatechresesofmeaningbetweentextandimage lookingforthatwhichneithercouldintimatealone.Itisneitherthecasethatthe photographsservethetextorthatthetextservesthephotograph,butbotharein adialoguewhichactivelyalterstheperceptionoftheother. Thus,textssomewherebetweenrealityandfictionareaccompaniedby photographsrepositionedwithinthisduplicitousfieldofmeaning,butwhichare themselvestheobjectsofcropping,cutting,contrastmanipulationsandother techniqueswhichopenupthepossibilitytoattacktheirveracity.(Mitchell:30) Whileheardentlymaintainedhis"authenticity"ininterviews,Sebald"invitesdoubt inhistelling"(Zwart:245)andinhisshowing. Bhabha'sargumentsconcerningthehopeforahybriditytocounteractthetime laggedimaginaryhistoricalconstructofapostcolonialconditionwhichsupports racismculminateinhisclaimthat"[i]tispreciselysuchunresolved,transitional momentswithinthedisjunctivepresentofmodernitythatarethenprojectedintoa timeofhistoricalretroversionoraninassimilableplaceoutsidehistory."(Bhabha: 250)IncraftingatextwhichatoncegroundsitselfinpostHolocausttopics,yet choosestofocusondecidedlyquotidianindividualsatsucharemovefromthe normalconstellationofeventsonenormallythinksofundertherubricofthe Holocaust,Sebaldcarefullyapproachesandsimultaneouslyavoidsthelargescale historicaleventoftheHolocaust.Indoingso,heprovidesanewenunciatory spaceforitsvictimsinthoseinassimilableplacesoutsidehistory.Constructed somewherebetweenliteratureandhistory,factandfiction,hisimagesandtexts couldinsomewaysbeseenascontributingtoasortofnonhistoryinthesenseof Bhabha's"neithermodernnorantimodernbutnonmodern."(251) ItisinthismannerthatSebaldmakesasignificantcontributiontotheoriesand ideasconcerningmediaashistoryandmediaasmemory.AsGeorgeKouvaros notes,"Sebald'swritingsarebothameansofcommunicatingwiththedeadand crucialtothewayhewritesthedilemmaofmemoryotherthanasaprocessof consciousremembrance."(174)Inthisanalysis,Kouvarosbringstolightthevery slipperynatureofSebald'suseofphotographywhichmakesitproblematicas history,andyetsocentraltohisnarration.Sebald'snarrativestyleisdependent upontheprocessofrecoveryandthestructureofremembering,bringingstories andphotostobearuponthenarrativenotfromalogical,retrospectiveand teleologicalperspectiveofhindsight,butastheybecomeavailableandallowthe readertoshareinboththeirdiscovery,curiosityandobscurity. Thereadersharesinthenarrativesuturedtothe"I"ofSebald'sautofictitious

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perspectiveandalsoinSebald'snarratingofthenarrativeprocess,therefore doublyimplicatedintheidentificationwithandmourningovertheselostsouls. Sebaldalignsthereaderwiththeactofrecoveryandmourningitself,modelingas itweretheveryprocessofmourninginthestructureofhistextsandimages. Sebald'sinsistenceonnonconventionalstructuresandmeansofcreatingthis experience,hisalmostsubversiveuseofphotographsandtextinconjunctionwith eachothercanbesaidto"confusethecontinuityofhistoricaltemporalities, confoundtheorderingofculturalsymbols,[and]traumatizetradition"insucha wayasto"contestthesententious'conclusion'ofthedisciplineofculturalhistory." (Bhabha:179)Carefullycreatedasahaphazarddocument(Zwart:seeesp.243 and154),photographswhichseemtohaveslippedbeyondthecontrolofthe narratorappearinsomecasespagesawayfromtheirtextualreferent(asinthe caseofAmbrosinTurkishtraditionalcostume).Atothertimesphotosare included,butnotcited,theretosparkthebeginningsofmemory,nottomarkits completionandsignificatoryendpointbroughtunderthereignsofanhistorical explanationortraditionalnarrativeresolution.Itistheunresolvednatureofthese charactersandSebald'smodusoperandiinpresentingthemwhichmovesbeyond traditionalmeansofrepresentingtheeffectsoftheHolocaust,yetstandsasacall forcontinuedattemptsatrepresenting,rememberingandmemorializing.Sebald engagesa"[c]ontemporaryWesternsociety[which]representsaworldinwhich peoplehavelearnedtoseparatepainlesslyfromeverything,wherewhathasbeen lostleavesnoscars,notraces,inthepsychesandphysiognomiesofthe survivors."(Santner1990:67)However,hechoosestounderscoreandperhaps toattemptanalternativemodelagainstthehowofourpainlessseparationinhis styleofnarrationofremembranceaswellasthewhatofourseparationfrom theseobjectsof"spectralmateriality"(seeSantner2006:152157fora discussionofspectralmaterialityandSebald'sphotography)andthelivestowhich theybearwitness.Intheunresolvednatureofthisactofnarrationand remembrance,thephotographsrendertherelationshipsbetweensignifierand signified,betweenrepresentationandreality,betweennarratorsandreaders ambiguous,leavingmoreopenthanclosed,moretoinvestigateandmoreto mournratherthanpresentingaconvenientlypackagedemotionalcatharsiswhich allowsthereadertomovebeyondthetraumasofthetwentiethcentury.

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HavingstudiedandtaughtinChicago,SalzburgandVienna,ToddHeidtis currentlyaPhDcandidateinGermanStudiesattheUniversityofCincinnati,USA. Hisinterestslieintheintersectionsofmultimedialrepresentationandnarration. Hisdissertationfocusesonnarrativestrategiesandmeansofrenderingrealityin filmandliteratureduringtheWeimarRepublic.Hisisalsoservingaseditorin chiefforthejournalFocusonGermanStudiesforthe20072008academicyear.

ThissiteisoptimizedforNetscape6andhigher

sitedesign:SaraRoegiers@Maerlantcentrum

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