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An Experiential Diasporic Narrative of Free Indirect Discourse:

A Review of Imbolo Mbue’s Behold the Dreamers through Monika Fludernik’s Dual Voice Theory
  • Soghra Nodeh EMAIL logo und Niloo Khosravi Fasaei
Veröffentlicht/Copyright: 27. Mai 2025
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Abstract

Imbolo Mbue’s experiential novel Behold the Dreamers narrates the story of African protagonists who embark on a journey to fulfill their aspirations of a better life promised through the American Dream but, as outsiders, are hindered from achieving it. Employing free indirect discourse and the experiential dual voice narrative technique, Mbue explores the nuanced dichotomy of the American Dream narrative as a tapestry of utopian ideals and a flawed Western construct. The present study aims to analyze Mbue’s Behold the Dreamers through Monika Fludernik’s ‘dual voice hypothesis’ based on which the author blends the authorial/narratorial voice with the characters’ perspectives through free indirect discourse narration. Moving beyond the cultural and contextual analysis of Mbue’s novel, the present study investigates how the author’s narrative technique bridges the gap between real-life experience and semiotic representations of the novel, allowing readers to have access to the experiences of the author and the characters. The main finding of the present study is that Mbue’s narrative technique serves to unravel a contradictory notion of the American Dream by shedding light on the complexities of American immigration policies which prevent outsiders from achieving that dream. The research concludes that this narrative technique enriches the readers’ understanding of the immigrants’ lives and offers valuable insights into human experience and the pursuit of dreams in a changing world.

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Online erschienen: 2025-05-27
Erschienen im Druck: 2025-05-27

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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