Life, Art, and Consciousness in the Fiction of Murray Bail
Keywords:
Murray Bail, consciousness, psychologism, Australian literature, storytelling, narrative identity, Eucalyptus.Abstract
Murray Bail is widely recognized as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Australian literature. His fiction is characterized by innovative narrative structures, philosophical inquiry, and a unique exploration of human consciousness. Rather than relying on traditional psychological analysis, Bail often examines the complexities of human experience through symbolism, storytelling, and unconventional narrative techniques. This article explores the interrelationship between life, art, and consciousness in Bail’s fiction, with particular attention to Homesickness and Eucalyptus. Drawing upon theories of narrative consciousness and literary psychologism, the study argues that Bail constructs an alternative model of representing human consciousness in which storytelling becomes a central mechanism of self-discovery and psychological transformation.
References
Bail, M. (1980). Homesickness. Angus & Robertson.
Bail, M. (1998). Eucalyptus. Text Publishing.
Brooks, P. (1984). Reading for the plot: Design and intention in narrative. Harvard University Press.
Bruner, J. (2002). Making stories: Law, literature, life. Harvard University Press.
Cohn, D. (1978). Transparent minds: Narrative modes for presenting consciousness in fiction. Princeton University Press.
Pierce, P. (Ed.). (2009). The Cambridge history of Australian literature. Cambridge University Press.
Ricoeur, P. (1992). Oneself as another. University of Chicago Press.
Rooks, A. (2007). Parodying patriarchy: Murray Bail's Eucalyptus and the “logic” of domination. LINQ, 34, 24–33.
