Off Centre.

6 Ina Schabert’s definition of “foot-off-the-ground” novels forms an important context for an investigation of eccentricity. Her notion of a movement to an “elsewhere” gives an idea of where eccentric texts are headed for. In Schabert’s treatment, foot-off-the-ground novels mainly focus on the “foot-off-the-ground person” who displays an indifferent attitude towards society, to whom “die reale, gesellschaftliche Welt an den Rand der Aufmerksamkeit [rückt]” (Smith 39; Schabert 159). This essay takes this indifference as one of the defining marks of a literature which may be termed “eccentric” and seeks to extend the scope of this indifferent attitude to reach beyond the characters into the field of literary technique. As this essay will show, Isak Dinesen’s short story “The Deluge At Norderney” features not only eccentric characters who pursue their ways in an unconcerned and carefree manner, “mit stiller Selbstverständlichkeit” (Schabert 154), but also displays a form of eccentricity that is apparent on a textual level.

7 With regard to the heroines of “foot-off-the-ground-novels,” Schabert points out that they are very often “Old Maids, die sich mit ihrem Schattendasein nicht identifizieren,” who do not identify with the role society has in store for them, and old women, “die sich jenseits von Gut und Böse wähnen,” who think they are beyond the categories of “good and evil” (154). This description perfectly matches Miss Malin Nat-og-Dag, one of the main characters of “The Deluge,” who chooses to live her life in a reality she modifies and creates at her pleasure with little regard for societal norms – she is notorious for fearlessly letting her imagination run wild. Yet at the same time she is aware of the fact that she cannot act out her fantasies in the society she lives in. Instead of loudly passing criticism on her surroundings, she uses her imagination to create her own reality without relying on established norms, an inner life so spectacularly her own that as the narrator ironically remarks “[no] young woman could, even from a nun’s cell, have thrown herself into the imaginary excesses of Miss Malin without fear and trembling” (Dinesen 134).

8 As the following passage shows, Miss Malin displays various features of foot-off-the-ground characters. For instance, the reader learns that she does not attempt to blend into her surroundings but follows her own rules without paying any attention to social expectations but also without confronting those expectations. As Schabert notes, the heroic is not what such characters are interested in: they are “anders ohne subversive Absicht” (Schabert 154, my emphasis). In line with this description, society perceives Miss Malin as “a little off her head” (Dinesen 130). The society she moves in does not seem to know what to make of her and her behaviour and therefore classifies her as mad, but only “a little.” The narrator hints at the fact that there remain doubts as to whether she is actually mad or simply pretending to be; had she

been given the choice of returning to her former reasonable state, and had been capable of realizing the meaning of the offer, she might have declined it on the ground that you have in reality more fun out of life when a little off your head. (130)

9 Miss Malin does not actively seek to overthrow or flaunt the rules and conventions set up by her fellow beings. She moves freely within society and remains blissfully unconcerned regarding “what sort of figure she [cuts]” (131). It is indicative of foot-off-the-ground novels that their protagonists never face real danger; that “trotz ihres Leichtsinns [ihnen] nichts wirklich Schlimmes zustoßen [kann]” (Schabert 157). In this respect, Miss Malin differs from the exemplary foot-off-the-ground person: although the short story has an open ending, there are certain passages that foreshadow her death. However, Miss Malin does not show any fear of the imminent danger; the narrator describes her as “perfectly indifferent to what should become of her” (Dinesen 124).

10 Strikingly, Miss Malin’s full name is “Miss Malin Nat-og-Dag,” that is, Miss Night-and-Day. At first glance, her name represents contradictory elements; however, the coordinating conjunction “and” gives an indication of their inextricability. Seemingly opposing elements can also be found in the motto of the Nat-og-Dag family, “The sour with the sweet” (150). The preposition “with” suggests a close connection between the two binary terms and foreshadows Miss Malin’s indifferent attitude towards life. Throughout the story it becomes apparent that the statements she makes very often include contradictory elements that undermine opinions she voices in other passages. Miss Malin is not governed by any coherent point of view but expresses freely what she believes to be true – or maybe just amusing – at any given moment in time. She does not act subversively and does not deconstruct oppositions in order to change established “truths”; Miss Malin has no interest in converting people and is nonchalantly indifferent to conventions and hierarchical beliefs. It is this mixture of indifference and particularity that for the purpose of this essay we will take to be the defining characteristic of eccentricity. And it is in this respect that Miss Malin perfectly mirrors the main tenor of the short story as a whole. This effect is the result of a narrative technique which relies on a constant shifting of focus and a narrative non-commitment to the events narrated. The hypothesis I will be working on is that eccentric texts are precisely such texts which translate what I have described as the characteristics of the “eccentric” Miss Malin into their own artistic vision and literary technique. They will therefore avoid centring themselves in terms of narrative or content; they will maintain an indifference to the various worlds and world views narrated in them.