Andrina, George Mackay Brown

This book report discusses the plot, significant characters, setting (e.g., time of the story took place, historical background), problems and resolutions, themes or messages of the story. A reflection of the author’s writing style will be presented followed by a conclusion.

The author moves to her actual realization that she has been misunderstood her entire lifetime along with the Western world by extending her vocabulary and appealing to emotional diction. These are seen clearly through “’aina” meaning culture and “the great bloodiness of memory: genealogy” (Trask 118). These few examples show how her language is connecting with the audience on an emotional level by using native terms and powerful language such as “bloodiness.” She appeals to the ideals of pathos by employing meaningful words when describing the traits of her people. She

A familial bond cannot be broken. As genetics pass from one end of the family tree to another, a series of exchanged physical and–more significant in terms of the story–behavioral traits, moreover, make themselves apparent. From each member of the complicated maternal chain consisting of three narrators, their behavioral traits and tendencies are easily taken advantage of, along with making them prone to grievous mistakes and overall actions. The topics of betrayal and subsequent neglect are present in an almost unavoidable continuous cycle throughout Michael Dorris’ A Yellow Raft on Blue Water, as each generation of women faced a series of abrupt and unforeseen deceptions by those either in an influential position in their lives or those possessing their trust, leading to damaged and unresolved relationships.

The author agrees with the idea of women as victims through the characterisation of women in the short story. The women are portrayed as helpless to the torment inflicted upon them by the boy in the story. This positions readers to feel sympathy for the women but also think of the world outside the text in which women are also seen as inferior to men. “Each season provided him new ways of frightening the little girls who sat in front of him or behind him”. This statement shows that the boy’s primary target were the girls who sat next to him. This supports the tradition idea of women as the victims and compels readers to see that the women in the text are treated more or less the same as the women in the outside world. Characterisation has been used by the author to reinforce the traditional idea of women as the helpless victims.

“Works of literature often depict acts of betrayal. Friends and even family may betray a protagonist; main character may likewise be guilty of treachery of may betray their own values.”

Nora begins to take offence to the words of Torvald. He refers to her as his most “prized possession”, and continues to say that he often imagines her as though she is his mistress, and she is a temptress. Nora continues to get offended, telling Torvald she doesn’t want any of this. Nora begins

Torvald doesn’t trust her with any money and with the little money that he does entrust her with he is afraid that she will spend it on Macaroons, a candy that he has forbid her to eat. He calls her his "little squirrel", "skylark", and he says she spends money very foolishly.

When Krogstad threatens to expose the truth, Nora must use her craftiness to distract Torvald and sway him into letting Krogstad keep his job. Unfortunately, she is not able to change his mind, but she does succeed in diverting his suspicions of her motives. She praises him and lulls him into a false sense of security by telling him that "[n]o one has such good taste as [he has]" and then goes on to ask him if he could "take [her] in hand and decide what [she is] to go as" for the dance. She confesses to him that she "can't do anything without [him] to help [her]". These statements lead him to believe that he is the one to "rescue" her, when it is in fact Nora who is trying to rescue him from dishonour. Later on, when Krogstad puts a letter in Torvald's mail, explaining everything that Nora has done, Nora uses her charms once more. She pretends that she has forgotten the tarantella so that Torvald will spend all his time with her and think nothing of the mail that awaits him. Nora truly believes that by deceiving her husband, she is protecting him from worry. Because of Nora's deception, the person that Torvald believes her to be is quite different from the person she actually is. He believes that she is a "spendthrift," infatuated by expensive things when in reality, she saves her money to pay back Krogstad and buys cheap clothing and gifts. Torvald

is undoubtedly symbolic of her longing to be out of the control of Torvald and

Lastly, another form of transformation can conclude Torvald Helmer. Throughout the beginning of the play, he is seen as Nora’s puppeteer, pulling the strings, saying what she can or cannot do, it appears belittling his own wife, is his favorite past-time. However, this man changes for himself after learning that his wife no longer wants to be with him, after dealing with his “sense of endearment.” Although, in the beginning of Act 3, Torvald had changed for a brief moment turning into a man that was hard to believe it was truly him. The reader had only seen him sneer at his wife not pay her any compliments. , Act 3 served as a game changer. Well for a brief period, that is.

Torvald Helmer believes that he is an exemplary citizen in a society which is admired. In addition, building the good character in life is not easy that is a long process which includes a lot of things such as behavior, marriage, power, and reputation. Additionally, Torvald Helmer does not accept anything which destroys the character in his life although Nova breaks the law to save her husband life to borrow money that helped him cure the disease. Moreover, Torvald Helmer cares only the life point which includes credibility and respect from others. It shows that Torvald Helmer does not rehabilitate for Krogstad when Torvald Helmer feels threatened and offended by Krogstad's failure to pay him the proper respect. On the other hand, Torvald

character Torvald shows moral ambiguity clearly through the life he lives and the true home life

This tone gives the statement a endearing and protective connotation. However, it illustrates how Torvald manipulates Nora to control her actions, revealing his dominating character and Nora's insecure and submissive characters are revealed. As Nora continues to be obedient, Torvald takes advantage of her; furthermore, Torvald does not want to discuss official issues with her, and teases her about her "silly and insignificant" character. The negative denotation of Torvald's diction emphasizes the abuse in the relationship. The lack of communication allows Torvald to continue abusing her. Abuse forces a person to stay in a relationship. It makes the victim feel unimportant and unloved. Open communication can bring equality and love to the relationship.

The character of Nora goes through the dramatic transformation of a kind and loving housewife, to a desperate and bewildered woman, whom will ultimately leave her husband and everything she has known. Ibsen uses both the characters of Torvald and Nora to represent the tones and beliefs of 19th century society. By doing this, Ibsen effectively creates a dramatic argument that continues to this day; that of feminism.

However, Nora does eventually realize that she has been treated like a child all her life and has been denied the right to think and act the way she wishes. When Torvald does not immediately offer to help Nora after Krogstad threatens to expose her, Nora realizes that there is a problem. By waiting until after he discovers that his social status will suffer no harm, Torvald reveals his true