Time and affect after 9/11: Lavie Tidhar's Osama: a novel

Mcfarlane, A. (2019) Time and affect after 9/11: Lavie Tidhar's Osama: a novel. In: Morgan, G. and Palmer-Patel, C. (eds.) Sideways in Time: Critical Essays on Alternate History Fiction. Series: Liverpool science fiction texts and studies (59). Liverpool University Press, pp. 92-106. ISBN 9781789620139

Abstract

After the Twin Tower attacks of 2001 and the various terrorist atrocities that occurred over the following years, much so-called ‘post-9/11’ literature responded by bringing together themes of terror, trauma, and the experience of time. There is a concern with befores and afters, with the attacks acting as a line that divides history, a traumatic experience of time which is reflected in Sigmund Freud’s understanding of trauma as Nachträglichkeit, or ‘afterwardsness’. These themes of time, terror and trauma are ripe for exploration in alternate history, as in Lavie Tidhar’s 2011 novel Osama. Osama takes place in a world markedly different from our own: most significantly, Osama Bin Laden is not a terrorist but a fictional character in the Osama Bin Laden: Vigilante series of novels. This pulp fiction, published under the pseudonym Mike Longshott, is at the centre of an investigation by Joe, a private detective. Through his investigation Joe faces inconsistencies in his reality, such as the appearance of refugees from another reality. This chapter argues that Tidhar’s novel cannot be categorised unproblematically as alternate history: while some historical facts are altered, and some of the differences between our world and that of the novel can be accounted for by these differences, there are metaphorical and psychological resonances between the worlds as well. Osama consciously works with the discourse of alternate history in several ways to achieve its effects, for example, by echoing the plot of Philip K. Dick’s classic alternate history novel, The Man in the High Castle (1962). However, Osama shows that historiography itself has changed in the aftermath of 9/11 and now demands that the emotional impact of historical events be taken into account by historians, a demand that I argue is recognised by the rise of affect theory in academia. In pursuing this argument, I will turn to Lauren Berlant’s Cruel Optimism (2011) in which she adapts the Freudian Nachträglichkeit to compliment affect theory. This chapter reveals Tidhar’s use of alternate history as a discourse to explore the status of history and alternate history in the aftermath of 9/11. Alternate history, and history itself, become narrative practices undermined by Tidhar’s refusal to anchor the action of his plots to specific dates and names. The time of trauma is non-linear and affective, and this chapter asks how political action or narrative sense can be made possible in such a milieu.

• Item Type: Book Sections
• Keywords: Affect theory, Lavie Tidhar, alternate history, uchronia, alternative history, Berlant, Freud, historiography, science fiction.
• Status: Published
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Mcfarlane, Dr Anna
• Authors: Mcfarlane, A.
• Subjects: P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General); P Language and Literature > PN Literature (General) > PN0080 Criticism; P Language and Literature > PR English literature
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Critical Studies > English Literature
• Publisher: Liverpool University Press
• ISBN: 9781789620139