The Prison as a Heterotopia: Deviation, Crisis, and Temporality in Rene Denfeld’s The Enchanted

Abstract

Rene Denfeld’s The Enchanted presents a harrowing exploration of incarceration, trauma, and systemic marginalization. This article applies Michel Foucault’s theoretical framework on heterotopia—specifically heterotopias of deviation, crisis heterotopias, transitory heterotopias, and heterochronia—to critically examine the prison as a liminal space where societal norms are both reinforced and contested. The novel portrays prison as a heterotopia of deviation, illustrating how society isolates those deemed abnormal to enforce conformity. Through this lens, The Enchanted highlights the prison’s role in shaping identities through cycles of punishment rather than rehabilitation. Additionally, while crisis heterotopias traditionally refer to spaces designated for individuals undergoing significant life transitions, the novel’s depiction of the prison suggests that perpetual surveillance and suffering create an ongoing state of crisis. This environment compels prisoners to construct an imaginary world as a psychological refuge from oppression. The prison is also examined as a transitory heterotopia, revealing the contradiction between its intended function as a temporary corrective space and its reality as a site of sustained violence, which often impedes reintegration into society. Lastly, the novel’s engagement with heterochronia underscores the prison’s disruption of conventional temporalities, illustrating how incarceration warps the perception of time and reinforces existential stagnation. By employing Foucault’s heterotopian analysis, this article demonstrates how The Enchanted critiques the penal system, exposing its failures and the deep-rooted power structures that shape the experience of imprisonment.