In the story "Demonology," the intertwining of personal and intellectual struggles unfolds through a unique narrative style that embodies postmodern aesthetics. This exploration of themes of mortality and identity is achieved by blending arcane knowledge with everyday language, all while employing postmodern techniques to underscore the narrative’s reflective self-consciousness. Yet, the story transcends conventional postmodernism by emphasizing individual agency and the limitations of discourse in capturing the essence of human experience.

Contrasting Registers and Language

The title "Demonology" alludes to both scholarly works on demonic lore and the narrator’s personal battles with metaphorical demons. This duality in meaning reflects the narrative's stylistic blend of the mystical and the mundane, effectively illustrating postmodernism's tendency to oscillate between different linguistic registers. Throughout the story, there is a seamless fusion of religious diction with colloquial expressions, as the narrator navigates between his intellectual musings and the ordinary aspects of his sister Meredith's life. This stylistic choice mirrors postmodernism's acknowledgment of the limitations inherent in language and representation.

Exploring Taxonomy and Literary Allusion

The narrator’s desire to categorize reality is evident in his contemplation over the species of shark depicted by his nephew’s costume. In contrast, Meredith's approach to life is more pragmatic, focused on the immediate and tangible aspects of daily existence. The narrator's repetitive use of the word "never" when describing Meredith’s morning routine subtly references King Lear’s lament for Cordelia, integrating a classical allusion into a series of fragmented sentences. This technique aligns with postmodern aesthetics, favoring parataxis—juxtaposing phrases without explicit connections—over traditional narrative synthesis.

Parataxis and Narrative Pacing

The story’s reliance on parataxis becomes particularly pronounced as it approaches its climax. The narrator’s quick succession of observations preceding Meredith’s seizure avoids establishing a direct causal relationship, instead creating a rhythm that reflects his reluctance to confront the impending tragedy. By deliberately decelerating the narrative's pace, the author, Rick Moody, mirrors the narrator’s internal struggle with the structural and stylistic choices in recounting Meredith’s story. This acute self-awareness, emblematic of postmodern art, serves to undermine the narrator’s authority and highlights the futility of language in fully encapsulating the essence of death.

Limits of Representation and Subjectivity

Despite its postmodern veneer, "Demonology" challenges the notion that identity is entirely dictated by socio-cultural constructs. While Meredith’s life is undeniably influenced by historical and societal forces, the narrative insists on her individuality beyond these constraints. The story’s engagement with photography underscores this point by capturing Meredith’s unique essence through the lens. Unlike manipulated images, genuine snapshots immortalize specific moments, preserving the individuality of the subjects in a way that fiction alone cannot replicate. Moody’s inclusion of photography as a narrative subtext emphasizes Meredith’s dual role as both the subject and documenter of her family’s experiences.

The Uncapturable Depth of Experience

Photography, while a potent symbol of individuality, falls short in conveying the full depth of human experience. The narrator’s reflection on Meredith’s fatigue and dream state reveals the limitations of photography—and by extension, any form of representation—in capturing the nuances of unconscious life. This shortcoming is further amplified by the impossibility of documenting the precise moment of death. By highlighting the inaccessibility of certain personal experiences to communal understanding, "Demonology" embraces postmodern skepticism about discourse, yet it ultimately transcends these boundaries. The narrative suggests that there is an intrinsic aspect of experience that remains uniquely personal and unrepresentable, pointing towards a broader cultural shift beyond late twentieth-century postmodernism.