Osborne 1

MariaOsborne
ProfessorBarbaraSimons
English213A
March17th2014
Howdoesthestoryofthetwelvedancingprincessesfunctionformallyandthematically
withinSexingtheCherry?Towhatendsarefairytalesappropriatedwithinthebook,and
whyisthisimportanttoitslargerthemesandsocialcommentary?
OfPrincessesandHeroes:ExploringSexingtheCherrythroughAppropriatedFairyTales
JeanetteWintersonsSexingtheCherrycontainsmanystorieswithinitsmainnarrative.One
ofthemostimportantoftheseisthestoryofthetwelvedancingprincesses.Theprincesses
themselvesexistascharacterswithintheuniverseofthebook;Jordangoestotheirhometosee
them,andthemainnarrativeisinterruptedforseveralpagesaseachprincessinturntellsher
story.WintersondrawsfromthetraditionalGrimmfairytaleofthesamename,butextendsand
changesitdramaticallytosuitthenovel.Iarguethatthestoryofthetwelvedancingprincesses
actsasathematicmicrocosmfortherestofthenovel,andtheappropriationoffairytalesand
traditionalnarrativesservesasavehicletoemphasizethesocialcritiquepresentinthebook.The
storyactsasakindofnucleustothebook,embodyingitsintegralthemesandhowtheyrelateto
largersocialissues,notablyfeminismandgendernorms.Inthelabyrinththatisthebook,these
storiesformthethematiccenter.Bycommunicatingthesethemesthroughreinterpretationand
retellingofpopularfolknarratives,SexingtheCherrychallengesustoreevaluatethenormsand
valuesthattraditionalstoriesimpressuponourperceptionofsocietyandtheworldasthey
contribute,forexample,toepidemicmaleviolencewithininstitutionslikethemilitary.
Wintersonsinsertionofthestoryofthetwelvedancingprincessesisatfirstaperplexing

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formalchoice.Untilthestoriesareintroduced,thenovelisalternatelynarratedinthefirstperson
bytwomaincharacters,DogWomanandJordan,andcontinuestobesoafterwards(withafew
exceptions).WhenJordanvisitsthetwelvedancingprincesses,thereadersuddenlyhastodeala
multitudeofvoicesrelatingbriefnarrativesthatseeminglyhavelittletodowiththeplotofthe
book.Theintroductionofthestoriesthrowsanalreadynonlinearplotintofurtherdisarrayand
addsmanymorescrapsofstoryforthereadertotrytointerpret.
ThisisaformalelementthatemphasizeshowSexingtheCherryisnotanovelaswe
wouldconventionallydefineanovel.Itmakesleapsintimeandbetweencharactersand
perspectives,andshiftsbetweensectionsofplot,philosophicaldiscussion,andstorieswithin
stories.Ourexperienceofviewingthebook,therefore,islessanalogoustolookingata
paintingasasingleentityandmorelikeviewingthatpaintinginpiecesandtryingtounderstand
andweavetogetheralargerpicturefromthosepieces.Itisawritingstylethatechoestheformal
experimentationofmodernistwriters,whereauthorsplayedwithtemporalityandperspectiveto
createfragmentary,nonlinearplotsthattheythoughtbetterexpressedthenatureofreality.Jean
ToomersCaneisaquintessentialexampleofamodernistworkthatisstructuredinseemingly
randomfragmentsthatthereaderislefttopiecetogether.Similarly,inSexingtheCherrywe
mustconsidertheplaceofplural,disjointedstorieswithintheplaceofthenarrative.
AsToomerdoesinCane,Wintersondrawsontraditionalandfolkstoriesastoolsto
addressparticularthemes.Toomerevokesslavesongs,asinthepoemSongoftheSon;
Wintersonusesfairytales.Anotabledifferencebetweenthesetwoworks,however,isthewayin
whicheachauthorrepurposesthenarrativesthattheyborrow.Toomerusesthemasalinktothe
pastandtotradition,whileWintersonviolentlydefiestradition,vastlyretoolingtheborrowed

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materialtosuitthepurposesofthenovel.Inotherwords,Toomerholdsadeeprespectfor
traditionalnarrativesandpayshomagetothemaspartofhisculturalidentity,whereasWinterson
wildlyappropriatesthem.Thisappropriationtakesthebookintotherealmofthepostmodern.In
hisessayPostmodernism,Irony,theEnjoyable,UmbertoEcoasserts,Thepostmodernreply
tothemodernconsistsofrecognizingthatthepast,sinceitcannotreallybedestroyedmustbe
revisited;butwithirony,notinnocently(Eco622).Byrevisitingtraditionalfolknarrativesina
whollyunexpectedway,thetwelvedancingprincessesexemplifythisideaofironyand
appropriationinpostmodernism,andthewayinwhichmeaningisexploredthroughthe
intersectionofnewandoldtexts.
IronyandappropriationarewhatmakethefairytalessopowerfulandcentraltoSexing
theCherry,becausethewaythattheyareretoldforcefullychallengesourfundamental
assumptionsaboutfairytales.Notably,Wintersontransformstheprincessesstoryfromone
wheretheautonomyoftheprincessesistakenawaytoonewheretheytakebacktheirautonomy.
Likeallfairytales,versionsofthetwelvedancingprincessesvary,butthegeneralplotisthat
therearetwelvesisterprincesseswhostealawayfromtheirhomeeachnighttodance.Theking,
whodesirestoputastoptotheirbehaviorbutisunabletofindoutwheretheprincessesgo,
offersaprizetothemanwhocan.Asoldiereventuallyisabletodiscovertheirdestination,and
isrewardedwiththeeldestprincesshandinmarriageandmadeheirtothethrone.Wintersons
versionisslightlydifferent,witheachofthesistersmarriedofftothebrothersofthemanthat
findswheretheygoatnight.Butshefurtherextendsthestory,soweseewhatbecomesofthe
princessesaftertheirmarriages.Inthetraditionalfairytale,theprincessesareobjectified,
literallyequatedtopropertythatcanbetradedwithoutconsent,andtheirfreedomisultimately

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takenawayfromthem.Wintersonsappropriatedversionisabouttheprincessesregainingtheir
freedomandbeingempoweredtotakebacktheirownlives,leaving(andoftenkilling)their
husbandsinordertolivelifeontheirownterms.
Thestoryofthetwelvedancingprincessesisappropriatedforfeministmeans,
empoweringthewomenwithinthestoryandchallengingexpectationsofgenderbymakingthe
princessescapableofaggressiveviolence.Thestoriesthenspotlighttheimportanceofthese
ideasintherestofthebook.DogWomaninparticularexemplifiesselfdeterminationanddefies
expectationsoffemininity,justastheprincessesdo.Sheisphysicallystrong,aggressive,
assertive,anddoesnotbyanymeansliveuptostandardsoffemalebeauty.Howhideousam
I?shesaysasshereflectsontherepulsivenessofherappearance,Mynoseisflat,my
eyebrowsareheavy.IhaveonlyafewteethIknowthatpeopleareafraidofme(Winterson
1921).Inanagewheremarriagewasexpectedofyoungwomenandwivesexpectedtobe
subservienttotheirhusbands,DogWomanliveswithoutanybindingorsubjugationtoa
husband.Shedisregardsfemininepassivityinfavorofbeingactiveandassertiveinherpolitics.
However,SexingtheCherrysversionofthetwelvedancingprincessesnotonlyshatters
expectedfemininetropes,butalsochallengesthenotionofheroism,andhowitistiedtomale
genderrolesandstandardsofmasculinity.Intheoriginaltale,thevictorioussoldierisrewarded
andlaudedforremovingtheprincessfreedom.Whilethisisamoremaliciousexamplesincethe
manactivelytakesawaythewomensautonomy,malesaviorsandheroesarecelebratedallthe
timeincommonfairytales(considerstoriessuchasSnowWhite,TheSleepingBeauty,orSt.
GeorgeandtheDragon).AnotherclassicexampleisRapunzel,whichisanadditionalfairytale
thatWintersoncommandeerstofeministends(withinthestoryofthetwelvedancingprincesses,

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addingyetanotherlayerofintertextuality).AccordingtoSexingtheCherry,Rapunzelwasnot
lockedawayinhertowertobesavedbyaprince,asinthetraditionalnarrative,butchosetolive
inthetowerbyherownfreewilltobewithherolderlover.Inthebook,thatloverwasoneofthe
twelveprincesses,andshedescribeshowtheylivedahappylifetogetheruntilaprincecame,
draggedheraway,andblindedher.ThismakesoutthetraditionalmaleheroofRapunzelsstory
tobeavillain,muchaswearesupposedtoseethemanwhoforcedthetwelveprincessesinto
unwantedmarriages.
Villainizationoffairytaleheroeschallengesournotionsofthenatureofheroismas
attachedtomasculinity,strength,andmalesuperiority.Thestoriesofthetwelvedancing
princessesandRapunzelthenintroducethisthemeandforeshadowitsimportancethroughthe
restofthebook.Jordanwishestobeahero,thoughhedoesnotseemtoquiteknowwhatthat
means,andtheultimateaimofhisjourneyendsuptobemuchmoreaboutfindinghimselfthan
beingahero.Atfirstglance,JordansjourneyinsearchofFortunataappearstobeanarchetypal,
classicheroicquestforalostwoman,likeRamasquestforSitainTheRamayana.Yeteven
earlyinthebook,Jordanseemstoknowthatthisisntquitethecase,asking,WasIsearching
foradancerwhosenameIdidnotknoworwasIsearchingforthedancingpartofmyself?
(Winterson39).Thebookexplorestheproblemofheroismexplicitlywhenitshiftstothe1990
setting.Theunnamedecologist/activistwomanmuses,Idonthatemen.Ijustwishtheydtry
harder.Theyallwanttobeheroes(Winterson145).Boththemaincharactersinthemodern
settinggoontoredefineheroism:thewomandescribesraisingchildrenasakindofheroism,and
NicolasJordanseesthewomanherselfasahero.Nicolasobservesthatheroesinthemediahis
fatherswarfilms,forexampleareportrayedasmenwhoarefreefromaccountabilityandare

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rewardedwithbeautifulwomenfortheiractions.However,heredefinesthisinherentlygender
biasedperceptioninfavorofpeoplewhogiveupwhatscomfortableinordertoprotectwhat
theybelieveinortolivedangerouslyforthecommongood(Winterson155).
ThisaddsanadditionallayerofdepthtoSexingtheCherryasafeministnovel.The
critiqueoffairytaleheroism,andtheactivistwomanscommentaboutbeingmorefrustrated
thanloathingtowardsmenacknowledgeshowculturalexpectationsofmasculinityrelatingto
heroismshapemenscharactersinuglyways.Critiqueofgenderrolesisattheheartofthe
novel,andthestoryofthetwelvedancingprincessesbothcondemnsthetraditionalnotionsof
passivewomenandheroicmen.ItistemptingtoseeSexingtheCherryasunfairlycritical
towardsmen.However,tousethetwelvedancingprincessesasacluetohowtointerpretthe
novel(becausetheyvilifytraditionalmaleheroesintheextremetoproveapoint)itseemsthat
thecritiqueismoredirectedtowardssocietalnormsthatglorifyheroism.Whiletheprincein
Rapunzeliscaricaturaltomakeanargument,asaremanyofthemeninthenovel,Winterson
alsopresentsuswithcomplexcharacterslikeJordan.Jordan,amanwhoultimatelycomesto
respectthejourneyforhisownidentitymorethanhisquestforheroism,isunafraidof
femininity,andrecognizesthatthereisacertaindegreeofaccuracytoarathercriticallistabout
menthatawomangiveshim.Thenarrativerebukespatriarchalexpectationsofmalestrength,
power,anddominance,justasitdoespatriarchalexpectationsoffemalepassivityandweakness.
Thusfromathematicperspective,JordanandDogWomaneachrepresentasideofthe
samecoin.Itisinterestingthenhowtheproblemofheroismmarsthepoignantlovebetween
them.DogWomanknowstheheroicimplicationsofJordansjourney,saying,WhenIgotnews
ofJordansreturnIknewhewouldbereturningasahero(Winterson122).Butbecauseofthe

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silencebetweenthem,shemissesoutonwhatwasreallyimportantinJordansjourney:his
profoundsearchforhisownself.DogWomanseemstobeawareoftheshallownessofher
relationshiptoJordanasaherosmother,butfindsherselfunabletobridgetheemotionalgap.
Sothedehumanizingeffectofheroismislinkednotonlytomoralcorruption,butdeepsadness
andloss,apatheticappealthatmakesthebookscritiqueofheroismallthemorepowerful.
However,whiletheliteralandfigurativedistancebetweenJordanandDogWomanleadsthe
charactersthemselvestohaveadichotomousperspectiveoftheirrespectivestories,thereader
canseehowtheyreflectandcomplimenteachother.Wehavetheadvantageofseeingthegender
commentarybothcharactersembodythroughthecentralizingnarrativeoftheprincesses.
Theprincessesstoryservesasamicrocosmofthethemesofthenovel,especiallyasthey
relatetothedefiningcharacteristicsofDogWomanandJordan,andhelpusorientusina
shifting,dynamicnarrative.JorgeLuisBorgesstory,TheGardenofForkingPathsprovides
aninterestinglensthoughwhichtoviewSexingtheCherry.Borgesstoryexploresthewaysin
whichabookcanbeinfinite,describingabookwhoselastpagewasidenticalwiththefirst,a
bookwhichhadthepossibilityofcontinuingindefinitely(Borges25).SexingtheCherry,
infiniteinthewayitmeshespast,present,andfutureintoonecircularnarrative(theveryfirst
andlastpagebothinvolveJordanontheriverThamesandfogsymbolism),weavesitsownkind
oftextualandsemioticlabyrinth.Thestoryofthedancingprincesses,then,actsasthecenterof
thelabyrinththatisthebook.Thus,itfocalizesandconcentratesitsimportantthemes,and
establishesadditionalresonancewiththereaderbecauseofitsstatusasatraditionalfolktale.
Alloftheseideasaboutmodernfeminism,theproblemofheroism,andtheexpectations
ofbothfemininityandmasculinitythatarisefrompatriarchyhaveimportantrealworldstakes.

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Here,IhaveusedstoriesexistingwithinSexingtheCherrytoexaminethebooksoverarching
themes.Similarly,wecanlooktotheproblemofsexualassaultintheAmericanmilitaryasa
microcosmofhowthosethemesactuallymanifestwithinoursociety.Themilitaryexemplifies
conventionalnotionsofheroismasrelatedtostrengthandpower;itisalsooverwhelmingly
male.Sexualassaultisepidemicwithinit.AccordingtothePentagon,in2012about6.1%of
womeninactivedutyhadexperiencedsexualassault,comparedwith(in2010)0.2%ofwomen
overage12inthegeneralpopulation(Steinhauer).Sincereportingandseekingjusticeforsexual
crimesinthemilitaryisoftenhumiliatingordownrightimpossible,theseperpetratorsofsexual
assaultarereallifeembodimentsoftheheroesthatNicholasJordandescribes:menthatdont
faceaccountabilitybecauseoftheirmasculinebravadoandpositionsofpower.Thedangerof
traditionalmasculinitybecomesevenmoreglaringlyapparentwhenweconsiderthatoverhalfof
rapeandsexualassaultvictimsinthemilitaryaremen,andthatmalevictimsareevenlesslikely
toreportthanfemalevictims(SexualAssaultintheMilitary).Thesesexualpredatorsare
generallynotqueer:theyareheterosexualmenusingviolencetoassertdominance(TheInvisible
War).Andsocialmentalitythatmencannotbevictimsorthatadmittingtobeavictimisashow
ofweaknessforcesthevastmajorityofthesemen(anestimated81%)intosilence.The
Americanmilitaryispatriarchalintheextremeandattractsmenwhovaluephysicalstrength,
power,anddominance,factorsthatmagnifyrapeculturetoahorrifyinglevel.Andtheconstant
culturalmotifofAmericanheroesallowstheseproblemstofesterandevenbecome
acceptable.Whileastoryaboutdancingprincessesatfirstmayseemwhollyremovedfroman
institutionliketheAmericanmilitary,itisacasestudythatemphasizesthecommentarythat
arisesinWintersonsretellingofthestory.Fairytalesarepowerfulvehiclesforthesemessages

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becausetheyaresoubiquitousinourculture,andretellingthemforcesustorevisitthemandthe
waytheymirroroursocietalethos.StoriessuchasthetwelvedancingprincessesandRapunzel
aresymptomaticofoursocietysnormalization,internalization,andromanticizationofinequality
andrepressivenormsrelatingtoexpectationsofbeingmaleoffemale;rapecultureandhowitis
magnifiedwithinthemilitaryprovidesalenstoviewhowtheseissuesmanifestthemselvesin
ourownreality.Wintersondoesnothijackherfairytalesinnocently,asEcoputit,but
unexpectedly,boldly,andunflinchingly,andindoingsosendsthepowerfulmessagethatthereis
indeednoinnocenceinourtraditionalperceptionofgender.
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stories&OtherWritings.Ed.DonaldYates.NewYork:NewDirectionsPublishing,
1964.Print.
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Geyh,Paula.PostmodernAmericanFiction:ANortonAnthology.Ed.PaulaGeyh.UnitedStates
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TheInvisibleWar.Dir.KirbyDick.CinedigmDocuramaFilms,2012.Film.
"Sexual Assault in the Military." www.nsvrc.org. National Sexual Violence Resource Center,
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Steinhauer, Jennifer. "Sexual Assaults in Military Raise Alarm in Washington." The New York
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Toomer,Jean.Cane.(1923)UnitedStatesofAmerica:W.W.Norton&Company,1988.Print.

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Winterson,Jeanette.SexingtheCherry.(1989)NewYork:GrovePress,1998.Print.