Seasons change, Brexit stays: The interpretation of BrexLit, the depiction of borders and boundaries and the impact of Katherine Mansfield in Ali Smith’s contemporary novel Spring

Abstract

This thesis reflects on Spring as a BrexLit novel. I am contemplating the impact and importance of Katherine Mansfield, the notion of boundaries in sociopolitical and geographical contexts, while examining some of the major parallels between Spring and Mansfield’s short stories. The two short stories are “The Garden Party” and “Bliss” through which I observe the themes and symbols that connects Mansfield to Smith’s novel.