Decoding Consciousness: Dorrit Cohn’s Contributions to Understanding Fictional Minds

This thesis, titled "Decoding Consciousness: Dorrit Cohn’s Contributions to Understanding Fictional Minds," explores the pivotal role of Dorrit Cohn's theoretical framework in analyzing narrative techniques used to depict consciousness in fiction. It examines how Cohn’s insights into psycho-narration, narrated monologue, and other narrative modes enhance our understanding of the representation of fictional minds. Chapter I lays the groundwork by introducing narratology, outlining its evolution from classical to post-classical theories, and emphasizing its relevance to the study of fictional consciousness. Chapter II provides a comprehensive overview of Dorrit Cohn’s life and seminal works, including "Transparent Minds" and "The Distinction of Fiction," and examines key concepts such as narrated monologue and psycho-analogy. Chapter III delves into Cohn's "Transparent Minds," focusing on third-person and first-person narrative techniques. It distinguishes between psycho-narration, narrated monologue, I-narration, and autonomous monologue, highlighting their unique contributions to the portrayal of consciousness. Chapters IV and V apply Cohn’s theories to the works of Virginia Woolf and James Joyce, respectively. Chapter IV investigates Woolf’s narrative style, with a particular focus on her use of psycho-narration and other modes of rendering consciousness. Chapter V examines Joyce’s innovative narrative techniques, analyzing his employment of psycho-narration and other methods to depict the inner workings of his characters' minds. Through this exploration, the thesis aims to demonstrate the enduring significance of Dorrit Cohn’s contributions to narratology and their application to the study of fictional minds, offering a deeper understanding of how consciousness is artfully rendered in literature.