Defamiliarization

Defamiliarization (also known as ostranenie in Russian Formalism) is a literary technique employed to present familiar things in an unfamiliar or strange light. By altering the reader's perception of the ordinary, it encourages a fresh and critical understanding of the subject matter. This is achieved through various stylistic devices, such as unusual language, distorted perspectives, unexpected juxtapositions, and breaks from conventional narrative structures. The goal is to disrupt the automaticity of perception and evoke a sense of wonder or critical engagement with the world.

Defamiliarization meaning with examples

• Kafka's *Metamorphosis* uses defamiliarization by presenting a man transforming into an insect. This jarring premise forces the reader to re-evaluate their understanding of identity, alienation, and societal expectations. The mundane details of the insect's existence – struggling to move, being ignored by his family – further defamiliarize the reader with human relationships.
• Surrealist art often employed defamiliarization. Artists like Dalí presented everyday objects in bizarre contexts to challenge our preconceived notions of reality and the subconscious. Melting clocks and floating eggs force viewers to question their understanding of time, space, and the logical order of the world. The strange images provoke a fresh way of looking at the world.
• In poetry, defamiliarization can occur through unexpected metaphors and similes. A poet might describe rain as "tears of the sky," moving the reader to experience the commonplace event with fresh appreciation and engagement, avoiding cliché and stimulating fresh thought. This breaks from the ordinary, the familiar, and the well known.
• Filmmakers employ defamiliarization when filming from unusual perspectives, like extreme close-ups of a character's eye or using a distorted lens. Quentin Tarantino is famous for these instances, such as in *Pulp Fiction*, where viewers are forced to confront the ordinary in a new light, heightening tension and generating an emotional response.
• Some modern novelists may employ a fragmented narrative structure, such as in James Joyce's *Ulysses*, to disrupt readers' expectations. Disorienting the reader in their reading experience, the characters, plot, and themes, making the reader engage actively with the text, forcing a re-evaluation of the narrative and our perception of the story.