IJSMT Journal

International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology

An International, Peer-Reviewed, Open Access Scholarly Journal Indexed in recognized academic databases · DOI via Crossref The journal adheres to established scholarly publishing, peer-review, and research ethics guidelines set by the UGC

ISSN: 3108-1762 (Online)
webp (1)

Plagiarism Passed
Peer reviewed
Open Access

CYBORG SUBJECTIVITIES AND HYPERTEXTUAL FEMINISM IN SHELLEY JACKSON'S PATCHWORK GIRL

AUTHORS:
Dhatri Parmar
Mentor
Affiliation
Department of English School of Social Sciences, Language and Cultural Studies Central University of Gujarat, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
CC BY 4.0 License:
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract

This paper examines Shelley Jackson's hypertext novel Patchwork Girl (1995) as a seminal work of electronic literature that enacts a sophisticated feminist epistemology through its fragmented, non-linear architecture. Situating the novel at the intersection of feminist theory, posthumanism, and digital narratology, this study argues that Jackson's hypertextual form does not merely represent fragmented female identity but performs it constructing subjectivity as an open-ended, reader-assembled assemblage rather than a coherent, fixed self. The paper draws upon Donna Haraway's cyborg ontology, N. Katherine Hayles's theorisation of posthuman embodiment, Rosi Braidotti's nomadic posthuman feminism, Espen Aarseth's concept of ergodic literature, and George Landow's hypertext theory to analyse how Patchwork Girl's lexia structure, link architecture, and navigational aesthetics collectively produce a radical critique of patriarchal identity formations. Through close reading of key lexia clusters including the Graveyard, the Quilt, and the Body sections alongside interface analysis and sustained engagement with Jackson's companion essay 'Stitch Bitch' (2003) and the novel's primary lexia, the paper demonstrates that scars function as hyperlinks, bodies as texts, and reader navigation as an act of feminist authorship. Crucially, the study argues that Jackson's declaration 'Hypertext then, is what literature has edited out: the feminine' constitutes not merely a polemical claim but a structural proposition that her novel's every navigational pathway enacts. In doing so, this study contributes to emerging debates within feminist digital humanities, electronic literature studies, and posthuman theory, arguing that Patchwork Girl constitutes not only a landmark digital artefact but a theoretical intervention in its own right.

Keywords
Article Metrics
Article Views
25
PDF Downloads
1
HOW TO CITE
APA

MLA

Chicago

Copy

Parmar, D. (2026). Cyborg Subjectivities and Hypertextual Feminism in Shelley Jackson's Patchwork Girl. International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, 02(04). https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i4.571

Parmar, Dhatri. "Cyborg Subjectivities and Hypertextual Feminism in Shelley Jackson's Patchwork Girl." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology, vol. 02, no. 04, 2026, pp. . doi:https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i4.571.

Parmar, Dhatri. "Cyborg Subjectivities and Hypertextual Feminism in Shelley Jackson's Patchwork Girl." International Journal of Science, Strategic Management and Technology 02, no. 04 (2026). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.55041/ijsmt.v2i4.571.

References
Ethics and Compliance
✓ All ethical standards met
This article has undergone plagiarism screening and double-blind peer review. Editorial policies have been followed. Authors retain copyright under CC BY-NC 4.0 license. The research complies with ethical standards and institutional guidelines.
Indexed In
Similar Articles
Smart Education System for Rural Area
string(20) "Sujal Rajendra Patil" Patil, S. R.et al.
(2026)
DOI: 10.55041/ijsmt.v2i4.586
Site Craft-Website Design & Development Management System
string(16) "Yogadharshini. R" R, Y.
(2026)
DOI: 10.55041/ijsmt.v2i3.207
Analysis and Design of Flat Slab System for a Residential Building using Staad Pro
string(22) "Bontha Shiva Manikanta" Manikanta, B. S.et al.
(2026)
DOI: 10.55041/ijsmt.v2i3.362
Scroll to Top