I'm really interested in this theory that Nawshin mentioned in passing during class, but the best I can do right now so I don't lose track of it and my interest in it for the rest of my teaching career / interactions with literature and social structures is copy and paste the ChatGBT summary of it:
Mikhail Bakhtin's concept of carnival refers to a social and literary phenomenon that embodies a spirit of playfulness, laughter, and subversion of established norms. In his work, particularly in "Rabelais and His World," Bakhtin explores how carnival allows for a temporary suspension of hierarchies and social conventions.
During carnival, the usual rules of society are inverted or loosened; it’s a time for freedom, creativity, and the expression of collective identity. This celebration often includes humor, grotesque imagery, and a sense of communal engagement, emphasizing the fluidity of identity and the transformative potential of laughter.
Carnival is not just a physical event but a cultural framework that can influence literature and art, enabling new ways of understanding power, authority, and the self. Bakhtin saw this as a counterpoint to the serious, rigid structures of society, highlighting the importance of dialogue and multiplicity in human experience.
ummm that's amazing
also michel foucault's heterotopia concept.
