Walking a tightrope between two worlds : possible worlds in Jeanette Winterson's fiction

Abstract

This dissertation explores the concept of possible worlds and the ways in which it features in Jeanette Winterson's fiction. The concept of possible worlds has recently enjoyed extensive attention, not only in the academic field of philosophy where it originates, but also across disciplines ranging from the social sciences to quantum physics. However it has also been a cause of controversy, notably between philosophers and literary theorists who dispute the extent to which the concept can be metaphorized. ·As will be seen, the interpretation of possible worlds carries serious implications for conceptions of fictionality, possibility and reality in both fields. Winterson's novels Sexing the Cherry, Gut Symmetries and The Powerbook are discussed in the context of this ongoing debate, using the work of philosopher/literary theorist Ruth Ronen and literary theorists Christopher Nash and Brian McHale as reference points, and Winterson's own use of the controversial concept is analysed.