Michelle de Kretser's novel 'Theory and Practice' challenges conventional narrative forms by intertwining fiction and memoir. The story, set against the backdrop of Melbourne University in the 1980s, follows a young Sri Lankan-Australian woman and artfully utilizes non-fictional devices, prompting readers to question the nature of reality in literature. The novel was recognized with the Stella Prize, celebrating its innovative approach and relatable, humorous take on serious themes, including the complexities of identity and life experiences. Despite its semi-autobiographical elements, de Kretser emphasizes the fictional aspects of her narrative process.
"I wanted to write a novel where the reader thinks it isn't a novel because I'm using nonfictional devices and forms."
"The Stella prize judges called it a brilliantly auto-fictive knot and a sharp examination of the complex pleasures and costs of living."
"For me, being funny is a way of being very serious."
"While she did attend Melbourne University in the 1980s, she didn't study English literature; nor did she undertake a thesis on Virginia Woolf, as her protagonist does."
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