Analysis of “The Wasp Factory” – Chapter Two
After the bleakly comical last line of the first chapter, we are introduced to the routines of Frank, and the meticulous detail that he attaches to them.
In the opening passage, we are reminded of the fact that he lives on an isolated island, which can be considered as a key gothic theme, that of a removed or mysterious setting for the plot to unravel. A gothic story always seems to employ a setting that has particular obscurity or mystery, one that is removed from society. The ruins of gothic buildings gave rise to multiple linked emotions by representing the inevitable decay and collapse of human creations. Protestants often associated medieval buildings with what they saw as a dark and terrifying period, characterised by harsh laws enforced by torture, and with mysterious, fantastic and superstitious rituals. On page 22, Frank describes his actions of killing a jellyfish while running along the beach. His actions are described in painstaking detail, to the extent that the entire passage could probably be shortened down to a few sentences. This helps to reinforce the impression that Frank is fundamentally an unhinged persona, describing his actions in an almost autistic manner.