GENRE EXPERIMENT IN ASIA: A CIXOUSIAN READING OF ELIF SHAFAK’S MEMOIR, "BLACK MILK"

Abstract

This article examines the narration and point of view in Elif Shafak’s memoir, Black Milk, which deviates from the traditional, self-centred narrative structure of the genre. Shafak employs various techniques to create a more diverse form of narration, which, in some aspects, overlaps with Hélène Cixous's principles of feminine writing. Her memoir not only recounts personal memories but also engages with broader themes and voices, creating a narrative that extends beyond the individual self. A similar trend is also observable in some Malaysian writers, such as Shih-Li Kow, who employs various tools to write her experimental novel, The Sum of Our Follies. This inclusive approach in writing can be understood through the lens of Cixous's ideas, which challenge conventional writing forms and allow different voices and texts to interact. This article argues that Shafak has written her memoir by adapting Western theories of memoir writing to demonstrate her own experimental and personal writing strategies, which reflect her cultural background. This approach serves as a reminder of Cixous’ definition of feminine writing, and I believe some traces of it are also observable in other Asian female writers, such as in Kow’s novel.

Keywords: Experimental writing, Memoir, Feminine writing, Genre