Discussion
This paper proposes that engaging critically with literature can have disruptive and transformative potential by reminding readers of their agency. I draw insights from the work of contemporary Polish novelist Olga Tokarczuk to argue that she achieves this by prompting readers to think critically about the processes of
narration and
interpretationthat bridge the confines of text. They illustrate mechanisms through which we construct meaning in everyday life. To Tokarczuk, grasping these processes is empowering, because it enables us to make more conscious choices in creating meaning, with the potential to reshape the world around us. Reading becomes disruptive and transformative when we reflect on how reality is framed and processed through language in fiction. This happens through analysing not only the content but also the form of literature— what we may call the "how" of storytelling. Tokarczuk asserts that "a fact well known to historians but perhaps (above all) to every stripe of politician and tyrant [is that] he who has and weaves the story is in charge." This statement underscores the power of storytelling in shaping our understanding of the world beyond literature. Tokarczuk emphasises the significance of the act of narrating itself, specifically the decision of which events are treated as important, and which are omitted. By phrasing it this way, (tellingly the quote does not say “he who is in charge has and weaves the story”) she implies that the authority to assign meaning to life events can originate from any individual, rather than solely from external figures such as, for example, political leaders. To Tokarczuk critical engagement with literary methods reveals literature’s potential to disrupt established narratives beyond its textual boundaries, offering a pathway to greater awareness, self-determination, and transformative change. Through her reflections, Tokarczuk illuminates the power of storytelling to interrogate and reshape the frameworks that govern our lives.
