FACT OF FAKED

The theme of reality versus artifice is presented from the very first paragraph of the novel in which Fevvers is telling the story of her life from the very beginning to Walser. Her story is immediately related to the mythological life of Helen of Troy because they were both born from an egg. This grand statement sets the story up for the constant mixing of the fact and fiction of Fevvers' life. She sets her life story up by telling the reader of her nickname in the public, "the 'Cockney Venus'". This is distinction on her meaning as an artist and character in the story submits to the idea of sexual desire and her seductive powers. Although this name was given to her by the public, she admits that it is quite fitting, and also admits to being powerfully seductive. This can lead to multiple readings: she did spend much of her life in a brothel, which would be the easy explanation for why she has so much sexual prowess and is appears quite confident in her body, despite it's abnormalities. The reader can also use the reference to Venus to mean that she easily turns her fans onto her own personal myth. This myth being her birth from an egg. After accepting and explaining her comfort with the name "Cockney Venus," Fevvers declares that she might as well be named  "Helen of the High Wire." This is another allusion to mythology; the birth of Helen of Troy who was conceived by a Zeus disguised as a swan and Leda, wife to the Spartan King. This is another grand statement about Fevvers' character. Not only is it putting her again into the realm of myth and fiction, it is making large claims about her importance and breeding. Helen was the daughter of the King of Kings and the first lady to a very powerful nation, someone worth fighting long and bloody wars over. The theme of reality versus artifice from the beginning is quite prominent and will stay very prominent because in order for the reader to stay invested in the story they must accept her word as the most true thing, despite the fact that Walser questions her in his thoughts and Lizzie outrightly interrupts and stops Fevvers during certain points in the story.