Narrative Trickery
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Narrative Trickery: Fiction, Truth, and Authorial Subterfuge Hannah Courtney A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of the Arts & Media Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences August 2015 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: COURTNEY First name: HANNAH Other name/s: ELYSE Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: PhD School: The Arts & Media Faculty: Arts & Social Sciences Title: Narrative Trickery: Fiction, Truth, and Authorial Subterfuge Abstract 350 words maximum: Readers often have passionate responses (both positive and negative) to books that first manipulate them into believing a seeming ' truth' about the narrative only to later discover that they have been deliberately fooled. In most cases readers are aware of the fictional status of these novels, which will be termed 'trickeries'. Why, then, do readers exhibit such outrage towards changes in a world which is known to be invented? This thesis argues that in the case of trickeries the conventional reading process (which encompasses readerly expectations as set up by the narrative in conference with the reader's knowledge about narrative and fiction) is used against the reader as the means through which they might be manipulated for a variety of purposes. Ongoing contentious debates surrounding certain narratological phenomena have tended to focus on conventional fiction as the basis for extrapolating data in support of various arguments. This study exploring narrative trickeries - the literary aberrations, the marked fiction - provides a new perspective on these debates, and in the process reveals fresh insights into the conventional processes of writing and reading fi ction. This thesis explores how historically-shifting and supposedly dichotomous notions such as ' truth/lies' and 'fiction/nonfiction' inform the current circumstances in whi~h contemporary readers consume literature. It is argued that this context provides the necessary conditions for a great proliferation of contemporary ' trickeries' . In this thesis different types of trickeries are identified and anatomised in order to explore four different narratological phenomena which divide scholarly opinion: the narrative communication model; the storyworld; fictionality; and the paratext. In this pursuit, a narratological analysis is conducted of four contemporary English-language texts: Ian McEwan's Sweet Tooth (the unexpected twist); John Fowles' The French Lieutenant's Woman (the frustrated-expectations novel); William Goldman's The Princess Bride (the fictional(ised) memoir); and, Helen Demidenko's The Hand that Signed the Paper (the hoax). These analyses of trickeries provide an understanding of not only the textual mechanics at play (and thus the role ofthe author), but also ofreaderly responses, and thus the active, agential role the contemporary reader plays in the holistic process of contemporary fiction. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). ........... f/-: ..... <==2............ ..... r Witness The Unive ~ity recognises that there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and re uire the a roval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: THIS SHEET IS TO BE GLUED TO THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THE THESIS COPYRIGHT STATEMENT 'I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed Date ..~9 . /. o .~. j. ~ . ~ ............... .......... ........................... AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT 'I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.' Signed Date .. ~.C?. .I9 . ~ . 1 . '. ~ .... ...................... .. ....... .. ............... Originality Statement 'I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgment is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.' Signed Date 1 Abstract Readers often have passionate responses (both positive and negative) to books that first manipulate them into believing a seeming ‘truth’ about the narrative only to later discover that they have been deliberately fooled. In most cases readers are aware of the fictional status of these novels, which will be termed ‘trickeries’. Why, then, do readers exhibit such outrage towards changes in a world which is known to be invented? This thesis argues that in the case of trickeries the conventional reading process (which encompasses readerly expectations as set up by the narrative in conference with the reader’s knowledge about narrative and fiction) is used against the reader as the means through which they might be manipulated for a variety of purposes. Ongoing contentious debates surrounding certain narratological phenomena have tended to focus on conventional fiction as the basis for extrapolating data in support of various arguments. This study exploring narrative trickeries – the literary aberrations, the marked fiction – provides a new perspective on these debates, and in the process reveals fresh insights into the conventional processes of writing and reading fiction. This thesis explores how historically-shifting and supposedly dichotomous notions such as ‘truth/lies’ and ‘fiction/nonfiction’ inform the current circumstances in which contemporary readers consume literature. It is argued that this context provides the necessary conditions for a great proliferation of contemporary ‘trickeries’. In this thesis different types of trickeries are identified and anatomised in order to explore four different narratological phenomena which divide scholarly opinion: the narrative communication model; the storyworld; fictionality; and the paratext. In this pursuit, a narratological analysis is conducted of four contemporary English-language texts: Ian McEwan’s Sweet Tooth (the unexpected twist); John Fowles’ The French 2 Lieutenant’s Woman (the frustrated-expectations novel); William Goldman’s The Princess Bride (the fictional(ised) memoir); and, Helen Demidenko’s The Hand that Signed the Paper (the hoax). These analyses of trickeries provide an understanding of not only the textual mechanics at play (and thus the role of the author), but also of readerly responses, and thus the active, agential role the contemporary reader plays in the holistic process of contemporary fiction. 3 Acknowledgements First and foremost I wish to thank my wonderful family – thank you for your loving emotional support and your financial assistance over the years. Mum and Dad, I cannot begin to tell you how much this has meant to me. I love you very much. Great thanks go to my supervisor, Paul Dawson, who has tirelessly guided four years of my advanced education with in-depth critical attention and tremendous knowledge. Thanks also for helping me get to St Louis and for introducing me to the international narratology crowd. To John Attridge, my co-supervisor, thank you for enthusiastically encouraging my studies, and for your great feedback on my writing. Many thanks to UNSW for being my second home for many years – specifically