Writing a Politics of Perception: Memory, Holography, and Women Writers in Canada

by Dawn Thompson

Writing a Politics of Perception offers new approaches to five novels by women writing in Canada. Dawn Thompson analyses these works through an epistemological theory that shifts critical perspective in surprising ways. Under consideration are two classics of Canadian literature, Nicole Brossard's "Picture Theory" and Margaret Atwood's "Surfacing", as well as three lesser-known Marlene Nourbese Phillip's "Looking for Livingstone", Beatrice Culleton's "In Search of April Raintree", and Régine Robin's "La Québécoite". Thompson develops a theory of 'holographic memory,' in which texts are performances that invite constant revision, remodelling, and interaction between narrative, memory, and, potentially, reality. This theory is informed by de Lauretis's semiotics of subjectivity, Derrida's memoire radicale, and physicist David Bohm's theory of holographic quantum reality. Reading these works of Canadian literature through a theory of holographic memory, Thompson successfully combines literary and cultural studies without sacrificing one to the other. She adds to and creates an alliance between feminist, post-colonial, and marxist theory, furthering political work in each of these areas. The interdisciplinary nature of Writing a Politics of Perception will attract scholars and students in a variety of fields, including Canadian and Québec literature, comparative literature, women's studies, cultural studies, philosophy, and the social sciences.

152 pages, Hardcover

First published May 19, 2000

About the author

Dawn Thompson was a regular columnist featured in women’s special interest publications world and nationwide for over thirty years, one of which CROCHET WORLD, published by House of White Birches, since its inception over twenty-five years ago. She was an award-winning poet, artist, and needlework designer and illustrator, specializing in vintage concepts for today’s woman.

Dawn wrote historical fiction under her own name and that of penname Dawn MacTavish. She primarily wrote Regency Romance, writing both traditional Regencies, and Regency-set historicals and paranormals. She also wrote paranormal romances for both Kensington Books and Dorchester Publishing. Some of her other works include historical paranormals, and Celtic and Norse Medievals, incorporating the history, theology, legend, and lore of her heritage, which was the ongoing focus of her research over the past thirty-five years.

Dawn lived on Long Island, New York until her death, with her double-coated Tuxedo cat, Shadowfax (alias, Miss Fuzz), and Espirit, her scandalous Senegal parrot, an incurable flirt. Since her death, Miss Fuzz resides with author Deborah Macgillivray.

Her favorite books was "Green Darkness" by Anya Seton, and as a tribute, Dawn's books always contained the phrase "green darkness" in some passage of the book.