McEwan’s use of psychiatric lexicon, quotes and overall format all have been used expertly into fooling us to believe that this is a real scientific case study. Although, some clues are visible to its authenticity. The last paragraph in particular focuses on the victim, which is something that would be irrelevant to a scientific case study. McEwan has infact said that this novel was intended to be ‘a triumph of logic’ and he has definitely used this false case study to do that. The logical belief is that this case study is real but just because McEwan has wrapped his narrative in a logical shell of science doesn’t necessarily mean it is true.
The significance of this ending for the majority of readers, who would not have done extra research and discovered the truth about appendix I, is that it makes the narrative more disturbing and horrific as (, described by Burkeman), ‘the division between the real and invented world would have become seamless’. It would definitely be shocking for the reader to discover that the manic endurance suffered by one man against a distorted mind in a delusion system had infact occurred in the very world and system they exist in.
In contrast to this, through the belief that the appendix is true, the credibility of McEwan as an author is lowered. His novel suddenly appears to be less authentic and original. But it is a reaction that McEwan will have probably contemplated and will no doubt have to endure so that his narrative will have the effect that he desires on the reader.
As I have said before chapter 24 provides little resolution but it does hold a lot of significance. On the prospect of the novel the narrative enigma of Jean Logan’s situation is resolved. On a symbolic level the end of the chapter seems very much like the end. It ends with a picnic as it has started with a picnic, completing a cycle and maintaining a balance in the narrative. Also the final scene is with Joe and Jean Logan’s two children so the novel ends with a trio and trios have been a very common theme upheld throughout the narrative. So taking these things into consideration they signify a balanced end to the narrative. From here you believe the novel is over and when you see the appendix after you believe it to be a piece of information from our world when it is really a continuation of McEwan’s narrative but just through a different narrative voice – ironically through the voice that the lead character has an obsession or even an ‘enduring love’ for; science. He uses this new narrative voice as an unlikely source of resolution. We discover the fate of Jed Parry –‘the court ruled that he should be held indefinitely at a secure mental hospital’- and the relationship between Joe and Clarissa – ‘reconciled and later successfully adopted a child’.
The references placed after appendix I have been placed there by McEwan to make it look authentic when in reality most of them do not exist. He has even been particularly manipulatively malicious by placing a (false) reference under the name of ‘ESQUIROL, J.E.D.’ allowing people who have noticed it to foolishly believe they have discovered the source from which McEwan derived one of the character’s names.
A major significance of appendix I is the major impact it has on appendix II. The letter from Parry denotes a truly twisted and deranged mind, which would be made serious and very realistic by appendix I’s information. The immediate thought would be that this is a real letter for it to appear in the appendix and it is a letter from the actual character that ‘Jed’ represents. It paints a haunting image to the readers that such delusion exists in their own world and reality. On some other levels, particularly for me it evokes feeling of pity and sympathy. Feelings that would not have been so strong during reading any of his other letters during the narrative but emphasized now by the belief (from appendix I) that it is a true letter.
A lot of readers will have strongly believed Joes narrative to be false judging by the crazy and illogical things he claimed Parry to be doing. But after finding out that everything was true in the narrative in the last few chapters and then through appendix I finding the narrative may not be fiction, the letter lets the reader fully absorb and listen to Parry’s words.
“I have to stop writing to hug myself”
This quotation from his letter in appendix II illustrates his deranged state of mind to the reader and allows the to believe that all those crazy and illogical things he claimed Parry to be doing were infact true.
So in conclusion, the significance of the ending of Enduring Love is that the ending is infact not the ending. McEwan’s narrative does not end with the final chapter but it secretly extends into the appendices that follow. McEwan manipulatively uses them to allow us to believe that the narrative was based on a real life story aiming to provoke shock from the reader, while also providing us with resolution to the narrative. He finally does conclude his narrative with a letter from Jed Parry which readers will, based on appendix I, either believe to be real or based on a real letter. It also allows the reader to fully acknowledge the insanity and delusion in which the character exists. This actual ending of the novel is a very significant last voice as the image of Parry living in his insanity will leave a bearing impression on the readers mind knowing that people like this exist in their very own reality.
