LeBlanc, Jim
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Item “Knock Knock": Enabling Dislocution in Finnegans WakeLeBlanc, Jim; Alonso, Sabrina (2019-05)This essay examines a particular type of Joycean “dislocution” in Finnegans Wake, one generated by the insertion of familiar, though distorted intertextual samples from other, more familiar discourses into the Wake’s already heavily dislocuted prose. The structure, content, theme, and even rhythm of these passages precipitate what is actually a doubly dislocutionary effect that paradoxically introduces moments of false clarity into Joyce’s text. They give readers temporary relief from the relentlessly obscure narrative surrounding these interpolations and encourage us to read on. For this reason, we might call this particular type of stylistic detour an enabling dislocution. As an example of this narrative technique and its effect, the authors unpack the discursive interruption that takes place at FW330.30-32, the “knock knock” passage.