Fünfzehn by Mia Mercier

Reiner Kunze

MiaMercier — 2020-11-27 14:26:58 UTC

- Born August 16th 1933 (age 87 years) in Oelsnitz, Saxony, East Germany ^[1]

- Still-living writer and GDR dissident ^[1]

- Studied media and journalism at the University of Leipzig ^[1]

- Had to publish his work under pseudonyms

- Often wrote with critical insights into life behind the Iron Curtain

- In 1977 he was expatriated by the GDR, and he moved to West Germany (right after which he wrote this text) ^[1]

_{1. (“Reiner Kunze - Fearless Critic of the Soviet Regime in East Germany” [n.d.])}

Themes and Narration

MiaMercier — 2020-11-27 14:40:53 UTC

Themes:
- Youth/ Coming of age
- Belonging
- Family dynamics
- Relationships
- Ageing and Identity

“Sie ist fünfzehn Jahre alt und gibt nichts auf die Meinung uralter Leute-das sind alle Leute über dreißig.”
“Ich bin über dreißig.” ^[2]

Narrative Perspective:

- Inner monologue from father's P.O.V
- Thought narrated in first person

“Ich muß mich auch der Versuchung erwehren, diese Nichtigkeiten ins Blickfeld zu rücken [...]” ^[2]

Narration of speech:
- Direct speech from father and daughter towards end

"Und warum bauen die ihre Nester gerade bei mir unterm Bett?" ^[2]

Narration of place:
- Set largely in daughter's bedroom
- Prepositions help to explore the space

"Auf den Möbeln ihres Zimmers flockt der Staub, Unter ihrem Bett wallt er." ^[2]

Narration of time:
- Mostly following father's stream of consciousness - no real sense of time
- However he recalls a past event, switching from present to past tense

"Einmal bin ich dieser Versuchung erlegen." ^[2]

_{2. (“Fünfzehn” 1978)}

Links to ‘Haare’

caoimhemcguinness1 — 2020-11-27 14:41:16 UTC

Thematic Links:
- Both link material objects to identity.

- In Haare girl cuts off hair, severing its ties w/ her identity, whereas girl in Fuenfzehn holds onto her material posessions

“Der Friseur schneidet ueber einen halben Meter ab”^[3]

“Ihre Hausschuhe standen auf dem Klavier. , Die stelle ich jetzt immer dorthin", sagte sie. ,, Damit keine Spinnen hineinkriechen können." ^[2]

- Both deal with identity and relationships

“Warum es meiner Mutter ausgerechnet am Vorabend eines ersten Mai einfallen muss, sie kurz zu schneiden, weiss inzwischen niemand mehr.”^[3]

Character Links

-Main characters v similar- rebellious, obstinate

-Both in first person but different perspectives- father and girl.

-Funfzehn explores one specific age whereas Haare explores several ages

“Sie ist fünfzehn Jahre alt und gibt nichts auf die Meinung uralter Leute-das sind alle Leute über dreißig.” ^[2]

“Als ich drei Jahre alt bin” “Als ich sechszehn bin” ^[3]

_{2. (“Fünfzehn” 1978)
3.( “Haare,” 2010)}

Survival Vocabulary

caoimhemcguinness1 — 2020-11-27 14:52:23 UTC

30 nouns, verbs and adjectives.

Bibliography

MiaMercier — 2020-12-03 13:49:04 UTC

1. “Reiner Kunze - Fearless Critic of the Soviet Regime in East Germany.” [n.d.]. en.gariwo.net , par. 1-4, [accessed 3 December 2020]

2. Kunze, Reiner, “Fünfzehn,” in Die Wunderbaren Jahre (Frankfurt am Main: Büchergilde Gutenberg,1978), pp. 219-20

3. Erpenbeck, Jenny, “Haare,” in Kürzestgeschichten, ed. by Christine Hummel (Stuttgart: Reclam, 2010), pp. 103–6

Characters and Plot

caoimhemcguinness1 — 2020-12-03 21:06:37 UTC

Characters
- 3 main characters : Daughter, Father, Mother
-All unnamed

Plot
-Fathers P.O.V - character analysis of his teenage daughter

"Könnte einer von ihnen sie verstehen, selbst wenn er sich bemühen würde? Ich bin über dreißig." ^[2]

- Uses spider anecdote as supporting evidence for his analysis
- Daughter, although rebellious and acts tough, is scared of spiders
- Reveals his relationship with daughter through analysis
_{2. (“Fünfzehn” 1978)}