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“Vox Humana” as Postmodern and Post-Structural Text
Toheed Zafar
Post-structuralism and postmodernism are closely related theories that challenge conventional beliefs and widely accepted ideas. Both share a critical approach to literary interpretation and encourage questioning established viewpoints. Post-structuralism focuses on the instability of language and the absence of fixed meanings in texts. It suggests that texts do not have one definitive interpretation, and meaning is shaped by multiple perspectives. Similarly, post-modernism rejects the notion of an objective reality, emphasizing the fluidity of truth and the subjective nature of experience. Together, these theories reveal the contradictions, evolving identities, and internal struggles within a text, illustrating the protagonist’s futile attempts to find peace in a world where meaning and truth are always shifting.
No Ultimate Truth
The protagonist, Harry Gale, drifts aimlessly, reading and writing poetry in an attempt to calm his troubled mind. However, the peace he seeks from these activities is fleeting and temporary. In the text, Harry returns to his hometown, hoping that reconnecting with his roots will bring him the peace of mind he longs for. Yet, his expectations are shattered as he finds no solace there either. This can be interpreted through the post-modernist idea of “no objective truth,” where Harry’s pursuit of peace mirrors the futile attempt to attain an ultimate reality. His efforts to silence the voices in his head reflect a search for a singular, definitive truth.
As a military man, he is familiar with struggle, yet his internal conflict remains unresolved. His failure becomes most apparent when he flees from the village, reinforcing the post-modernist belief that the search for an ultimate truth or reality is impossible, as such a truth does not exist. Post-structuralism further complicates this narrative, as the text reveals that Harry’s understanding of peace is constantly shifting, subject to the instability of language and the multiplicity of interpretations. The very act of seeking peace becomes a reflection of his internal contradictions, as the meaning of peace itself is fluid and elusive.
Multiple interpretations of a single text
The village was not very welcoming towards him except for his sister, Annette. This line “The village had donned a disquieting mask” reveals the behavior of villagers towards him. The word “mask” is very significant as it represents the multiplicity of personalities in a single human. We can relate it with one idea of post-modernism that there are no single interpretations of any text. All of us wear mask of some type according to the person or situation. Similarly, post-modernism argues that there are multiple interpretations of a single text that varies from person to person and situation to situation.
Intertextuality
It is another belief of post-modernism in which a text references to another text. The text is layered with intertextual references, most notably Carl Sandburg’s Chicago Poems. This suggests that Harry uses it to make his judgments and understand things as he seems quite calm after reading it. Harry appreciates Sandburg’s work which creates a dialogue between these two texts accepting their autonomy.
Instability of Language and Social Rituals
The welcome-home party is an example of instability of language and rituals to communicate genuine emotions. The phrases repeated by villagers like “Welcome home!” and “What’s he going to do?” become empty far away from any genuine sentiments. Harry sees the banner, cake and other symbols of celebrations as just hollow gestures like “a funeral.” This demolishes the traditional meaning of these rituals and confirms the idea of post-modernism that language and symbols fail to bridge the gap between individual’s inner realities.
Pastor Philips’s remarks, like “Your arrival was fortuitous” and “Just when she needed a man,” further destabilizes the meaning of this party as his arrival was not good at least until now. This again shows the failure of language to pass the honest expressions. Also Philip’s remarks expose the societal expectations of genders roles and expect a man to provide to his family and that a woman cannot survive without a man in his life.
In conclusion, applying post-structuralism and postmodernism to “Vox Humana” by Ted Morrissey reveals the complexities and contradictions inherent in the text. Through Harry’s failed pursuit of peace, the multiplicity of interpretations in the villagers’ actions, the instability of language and rituals, and the intertextual references to Sandburg’s Chicago Poems, the story underscores the postmodernist idea of no fixed meanings or ultimate truth. The text invites readers to explore the fluidity of identity, the subjective nature of reality, and the limitations of language, highlighting how different perspectives shape our understanding of the world and ourselves.
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Toheed Zafar, a high-achieving student of BS English Literature at the National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, is from Azad Kashmir and is pursuing his dream of graduating from the capital city of Pakistan.
Twelve Winters 