This master thesis explores the role of parallel realities in selected literary texts. The use of this specific literary device is particularly characteristic of science fiction literature. First part of the thesis is devoted to a brief presentation of the history of science fiction as a literary genre and discusses some literary-theoretical analyses of the genre. The second part analyzes two literary texts in detail: the short story "The Store of the Worlds" by Robert Sheckley and the novella "The Minority Report" by Philip K. Dick. The selected texts are first analyzed narratologically. Finally, it is demonstrated that the use of the element of parallel reality enables the authors to delve into ontological, epistemological, and ethical questions.
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