The way, in which McEwan begins to present Clarissa as the novel progresses slightly changes, she becomes more of a tool that is used to help shape the readers mind to form a new picture of Joe. He as the narrator of the novel is our only perspective on the events within it. But the way in which she challenges his reliability has an effect on the reader because as he becomes more focussed on Jed, she appears the more stable and therefore a significantly more trustworthy character.
Her lack of faith in Joe’s claims that Jed Parry attempted to murder him and his letters and harassment from Jed, eventually leads to almost a complete break down in their marriage. She is presented as a strong character on the outside who refuses to use Jed as a form of escapism from the accident, which is undeniably what her husband is doing. However, she does have escapism of her own, in the form of the great literacy legend, Keats. She uses him as her own obsession which stems from the absence of romance in her life or perhaps children, Joe is not a particularly romantic character, but through the description of letters to Fanny, Keats is portrayed as just this. In the novel it becomes noticeable that different forms of obsession seem to begin as an absence in ones life. Such is the absence of children to both Joe and Clarissa which leads to the obsession with Keats and Jed Parry.
Between them there becomes a distinct lack of communication and she is presented as if she has begun to give up on Joe. One of the main turning points within the novel is when she moves to the children’s bedroom. Some may say that at this point she is giving in and allowing Joe’s mind to take control, as she has no impact or influence over his thoughts any more, or so she believes. This event is placed at the end of chapter seventeen and concludes with ‘I was on my own’ this emphasises the fact that Clarissa is abandoning Joe and shows how her faith in him is declining.
When it comes to their relationship she is portrayed as a realist, she is the first to admit they as a couple are over ‘Joe, it’s all over. It’s best to admit it now. I think we’re finished, don’t you? Here she is presented as very different to Joe who, throughout the novel is seen as the sort of person who finds it hard to come to terms with certain aspects of life which are unable to be explained by means of science such as the death of Logan and feelings.
Within their relationship it is clear that the subject of children is a very important issue. In chapter one McEwan describes how Clarissa was unable to have children, so the couple remain a ‘childless marriage of love’ This is built upon as the novel progresses with a remarkable number of references to the gap in her life that is not filled and could only be filled by a child. Clarissa is conveyed as incomplete due to the lack of a child of her own, this is representational of every woman’s instinct to love, nurture and protect and what effect it has on someone if they are denied this. This issue is also partially responsible for the breakdown between Joe and Clarissa, they lose interest in each other and it may well be responsible for Joe’s unhealthy obsession with Jed. Could he too have the need to love a child and therefore bestow this upon the madman and following a mixture of emotions then grow to hate him?
When he visits the Logan children we are given the impression that children bring purpose to his life, this could also be what Clarissa lacks in her life and their need for a child symbolises their need for purpose.
The children’s room in their apartment may also be symbolic of this absence in their lives; it is a place for Clarissa to escape Joe, an easy way to escape their problems but not a complete conclusion to their relationship. In this respect Clarissa is presented as a coward in not wanting to leave the apartment entirely as she may be scared of finalisation even though in the back of her mind she feels the relationship is at breaking point. She could also be being presented as someone who does not give up easily on something that means a great deal to her.
At the very end McEwan makes a short statement about the two of them getting back together and adopting a child. This, although just a sentence has a great deal of importance in relation to the underlying issue concerning the fragility of human relationships and how the smallest of things such as a child can bring the love back into the relationship and bind them back together. Clarissa’s need for a child is satisfied which could also be representing how perseverance is rewarded and if you desire something enough you will eventually get it.
A child could be symbolic in forcing Clarissa to really face her problems head on instead of avoiding the inevitable. On one level if a child occupies the spare bedroom then it is not so easy for Clarissa to move from her and Joe’s room.
An interesting way in which Clarissa is presented is by the strange similarities between her and Jed. She is having a relationship with Joe and appears to be in love with him. There is a parallel with her and Jed here and he believes he too is in love with Joe. At the end of chapter fifteen Clarissa talks of ‘signs’ when Joe ‘ransacks her desk’ this is extraordinarily similar to Jed who has spoken consistently of signs and meanings as to why Joe and he should be together. The invasion of her personal space and the way in which she reacts shows a different presentation of Clarissa, we now see her as not so much as one with Joe, but as a very independent person who although has nothing to hide from Joe, is very keen on keeping her life separate from his. This may be because other than the apartment they appear to share very little, this could also be related back to the absence of children in their marriage.
I feel Clarissa is presented as a form of Joe’s reality. After the accident he turns his back on Clarissa, physically. But I also feel this could be symbolic that he is turning his back on reality. The fine crack of estrangement such as the scene whereupon he does walk away from Clarissa and the kitchen table, emphasise this idea.
Another important way in which Clarissa is presented within the novel is in the form of a narrator. Chapter nine is McEwan using Joe to try and get inside Clarissa’s mind and see everything from her perspective. Although arguably this appears reliable and begins to make the reader forget that this is not actually Clarissa’s view on events it is not actually her that is the narrator but Joe. Admittedly he is supposed to know Clarissa very well and so a lot of what he claims she is thinking could be very accurate.
But her real role as a narrator, of which only three people in the novel undertake is when she sends a letter to Joe. That is chapter twenty-three. Finally we learn a great deal about her, and much of it only reinforces what we have already pieced together for ourselves in the earlier chapters. She is presented here as sorry for causing him distress due to her shear lack of faith but remains sceptical ‘If this is really a disease’ this shows her to still be doubting Joe and his state of mind. She has witnessed a real change in him ‘The rationalist is cracking’ as a result of the accident which has had a passive effect on her character, resulting in her disbelief in him and the change in her relationship with Joe.
