Manhattan Dynamite and no pancakes: Tradition and normality in the work of Tove Jansson

TY - JOUR

T1 - Manhattan Dynamite and no pancakes

T2 - Tradition and normality in the work of Tove Jansson

AU - Zahavi, Dan

PY - 2018/7/26

Y1 - 2018/7/26

N2 - It is not uncommon to read the Moomin tales through existentialist lenses. Although there might be natural reasons for focusing on and privileging the nine classical Moomin books, it would, however, be a mistake to overlook Jansson's comic strips. This is so, not only because of the quality of Jansson's drawings and because of the way she innovatively worked with and developed that graphic medium, but certainly also because of the stories they contain. When read alongside the books, the comic strips add important aspects and nuances to Jansson's portrayal of human existence. By allowing herself the freedom to radically change the setting and scenery of the stories, Jansson was able to explore quite different topics than was possible in the novels, and in particular to offer a somewhat different account of the role of customs, normality and tradition.

AB - It is not uncommon to read the Moomin tales through existentialist lenses. Although there might be natural reasons for focusing on and privileging the nine classical Moomin books, it would, however, be a mistake to overlook Jansson's comic strips. This is so, not only because of the quality of Jansson's drawings and because of the way she innovatively worked with and developed that graphic medium, but certainly also because of the stories they contain. When read alongside the books, the comic strips add important aspects and nuances to Jansson's portrayal of human existence. By allowing herself the freedom to radically change the setting and scenery of the stories, Jansson was able to explore quite different topics than was possible in the novels, and in particular to offer a somewhat different account of the role of customs, normality and tradition.

U2 - 10.1515/sats-2017-3001

DO - 10.1515/sats-2017-3001

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1600-1974

VL - 19

SP - 5

EP - 19

JO - SATS - Northern European Journal of Philosophy

JF - SATS - Northern European Journal of Philosophy

IS - 1

ER -