Residing in a state of suspension: The dwelling place, revealed by Antigone Kefala, titled The Island
Antigone Kefala, a Greek-descent author who spent her later years in Sydney, penned the novel "The Island" in 1984. This poignant work of literature offers a profound exploration of themes such as displacement, identity, love, and longing, making it a timeless read that resonates deeply with readers today.
The story revolves around the life of a young refugee named Melina, who, like Kefala herself, has experienced the hardships of migration, fleeing from Greece to New Zealand and eventually settling in Australia. Melina's narrative is interwoven with the experiences of her acquaintances, all of whom reside in a "narrow colony" of past-obsessed exiles and intellectuals at a university.
"The Island" delves into the emotional and cultural dislocation that migrants often experience, highlighting the enduring impact of the past and the struggle to reconcile it with the present. Through the characters' contrasting personalities and experiences, Kefala explores how identity is fractured and constructed in the diaspora, emphasizing the tensions and bonds within family and self.
The novel's strength lies in its evocative language and impressionistic style, which convey mood and interiority more than action or story. Readers and critics alike have praised "The Island" for its literary subtlety and powerful emotional depth. Madeleine Watts, in her review for The Nation, emphasizes the novel's focus on themes and stylistic qualities rather than on plot.
Critics have also noted that the plot is "light, not really the point" in "The Island", with the novel's enduring appeal lying in its exploration of exile and identity through the intimate lens of family dynamics. "The Island" features ever-fading memories, religious pressures, and an immigrant exclave, as well as Melina and her friends' refusal to become allegories for the 20th century refugee experience.
Melina, the protagonist, often feels like a "perpetual anachronism", caught between the past and the future, much like the novel itself. "The Island" serves as a significant work in Australian literature, especially notable for its treatment of migrant experiences and the inescapability of the past.
Antigone Kefala, born in Brăila, Romania in 1931, was no stranger to displacement herself. Her family fled to Greece before settling in New Zealand and finally Australia. Kefala's first internationally released novel, "The Island", is available from Transit Books.
The novel "The Island", penned by Antigone Kefala, delves into the literary exploration of a young refugee's life, juxtaposing themes of displacement, identity, love, and longing with the enigmatic lifestyle of intellectuals in a narrow colony. In the novel, books serve as a means for characters to navigate their cultural dislocation and construct their identities. Furthermore, the stylistic qualities of "The Island" offer a profound exploration of exile and identity through an intimate lens, focusing on themes rather than a traditional plot, much like the perpetual anachronism of its protagonist, Melina.
