Otherness as a Vantage Point
In a world that sometimes feels divided, the concept of 'otherness' emerges as a powerful lens through which we can explore identity as it exists on the fringes and in the spaces in between. Otherness is a position: a vantage point shaped by distance and difference, where belonging and connection appear to falter but also one that can be owned and celebrated.
Writing about life in liminal spaces, on the edges of experience, invites us to consider characters and narratives that shape our understanding of ourselves and others.
This blog post considers the significance of otherness in writing, offering insights and tips for writing compelling narratives that resonate with readers.
Writing About Otherness
Otherness refers to a state of being different; of thinking about or seeing the world differently. It can manifest in various forms, through cultural, social, geographical and personal identities, and can tap into deep psychologies, rich sensory detail and introspective narratives. Otherness can be told from the outside looking in or from the inside looking out.
In literature, exploring otherness allows us as writers to challenge norms, question societal structures and give voice to marginalised perspectives. It allows us to understand and embrace perspectives and ideologies that sit outside of the mainstream.
The Importance of Otherness in Writing
Broadening Perspectives: Writing about otherness encourages both the writer and the reader to step outside their comfort zones. It encourages empathy and understanding by presenting experiences that differ from their own.
Challenging Stereotypes: By portraying characters and narratives that embody otherness, writers can dismantle stereotypes and promote a more nuanced understanding of diverse identities, worldviews or places.
Creating Connections: Stories that explore otherness often resonate deeply with readers as they still reflect universal themes of belonging, identity and the search for meaning.
Liminal Press: writing from the spaces in between
Liminal spaces are the in-between places and moments that exist at the threshold of change.
Examples
Physical Spaces: Airports, train stations and bridges are classic examples of liminal spaces, as are abandoned rooms, derelict buildings, empty streets and places previously inhabited - the empty theatre or abandoned hospital. They represent transition and a state of change. Other examples include geographical contexts that sit outside of or on the borders of cities or civilisation. The lonely house on the island; the silent lighthouse looking out across a vast sea; the sleeping hamlet.
Emotional States: Moments of grief, joy, apprehension or confusion can also be seen as liminal. These emotional thresholds can lead to profound personal growth and understanding which can lead to interesting character development. Other examples include isolation, dissociation, moral ambiguity, longing, anticipation, dream states or identity crises.
Social or Cultural Contexts: In multicultural societies, individuals often navigate liminal spaces between cultural identities, leading to unique experiences and narratives. Others include the spaces between known and emerging identities as characters transition from one to another, leading to joy, conflict, estrangement, loneliness or social isolation.
Temporal or Symbolic: Doorways, mirrors that hang between self and reflection, rivers that flow between landmasses or between life and death. Twilight, dusk, New Year's Eve or waiting rooms.
Writing Otherness and Liminal Spaces
To effectively write about otherness and liminal spaces, consider the following:
1. Using Vivid Imagery
Imagery plays a crucial role in transporting readers to the liminal spaces or states that you wish to explore. Use descriptive language to evoke the senses, blur perceptions, create atmospheres and a sense of place.
2. Writing Complex Characters
Characters that embody otherness should be multi-dimensional. You might withhold some of their character to give the reader a heightened sense of this, or tell us everything. How do they interact with their otherness or the world in which they live? How are they positioned in relation to the mainstream; to the myriad of lights blinking on the horizon or to the in-crowd and their dominant ideologies? Use detail, objects of reference and sensory impressions to bring stories to life. This complexity allows readers to connect on a deeper level.
3. Incorporate Dialogue
Dialogue can reveal cultural nuances and personal experiences. You can use it to showcase characters' voices and perspectives. Dialogue provides writers with a valuable tool with which to express a character's differences, their struggles and hopes, their contentment and their worldview.
4. Embrace Ambiguity
Liminal spaces are often characterised by uncertainty. Embrace this ambiguity in your writing. Allow characters to grapple with their identities and experiences, or to own, celebrate and embody them.
5. Use Symbolism
Symbols can enhance the themes of otherness and transformation. Consider using objects, colours, objects or settings that represent change, identity or cultural significance.
Case Studies
1. Open City by Teju Cole
'I was a wanderer in the city, a flâneur, not a foreigner but not quite a citizen either.'
'I felt myself becoming a ghost in my own life'
Quotes from Open City by Teju Cole
In Open City, the protagonist Julius is a flâneur: an observer wandering around New York. He occupies many 'third spaces' or liminal zones, existing between cultures and, as a result, fractured identities. He is a migrant which places him in a state of in-betweenness. The novel explores this by providing a rich palette of perceptions and memories.
2. The Pigeon by Patrick Süskind
'His life was no longer his own.'
'He was no longer certain of anything.'
Quotes from The Pigeon by Patrick Suskind
In The Pigeon, the protagonist Jonathan Noel experiences a complete psychological rupture when he finds a pigeon sitting outside his apartment door. That doorway, a literal threshold, becomes the site of panic, disorientation, loss of identity and existential crisis. This is classic liminality: a moment where the familiar becomes uncanny and the self becomes unstable. Noel exists entirely in isolation: not fully participating in society; suspended in an in-between state.
3. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
'Every time he glimpsed the reflection of his ugly zombie’s hobble… he would feel sickened.'
'My life...my life'
Quotes from A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara
In A Little Life, Jude exists in a perpetual in‑between state: between intimacy and withdrawal, desire and shame, selfhood and self‑obliteration. His queer identity is never stable, it is shaped by trauma, secrecy and a constant sense of being almost connected but never fully able to inhabit love. The book explores liminality as it relates to queer identity, trauma, belonging and self-erasure. The quotes above are examples of the body as a liminal space, of mental dissociation and a moment between endurance and collapse.
Embracing Otherness in Your Writing Journey
By exploring themes of liminality from the vantage point of otherness, you contribute to a broader understanding of identity and culture. Your words have the power to foster empathy, challenge perceptions and create connections.
As you embark on your writing journey, remember to embrace the complexities of otherness. Allow your characters to navigate their liminal spaces and invite your readers to join them on their journey. Through your writing, you can illuminate the beauty of diversity and the richness of human experience.
Now, take a moment to reflect on your own experiences of otherness. How can you incorporate these insights into your writing? The world is waiting for your unique voice and perspective, and the voices of your characters and narrators, and Liminal Press invites you to submit work that explores these themes.
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