And the Writer Opened the Door

On the Hospitality of Ronit Matalon

Abstract

The journey to female identity within the literary texts of Ronit Matalon unfolds through the protagonist’s relationships with mother figures, always more than one, who serve as guides in on the way and through language. This journey is symbolized by the act of opening a metaphorical door and experiencing these guides’ literal presence through a body of quoted texts. These texts convey a world of values and meanings that diverge from the dominant patriarchal or Zionist ideologies. They enable Matalon to craft her literary space as one of subjectivity and sovereignty, employing (master) tools and rules that challenge traditional norms. Matalon’s texts do not revolve around the rejection or denial of the mother’s significance, nor do they center on the violent act of matricide and the subsequent obliteration of the mother’s memory.
Matalon’s architecture of hospitality can thus be interpreted as an expression of active and vital resistance against the cultural imperative of “matricide” in its various forms, whether personal, literary, or national. This resistance intersects with and enriches the feminist narrative with elements drawn from Mizrahi traditions. The daughter’s hospitality toward the mother signifies a convergence within the text of individuals marginalized by language, often the language of the father, which has relegated them to exile and separation, perpetuating a sense of otherness within their own homes.
This narrative structure explores alternative modes of self-understanding and the potential for different relationships, both among the characters and with the broader world. It seeks to grant them a place and presence that does not consign them to the fate of female oblivion. Moreover, it refuses to relinquish the knowledge and language that could have been passed down from mother to daughter, as evidenced by Matalon’s assertion regarding Jacqueline Kahanov’s legacy: “I have more to do in her legacy.” This statement underscores the ethos underlying Matalon’s own writing.