The text we studied this week was The Merry-Go-Round in the Sea, by Randolph Stow in relation to the topic of narration. This evocative novel is set in wartime Australia and its aftermath, seen through the childhood eyes of 6-year-old Rob Coram. During his maturation, Rob becomes aware of some of the basic conditions of life. One, symbolized by the recurrent merry-go-round motif, is the relentless, irredeemable course of time.
Due to the nature of the implied author within this book of this book, the main protagonist D.J.J is able to convey a feeling of innocence and childhood, while Digger is an unreliable narrator as he may leave out key facts or events due not only to his age but also due to the fact that he had a level of ignorance regarding the events and struggles of the time period. The simplistic nature of the grammar and linguistics creates the feeling of reading a text written by a younger person, this is emphasized through the use of focalisation within the text, on page 7 (Frankland Rickard, 2007) when Digger writes “I wanna” it conveys to the level of education and the maturity of the character. Due to Diggers young age during the text, he is unable to completely understand the issues facing the aboriginal citizens of Australia; however this is not to say that he did not experience the racial profiling and discrimination. Digger helps the reader understand
In Unbroken and Seabiscuit, Hillenbrand tells inspiring stories about two legendary American heros. In Unbroken, Louie, a World War II soldier, is forced to fight for survival after an airplane crash. In Seabiscuit, Seabiscuit, an underestimated race horse, rises to each challenge and perseveres in times of defeat. Hillenbrand’s use of figurative language, syntax, theme and selection of detail is similar in both of theses books; however, there are subtle differences due to a change in the purpose, audience, and story.
In addition to the imagery employed by the poem, Night Racing also utilises the conventions of metaphor and simile to construct the unique perspective of a black Aboriginal being “invaded” by white colonists, working to create a sense of identification with the Aboriginals of the time, which has now carried forward into the modern day context in which this poem was constructed. The manufacture of the car as a “junkyard dingo” and the manifestation of the Earth as having a “dying heartbeat” are two metaphors that are most predominantly important in the construction of the reading that the poem represents an attack on the invasion of Australia. The “reverse colonisation” speaks directly back to a
This is shown when it states, “A vast population of waterbirds lived in the swamp… paddocks and wooded country beyond were lorikeets, rosellas… families of pigeons – fruit-pigeon, bronze-wings… and high over stood the birds of prey, the hawks and kestrels” (1). Through the incorporation of asyndeton and descriptive language it emphasises how lively and welcoming Australia is, which is seen through the various types of birds entering the sanctuary. Malouf continues this notion of Australia being filled of warmth when it states, “A place where people came; he couldn’t keep all this, or his excitement in it, to himself” (13) and “How much life there might be in any square yard of it” (18). By Malouf expressing the characters’ emotions towards the land it showcases how the land itself brings joy and happiness into their lives which contrasts the attitudes presented in Europe. This is shown through the harsh tones and negative connotation used when Malouf describes the atmosphere of Europe as an uneasy and tortured setting when it states, “The air even at knee height was deadly” (91) and “The air was tormented” (92). Through the metaphor and word choice used it facilitates to the images of war being a cruel and unbearable experience, which is highlighted through the words ‘deadly’ and ‘tormented.’ Therefore, through juxtaposition
Alistair MacLeod’s “The Boat” is a literary success on many levels. His ability to evoke mood, sustain a meaningful theme and a strong setting make this piece particularly impressive.
Robert Ross is a sensitive, private boy; last person you would expect to sign up to fight in World War One. In The Wars by Timothy Findley, symbols are used in conjunction with Ross’ story to cause readers to reflect on symbols in their own lives, and to allow then to dive deeper into the world of an innocent boy who is placed into a cruel war. The various symbols in The Wars provide for a graphic and reflective reading experience by emphasizing Robert’s connection with nature, his past, and his experiences during the war.
The protagonist’s struggle to decipher what the reality of his situation is a particular conflict in the source. The central character often makes statements about how much faith he has in his boat. One clear example
Childhood is arguably the most exciting time of a person’s life. One has few responsibilities or cares, and the smallest events can seem monumentally thrilling. Often, people reflect on the memories of their youth with fondness and appreciation for the lessons they learned. Sarah Orne Jewett captures this essence perfectly in the excerpt from “A White Heron.” Jewett uses many literary devices, including diction, imagery, narrative pace, and point of view to immerse the reader in familiar feelings of nostalgia and wonder, and dramatize the plot.
Notwithstanding their partner’s contempt of reading and writing, both the father in “The Boat,” and the narrator in “The Yellow Wallpaper,” continue to search for reprieve through their respective books and diary.
A young boy sits on the floor gazing up in amusement as his parents tell him stories that have traveled from generation to generation. Whether it be a tale of malicious war or brave acts of heroism, the little boy will always remember the impactful tales. But what about the parents; what is their motive for telling tales to their child? People tell stories for different reasons; a best selling author may write his story to sell books. While a parent tells a story to set their child straight, others simply want the thrill of telling tales of their adventurous life. For The Tao Jones ,or TJ, in Chris Crutcher's Whale Talk, the most impactful story he will hear and tell is his own. Someone might not solely tell their own story but, are also able to tell the story of those around them. Superficially, TJ’s story is one of brutal negativity and oppression. However, beneath the surface TJ and other peoples’ tale, is one of the unbreakable bond of brotherhood, unique self identity, and last chance at redemption.
Mr. Harvey thought a lot. To say the least, time had been his only friend for years. Mr. Harvey was the type of man to think all kinds of kooky and abstract things. He liked to think of how there had only ever been one yellow paddle boat for hire amongst the numerous blue down at the rivers dock. He thought of how on cheery spring days the children would beg their parents to leave a few minutes earlier to snatch it up before the other kids did. He used to watch them for hours, the amusement on their faces riding along the steady waters laughing at the other children because they got stuck in the boring blue paddle boats. Time was funny like that he thought. Getting to the docks those couple moments earlier than the other children, granted hours of joy because their yellow boat happened to bet better than all the blues. He also thought them absurd, to Mr. Harvey colours were just colours, not measures of happiness. But he knew the youths naivety was all that made them young.
Rather than exploring lighter tones in her stories, she can only express herself through trauma. Let’s now explore what methods Danticat uses to explore such literary cliché’s within ‘Children of the Sea’.
“The Open Boat” is short tale of endurance, suffering, and redemption. The story focuses on four interesting sailors on a journey towards survival. They try their best to overcome the adversities of the water and raging storm. Crane focuses on the constant struggle of man’s immobility to control his own life. “The Open Boat” is a nonfictional fiction some call it. It typically is argued as only fiction, but many lean toward its nonfictional quality. Crane wrote the story based off his real life experience of a shipwreck he tragically endured. The Commodore, the name of the ship, was the victim of the waves and Crane just so happened to be one of its friends. He wrote 2 articles based on this tragedy, but “The Open Boat” became the best
It’s easy to tell that the ocean is a mysterious and isolating place from all of the tragic tales we hear from sailors both real and fictional. Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” and an anonymous author’s “The Seafarer” are quite similar in that they both revolve around said tragic tales told by sailors. However, there seem to be more commonalities between their themes, tones, and messages rather than their seaward-bound settings. But before we can discuss these similar settings and deeper themes, we have to tackle their origins.
Unlike the wandering narrator, the seafaring narrator focuses his descriptions of the community that is present in nature. The seafarer the utterly rejects the notion that a “sheltering family / could bring consolation for his desolate soul” (25-26). This “sheltering family” (25) that the seafaring narrator alludes to in this line is the exact form of close-knit family that the narrator in “The Wanderer” laments for desperately. While the seafaring narrator offers striking similar descriptions of the landscape being “bound by ice” (9), he does not focus on these descriptions to dwell on the loss of an earthly community. Instead, the narrator in “The Seafarer” finds the landscape that he inhabits wonderfully abundant with natural — even spiritual — elements that are commonly associated with an earthly community. In the barren landscape, the seafaring narrator discovers “the wild swan’s song / sometimes served for music” (19-20) and “the curlew’s cry for the laugher of men” (20-21). These vibrant and vivid descriptions of the natural world that the narrator discovers in the harsh,