How Does Mcewan Tell the Story in Chapter 9 of 'Enduring Love'?
How does Ian McEwan tell the story in Chapter 9?
Ian McEwan uses a variety of techniques in order to tell the story throughout the novel ‘Enduring Love’. Looking at Chapter 9 in close detail I am going to analyse the ways in which McEwan tells the story with the use of form, structure and language.
The majority of the novel is told in the first person however chapter 9 has a third person narrative and is in the present tense. McEwan uses Joe’s narratives in order to explain Clarissa’s perspective. This shifting perspective gives the reader a chance to see Joe from another person’s point of view. By using Clarissa’s perspective, McEwan has created a sense of empathy towards her as Joe is ‘conversationally deaf and blind’ towards her feelings. However it could be argued that this chapter of the novel is more Joe trying to understand Clarissa’s point of view rather than actually telling the story from her perspective, showing the reader only what Joe think she feels other than what she actually does. Creating an unreliable narrative.
Also in chapter 9 the genre is portrayed as more of a romance than a thriller as McEwan uses contemporary romance rather than scientific vocabulary within the narrative, ‘Where’s my kiss? Hug me! Take care of me!’ The use of this romantic narrative takes the novel away from the typical thriller genre in order to tell the story. Although chapter 9 is shown to be of a romantic genre, it still includes conventions which McEwan uses to suggest that the novel is a psychological thriller. The use of a relationship breakdown within this chapter gives the reader this idea. As well as this, towards the end of the chapter the reader is reminded of Joe’s stalker, ‘he sees Parry waiting for him at the end of the brick path he does not even break his stride’ The fact that Jed Parry is waiting at the end of the road for Joe also brings back the idea of a psychological thriller genre.
McEwan uses the pace within this chapter in order to effectively
Ian McEwan uses a variety of techniques in order to tell the story throughout the novel ‘Enduring Love’. Looking at Chapter 9 in close detail I am going to analyse the ways in which McEwan tells the story with the use of form, structure and language.
The majority of the novel is told in the first person however chapter 9 has a third person narrative and is in the present tense. McEwan uses Joe’s narratives in order to explain Clarissa’s perspective. This shifting perspective gives the reader a chance to see Joe from another person’s point of view. By using Clarissa’s perspective, McEwan has created a sense of empathy towards her as Joe is ‘conversationally deaf and blind’ towards her feelings. However it could be argued that this chapter of the novel is more Joe trying to understand Clarissa’s point of view rather than actually telling the story from her perspective, showing the reader only what Joe think she feels other than what she actually does. Creating an unreliable narrative.
Also in chapter 9 the genre is portrayed as more of a romance than a thriller as McEwan uses contemporary romance rather than scientific vocabulary within the narrative, ‘Where’s my kiss? Hug me! Take care of me!’ The use of this romantic narrative takes the novel away from the typical thriller genre in order to tell the story. Although chapter 9 is shown to be of a romantic genre, it still includes conventions which McEwan uses to suggest that the novel is a psychological thriller. The use of a relationship breakdown within this chapter gives the reader this idea. As well as this, towards the end of the chapter the reader is reminded of Joe’s stalker, ‘he sees Parry waiting for him at the end of the brick path he does not even break his stride’ The fact that Jed Parry is waiting at the end of the road for Joe also brings back the idea of a psychological thriller genre.
McEwan uses the pace within this chapter in order to effectively