Later, McEwan divulges a little into Joe and Clarissa’s relationships, and shows the reader that cracks are beginning to emerge. Joe, speaking in first person and again trying to interpret for himself the feelings of his partner (reminiscent of Chapter 9), states that Clarissa “seemed to agree” that Parry was mad. He says himself that ‘seemed’ meant he thought she “was not quite whole-hearted”. This is evidently the beginning of a fracture in the couple’s relationship. It is also another example of Joe trying to assume he knows what Clarissa is thinking. What is more solid, however, is Clarissa’s skepticism of Joe’s belief and disbelief in him. She thinks that Parry’s “writing’s rather like” Joe’s. Here McEwan is blatantly displaying a piece of evidence that makes both Clarissa and the reader highly doubtful of Joe’s claims that Parry exists and is following him (and mental state too). The reader is allowed to further understand Clarissa’s suspicion when she answers Joes attempt to build his argument with a one worded answer- “Yes.”
In Joe’s narration, the word ‘seemed’ is repeated, which emphasizes both the uncertainty and the disconnection in the relationship. This is highlighted further by Clarissa’s exit. After embracing in the kitchen saying “loving things” (perhaps again not whole-heartedly?) Clarissa “broke away, snatched her coat and was gone”. McEwan uses imagery here to allow the reader the abruptness of her exit. The blunt yet plosive ‘b’ sound in broke is antithetical to the warm ‘w’ sound which is repeated at the beginning of the previous sentence, and emphasizes the sudden parting of the embrace as well as being symbolic for the breaking relationship.
Throughout the novel, Joe’s insecurity is purposefully shown by McEwan and in Chapter 12 this is highlighted in a number of ways. Again, McEwan informs the reader of Joe’s habit of role-playing, pretending he is somebody different. Joe gives both himself and Clarissa a different persona briefly, actually calling them “our roles” and describing the role he wanted to play as “the indignant secret lover”. Not only does this show immaturity, it is a way for McEwan to tell us the story of his insecurity by showing us he is always paranoid for example about Clarissa having an affair with a ‘secret lover’. This happens again when he describes his actions as a “performance”, only this time it is as if he feels he has an audience – perhaps paranoid about being watched? Joe described himself as “an oversized average-looking lump”, once again being self-loathing and self-pitying, perhaps attempting to create sympathy for himself to make him feel better about the situation.
The end of the chapter is a pivotal point in the novel. The audience really sees Joe’s complete arrogance. We learn for the first time Joe’s true motives for visiting Jean Logan. He had previously perhaps deceived himself and the reader by giving other reasons but here we see his real intention – “to establish my guiltlessness, my innocence of his death”. He is being completely selfish here and from this point on the reader treats him differently as they are almost disgusted at his being wrapped up in his own needs, especially as he is dealing with a mourning widow.
What are your views on Joe Rose in Enduring Love as a whole?
In the beginning of the novel, we initially warm to Joe as a narrator. His scientific nature seems to give him an air of objectivity as the reader believes that his deductive and all-seeing attitude to life would improve his reliability as a narrator. Joe describes himself as possibly inadequate in his relationship with Clarissa and is seen to be keen to please her, buying her an expensive lunch and welcome-home gift. He makes it clear that he is completely in love with Clarissa and the reader is almost touched by Joe’s surprise that his love is returned.
Being a scientist, the reader stereotypes Joe as hardworking and intelligent, which shows him in a good light. He analyses everything which means initially he is very rational, winning the reader over as an analytical, rational man will be aware of consequences and will think things through before doing them to achieve the best possible outcome, an enviable trait. He finds ways round problems to get a job done and is resourceful- researching and studying hard. However, we soon learn that his intelligence (and career) leads to a superiority complex- he thinks he is unconditionally right. This is often not the case as he is seen to be very narrow-minded. In an argument with Clarissa he claims that he was “so obviously, incontrovertibly right.” He is unwilling to shift on his judgement and believes that he is right all of the time. As a reader this makes us like Joe less.
We soon see Joe’s true arrogance come out. He feels partly responsible for the death of John Logan but he is constantly seeking for a way to ‘wash his hands’ of this guilt and this climaxes at the end of Chapter 12 when he blatantly states that he is going to see Logan’s widow for his own selfish reasons- to “establish my guiltlessness”. This is the first point where I truly felt contempt towards Joe. He is going to see Jean Logan, who will be feeling terribly distressed and in a state of mourning for her late husband, but he is not going to tell her that her husband was brave (which he does but only as an addition), he is going so he can lie to her and tell her he is totally innocent. Which, of course, he isn’t. He has already stated many a time in the novel that it will be forever impossible to rule any one of the men involved in the accident from guilt because none of them would ever be able to know who let go of the rope of the balloon first. Therefore, he is lying to Jean Logan, a quality which as a reader of a narrator, we almost loathe.
Primarily we view Joe as a reliable narrator due to his analytical thinking. However, when his narrow-mindedness and selfishness are made apparent by the author (McEwan) we are made to trust him less and less. The addition of Clarrisa’s doubt that he is right (and sane) means we are led to distrust him a lot.
I think the character of Joe is initially meant to come across as a hardworking and scientific but it is this scientific nature that is his downfall. He believes he is “incontrovertibly right” and this narrow-mindedness is not a pleasant trait. He is also unwilling to put any belief into love or religion because he deems his simple rational outlook to be the only way forward. And as readers, we do not want our narrator to be like him.
by
jamesclyburn (student)
