Tradition and modernity in 19th century Ireland and Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to analyze how different characters in Emma Donoghue’s The Wonder interpret the case of Anna O’Donnell, a young Irish girl who appears to have been surviving for months without any food. The thesis is divided into five sections: an introduction, a literature review consisting of two parts, my own study of the novel, and a conclusion. The introduction provides a short summary of the novel and states the objective of the thesis. The literature review consists of two parts. The first part gives an overview of previous studies on the novel, and the second part gives a brief overview of Ireland’s religious and medical history. My own study will focus on various explanations different characters offer for Anna’s survival and how they reflect the reality of nineteenth century Ireland. The conclusion summarizes the findings. Keywords: Emma Donoghue, religion, hunger, fasting girls