THE PINTERESQUE ELEMENTS IN KAZUO ISHIGURO'S “A FAMILY SUPPER”

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to examine the Pinteresque elements in Kazuo Ishiguro's short story titled “A Family Supper” (1982). The emphasis will be on the implications of the Pinteresque as a mood, because today the word is not only a theatrical term but also an adjective in the Online Oxford English Dictionary. As a theatrical term, the Pinteresque can plainly be explained as a set of features which recur in Harold Pinter's plays. Namely, ambiguity of the human condition, uncertainty of the past, use of evasive language, and halting dialogues that are lled with silences and pauses constitute what came to be known as the Pinteresque. The overall feeling in a Pinteresque atmosphere is very tense, strained, and precarious. Additionally, as an adjective, the Pinteresque can perfectly portray such precarious moments in the everyday life of human beings. That is, just as a play or a movie can be Pinteresque, so can a moment in human life. In short, this article treats the term the Pinteresque as an adjective and argues that implicit feeling of menace, ambiguity of the past, present and future, unspoken conflicts and wounds, triviality of the conversation, use of evasive language and frequent silences in Kazuo Ishiguro's “A Family Supper” create a Pinteresque atmosphere.

Keywords

• Pinteresque;
• Harold Pinter
• Kazuo Ishiguro
• “A Family Supper”

Kaynakça

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