Co m p a rat i v e
EASTER REVI SI ON COU RSE
CI AN H O GAN
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Comparative Studies!
General Vision and Viewpoint: An Approach!
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Comparative Studies
M o d e : Th e G en e ral V i s i o n an d V iewpoint
F a c t o r s t h at influence/shape/infor m our understanding of the gen e r a l
v i s i o n a n d vi ew p o i n t o f a tex t:
T h e o p e n i ng m o m e n t
C h a r a ct e r s *
Re l a t i o n s h i p s
Dr a m a t i c o r k ey m o m e n ts (p l o t /st or yline)
C l o s i n g / fi n a l m o m en t
La n g u a g e a n d Im ag ery
* N o t e : t he success or failure of the protagonist’s conflict with soc i e t y
in fl u e n ce s o ur un d ers tan d i n g of t he vision and viewpoint of each t ext
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Sa m p l e Q u es ti o n: Le av i n g Ce rt 2010
T H E G E N E R AL V IS ION AND V IEW P O INT
2 . ( a ) H o w did you come to your understanding of the general vision a n d
v i e w p o i n t in any one of the texts you read as part of your compara t i v e
c o u r s e ? ( 3 0)
( b ) Wr i t e a comparison between two other texts on your course in t h e
l ig h t o f y o ur understanding of the general vision and viewpoint in th o s e
t e xt s . ( 4 0 )
O R “ T h e g eneral vision and viewpoint of a text can be deter mined by t h e
s u c c e s s o r failure of a central character in his/her efforts to achi e v e
f u l f i l m e n t . ” In the light of the above statement, compare the gen e r a l
v i s i o n a n d viewpoint in at least two texts you have studied in y o u r
c o mp a r a t i v e c o u rs e. (7 0 )
I n p re p a r a t i o n f o r thi s ty p e o f quest ion you could consider :
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W h a t i m p a ct the relationships and actions of the central characters h a v e
on t h e g e neral vision and viewpoint of the text; Darken? Relieve t h e
d a r k n e s s ? Lighten the mood or atmosphere? Introduce optimism a n d
ho p e ? F u r t her i n c re as e the p essimism, negat ivit y?
A re t h e re lationships positive or negative? Destructive or construct i v e ?
Do o m e d ?
T h e p re s e nce of love or friendship brings joy and is uplifting? T h e
a b s e n c e o f love and the cruelty or violence inherent in relationships c a s t s
a dark shadow?
I m p a ct o f t he rel ati o n s h i p s o n t he char act er ?
I n s i g h t s i n t o h u m an n ature, c apacit y for good or evil Et c.
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T H E G E N E R AL V IS ION AND V IEW P O INT 2007
1 . “ A re a der’s understanding of the general vision and viewpoin t i s
in fl u e n ce d b y k e y m o m e n ts i n t he t ext .”
C h o o s e a key moment from one of your chosen texts and show ho w i t
in fl u e n ce d y o ur un d ers tan d i n g of t he gener al vision and viewpoint (30 )
( b ) W i t h re f e ren c e to tw o o the r chosen t ext s compare t he way in which
k e y mo m e nts i n f l ue n c e y o u r under st anding of t he gener al vision
a n d vi e w p o i n t o f tho s e tex ts . (40)
19 8 4
A K e y M o ment which offers h ope and brightens the General V ision a n d
Viewpoint
D e s p i t e t h e risk, W inston rents a room above Mr. Charrington’s shop s o
t h a t h e a n d Julia can have a regular place to meet. By making the ro o m
a v a i l a b l e f or himself and Julia, he hopes he can make their relations h i p
re s e m b l e o ne from an earlier, freer time. When Julia comes into the ro o m
w i t h s u g a r, coffee, and bread—luxuries rarely enjoyed - and puts o n
m a k e u p , h er beauty and femininity overwhelm W inston.
A numbe r o f
d e t a i l s i n f l uence the general vision and viewpoint. After Julia leaves t h e
ro o m , W i n ston gazes into a paperweight, imagining a world outside o f
t i m e i n s i d e it, where he and Julia could float, free from the Party. T h e
re c u r re n c e of this symbol emphasises W inston’s obsession with the p a s t
a n d d e f i a n ce of the party. The second important detail involves the p ro l e
w o m a n s i n ging outside the window as she hangs up her laundry. W ins t o n
h a s a l re a d y thought and written in his diary that any hope for the fu t u re
m u s t c o m e from the proles. The virile prole woman becomes a symbo l o f
t h e h o p e d -for future to W inston; he imagines her bearing the child re n
w h o w i l l o ne d ay o v e rth ro w th e P ar t y.
A s e co n d ke y m o m e n t w h i c h b right ens t he Gener al V ision and V iewpoint
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O ’ B r i e n m akes contact with W inston, who has been waiting for t h i s
m o m e n t a l l his life. During his brief meeting with O’Brien in the hall w a y
a t t h e M i nistry of Truth, W inston is anxious and excited. O’Brien t e l l s
W i n s t o n t hat he can see a N ewspeak dictionary if he will come to h i s
h o u s e o n e evening. W inston feels that his meeting with O’Brien contin u e s
a p a t h i n his life begun the day of his first rebellious thought. Altho u g h
h e t h i n k s gloomily that this path will lead him to the Ministry of Love , h e
i s t h r i l l e d to have O’Brien’s address. At this point we cannot tell whe t h e r
O ’ B r i e n i s trustworthy or trea cherous, whether he is truly on W inst o n ’s
s i d e o r s i mply wants to trap him for the Party but like W inston, we t o o
f e e l t h i s mo m e n t o ff e rs ho p e of fur t her resist ance t o Big Brot her.
A ke y mo m e n t th at d ark e n s the Gener al V ision and V iewpoint
W h i l e W i n ston lies awake in bed in the rented room, the red-ar m e d
w o m a n o u tside begins to sing, waking Julia. W inston looks at the wom a n
t h ro u g h t h e window, admires her fertility and imagines that the pro l e s
w i l l o n e d a y give rise to a race of conscious, independent individuals w h o
w i l l t h ro w off the yoke of Party control. W inston and Julia look at t h e
w o m a n a n d realise that although they are doomed, she might hold t h e
k e y t o t h e future. This initial optimism is suddenly shattered as b o t h
W i n s t o n a nd Julia say, “We are the dead,” and out of the shadows a t h i rd
v o i c e i n t e rjects, “You are the dead.” Suddenly, the two realise tha t a
t e l e s c r e e n i s h i d d e n b e h i n d t h e p i c t u r e o f S t . C l e m e n t ’s C h u r c h .
S t o m p i n g boots echo from outside; the house is surrounded. A fam i l i a r
v o i c e s p e aks the last lines of the St. Clement’s rhyme which they h a d
b e e n s i n g i ng: “Here comes a candle to light you to bed / Here come s a
c h o p p e r t o chop off your head!” The window shatters, and black- c l a d
t ro o p s p o ur in, kick W inston and beat Julia.
As the troops rest r a i n
W i n s t o n , Mr. Charrington enters the room and orders someone to pick u p
t h e s h a rd s from the shattered paperweight. W inston realises that M r.
C h a r r i n g t o n’s voice was the one coming from the telescreen, and that M r.
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C h a r r i n g t o n is a member of the Thought Police. The violence a n d
b r u t a l i t y o f this event and the realisation that their affair will now co m e
t o a n e n d further darkens this vision and viewpoint. W inston and Ju l i a ’s
re l a t i o n s h i p, in defiance of th e Party rules, had injected romance, h o p e
a n d l o v e i nto this dystopian world of hate and confor mity. The rea d e r
no w fe e l s i ts l o s s as th e y are c a r r ied away t o t he Minist r y of Love.
A n o t h e r k e y moment that has a significant impact on the General V i s i o n
a n d V i e w p oint is W inston’s imprisonment in primitive conditions wi t h a
l a v a t o r y p an, a bench and four tele screens in his cell. His autonom y i s
re m o v e d by the telescreen’s control of his every movement. Th e s e
c o n d i t i o n s un d er m i ne h i s s el f -respect as ot her pr isoner s share his cell.
I n P a r t O n e of the novel we saw and shared W inston’s revulsion at t h e
w o r l d o f 1 984. In Part Two we followed his struggle to hold an alter na t i v e
w o r l d a n d view of life. Now his private world has been destroyed an d i n
P a r t T h re e his view of life, too, is systematically broken down. The f i r s t
s t a g e o f t his process is to demoralise him so that he loses faith in h i s
p o w e r s t o resist. Worst of all he is kept in a state of constant f e a r.
Re p e a t e d l y seeing the condition and treatment of other prisoners, n o n e
of w h o m s eem able to stand up to their tor mentors, makes him exp e c t
t h e v e r y w orst. The unsparing description of Bumstead’s beating is on e o f
t h e m o s t s hocking moments in the novel as is the screams and howl s o f
t h e s t a r v i n g man who would r ather watch his own family’s throats be i n g
c u t t h a n g o to R o o m 1 0 1 .
A t h i rd m oment that demonstrates the bleakness of the General V is i o n
a n d V i e w p o i n t o f thi s no v e l .
1 9 8 4 ’s p i v otal scene and the moment which confir ms the bleakness a n d
d a r k n e s s o f the General V ision takes place in Room 101. O’Brien arr i v e s
w i t h t h e g uards and even though W inston tells him that he hates B i g
B ro t h e r, O ’Bri e n rep l i es th at obeying Big Brot her is not sufficie nt—
W i n s t o n m ust lear n to love him. He then instructs the guards to t a k e
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W i n s t o n t o Room 101 where O’Brien straps W inston to a chair, t h e n
c l a m p s W i nston’s head so that he cannot move. He tells W inston t h a t
Ro o m 1 0 1 co ntai n s “th e w o rs t t hing in t he wor ld”, his wor st night ma re—
t h e d re a m of being in a dark place with something terrible, rats,
ot h e r s i d e of the wall.
on t h e
O’Brien picks up a cage full of enor m o u s ,
s q u i r m i n g rats and places it near W inston. He says that when he press e s a
l e v e r, t h e door will slide up and the rats will leap onto W inston’s face a n d
e a t i t . W i t h the writhing, starving rats just inches away, W inston cra c k s .
H e s c re a m s that he wants O’Brien to subject Julia to this torture inst e a d
of h i m . O ’Bri e n , s ati s f i ed b y this bet r ayal, removes t he cage.
O r w e l l c o n sistently argues that physical pain and the sense of phys i c a l
d a n g e r c a n override human reason. W inston, facing a writhing swar m o f
r a t s p re p a red to devour his face, cannot act rationally. That his betr a y a l
of J u l i a o c curs so soon
demonstrates that
physical pain eliminates t h e
p o s s i b i l i t y of defending emotional conviction. Tur ning against Julia i s a n
i n s t i n c t i v e lunge for self-preservation and so W inston’s love for Juli a i s
re pl a ce d by h i s l ov e f or th e P ar t y as t he final m o ment demo nst r at es.
“ A D o l l ’s Ho us e ”
A k e y m o ment that darkens the General V ision and V iewpoint of this l a t e
n i n e t e e n t h century drama is when Krogstad visits Nora at her home. H e
w a n t s h e r to use her influence with her husband to prevent his dismi s s a l
f ro m h i s p osition in the bank. When Nora is unwilling he threatens t o
re v e a l t o her husband that she borrowed money from him and is s t i l l
re p a y i n g t he debt. What is shocking/depressing for the audience is t h e
i m p a c t o f societal mores and attitudes.
Krogstad is prepared t o
b l a c k m a i l Nora and to do anything to safeguard his position as it ensu re s
h i s c u r re n t respectability after a past period of social disgrace . I t
b e c o m e s c lear that he knows that Nora forged her father’s signature a s
s e c u r i t y f o r the debt and had carelessly dated the document three d a y s
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a f t e r h e r f ather’s death.
He threatens to use this infor mation to des t ro y
h e r f a m i l y life if he loses his job. By experience he has lear nt the attit u d e
of s o c i e t y towards such a crime “but I can sure you that it is no big g e r
n o r w o r s e a crime than the on e I once committed and thereby ruined m y
w h o l e s o c i al position’. After his departure Nora asks Torvald what exa c t l y
K ro g s t a d h ad done to merit disgrace. Helmer condemns Krogstad not j u s t
f o r c o m m i t ting the original crime of forgery but for failing to admit it a n d
a c c e p t h i s punishment. Such dishonesty, he claims, infects a pers o n ’s
f a m i l y, p a r ticularly the children. Nora then applies what her husband s a i d
a b o u t K ro gstad to herself and will not allow the children to come in t o
h e r a s s h e is now fearful that she will infect them with her o w n
“ c o r r u p t i o n”. “ Nora ( Pale with fear ): Corrupt my little children - !
P o i s o n m y home! It couldn’t be true!” A society that drives a good m a n
t o b l a c k m ail to ensure a respectable existence for his children and wo u l d
c o n d e m n a woman for trying to save her husband’s life by borrow i n g
m o n e y i s i ndeed a cold, harsh environment in which to live. Its attitu d e s
t o w a rd s
social position and respectability establish a negative gen e r a l
v i s i o n a n d vi ew p o i n t f o r th e audience.
A n o t h e r d r amatic moment that darkens the General V ision and V iewp o i n t
i s To r v a l d ’s response to Krogstad’s first letter. On its arrival, he dema n d s
a n e x p l a n a tion from Nora but, without allowing her to give one, accu s e s
h e r o f r u i ning his life and claims that she has no sense of relig i o n ,
m o r a l i t y o r duty. To avoid a scandal he will do whatever Krogstad wa n t s .
W h e n N o r a talks about taking her own life to free him he becomes e v e n
a n g r i e r a n d dismisses her concer ns as he would still have to deal with t h e
c o n d e m n a tion of society. her husband castigates her as a “hypocrit e , a
l ia r - w o r s e, worse - a criminal.” He insists that they must keep up t h e
a p p e a r a n c e of man and wife but the children will not be in her care a n d
h i s l o v e f or her is gone. Here Torvald’s concer n for social approval a n d
s t a t u s a b o ve his regard for his wife and occupation with appearan c e s
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r a t h e r t h a n truth all serve to darken the view of humanity and soc i e t y
e x p re s s e d in this text. Helmer is then prepared, having scolded a n d
c o n d e m n e d Nora, to revert to the status quo of ‘happy family life” o n c e
t h e I O U a rrives in Krogstad’s second letter. If Nora had accepted, h e r
h u s b a n d w o u l d h a v e b e e n h a p p y t o c o n t i n u e t h e i r re l a t i o n s h i p a s
h u s b a n d a nd wife since his social standing and respectability would n o t
h a v e b e e n affected. This volte-face or tur n-around contributes to an e v e n
m o re d e p res s i ng v i ew o f h u m an relat ionships as exper ienced in t his t ex t.
General Vision and Viewpoint: An Approach
Gen eral vi si on an d vi ewp oi n t i s th e ou tl ook of th e text.
C h a ra c t ers
O p en i n g s / c o n c l u s i o n s .
Key mo men t s a re p res en t ed i n a t ex t
C h a ra c t ers a n d t h ei r rel a t i o n s h i p s i n f o rm a rea d er’s u n d ers t a n d i n g o f t h e Gen eral V i si on An d V i ewp oi n t of a text.
An s wer q u es ti o n
M u s t c o m p ar e
M u s t s t ay t r ue to the m ode of c ompari son I n th e c ase of the three tex ts that I have studied, charac ters and t h e ir rel ati o n s h i p s i n f o rm a read er’s u n d ers tan d i n g o f th e Gen eral V i s i o n An d V i ewp o i n t o f a t ex t . Pri d e a n d Prej u d i ce, a 19 t h cen t u ry n o vel b y Ja n e Au s t i n p res en t s u s wi t h a s eri es o f ro ma n t i c rel a t i o n s h i p s t h a t i n f o rm a n d d i rect t h e V i s i o n a n d V i ewp o i n t o f t h a t t ex t . C l a i re Keega n ’s n o vel l a “ F o s t er” p res en t s u s wi th i n ten se fami l y rel ati o n sh i p s. Wh ereas “ T ran sl ati o n s,” a 20 t h cen tu ry stage p l a y b y Bra i n F ri el a l s o p res en t s u s wi t h a ro ma n t i c rel a t i o n s h i p , i t i s mo re © CIAN HOGAN ENGLISH NOTES 2012 - 2013
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con cern ed wi th th e rel ati on sh i p b etween th e stron g an d th e week, th e p o werf u l a n d p o werl es s .
I n e a ch of the three tex ts that I have studied, the relationships bet ween ch aracters are con veyed th rou gh a seri es of p owerfu l key momen ts. Th ese th e key mo men ts d arken o r l i gh ten th e mo o d an d atmo s p h ere o f th e tex ts an d i n th e p r o c e s s a l ter a nd i nf or m the reader’s underst andi ng of t he V i si on an d V i ewp o i n t o f th at tex t. In th e cas e o f Jan e Au s ti n ’s P& P o n e s u ch key mo men t o c c u rs d u ri n g D a rc y’s f i rs t ma rri a ge p ro p o s a l t o L i z z y. I n f o rmi n g h er t h a t h e h a s “ f o u gh t a ga i n s t j u d gmen t , [h i s ] f a mi l i es ex p ect a t i o n s , i n f eri o ri t y o f [h er] b i rt h a n d [h i s ] ra n k,” h e a s ks h er t o en d “ [h i s ] a go n y. ” E l i z a b et h Ben n et ’s reacti o n d i s p l ays h er q u i ck wi tted n es s an d s h arp to n gu e. S h e rej ects h i s p ro p o s a l b eca u s e h i s o f f er o f ma rri a ge i t h a s b een gi ven wi t h “ evi d en t a d es i gn o f i n s u l t i n g” h er. T h e mo o d , wh i c h u p t o t h i s p o i n t i s l i gh t en ed b y a n a i r o f n ea r co mi ca l i ro n y, d a rken s wh en E l i z a b et h a ccu s es D a rcy o f h a vi n g “ ru i n ed f o rever t h e h a p p i n es s o f a m o s t b el o ved s i s t er. ” As D a rc y a t t em p t s t o d ef en d h i ms el f , t h e rel a t i o n s h i p b eco mes even mo re s t ra i n ed ; u n t i l E l i z a b et h a ccu s es h i m o f “ a rro ga n ce, co n cei t [a n d ] s el f i s h d i s d a i n . ” T h e s cen e cu l mi n a t es wi t h E l i z a b et h vo wi n g t o D a rc y t h a t h e i s t h e “ l a s t ma n i n t h e wo rl d ” t h a t s h e c o u l d b e “ p reva i l ed u p o n t o ma rry. ” Al t h o u gh a t t h i s p reci s e mo men t i n t h e t ex t , t h e read er i s l ef t wo n d eri n g i f th i s rel ati o n s h i p can ever s u cceed , th e even tu al u n i o n b et ween D a rcy a n d E l i z a b et h i s ma d e a l l t h e mo re memo ra b l e b y t h e d i f f i cu l t i es t h ei r rel a t i o n s h i p en co u n t ers ea rl y o n . Wh i l e t h e gen era l vi s i o n a n d vi ew p o i n t o f Au sti n ’s n o vel i s u l ti matel y o p ti mi sti c, th e h ap p y o u tco me i s gi ven a d eep er co n text th ro u gh su ch f rau gh t en co u n ters wi tn essed i n th e rel ati o n s h i p b etween D arcy an d Ben n et. Wh i l e Bri an F ri el ’s “ T ran s l ati o n s ” p res en t s u s wi t h t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a ro ma n t i c u n i o n b et ween Y o l l a n d a n d M ai r e , t h e p l a y ul ti m a tel y di f f ers i n i t s t reat ment of t he not i on of roma n t i c rel ati o n s h i p s . Mu ch l i ke Au s ti n ’s n o vel , “ T ran s l ati o n s ” cen tre’s o n a ro man ti c rel a t i o n s h i p o f u n eq u al s . Y o l l an d i s an E n gl i s h s o l i d er an d Mai re i s a p ea s a n t Ir i s h w o m an. And j ust a s we wi tness k ey moment s i n A ust i n’s nov el , F ri el ’s p l ay a l s o p r e s e n ts us w i th key m om ent s i n t he rel at i onshi p bet ween Yol l and an d M ai r e . A t t h e end of Ac t II, sc ene i i , we see t hat Yol l and and Mai re hav e fal l e n i n l o ve as th ey retu rn f ro m a d an ce to geth er. T h ey f i n d i t n earl y i mp o s s i b l e to commu n i cate an d th ey exh au st n earl y every meth od of commu n i cati on b efore © CIAN HOGAN ENGLISH NOTES 2012 - 2013
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reci ti n g p l ace n ames to each o th er. T h i s co mmo n l an gu age o f p l ace n ames i n creas es th e ten s i o n b etween th e co u p l e. Al th o u gh th e s cen e i s l acki n g i n th e cl ever wo rd p l ay th at we wi tn es s ed i n D arcy’s p ro p o s al to E l i zab eth , i t i s j u s t a s i m p o r t an t i n i nf or m i ng our underst andi ng of t he V i si on and V i ewpoi nt of t h e tex t . T h e y e ventua l l y ki ss, but S arah wi t nesses t hei r moment of passi on and we f eel a grea t s en s e o f f o reb o d i n g. We l ater co me to real i s e th at th i s key mo men t i n Y o l l an d an d Mai re’s rel ati o n s h i p wi l l act as a catal ys t f o r th e d i s as tro u s s eri es o f ev en t s t h a t f o l l o w . I t l ea d s t o t h e d i s a p p ea ra n c e o f Y o l l a n d , t h e a r r i va l o f a new oc c upyi ng E ng l i sh force t he ev i ct i ons and l ev el l i ng of ev e r y a b o d e i n Bal l ybeg a nd, of c our se, i t resul t s i n Mai re’s despai r. In t hi s resp e ct , th i s s c e n e col our s our vi ew of n ot onl y t he rel at i onshi p bet ween Mai re an d Y o l l a n d b u t mo reo ver t h e vi s i o n a n d vi ewp o i n t o f t h e p l a y. T h e gen era l vi s i o n a n d vi e w p o i nt of Keeg a n’s shor t nov el “ F ost er” i s al so col oured by i t s depi ct i o n o f rel a t i o n s h i p s . In th e n o vel l a, we s ee th e wo rl d th ro u gh th e s l an ted gaze o f a yo u n g gi rl d el i vered f o r a wh i l e to s tay wi th an u n f ami l i ar au n t an d u n cl e wh o m s h e kn o w s o n l y a s t h e Ki n s el l a s . Al t h o u g h w e a re n o t p res en t ed w i t h t h e s a m e t y p e o f r o m a n t i c r e l a t i o n s h i p s s e e n i n “ P r i d e a n d P r e j u d i c e ” a n d “ T ran s l ati o n s ” , th i s s to ry i s every b i t as emo ti o n al l y co mp l ex as th e o th er two tex t s . O n c e a g a i n, the w a y i n w h i ch rel at i onshi ps are present ed t o us i s v e r y s i gn i f i ca n t . F o r mo s t p art th e gen eral vi s i o n an d vi ewp o i n t o f th i s tex t i s a mi xtu re o f o p ti mi sm an d p essi mi sm. Ho wever, th e fi n al mo men ts o f th e sto ry ta k e u s t o a key m om ent i n th e chi l d’s rel at i onshi p wi t h her fat her. [inse r t P Q E of k e y m om e nt]
T h e ways whic h all three tex ts c oncluded had a profound impact on h o w we vi ew th e gen eral vi si o n an d p o i n t o f th ese texts. On ce agai n , th e i n teracti o n s b etween ch aracters d u ri n g th e co n cl u d i n g p o rti o n o f th e tex ts , an d th e m an n e r i n whi c h key a spec ts of t hei r rel at i onshi ps wi t h ot her charact e r s a r e r e s o l ve d or not, l i g htens or d ark ens t he general v i si on and v i ewpoi nt of t h e t ex t s . I n t h e cas e o f Jan e Au s ti n ’s Pri d e an d Prej u d i ce, th e n o vel en d s wi t h a © CIAN HOGAN ENGLISH NOTES 2012 - 2013
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s eri es o f h a p p y rel a t i o n s h i p s . D a rc y, B i n g l ey, a n d E l i z a b et h rej ec t t h e i d ea o f rel ati o n s h i p s b as ed o n s o ci o -­‐ eco n o mi c eq u al i ty an d i n s tead ch o o s e to marry f o r l o ve. T h e a u d i en c e i s rem i n d ed o f t h e n o vel ’s o p en i n g l i n e:
"I t is a truth uni v ersally acknowledged, that a s ing le m a n in possession of a good fortune, m us t be in wa nt of a wife". An d we co me to s ee th at th e rel ati o n s h i p s b as ed o n l o ve p res en ted at th e en d o f t h e n o vel , wo rk to d i s mi s s th e cyn i ci s m co n tai n ed i n th i s s tatemen t. As a res u l t, th e gen eral vi s i o n an d vi ewp o i n t o f th e en ti re n o vel i s s i gn i f i can tl y l i gh ten ed . Ho wever, th e way i n wh i ch “ T ran s l ati o n s ” co n cl u d es i s n o t as o p t i mi s t i c . Wh ere Au s t i n ’s n o vel vi ews t h e rel a t i o n s h i p s a n d i n p a rt i c u l a r marri age as p ro vi d i n g th e p o ssi b i l i ty fo r so ci al ch an ge, F ri el ’s p l ay co n cl u d es wi th Ji mmy Jack tal ki n g ab o u t th e d an gers o f marryi n g o u tsi d e o f th e tri b e an d Hu g h t r a n s l a ti ng L a ti n, a s he speak s of a my t hi cal count ry t hat was t hreat en e d b y a n ei gh b o u ri n g ra ce o f men . I t q u i ckl y b eco mes cl ea r t h a t H u gh ’s d es cri p t i o n o f a n a n c i en t f a vo u red b y t h e go d d es s Ju n o , i s a n a l l u s i o n t o C a rt h a ge. I n t h i s man n er th e read er i s fo rced to l o o k o n th e tragi c l o ve affai r b etween Aen eas a n d D i d o a s a m e t a p h o r f o r t h e i m p o s s i b i l i t y o f M a i r e a n d Y o l l a n d ’ s rel ati o n s h i p . O f co u rs e, th i s s i gn i f i can tl y d arken s th e gen eral vi s i o n an d vi ewp o i n t o f th e tex t. C l ai re Keegan ’s n o vel l a en d s i n an en ti rel y d i f f eren t man n er. T h e arri val o f th e yo u n g gi rl s fath er at th e en d o f th e text o ffers th e u s t h e gl i mp s e o f a reu n i o n . Wh i l e t h ei r rel a t i o n s h i p i s n ever ex p l o red i n t h e n o vel we d o kn o w t h a t t h e i s a d ru n ka rd wh o h a s ga mb l ed t h e f a mi l y’s f u t u re h a p p i n es s . H o wever, t h e f a ct t h a t h e d o es a p p ea r i n t h e f i n a l mo men t s o f t h e tex t s u g g e s ts som e m ea sur e of hope for t hei r rel at i onshi p:
“‘Da ddy, I ke e p c a lling him, keep warning him. Daddy.’” T h e rea d er i s l ef t t o d ec i d e wea t h er t h i s f i n a l l i n e i n t h e t ex t l i gh t en s o r d a rken s i t s gen era l vi s i o n a n d vi ewp o i n t . © CIAN HOGAN ENGLISH NOTES 2012 - 2013
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I n t h e three tex ts that I have studied, charac ters and their relat ionsh ip s i n f o rm a read er’s u n d ers tan d i n g o f th ei r Gen eral V i s i o n an d V i ewp o i n t. In “ P r i d e a n d P r e j u d i c e ” , A u s t i n p r e s e n t s u s w i t h a s e r i e s o f r o m a n t i c rel ati o n s h i p s th at al th o u gh n o t wi th o u t th ei r p ro b l ems even tu al l y en d h ap p i l y. C o n s eq u en t l y, t h e gen era l vi s i o n a n d vi ew p o i n t o f t h i s t ex t c a n b e s a i d t o b e o p t i mi s t i c . O n t h e o t h er h a n d , C l a i re Keega n ’s n o vel l a “ F o s t er” c o n c l u d es i t s p o rt ra ya l o f a n i n t en s e f a mi l y rel a t i o n s h i p i n a n a l t o get h er a mb i gu o u s ma n n er. In t h i s t e x t i t i s l ef t f or the r ea der t o deci de whet her or not t he general v i s i o n a n d vi e w p o i nt of the novel l a i s opt i mi st i c or pessi mi st i c. F i nal l y , Bri an F r i e l ’s s t a g e p l a y “ T ra n s l a t i o n s ,” p res en t s u s w i t h a ro m a n t i c rel a t i o n s h i p m a d e i mp o s s i b l e b y th e b u rd en o f h i s to ry an d s ep arate i d en ti ty. Ul ti matel y th e o b s t a c l es t h a t d i vi d e M a i re a n d Y o l l a n d p ro ve t o o d i f f i c u l t t o o verc o me a n d con seq u en tl y th e p l ay’s gen eral l y vi si on an d vi ewp oi n t i s d arken ed . © CIAN HOGAN ENGLISH NOTES 2012 - 2013
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