Double Exposure, written by Brian Caswell explores a range of different ideas and social issues. The story revolves around the protagonist Cain Eveson who suffers from functional paramnesia after the loss of his family in a car accident. Caswell uses the techniques of intertextuality, dreams and symbolism to influence the audience about his ideas of traumatic experiences. Caswell’s idea of how the subconscious mind and the conscious mind deals with trauma is explored by him through the use of dreams. Caswell depicts dreams as a war of consciousness and subconsciousness in Cain’s mind. He shows how Cain’s mind and his consciousness were in a constant struggle to keep together a well-constructed world that they had created to deal with the loss …show more content…
of Cain’s family, particularly the loss of Chris. The use of dreams shows the readers how traumatic experiences affect the human mind and how they start an ongoing war inside it. The quote “You are beyond guilt, a trace of conscience in your mind hints at regrets” beautifully sums up Cain’s unstable psychological state, it also hints on the fact that sometimes Cain experienced a feeling of emptiness and remorse. Dreams show how Cain’s subconsciousness was drowning in his past throughout the novel how it tried to connect and communicate with Cain’s awareness to free him from his guilt. Dreams can be considered to be the major development technique used by Caswell since it portrays every aspect of Cain’s journey to realisation and acceptance of his past. His initial dreams represent Cain drowning and his willingness to drown; symbolically drowning can be interpreted as his past that continues to drag Cain down, in fact Cain wants to drown due to his survival guilt. However, as the novel proceeds to the ending Cain’s willingness to drown becomes less and less evident and in his very last dream he “… breaks through the shimmering surface into the sunlight…”, meaning he finally accepts his past by breaking through the chains of his survival guilt that kept on pulling him down deeper into the water. If the dreams are carefully analysed it can be seen that Caswell used the technique of dreams as a source of hinting towards the reality. Dreams were used as metaphors that had hidden meaning embedded in them as Cain says “you have to look beneath the surface” to be clearly able to understand the true meaning of them. The idea of looking beneath the surface is further reinforced by Caswell through symbolism.
The technique of symbolism is used to connect the past with the present, the fantasy with the reality and the conscious mind with the subconscious mind. Cain’s mother’s lost ruby earring is a recurrent motif throughout the novel, at first the readers might not be able to understand the idea behind the reappearance of the earring, but at the end of the novel it might be concluded that Caswell used the earrings as the representation of the two twins (i.e. Cain and Chris), the lost earring depicted the death of Chris. The earring is also used to symbolically link the subconscious mind with the conscious mind. Cain’s attachment to the earring and his random searches to look for the lost one consciously, suggests that he was aware of his past subconsciously, otherwise he wouldn’t have noticed the missing earring. Caswell also used the parallel event of Ian’s jump with Tyson as a source to connect Cain’s conscious and subconscious mind. The use of the parallel event forced Cain to confront his past as this reminds him of his father who drowned the car in the water and held him down in an attempt to kill …show more content…
him. Caswell further elaborated on his idea of looking beneath the surface by expanding the boundaries of his idea to not only things but human personalities as well.
Caswell used intertextuality to emphasize the idea that people often are not exactly what they seem like. He uses references to films like the silence of the lambs, beautiful mind, psycho and phantom of the opera to elaborate on his idea and to hint the ending towards the audience. All these films have one thing in common with the novel; the protagonists have a mask that covers the complexities of their personalities. Furthermore, Caswell through intertextuality depicts how traumatic experiences can leave a scar on one’s personality. All the films mentioned in the novel follow the same basic storyline where the occurrence of a horrendous experience leads the protagonist to live a completely convincing life but far from reality. Caswell shows the readers how harrowing events can affect people’s minds, more often they themselves aren’t aware of the fact that they are living a fantasy life. Even in Cain’s scenario, he is consciously oblivious to the fact that he lives a life completely different from reality; moreover, he is also unaware that he lives not one but two different lives. Cain’s interest in films and his idea that “films are a way to escape the reality” were Caswell’s way to show the readers that deep down Cain knew that his perfectly constructed real world was not that real after all. Caswell has also
vaguely referenced to The Titanic in the novel; however, there are strikingly strong metaphorical similarities between both the novel and the film. For instance Cain holds on to the guilt of surviving while his brother died, just like Rose who held on to the necklace that Cal gave her. Both the necklace and Cain’s guilt were symbols of discomfort and horrific incidents and in order to move on in life, both Cain and Rose got freed themselves by drowning these symbols in water. The symbolism of the iceberg is another similarity that the novel shares with the film; it represents how there is more then what meets the eye, meaning people have more than just one personality. The ocean is another symbol used by Caswell that represents the depth and mystery; it shows that there is always something beneath the surface that people cannot normally see. The Ocean also depicts that people have more to their personalities that even the people closest to them would not know. This also justifies why Cain’s friends or even TJ was never able to detect that Chris wasn’t reality but merely a fragment of Cain’s imagination. Caswell has successfully used the techniques of symbolism, intertextuality and dreams to show the audience how people have multiple personalities. With the use of these techniques he also depicts that life might not always be the way it looks like. Furthermore he also influences the readers and educates them about different social issues such as domestic abuse, physical abuse and mental abuse. The way in which Caswell has used different techniques helped him develop strong characters that assist the readers to discover ways that can not only help deal with trauma but also emerge as a strong survivor. The use of multiple techniques also helped Caswell turn an otherwise simple and traumatic story into an intense, interesting and complex piece of literature.
Consequently, Andy’s soul withered further into hopelessness as each and every person who came to his rescue, turned their backs on him. Through a final desperate ambition, Andy broke free of the bonds that were pinning him down: “If it had not been for the jacket, he wouldn’t have been stabbed. The knife had not been plunged in hatred of Andy. The knife only hated the purple jacket. The jacket was a stupid, meaningless thing that was robbing him of his life. He lay struggling with the shiny wet jacket. Pain ripped fire across his body whenever he moved. But he squirmed and fought and twisted until one arm was free and the other. He rolled away from the jacket and layed quite still, breathing heavily, listening to the sound of his breathing and the sounds of rain and thinking: Rain is sweet, I’m Andy”. In these moments, Andy finally overcame his situation, only in a way not expected by most. Such depicted scenes are prime examples of human nature at it’s worst, as well as the horrors that lay within us. However, these events, although previously incomprehensible by his limited subconscious, led to a gradual enlightenment of the mind and heart. Furthermore, the experiences taught him
We come into this world with nothing and leave the same way. Our lives here are short and full of heartbreak if we do not lay hold on the spiritual aspect of life which the characters in this story strived for in their own ways. This world is full of symbolism in much the same way the story depicts it through the tattoos, so much the center point of the entire story. Parker was continually looking for perfection and acceptance with one more tattoo. He wanted the world and Sarah Ruth to focus on the tattoos he regarded as perfect instead of his inferiority.
In the mind of Ray Bradbury, people are scared of reality. His dystopian novel entitled Fahrenheit 451 is noted as one of his best stories. It tells of a futuristic American society where books are illegal. The main character, Montag, is a “fireman” who burns books, but he soon realizes the knowledge the poses. A dystopian novel is one where everything goes terribly wrong. A motif is a recurring theme or idea through out a book. To be ignorant is to not have the knowledge of something. In this book, ignorance is a motif. The imaginary society is very ignorant of books. Their ignorance prevents them from gaining knowledge, having control over what they know, and being satisfied with life.
Dreams are often thought of as unreal and as viable modes for escaping reality; however, for John Grady dreams are an extension of his reality. Dreams extend his life through different roles: dreams as ambition, as fantasies and as an unconscious act during sleep. His dreams enable the reader to understand John Grady character as his expresses openly his aspirations in his dreams. A person’s aspirations are frequently in conflict with their reality. Likewise dreams can be in conflict with ones destiny. Nonetheless, there is blurred difference between the nature of dreams and reality. The complexity of life transforms itself into our dreams, thus dreams enable the dreamer to re-evaluate life his or life destiny.
Through vivid yet subtle symbols, the author weaves a complex web with which to showcase the narrator's oppressive upbringing. Two literary critics whose methods/theories allow us to better comprehend Viramontes. message are Jonathan Culler and Stephen Greenblatt. Culler points out that we read literature differently than we read anything else. According to the intertextual theory of how people read literature, readers make assumptions (based on details) that they would not make in real life.
An example of dreams stressing powerful words is when Liesel gives Ilsa Hermann, the mayor’s wife, a beating with her words. When Rosa Hubermann’s last client, Ilsa, fires her, Liesel (slightly blinded by anger) decides to give Ilsa a piece of her mind. She throws down her first round of hateful words at Ilsa and “[t]he mayor’s wife’s arms. They hung. Her face slipped.” (263). As Liesel continues, the narrator talks about “[t]he injury” (262) and “the brutality of words” (262). She goes on with her spiteful rant and when she finishes, Liesel imagines the injury she causes Ilsa. She could see that “[Ilsa] [is] battered and beaten up … Liesel [can] see it on her face. Blood [leaks] from her nose and [licks] at her lips. Her eyes [were] [blackening]. Cuts [opened] up and a series of wounds [are] rising to the surface of her skin. All from the words. From Liesel’s words” (263). Liesel picturing the wounds on Ilsa emphasize how powerful and hurtful words can be when used in the right manner. Liesel envisioning her brother in the presence of words also helps to emphasize the symbolic power of words. In her angry outburst of brutal words towards Ilsa Hermann, she mentions the mayor’s wife’s son, who is dead, and it reminds her of Werner and “her brother was next to her” (262). She can hear him “whisper for her to stop” (263) but she does not think he is worth listening to because “he, too, [is] dead” (263). She continues but when she finishes “[h]er brother, holding his knee, disappear[s]” (263). Words have the power to make Liesel envision Werner, and they definitely have the power to make her feel guilty. A few stealing incidents later, he makes a reappearance when Liesel goes back to 8 Grande Strasse with a letter from Ilsa full of forgiving words. He encourages her to knock on the door to patch things up. His knee symbolizes the relationship between Liesel and Ilsa and
'Young Goodman Brown,' by Hawthorne, and 'The Tell Tale Heart,' by Poe, offer readers the chance to embark on figurative and literal journeys, through our minds and our hearts. Hawthorne is interested in developing a sense of guilt in his story, an allegory warning against losing one's faith. The point of view and the shift in point of view are symbolic of the darkening, increasingly isolated heart of the main character, Goodman Brown, an everyman figure in an everyman tale. Poe, however, is concerned with capturing a sense of dread in his work, taking a look at the motivations behind the perverseness of human nature. Identifying and understanding the point of view is essential, since it affects a reader's relationship to the protagonist, but also offers perspective in situations where characters are blinded and deceived by their own faults. The main character of Poe?s story embarks on an emotional roller coaster, experiencing everything from terror to triumph. Both authors offer an interpretation of humans as sinful, through the use of foreshadowing, repetition, symbolism and, most importantly, point of view. Hawthorne teaches the reader an explicit moral lesson through the third person omniscient point of view, whereas Poe sidesteps morality in favor of thoroughly developing his characters in the first person point of view.
This section shows how characters are emotionally isolated which is an element of gothic literature. Not only do the people around the protagonist choose to isolate themselves, but he partakes in it too, as he judges them for their own lack of social behavior. The fact that there is a great amount of opportunity to do so also reinforces how far they have brought their minds into seclusion.
Human nature is a conglomerate perception which is the dominant liable expressed in the short story of “A Tell-Tale Heart”. Directly related, Edgar Allan Poe displays the ramifications of guilt and how it can consume oneself, as well as disclosing the nature of human defense mechanisms, all the while continuing on with displaying the labyrinth of passion and fears of humans which make a blind appearance throughout the story. A guilty conscience of one’s self is a pertinent facet of human nature that Edgar Allan Poe continually stresses throughout the story. The emotion that causes a person to choose right from wrong, good over bad is guilt, which consequently is one of the most ethically moral and methodically powerful emotion known to human nature. Throughout the story, Edgar Allan Poe displays the narrator to be rather complacent and pompous, however, the narrator establishes what one could define as apprehension and remorse after committing murder of an innocent man. It is to believe that the narrator will never confess but as his heightened senses blur the lines between real and ...
From the beginning of the novel, the main character, Jane encounters the supernatural. Charlotte Bronte uses both supernatural and gothic themes to enhance situations for the reader and to develop the characters. In particular natural imageries have been used to convey a human connection with the natural world and human nature (Franklin, 1995). Eyre portrays the intrinsic struggle between supernatural and the effects of nature. Branflinger and Thesing (2002) argue that Bronte used Gothic and the supernatural to explore and portray the darkest alleys of her own psyche which Bronte was deeply disturbed by (p309).
Poe baffles his readers with stories that appeal to emotion and intrigue. Montresor opens the story with how he “must not only punish, but punish with impunity” (Poe 291). This opening is a brilliant way of taking a gothic tale to another level of horror. Tactics such as this draw in the reader to learn more about the characters, while also maintaining a certain standard of writing. However, a beautiful gothic horror story can not be complete with only dark writing and symbolism. This is where varying literary devices come into play in order to create a masterful
In the story “Two Kinds”, the author, Amy Tan, intends to make reader think of the meaning behind the story. She doesn’t speak out as an analyzer to illustrate what is the real problem between her and her mother. Instead, she uses her own point of view as a narrator to state what she has experienced and what she feels in her mind all along the story. She has not judged what is right or wrong based on her opinion. Instead of giving instruction of how to solve a family issue, the author chooses to write a narrative diary containing her true feeling toward events during her childhood, which offers reader not only a clear account, but insight on how the narrator feels frustrated due to failing her mother’s expectations which leads to a large conflict between the narrator and her mother.
A theme within this novel is the loss of innocence. The existence of civilization allows man to remain innocent, therefore when the characters lost their innocence, the civilization was gone or corrupt. One example of the loss of innocence would be when Jack was unable to stab the pig during the hunt. At that moment, he lost his innocence which enabled him to kill without a recollection of civilization. Another example of the loss of innocence was when Roger was throwing stones and rocks at the other children below him. Roger was unable to actually hit them purposely because he still had his innocence, but this moment was the beginning of his inability of understanding human nature.
Both texts, "Heart of Darkness", and "Facts Concerning the Late Arthur Jermyn and His Family" are about the limits of the human mind. Some are able to contain powerful universal truths and some are not. Lovecraft, twenty-one years after the publication of "Heart of Darkness", uses it as a partial basis for the exploration of the dangers of Darwin on the human psyche. Therefore, I explore Conrad's imagery and ultimate purpose in order to show how it is repeated in Lovecraft's story.
...o, while the novella’s archetypal structure glorifies Marlow’s domination of Kurtz. These two analyses taken together provide a much fuller and more comprehensive interpretation of the work. Conrad presents the idea that there is some darkness within each person. The darkness is is inherited and instinctual, but because it is natural does not make it right. He celebrates – and thereby almost advises – the turn from instinct. By telling Marlow’s tale, Joseph Conrad stresses to his audience the importance of self-knowledge and the unnecessity of instinct in civilization.