Slipstream

Slipstream is a magic realist novella with a cyclical plotline. The story captures the university share-house scene of Sydney’s inner west through the split psyche of Ellen/Mackenzie, a young woman dealing with questions about time, love, the nature of existence, and whether she blinks too fast. The accompanying critical exegesis investigates narrative strategies for capturing the complex states of mind that arise out of trauma and mental illness. Positing Slipstream as a magic realist novella, the exegesis examines various techniques employed by authors and filmmakers whose work in this genre includes similar themes to Slipstream. Finally, the exegesis examines different methods contemporary authors use when portraying queer relationships, gender, love, friendship, the trauma of sexual assault, and the nature of memory.