Steps Leading Nowhere?: The Forming of the Self in the Hungarian-American Imagination

Type of Abstract (select): Paper presentation

Abstract (max. 250 words):
My exploration of lost identities, inspired by my great-grandfather's experience during a period of anti-Hungarian sentiment in the American Rust Belt, has led me to investigate how these identities can be reclaimed through narrative, both fictional and historical. This paper, titled “Steps Leading Nowhere?: Forming the Self in the Hungarian-American Imagination" seeks to provide a nuanced understanding of Hungarian cultural ideas surrounding identity formation by delving into the mother-child relationship in Attila Bartis’ Tranquility and Magda Szabó’s Iza’s Ballad, with the father-child relationship in Gábor Schein’s The Book of Mordechai and Lazarus. While not claiming representation of Hungarian literature as a whole, the psychological depth, social critique, and narrative structure of these authors merit attention from an American audience. This study contributes to the scholarly discourse on identity formation through a comparative analysis of these distinct works, offering unique insights into how we define and reclaim lost identities. The goal is to unravel cultural nuances in these narratives, transcending traditional boundaries and fostering an international dialogue on the meaning of the self. Examining diverse narrative structures—from Bartis’ fractional and experimental form to Szabó’s traditional approach and Schein’s linked-novel structure—the study aims to uncover the multifaceted nature of identity formation. Understanding how the “self” takes on meaning culturally enables insights into how a nation’s ideas influence its global context.


Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
G. W. Currier earned his Ph.D. in fiction rhetorics and literature in 2023 and is currently teaching at the University of Debrecen through a Fulbright English Teaching Award.