Disclaimer – this is a work of fiction: the relationship between law and literature in the novels “The children act”, by Ian McEwan, and “The pale king”, by David Foster Wallace
2019 ◽
Vol 5
(1)
◽
pp. 215-234
Keyword(s):
The Law
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The aim of this article is to explore a relationship that has not yet been examined in the contemporary debate on law and literature. The law can, indeed, constitute the subject matter of a novel. But as we argue in this article, the law can also determine what counts, and what does not count as a novel. We defend this thesis by analyzing Ian McEwan’s “The Children Act” (2014) and David Foster Wallace’s “The Pale King” (2011). In the context of contemporary cultural production, the law has the power and the legitimacy to create what we call the space of fiction. As we intend to show, the law can create the demarcation line between fictional and non-fictional narratives.