Jean-Francois Lyotard was a French philosopher best known for his articulation and analysis of postmodernism. In his 1979 work The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge, he introduced the concept of "metanarratives" or "grand narratives" - all-encompassing theories that claim to explain historical events and give meaning based on universal truths. Lyotard was critical of these narratives, arguing that postmodernism involves skepticism of universalizing theories. He believed knowledge had become a commodity communicated through local narratives rather than grand narratives, which postmodernism sees as inadequate.

1. Grand Narrative
JYOTHIS CYRIAC
LEC052026

2. Grand Narrative/Meta Narrative
It is an important concept to post modern philosophy
Espoused by Jean Francois Lyotard
It has applied to a wide range of thoughts and subjects.

3. Lyotard (10 August 1924- 21 April 1998)
French philosopher, sociologist, literary theorist
Best known for his articulation of post modernism after the late 1970s.
Co founder of the International College of Philosophy with Jacques
Derrida, Francoise Chatelet, Gilles Deleuze
His works are characterized by a persistent opposition to universals,
metanarratives and generality.
He is fiercely critical of many of the "universalist" claims of the
Enlightenment, and several of his works serve to undermine the
fundamental principles that generate these broad claims.

4. The Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge (1979)
He analyses the impact of postmodernism on human condition.
Post modern period invokes skepticism about universalizing theories.
It is in this work he makes the famous statement :
"Simplifying to the extreme, I define postmodern as
incredulity towards metanarratives".

5. What is a grand narrative or meta narrative?
To mean a theory that tries to give a totalizing, comprehensive account to
various historical events, experiences, and social, cultural phenomena based
upon the appeal to universal truth or universal values.
the narrative is a story that functions to legitimize power, authority, and social customs.
A grand narrative or metanarrative is one that claims to explain various events in history, gives
meaning by connecting disperse events and phenomena by appealing to some kind of universal
knowledge or schema.
The term grand narratives can be applied to a wide range of thoughts which includes Marxism,
religious doctrines, belief in progress, universal reason, and others.
Grand narratives are authoritative, establishing their political or cultural views as absolute truths
beyond any means of criticism.

6. Examples of Grand Narrative
Many Christians believe that human nature, since the Fall (Genesis 3), is characteristically sinful, but has
the possibility of redemption and experiencing eternal life in heaven; thus representing a belief in a
universal rule for humankind.
The Enlightenment theorists believed that rational thought, allied to scientific reasoning, would lead
inevitably toward moral, social and ethical progress.
The Marxist-Leninists believe that in order to be emancipated, society must undergo a revolution. They
believe that the present system of capitalism will fall and the proletariat (who live by selling their labor)
will take over. This change will be driven by the unstable and cyclical nature of capitalism, and by the
alienation felt by the laborers who keep the system working.

7. Big Story

8. According to John Stephens it "is a global or totalizing cultural narrative schema which
orders and explains knowledge and experience."
The prefix meta means "beyond" and is here used to mean "about," and a narrative is a
story.
Therefore, a metanarrative is a story about a story, encompassing and explaining other
'little stories' within totalizing a schema.
Lyotard argues that we (society) have ceased to believe that ‘narratives’ of this kind
are adequate and are true for all of us.
• Lyotard believes knowledge has become a commodity.
• He sees knowledge as being communicated through
Narratives, or different ways of interpreting the world.

9. Grand Narrative in postcolonial literature
Colonizers liked to tell a certain story. In this story, Europeans were created to rule over other,
lesser people. Europeans were the designated masters, the rulers of the earth.
They told the story and repeated the story.
“All ideas of ‘the truth’ are just competing claims (or discourses) and what we believe to
be ‘the truth’ at any point is merely the ‘winning’ discourse…
there is no such thing as any absolute universal truth (or meta narratives) on any

10. •Knowledge can be considered to be a type of commodity, because
it empowers people.
•Knowledge is communicated through ‘narratives’.
 He was distrustful of any ‘grand narrative’ which claimed to have access to absolute truth,
whether that is in the shape of:
•Culture (art); Religion; Politics (democracy); Economics
(Capitalism); Fashion; Science

11.  Religion - That there is a certain route to eternal life which involves leading a life
which is defined by a scripture of some sort and that the followers of other faiths
are wrong and are therefore unable to achieve eternal life.
 Democracy-That the majority are always right, and that people who believe in
different things must give way to the majority view.
 Science - Science and scientific methodology is the best way of looking at the world
and we should always give more weight to the words of scientist, because they
have got the most rational / demonstrable view of the universe.

12. The Collapse of the Grand Narrative
Post Modern society and Leotard see grand narratives or
meta narratives as a quintessential feature of modernity.
Leotard and Post Modernism criticizes this grand narrative
and consider its death as a feature of this movement.

13. Replacing grand, universal narratives
with small, local narratives
Lyotard proposed that the meta narratives should give way to petis recits or more modest and
“localized” narratives, which can “throw off” the grand narrative by bringing into focus the
singular event.
Post modernists attempt to replace metanarratives by focusing on specific local contexts as
well as the diversity of human experience. They argue for the existence of a “multiplicity of
theoretical standpoints” rather than grand, all- encompassing theories.

14. Mini - narratives
This local narratives or mini narratives do not contain any universal truths but together they
form a body of knowledge more apt at describing the contemporary condition than the
generalizing ideologies of grand narrative.

16. Criticism
Lyotard's analysis of the postmodern condition has been criticized as being internally
inconsistent.
For example, thinkers like Alex Callinicos and Habermas argue that Lyotard's description
of the postmodern world as containing an "incredulity toward metanarratives" could be
seen as a metanarrative in itself.
According to this view, post-structuralist thinkers like Lyotard criticize universal rules but
postulate that postmodernity contains a universal skepticism toward metanarratives, and
so this 'universal skepticism' is in itself a contemporary metanarrative.

17. Works Consulted
“Metanarrative.” Metanarrative - New World Encyclopedia,
https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/metanarrative.
“Lyotard's Postmodern Condition : Challenging ... - Youtube.com.” IITM,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWUuRX_QRkc.