The following extract from C. S. Lewis, Perelandra, is a typical text from a fictional book. Fictional story usually implies expressing a certain concern through hyperbolic imagery, mi?? lange of strong diction by an enthusiastic narrator, in order to catch reader’s attention. The extract relates the interaction between the narrator, who is also a character in the extract, Ransom and nature. However, how does the author convey this relationship? In this extract, Lewis uses rhetorical devices such as questioning himself, imagery and in which person the author conveys his message.
“At last I came to the crossroads by … I ought to be seeing the lights… My watch had stopped, and I didn’t know… I was afraid of, you understand. … I did not like. … ” In the first paragraph, it can be noticed that this is a 1st person narrative text, as shown above. The author is describing a scene as a memory, as something that happened to him personally. And this happens again throughout the text. Being a first person narrative, this would suggest that the author is a character in the text, which in return, implies that the whole text is viewed in an unambiguous perspective.
This would mean that we only see the point of view of the narrator, in my opinion being precise and direct account. “At last I came to the crossroads by the little Wesleyan chapel where I had to turn to the left under the beech trees. I ought to be seeing the lights from Ransom’s windows by now… It was dark enough but that might be due to the fog and the trees. … the black enmity of those dripping trees. … ” Still from the first paragraph, not only the type of narrative the text is may be denoted but the reader also becomes aware of setting. When he says “…
I ought to be seeing the lights from Ransom’s windows by now… ” gives the impression to the reader that the character is in a road few miles away from his destination. The implication of chapel and beech trees gives an impression to the reader that this passage takes place in the countryside. It is also denoted that this is at the end of the day, when the write again mention the time as getting dark. Giving this description right in the beginning of the text gives a good introduction to the reader, situating the reader at where the passage takes place and that may affect the text later on.
“… We have all known times when inanimate objects seemed to have almost a facial expression, and it was the expression of this bit of road which I did not like. … ” Throughout the text, Lewis uses a lot of internal monologue. This is a very effective device in first person narrative. By using this Lewis’ delivers a direct thought or feeling to the reader for example: “… I did not like. “It’s not true,” said my mind, “that people who are really going mad never think they’re going mad.
A childish, whining thought arose on my mind: why was he not out at the gate to welcome me?… ” This two passages describe how the author is feeling about the situation he’s in i. e. the possibility of him getting mad and that he did not want to be seen in that situation. And as he had a childish thought of worry of why isn’t Ransom at the gate waiting for him. The setting and the type of narrative the text is are both vital entries when analysing a poem. These two features may then lead to imagery.
Some fictional authors use metaphor in order to create a climax in the story being told. However, Lewis used personification, as shown above, when describing the road he was travelling on. When he mention that the road seemed to have some kind of facial appearances, which meant that the road had features as a human being, can suggest that he’s using allusion to express his ideas. As mentioned in the introduction, Lewis uses imagery to convey his ideas. The usage of imagery in this bit of the extract gives the reader a clear interpretation of when the character is and how he feels.
From previous paragraph we got to understand where the character is situated in the story and got an introduction of what the story would be about. By this time the reader understands that the author is going to meet Ransom at the cottage. Hence, from the second paragraph, Lewis starts to express more his relation with Ransom and also introduces the cottage to the scene. By this time, the reader is bit more familiar with the story. “… Surely that was the cottage. … why was he not out at the gate to welcome me? … Perhaps he was in the garden waiting for me, hiding.
Perhaps he would jump on me from behind. Perhaps I should see a figure that looked like Ransom standing with its back to me and when I spoke to it, it would turn round and show a face that was not human at all… ” The second paragraph starts by updating the reader of where the main character is situated. At this point he’s already in the cottage. From it had been read so far, the reader should understand that the cottage was the destination of the author. Hence, it could be deduced that is where he lives, from this assumption, it may be assumed also that Ransom lives with him, the author.
The above piece of extract reveals also that Ransom as some kind of connection with the narrator, by this I mean intimate relationship, perhaps a son, brother, father or even a close friend. The degree of intimacy referred before would be understood by the anxiety the reader has when explaining why he was looking forward to getting home and seeing him. The effect of imagery, internal monologue, first person narrative and the setting created, gave rise to an effective understanding of the text. No doubt that these techniques used are extremely helpful in a fictional piece of writing.
