Comment on how the language contributes to the understanding of the character, plots, theme and narrative style of the novel
Chapter 6 “I listen, but all I can hear is the sudden familiar rattle of a train somewhere behind the trees… And suddenly we both turn and run, neither of us leader for once, neither of us led.”
Comment on how the language contributes to the understanding of the character, plots, theme and narrative style of the novel
Chapter 6 is presented to the audience entirely in the past with no hindsight. Once again it develops the plot showing the children developing closer to adulthood, yet still not quite there, not understanding the consequences of their actions : “was it you two?”, “I look away”. The language from the passage in the hard back page 111 to 113 contributes to the understanding of the characters, plots, themes and narrative style of the novel.
The section about the hierarchy in trees only further reinforces the naivety and stupidity to the character Stephen. Stephen has an obvious sense of hierarchy and in this case the “sour smell of the elders” and “its humiliating position at the very bottom of the hierarchy of trees”. This continues into the “familiar world” “out here at the end of the Lanes”, ie: the hierarchy of humans where the levels convey Stephen’s actual opinion of the concept of hierarchy and social status. This shows how immature Stephen is and however evident is his naivety. In hindsight Frayn exposes the audience to the intentional irony of the “sliver framed heroes” at the highest to the lowest – “an old derelict taking refuge” who are the same person. Frayn has emphasised this hierarchy from the beginning. Stephen feels in triumph that for once he perceives himself higher than someone else in the “human precedence” and the language emphatically robusts this. This only reinforces that younger is obsessed with hierarchy – only after the discussion of hierarchy is there a sense of realisation.
