“A Personal Odyssey”: Contrapuntal Heroism in the Works of Diana Wynne Jones

Abstract

This study examines one specific aspect of Diana Wynne Jones’ fantasy fiction— her use of multiple, interdependent character identities to craft heroes whose heroic journeys do not necessitate violence or conformity with preset definitions of heroism. These characters’ heroic journeys are inward ones of self-acceptance and empathy rather than outward ones that lead to external conflict. Because their identities are not always fragmented or divided, I use the term contrapuntal to describe them. Counterpoint, in classical music, refers to pieces crafted from two or more similar melodies interwoven together, and thus is a fitting concept to use in describing Jones’ heroes because her heroes’ selves are all slightly different, yet interdependent, and these characters must integrate their multiple selves to utilize their power fully, and act heroically. I suggest that Jones has crafted an innovative modulation of the traditional hero-type: contrapuntal heroism. I have divided contrapuntal heroism into two clusters, relative and relational. Closely examined, Jones’ heroes all fall into one of these two clusters, though they often contain characteristics of both, as the categories are intertwined. The relative hero is one whose heroic journey is inward as much as outward, centered on the acceptance of his or her own selves, a hero who defeats his or her opponents with wit more often than violence. I have chosen the term “relative” for these heroes, because they are all deemed heroic for acts that, under different circumstances, would not be deemed heroic, or considered exceptional. The relational hero is one whose heroism comes directly from his or her relationships with others. These heroes go through a process of self-discovery just like the relative heroes, but in the central conflict, they must work closely with one or more other relational heroes to defeat the antagonist. The defining characteristic of Jones’ heroes is that they all possess multiple identities or selves, and they must accept and embrace all of these selves in order to be heroic. Jones’ treatment of identity stems from the postmodern concept of the decentered self developed by theorists such as Roland Barthes, who suggests that not only is there no “core self” but that the self, the “I,” is purely a linguistic convention (Barthes 145). Jones’ works, published from 1970 right up until her death in 2011, accept Barthes’ claim in many ways, since her characters, when closely examined, do not have unified, scripted stories and selves. Rather, they have multiple, contrapuntal identities that must be integrated for them to become heroes. This study explores a number of Jones’s notable heroes and villains in order to explain contrapuntal heroism and how it functions in Jones’ works. In the first two chapters, I examine heroes who are deceived about their identity, and heroes who adopt disguises, revealing that it is essential for these characters to embrace all their identities in order to become heroes. Finally, in the third chapter, I examine the relationships between three notable villains and their identities, showing that if characters do the opposite—deny or oppress aspects of their identities—they become the villains rather than heroes. I dissect the construction of her villains in order to further explain her heroes. I argue that, for Jones’ protagonists, the acquisition of agency is directly related to their journeys toward self-acceptance and heroism, and that because Jones writes for children and young adults who are in the midst of their own process of self-discovery, this treatment of identities is meant to suggest to her readers that they must accept their multifaceted, contrapuntal identities in order to become heroes in their own lives.