Space, memory, and community in Paul Auster's In the country of last things

Abstract

The scope of this work is to understand the ways in which different elements concerning a postmodern view of Paul Auster’s In the Country of Last Things come together to conform a comprehensive understanding of this narrative. I plan on considering urban subjects and their movements within the city by means of space ―the place they occupy inside the city, their activities―how they plan on surviving, and the ways in which history and memory collide to form a sense of community that is long gone. Also, elements such as the city itself as a place where interactions between people living in duress are conducted, and the space as background for those interactions. All of these aspects will play part in finally acknowledging to what extent is this a city of ‘Last things’ a place which is on the verge of destruction, but that recycles and transforms the last things into new ones. This will take on the form of the point of view of a newcomer to the city, someone who experiences these new situations as she finds herself into them, with the fresh eyes of someone who has been outside it, and understands what the difficulties are in finding a sense of belonging in a place which does not lend itself to do so, but in doing so finds herself entangled in the city’s movements.