Summarising The Characterisation Of Dora Greenfield In The First Chapter Of 'The Bell'.

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Dani Pellowe 12G English Literature Mrs Hepburn

Summarising The Characterisation Of Dora Greenfield In The First Chapter Of 'The Bell'

In the first chapter of The Bell, we learn about Dora through many ways of Iris Murdoch's characterisation. These include her physical appearance and the clothes that she wears, but mostly through her actions displaying her personality.

Dora's description as a student tells us that she was 'plump' and 'peach-like' as well as 'ugly and wretched' and that she liked to wear big multicoloured skirts with sandals. The skirts and sandals are brought up early in the chapter because they are also mentioned a few pages later when Dora discusses how life has changed for her since becoming Mrs Greenfield. As Dora changes into being Paul's wife, she not only changes her name, but also her appearance and outlook on life. Dora 'abandoned' the big skirts and sandals for smarter outfits which she did not really like, but bought to fit in with Paul and his friends, and she thought of his friends as being more intelligent than herself, therefore thinking she did not fit and feeling uncomfortable about their marriage. When she began to see