Embodied interconnectedness through synaesthesia: art, intersubjectivity and hypermnesia

Sigalov, Nadine (Nadia) (2024) Embodied interconnectedness through synaesthesia: art, intersubjectivity and hypermnesia. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Abstract

This dissertation explores the convergence of New Materialism, embodied cognition, and synaesthesia within contemporary English-language literature, highlighting how these frameworks challenge traditional dichotomies such as mind/body and human/object. At the core of this study is the concept of embodied interconnectedness, which asserts that our identities and interactions are intricately linked to our physical bodies. Synaesthesia, characterised by cross-modal sensory responses where stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway, acts as a metonym for this interconnectedness. This phenomenon exemplifies the integration of sensory and cognitive processes and the blurring of boundaries between subjective experiences and scientific understanding. Through detailed analyses of four novels – Saudade by Katherine Vaz, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender, The Memory Artists by Jeffrey Moore, and The Beautiful Miscellaneous by Dominic Smith – this research shows how literary narratives can enhance scientific and philosophical understandings of synaesthesia and interconnectedness. Each narrative is examined for its ability to integrate scientific perspectives, particularly those concerning synaesthesia’s role in cognitive processes and sensory perception, with artistic expression. Such integration enriches the dialogue between neuroscientific theories, including those exploring the relationship between mirror-touch synaesthesia and empathy, and literary approaches such as reader-response, neuro-Romanticism and post-postmodernism. Moreover, each novel not only depicts synaesthetic experiences but also challenges and expands contemporary scientific theories through the portrayals of characters’ deeply material and imaginative engagements with the world. This melding of science and art highlights the novels' contributions to our understanding of complex sensory interactions and the resulting implications for art, identity, perception, and the human condition. Ultimately, this dissertation advocates a holistic approach to studying synaesthesia and embodied cognition. I argue that literary narratives offer a unique and invaluable perspective on these phenomena, integrating insights from both humanistic thought and science to promote a reevaluation of disciplinary boundaries.

• Item Type: Thesis (PhD)
• Qualification Level: Doctoral
• Subjects: P Language and Literature > PE English; P Language and Literature > PR English literature
• Colleges/Schools: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > English Literature
• Supervisor's Name: Vlacos, Dr. Sophie and Burn, Professor Stephen
• Date of Award: 2024
• Depositing User: Theses Team
• Unique ID: glathesis:2024-84758
• Copyright: Copyright of this thesis is held by the author.
• Date Deposited: 12 Dec 2024 14:53
• Last Modified: 13 Dec 2024 16:16
• Thesis DOI: 10.5525/gla.thesis.84758
• URI: https://theses.gla.ac.uk/id/eprint/84758