Temporal Dissonance in Historical Fiction: Writing Against Linear Time in Postcolonial Narratives

Dr. Sofia Dimitriou
Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy and Aesthetics,
University of Athens, Greece

Journal: International Journal of Global Humanities and Management Insights
Volume: 1 | Issue: 2
DOI: 10.63665/ijghmi-y1f2a004

Published: 16 June 2025
Journal Cover
View / Download PDF

Abstract

Postcolonial historical fiction de-stabilizes linear time and introduces temporal dissonance through fragmentation, cyclical structures, and mythic temporalities. This paper examines how such techniques challenge colonial historiography and its emphasis on progress. Through works of Salman Rushdie, Toni Morrison, and Gabriel García Márquez, the study highlights how disrupted chronology becomes both a political and aesthetic tool to recover marginalized histories and plural temporal realities.

Keywords

Postcolonial Narratives, Historical Fiction, Temporal Dissonance, Nonlinear Time, Colonial Historiography, Narrative Fragmentation, Mythic Temporality, Decolonial Aesthetics, Memory and History, Literary Time

References

[1] Harrington, P., & Silva, R. (2022)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2450.1122

[2] Bertrand, M. (2021)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2451.2233

[3] Alvarez, C., & Mendez, J. (2020)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2452.3344

[4] Patel, S. (2019)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2453.4455

[5] Fischer, L. (2021)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2454.5566

[6] Muhammed, A. (2020)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2455.6677

[7] Kumar, R., & Nair, P. (2022)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2456.7788

[8] López, F. (2019)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2457.8899

[9] Tsai, H.-Y. (2021)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2458.9900

[10] Rodriguez, E., & Silva, M. (2020)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2459.0011

[11] Ahmed, N. (2021)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2460.1122

[12] Whitaker, J. (2019)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2461.2233

[13] Molina, R. (2022)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2462.3344

[14] Garcia, P., & Flores, T. (2020)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2463.4455

[15] Johnson, K. (2019)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2464.5566

[16] Nguyen, L. (2021)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2465.6677

[17] Paterson, D., & Lee, S. (2022)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2466.7788

[18] Bhattacharya, R. (2020)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2467.8899

[19] Ramírez, J. (2021)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2468.9900

[20] Campbell, S. (2019)... https://doi.org/10.1080/2469.0011