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Article: (Anti-)utopian elements in Uwe Johnson's 'Jahrestage': traces of Ernst Bloch.
- Article from:
- The Germanic Review
- Article date:
- January 1, 1993
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1993 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Uwe Johnson's masterful and frequent use of factographic material has led some critics to draw the conclusion that no utopia or cause for hope is reflected in Jahrestage.(1) The concreteness of cataclysm, however, does not render a concreteness of utopia impossible, especially if it exists only in impulses and is not ready-made. Admittedly, Jahrestage does not offer readers a concrete utopia but rather utopian impulses recognized and noted by Gesine Cresspahl. These impulses indicate a possibility of significant social progress and change, which remains an ongoing theme throughout Jahrestage. The discontent that Gesine bears concerning human conditions constitutes her ...