How does Ian McEwan create interest & suspense in the opening chapter of "Enduring Love"

Authors Avatar

How does the writer create interest & suspense in the opening chapter?

The opening chapter of any novel has to be effective in order to keep the reader interested and to keep them reading.

The opening chapter of Ian McEwan’s novel ‘Enduring love’ is one that is breathtaking. The narrator, Joe is a science writer and it seems he has a very rational way of thinking. He describes a clear and detailed account of events that he saw and experienced, many of which he describes using scientific terms. He is able to do this because of his scientific background and this in turn does create a lot anxiety.

A lot of suspense and tension is created right from the start of the novel, in the first line,

        “The beginning is simple to mark.”

This line immediately makes the readers question, what exactly is “simple to mark”? This is also a very short sentence, which is used to give impact on the readers, and draws them in, making them want to find out more.

 The opening of the novel begins with Joe and his ‘enduring’ girlfriend Clarrisa having a picnic in Chiltern Hills.  Clarrisa and Joe have very different interests and careers so there is clearly a conflict in their personalities. Whilst Joe is a scientist, Clarrisa is a university lecturer and is researching into the relationship between the poet, john Keats and Fanny Brawne. Their difference in opinion and their combative exchanges, one would say is part of their equilibrium and is what makes them go together so well.  

Join now!

The following line;

        “…Partly protected from a strong, gusty wind,” indicates that something else is going to happen. By describing this rather unstable, turbulent weather, Ian McEwan sets the scene. Throughout the opening chapter the weather plays a vital role.

        “ Our plan had been to picnic right out on the end where the view was best, but the wind was too strong by now.”

As the readers, we later realise that this menacing and controlling weather, which is described as being an uncontrollable force, seals the fate of what happens. The wind is a constant feature that symbolises the ...

This is a preview of the whole essay