Literary Genre
“Aspects of narrative contribute to your
response to a text.”
(a)
With
reference to one of your chosen texts, identify at least two aspects of
narrative and discuss how those aspects contributed to your response to that
text. (30)
(b)
With
reference to two other texts, compare how aspects of narrative contributed to
your response to these texts.
In answer to (b), you may use the aspects
of narrative discussed in (a) or any other aspects.
(40)
(a)
I have studied ‘Pompeii’ by Robert Harris.
Throughout this thriller-style novel, Harris employs a variety of literary
techniques to maintain the reader’s attention, and to develop tension and
suspense. I greatly enjoyed thisnovel, and much of my enjoyment
was generated by his skilful use of aspects of
narrative.
One of the main techniques used by Harris
is his style of narration. The novel is narrated in the third person. We are not
given an insight into any one character through first person narration. This can
have the effect of distancing the reader from the characters, making it harder
to engage with the novel. However, Harris writes the narration from the point of
view of specific characters. Although they do not narrate in the first person,
the narration gives us access to their thoughts and private responses. For
example, one of the main characters, Ampliatus, portrays himself as a brash,
confident business man. He mocks the peasants who are getting more and more
worried about the water situation, and looks down on their superstitious
responses. But when the novel is narrated from his point of view, we realise
that he is extremely concerned about the situation himself, and is clinging to a
prophecy he commissioned that claims Pompeii will last for thousands of years. I
thought this was a very useful technique. It greatly increased my understanding
of the characters whose points of view were followed. My engagement with the
text increased, as I felt more invested in these characters. All their
complexities made them much more interesting and believable.
Harris also uses irony to great effect
throughout the novel. From the very title,‘Pompeii’, to the cover artwork, it is
clear from the outset that this novel will deal with the obliteration of the
town of Pompeii by the ash of Vesuvius’eruption. The story of Pompeii is
well-known, and when we hear the name we immediately think of the volcano. As we
begin to read, however, it emerges that the characters of the novel are not
preparing themselves for a volcanic eruption. In fact, they do not even realise
that Vesuvius is a volcano. They believe it to be a normal mountain. Harris
plays on this gap in their knowledge by using epigraphs at the start of each
chapter, taken from books on volcanology. Each epigraph foreshadows what will
happen in terms of Vesuvius in the chapter. The characters remain totally
unaware of the impending doom, while the reader gains additional information to
help them understand the type of eruption they can expect. Throughout all of
this, the Roman characters display huge arrogance and hubris. They believe they
are the most advanced nation on earth and that nothing can destroy them. Pompeii
itself is in the process of rebuilding after an earthquake, confirming the Roman
belief that they can overcome any challenge in the long term. The supreme irony
comes in the form of Ampliatus’ prophecy. The wording of the prophecy is very
specific. He was told that a thousand years hence, the streets of Pompeii would
be thronged with people of every tongue and that even after the Empire had
crumbled, what had been built in Pompeii would endure. As modern readers, we
recognise what is really being said – by being buried in ash, Pompeii is
preserved and is now a tourist attraction. The characters take false hope from
this ambiguous prophecy and fail to save themselves. Having more knowledge than
the characters allows the reader to feel somewhat superior, and we enjoy knowing
what will happen to these arrogant and disagreeable people.
(b)
With reference to two other texts, compare
how aspects of narrative contributed to your response to these
texts.
The other two texts I have studied are
‘Translations’(T), by Brian Friel, and ‘I’m Not Scared’(INS), directed by
Gabriele Salvatores. As a play and a film respectively, these two texts share
many aspects of narrative. There are important differences as well. Both authors
use many of the aspects of narrative available to them within their chosen
genres to ensure the audience is eager to continue watching.
Both texts use foreshadowing to alert the
audience to upcoming issues. Foreshadowing allows the audience to be in the
right frame of mind to engage with the production. In INS, the opening sequence
is full of foreshadowing. Before the dialogue even begins, we are given visual
clues about the type of film we will be watching. The camera pans up from a
dark, cold and wet underground location. On these underground walls, someone has
scratched the phrase ‘I’m not scared’in Italian. Once the camera reaches ground
level, the scene changes dramatically to one of apparently idyllic countryside.
We are already aware that this is not to be trusted, that there is a dangerous
underbelly in this world. Similarly in T, the opening layout of the stage is
very important to our understanding of later events. We see an old barn, with
old and broken implements lying about. The room is dusty and ‘there is no trace
of a woman’s hand.’ Like in INS, this makes us aware of the style of production
we are about to see. We know immediately that we are looking at rural Ireland,
from at least 150 years ago. The fact that the setting is so rundown lets us
know that we are dealing with the poor and the neglected. In common with INS,
the opening sequence also contains a contradiction. Jimmy Jack Cassie is reading
quietly to himself in Greek, and we are told that he is fluent in both Greek and
Latin. However, we are also told that he never washes and wears the same clothes
all year round, day and night. The disparity between Jimmy’s education and his
social awareness is striking, and we realise immediately that the great degree
of learning in this village has not helped to lift them out of poverty or
provoked any modernisation. While this contrast is not as sinister as that in
INS, it is very effective foreshadowing. We are given vital information to our
understanding of the play in both opening
sequences.
Suspense is used to great effect by both
authors. In each text, we are anxious to find out what has happened to key
characters. Although both texts contain suspense, it is created somewhat
differently as the authors have different techniques available to them. In INS,
the final sequence is full of drama and tension. Michele has headed out into the
dark to rescue Filippo, and his father is following, intent on shooting Filippo.
The music playing in the background during this sequence is very sharp,
high-pitched music, that makes the audience uncomfortable. During particularly
tense moments, the music stops entirely, and all we can hear are crickets,
emphasising the tension Michele is feeling. In T, music is not used in the same
way. Although a director could choose to include music at the end of Act Two, it
is not indicated in the script. Instead, it is the three act structure that
creates the tension. At the end of Act Two, Maire and Yolland are spotted having
a romantic conversation which has overcome the language barrier. Sarah, the
character who spots them, rushes off stage calling for Manus. At this point, the
play breaks for the interval, leaving the audience dying to find out what will
happen when Manus discovers the woman he intends to marry spending time alone
with a British soldier. By forcing a break in the play, the author is
manipulating the audience response. Just at the moment we want to know the
outcome, we are made to wait for the play to resume. This option is not
available to a film-maker. Instead, Salvatores uses a‘white-out’ to create a
similar, albeit shorter, effect. Just after Pino fires the gun at Michele, the
screen goes completely white and stays white for five full seconds. At this
point, the audience does not know whether Michele has been hit, and if he has,
whether the wound is fatal. By delaying in giving us this information,
Salvatores increases the suspense, just as Friel did with the
interval.
In both T and INS, I was totally engrossed
in the story and anxious to find out what happened to the main characters. By
clever use of foreshadowing and skilful building of tension, the authors have
succeeded in creating interesting and exciting texts.
“Aspects of narrative contribute to your
response to a text.”
(a)
With
reference to one of your chosen texts, identify at least two aspects of
narrative and discuss how those aspects contributed to your response to that
text. (30)
(b)
With
reference to two other texts, compare how aspects of narrative contributed to
your response to these texts.
In answer to (b), you may use the aspects
of narrative discussed in (a) or any other aspects.
(40)
(a)
I have studied ‘Pompeii’ by Robert Harris.
Throughout this thriller-style novel, Harris employs a variety of literary
techniques to maintain the reader’s attention, and to develop tension and
suspense. I greatly enjoyed thisnovel, and much of my enjoyment
was generated by his skilful use of aspects of
narrative.
One of the main techniques used by Harris
is his style of narration. The novel is narrated in the third person. We are not
given an insight into any one character through first person narration. This can
have the effect of distancing the reader from the characters, making it harder
to engage with the novel. However, Harris writes the narration from the point of
view of specific characters. Although they do not narrate in the first person,
the narration gives us access to their thoughts and private responses. For
example, one of the main characters, Ampliatus, portrays himself as a brash,
confident business man. He mocks the peasants who are getting more and more
worried about the water situation, and looks down on their superstitious
responses. But when the novel is narrated from his point of view, we realise
that he is extremely concerned about the situation himself, and is clinging to a
prophecy he commissioned that claims Pompeii will last for thousands of years. I
thought this was a very useful technique. It greatly increased my understanding
of the characters whose points of view were followed. My engagement with the
text increased, as I felt more invested in these characters. All their
complexities made them much more interesting and believable.
Harris also uses irony to great effect
throughout the novel. From the very title,‘Pompeii’, to the cover artwork, it is
clear from the outset that this novel will deal with the obliteration of the
town of Pompeii by the ash of Vesuvius’eruption. The story of Pompeii is
well-known, and when we hear the name we immediately think of the volcano. As we
begin to read, however, it emerges that the characters of the novel are not
preparing themselves for a volcanic eruption. In fact, they do not even realise
that Vesuvius is a volcano. They believe it to be a normal mountain. Harris
plays on this gap in their knowledge by using epigraphs at the start of each
chapter, taken from books on volcanology. Each epigraph foreshadows what will
happen in terms of Vesuvius in the chapter. The characters remain totally
unaware of the impending doom, while the reader gains additional information to
help them understand the type of eruption they can expect. Throughout all of
this, the Roman characters display huge arrogance and hubris. They believe they
are the most advanced nation on earth and that nothing can destroy them. Pompeii
itself is in the process of rebuilding after an earthquake, confirming the Roman
belief that they can overcome any challenge in the long term. The supreme irony
comes in the form of Ampliatus’ prophecy. The wording of the prophecy is very
specific. He was told that a thousand years hence, the streets of Pompeii would
be thronged with people of every tongue and that even after the Empire had
crumbled, what had been built in Pompeii would endure. As modern readers, we
recognise what is really being said – by being buried in ash, Pompeii is
preserved and is now a tourist attraction. The characters take false hope from
this ambiguous prophecy and fail to save themselves. Having more knowledge than
the characters allows the reader to feel somewhat superior, and we enjoy knowing
what will happen to these arrogant and disagreeable people.
(b)
With reference to two other texts, compare
how aspects of narrative contributed to your response to these
texts.
The other two texts I have studied are
‘Translations’(T), by Brian Friel, and ‘I’m Not Scared’(INS), directed by
Gabriele Salvatores. As a play and a film respectively, these two texts share
many aspects of narrative. There are important differences as well. Both authors
use many of the aspects of narrative available to them within their chosen
genres to ensure the audience is eager to continue watching.
Both texts use foreshadowing to alert the
audience to upcoming issues. Foreshadowing allows the audience to be in the
right frame of mind to engage with the production. In INS, the opening sequence
is full of foreshadowing. Before the dialogue even begins, we are given visual
clues about the type of film we will be watching. The camera pans up from a
dark, cold and wet underground location. On these underground walls, someone has
scratched the phrase ‘I’m not scared’in Italian. Once the camera reaches ground
level, the scene changes dramatically to one of apparently idyllic countryside.
We are already aware that this is not to be trusted, that there is a dangerous
underbelly in this world. Similarly in T, the opening layout of the stage is
very important to our understanding of later events. We see an old barn, with
old and broken implements lying about. The room is dusty and ‘there is no trace
of a woman’s hand.’ Like in INS, this makes us aware of the style of production
we are about to see. We know immediately that we are looking at rural Ireland,
from at least 150 years ago. The fact that the setting is so rundown lets us
know that we are dealing with the poor and the neglected. In common with INS,
the opening sequence also contains a contradiction. Jimmy Jack Cassie is reading
quietly to himself in Greek, and we are told that he is fluent in both Greek and
Latin. However, we are also told that he never washes and wears the same clothes
all year round, day and night. The disparity between Jimmy’s education and his
social awareness is striking, and we realise immediately that the great degree
of learning in this village has not helped to lift them out of poverty or
provoked any modernisation. While this contrast is not as sinister as that in
INS, it is very effective foreshadowing. We are given vital information to our
understanding of the play in both opening
sequences.
Suspense is used to great effect by both
authors. In each text, we are anxious to find out what has happened to key
characters. Although both texts contain suspense, it is created somewhat
differently as the authors have different techniques available to them. In INS,
the final sequence is full of drama and tension. Michele has headed out into the
dark to rescue Filippo, and his father is following, intent on shooting Filippo.
The music playing in the background during this sequence is very sharp,
high-pitched music, that makes the audience uncomfortable. During particularly
tense moments, the music stops entirely, and all we can hear are crickets,
emphasising the tension Michele is feeling. In T, music is not used in the same
way. Although a director could choose to include music at the end of Act Two, it
is not indicated in the script. Instead, it is the three act structure that
creates the tension. At the end of Act Two, Maire and Yolland are spotted having
a romantic conversation which has overcome the language barrier. Sarah, the
character who spots them, rushes off stage calling for Manus. At this point, the
play breaks for the interval, leaving the audience dying to find out what will
happen when Manus discovers the woman he intends to marry spending time alone
with a British soldier. By forcing a break in the play, the author is
manipulating the audience response. Just at the moment we want to know the
outcome, we are made to wait for the play to resume. This option is not
available to a film-maker. Instead, Salvatores uses a‘white-out’ to create a
similar, albeit shorter, effect. Just after Pino fires the gun at Michele, the
screen goes completely white and stays white for five full seconds. At this
point, the audience does not know whether Michele has been hit, and if he has,
whether the wound is fatal. By delaying in giving us this information,
Salvatores increases the suspense, just as Friel did with the
interval.
In both T and INS, I was totally engrossed
in the story and anxious to find out what happened to the main characters. By
clever use of foreshadowing and skilful building of tension, the authors have
succeeded in creating interesting and exciting texts.