Introspection and Consciousness of the Self in Two Novels
The novels Hour of the Star by Clarice Lispector and Jealousy by Alain Robbe-Grillet both promote main characters which demonstrate highly introspective natures. Both LispectorÂ’s main character of Macabea and Robbe-GrilletÂ’s personified and unnamed narrator tend to avoid conversation, and thus act as witnesses to their surroundings. As a result of this reluctance to communicate, the main characters of both novels appear highly detached from their environments and yet able to perceive elements within secondary characters and the setting which would be missed by more active participants. Yet, curiously, the characters of Macabea and the nameless narrator do not lend a degree of omnipotence to the novels, as typically occurs with main characters that are more passive than active. Rather, these figures are powerful only within the context of their own minds: Their natures enable them to approach life through a specific and extremely permanent mindset, which can only be successful when translated to their personal interactions and environment. Introspection in both novels is therefore not a path towards either a higher state of personal consciousness or a suggestion of an omnipotent nature, but rather suggests that the main characters are not fully aware of their roles in life.
