Compare and contrast the forms of female power embodied by the Dog-Woman and Fortunata. How do the types of freedom and liberation each woman experiences inform your reading of how physical embodiment affects identity?

Analyze how Winterson rewrites the fairytale of “The 12 Dancing Princesses.” In what ways does this chapter inform the novel’s broader efforts to challenge a traditional reading of the past?

How does the recurring motif of maps and unmappable journeys illustrate the novel’s argument regarding subjective, internal experiences?

Examine the role of the 20th-century characters, Nicolas Jordan and the unnamed chemist. Beyond illustrating that time is simultaneous, how do their stories serve as commentaries on the timeless struggles for heroism, identity, and justice first explored through their 17th-century counterparts?

Jordan’s quest for Fortunata concludes with the realization that he was seeking “the dancing part of myself.” Analyze Jordan’s journey as an internal, psychological exploration rather than a romantic pursuit, explaining how his encounters with fantastical cities reveal more about his own evolving identity than about the woman he seeks.

The Dog-Woman is a staunch Royalist who despises the Puritans. Analyze how her physical appearance, her violent actions, and her maternal love function as a complex rebellion against the austere, life-denying principles of Puritanism. In turn, how does her Royalism inform her character?

How does Winterson’s use of fantasy elements in the novel challenge the reader’s assumptions about reality? Are these elements meant to be taken literally? Why or why not?

Trace the symbolic significance of the banana and the pineapple in Jordan’s development. How do these fruits act as broader symbols of English heroism regarding imperialism and colonization?