Fantasy chronotopes and their complexity in Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Fantasy chronotopes and their complexity in Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Summary/Abstract: Fantasy fiction is renowned for its fantastic worlds and intricate multiverses. The Ocean at the End of the Lane exhibits probably one of the most complex such structures identifiable in Gaiman’s works. Set as a memorate, with a frame and an inset, it has an intricate temporal and spatial scaffolding; the passage between the two being triggered by distinct recall cues and bringing forth past traumatic events. The hesitation between reality, memory, trauma and fantasy makes the reader wonder whether the events described are truly memories, if they are the main character’s way of coping with trauma or if they belong to an alternate timeline. The complexity of the novel’s chronotopic structure is mirrored by the multiple layers of the main character’s memories; their instability corresponds to the intricacy of the human psyche. This study aims to analyse and lay out the multilayered structure of the novel’s multiverse, to catalogue the alternate timelines, as well as the temporal and spatial constructs brought forth by trauma.

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