In the opening section explain why Sexing the Cherry may be considered as a post-modern text?

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English Literature                                                                    Sonia Menghestab

In the opening section explain why ‘Sexing the Cherry’ may be considered as a post-modern text?

‘Sexing the Cherry’ is considered as a post-modern text because it has been broken away from the Victorian narrative and rational tradition which is usually linear (start, middle and end) while post-modernism is usually mixed up. This is to break away from normal traditional writings and making it more catching for readers. Also, it values more popular forms like in the novel they introduced the banana in the novel which was considered new then and has caught on as years went on. This shows post-modernism by announcing change in culture and civilisation.

The novel also challenges ‘‘universal truth’’ (meaning applying to all people) in that it makes a clear distinction between sex and gender. Jordan is biologically male but also possesses female qualities so it is suggesting that gender is a socially constructed idea which people are made to follow and believe without question. This makes it post-modern is because it is set in the Victorian era, when woman were supposed to act like a lady and a man were supposed to act like a gentleman, but here it shows that just because you have a penis does it actually mean that you are a man and vice versa for women. Winterson added this to her novel maybe because it has some relevant with herself; you could even state the novel as a semi-autobiography for herself too. What makes the novel post-modernism is that introducing cross-dressing in it might have surprised people reading it and giving them a different kind of text. Winterson herself was a lesbian and was judged of it since she was raised in a religious community. Having putting a little bit of that experience in her book shows that she wanted the novel to be fresh and new.

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What could also make this novel not seem like a post-modern book is that they made it has poetic and fantastical passages. One point is when Jordan and the Dog Woman were on the Thames and they saw the sunrise shows poetic elements which actually show a more romantic side which isn’t post-modern. Poetic and romantic features have been featured in Victorian set books which may be because Winterson wanted to add on to a little bit of traditional text, but most of her text used is post-modern. Other people may actually say this is post-modern because she is placing ...

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