On Belonging and Not Belonging

This book explores themes of translation, migration, and displacement through the lens of various artists, asking what it means to belong or not belong.

In On Belonging and Not Belonging, Mary Jacobus delves into the intricate themes of translation, migration, and displacement as they manifest in the works of renowned artists throughout history. By examining the limitations and possibilities of translation, she highlights the voices of authors like Jhumpa Lahiri and David Malouf. Additionally, she explores the shifting borders and their impact on the writings of literary figures such as Eugenio Montale, W. G. Sebald, and Colm Tóibín. Jacobus’s insightful readings illuminate how these creators navigate narratives of language, identity, and exile, ultimately posing the question of what it means to identify as—or with—an outsider.

Jacobus intertwines various threads, including walls and border crossings, nomadic wanderings, and the deep desire for home. She draws on a wide range of experiences, from Ovid’s exile to Elizabeth Bishop’s reflections in Nova Scotia and Brazil, as well as Walter Benjamin’s childhood in Berlin and the wilderness of Sophocles’s Antigone. Throughout On Belonging and Not Belonging, she emphasizes the themes of transformation, translocation, and the emotional weight of journeys, partings, and returns, while confronting the complexities of memory and the past.

This work not only engages with human experiences that resonate across time but also offers a profound exploration of the concepts of inclusion and exclusion, making On Belonging and Not Belonging a significant contribution to contemporary discussions on identity and belonging.