LANGUAGE IN INDIA

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Volume 25:11 November 2025
ISSN 1930-2940

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         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
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Polyphonic Intersections and Narrative Resistance: A Bakhtinian Reading of Kim Scott's Benang

Ms. Vinaya. G. Naik
Dr. S Selvalakshmi
PL Visalakshi

Abstract

In an era of growing scholarly engagement with decolonial methodologies, the exploration of narrative form as a site of resistance is especially significant. Kim Scott's Benang, a ground-breaking work of Aboriginal Australian literature, offers a compelling case for such inquiry. The novel challenges colonial historiography and explores indigenous identity through an intricately layered narrative. This paper examines Benang through the theoretical lens of Mikhail Bakhtin's concept of Polyphony, which posits the coexistence of multiple, independent voices within a single narrative. By applying Bakhtinian dialogism, the study investigates how Benang gives form to diverse epistemologies including Indigenous oral traditions, colonial archives, ancestral memory and personal trauma, without subsuming them under a single authoritative voice. The novel's fragmented structure and narrative heteroglossia are analysed as intentional literary strategies that disrupt linear history and reflect the cultural ruptures experienced by aboriginal communities. The research employs a qualitative textual analysis methodology, drawing from postcolonial theory and trauma studies to deepen the analysis of narrative voice and resistance. The findings suggest that Scott's use of polyphony is not only an aesthetic innovation but also a political intervention that enables cultural survival and narrative sovereignty. By amplifying historically marginalized voices, Benang transforms the novel into a dialogic space of ethical storytelling. This study contributes to emerging conversations on literary decolonization and affirms polyphony as a vital mode for representing contested histories and complex identities. It also underscores the broader relevance of Bakhtin's theory within postcolonial frameworks, particularly in articulating trauma, memory and identity in settler-colonial contexts.

Keywords:Kim Scott, Benang, Polyphony, Bakhtin, Postcolonial Narrative, Trauma Studies.

Introduction

Polyphony is a literary technique that enables the author to interweave multiple voices, each offering a distinct perspective and narrative. This approach allows for an exploration of diverse themes and issues by incorporating a range of characters and their viewpoints. By presenting diverse voices authors can offer a more complete and nuanced view of complex topics as the characters' experiences and perspectives may differ greatly.

This technique, derived from the term used in music to describe multiple independent melodies interweaving harmoniously, is employed to create a rich, complex narrative texture. In a polyphonic literary work, each character or narrative voice maintains its own unique viewpoint and often has an equal presence in the story, contributing to a multifaceted exploration of themes, events, and issues. This approach contrasts with a univocal narrative, where a single, dominant perspective guides the reader through the story. Polyphony allows for the representation of diverse and sometimes conflicting viewpoints, enhancing the depth and realism of the narrative. It is particularly useful in exploring complex social, cultural, or political themes, as it mirrors the multiplicity of voices and experiences in real life.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Ms. Vinaya. G. Naik
Research Scholar
Karpagam Academy of Higher Education
Coimbatore
&
Dr. S Selvalakshmi
Professor
Department of English
Karpagam Academy of Higher Education
Coimbatore
&
PL Visalakshi
Associate Professor
Department of English
Karpagam Academy of Higher Education

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