Article 1     Pages: 1-6

Existential Displacement and Postmodernism in Rhys’s After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie

Prof. Bhagwat C. Patil

Assistant Professor, JDMVP Co. Seaman's Shrsi S. S. Patil Arts, Shri Bhausaheb T.T. Salunkhe Commerce & Shri G. R. Pandit Science College, Jalgaon

Date of Publication: 30 Dec 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14975984

Abstract

The present research paper examines themes of existential displacement and postmodernism in Jean Rhys’s After Leaving Mr. Mackenzie, highlighting how the novel navigates alienation, fragmented identity, and societal estrangement. Through the protagonist Julia Martin’s experiences as an expatriate in Paris, Rhys portrays a woman grappling with self-worth in an ndifferent, rapidly changing world. Employing postmodern techniques such as narrative fragmentation, unreliable narration, and an emphasis on subjective reality, Rhys effectively estabilizes traditional constructs of identity, presenting Julia’s life as a fluid, ever-shifting struggle for coherence. The paper also reveals how the protagonist’s personal crises echo larger postmodern critiques of a society that both ostracizes and ignores the marginalized, particularly women. By situating Julia’s story within these frameworks, Rhys exposes the psychological toll of social alienation and challenges readers to reconsider the nature of identity, dislocation, and the search for meaning in a world marked by emotional and existential uncertainty.

Key Words: existential displacement, postmodernism, alienation, fragmented identity, societal estrangement