From the obtained data, we can sum up the following interpretations related to "grand narrative": there is a certain consistency in theme narrative; A complete, comprehensive and perfect narrative; Often associated with ideology and abstract concepts; It has the same connotation as totality, macro-theory, * * cognition, universality and positivism (justifying), but it has the opposite significance to details, deconstruction, analysis, difference, pluralism and absurd reasoning; Grand narrative, sometimes called "empty political functionalization", is opposite to the perspective of social life and cultural history; Grand narrative, as opposed to detailed description; It is opposite to personal narrative, private narrative, daily life narrative and "grassroots" narrative.
From the origin, grand narrative probably comes from postmodern theory and is closely related to linguistics and postmodern thinker Lyotard. Generally speaking, the main points to describe the relationship between Lyotard and grand narrative are as follows: 1. Lyotard defined the post-modern attitude as "not believing in grand narrative", highlighting the relationship between narrative and knowledge, thus profoundly reflecting on the modern rationalist tradition from enlightenment to decline. Lyotard is very wary of grand narrative because it contains uncritical metaphysics. [1] 2. Narrative style, on the surface, seems to be composed of "small narratives" according to Lyotard's concept, but there is no overall "big narrative", and there seems to be no organic connection between the "small narratives" that make up the novel, so from a certain point of view, it can also be considered as having some "postmodern" characteristics. [2] 3. In the book Postmodern Theory: Critical Questioning, we have seen that Lyotard rejects macro theory, advocates differences and absurd reasoning, and accuses totality, grand narrative, * * knowledge and universality. [3] The general feeling is that Lyotard opposes macro theory and deconstructs grand narrative. Postmodern theory is a powerful guide for us to deeply understand the opposition between Lyotard and grand narrative. [4] From the basic spirit, postmodern theory and grand narrative are two opposing concepts.
In the annotation of the paper, Ross explained the concept of grand narrative she used. She said that the word "grand narrative" she used here refers to the story of all mankind, with a beginning, a middle and an end. This usage is the same as Allen McGill's usage in The Grand Narrative and History. [5] Only McGill distinguishes between "grand narrative" and "master narrative" (the narrative of a country or region), and Ross explained that the main narrative she wants to discuss in the United States and Europe is inseparable from the grand narrative of human progress, which generally implies the existence of the grand narrative of human progress. [6] In other words, the main narrative of American historical writing is closely related to the grand narrative, and the main narrative generally reflects the grand narrative.
Judging from McGill's specific narration in the article Grand Narration and History Discipline, grand narration is a kind of narration that has been popular for a long time in western historiography. [7] McGill said that he borrowed the concept of the term "grand narrative" used by Jean-Francois Lyotard in "Postmodern State: A Report on Knowledge" [8], and made some modifications while retaining it. According to Lyotard in this article, grand narrative can be expressed as a narrative that proves the legalization of "scientific knowledge". In McGill's view, the word "grand narrative" is best regarded as an all-encompassing story, and it is its most obvious significance to lay out the story in the order of beginning-middle-end. McGill stated that he intended to use the more general meaning of grand narrative in his articles, referring to a coherent vision, especially a point of view that is clear enough to support objectivity. McGill also believes that grand narrative is closely related to the myth that historiography is good at absorbing beneficial ways and means from other disciplines. "Unity of the ultimate world" is one of the basic assumptions of this narrative. [9]
Generally speaking, the original intention of grand narrative is a "complete narrative", which, in McGill's words, is an all-encompassing narrative with theme, purpose, continuity and unity. This word is often used in literary theory criticism. Due to the influence of postmodernism, historians borrowed this word.
The concept of "grand narrative" in historiography is closely related to historical epistemology, historical development law and historians' exploration and understanding of this historical development law, which implies the essence of deifying, authorizing and legalizing a world outlook. Ross wrote, "Because all human history is regarded as a history, the past and the future are unified in a coherent sense, so grand narrative must be a mythical structure. It must also be a political structure, a projection of historical hopes or fears, which makes a controversial world view authoritative. " [10] Ross's understanding and application of the concept of Lyotard is more in-depth, revealing the essence of deification, authorization and legalization of a world view implied in the historical narrative, and revealing the political characteristics of the historical narrative. The "politics" here is not only the political connotation of state and social governance in a general sense, but also the connotation of power politics which is emphasized by post-modernism. In short, it is the political function of grand narrative. Therefore, the grand narrative of historiography is often inseparable from ideology.
It can be said that grand narrative is a perfect idea, and it is a form of conception for the development of human history from beginning to end. Because this idea can't be proved, it is often shattered by reality, so it is inevitable to be a myth. On the other hand, grand narrative is a bold assumption and historical verification of the whole historical development process of human society. Its motivation stems from some kind of hope or fear for the future development of human history, always involves the final outcome of human historical development, always relates to the present situation of social development, and is often a framework of political ideal. Although in recent years, western historiography has taken the road of breaking through the political framework, the theme clues of grand narrative focus on economy and culture. However, whether it is economy or culture, as far as the final outcome is concerned, it is still unable to get rid of the relationship with political structure and social ideology. Grand narrative is not so much a historical narrative as a historical concept. It is the hope and sustenance of historians, as well as their encouragement and pursuit, to be confirmed by past historical facts and falsified by future historical facts.