synopsis:
After Marina and Mr. Fox break the news of Anders' death to Karen, Anders' wife, Marina and Mr. Fox, go to dinner as a couple. Once at dinner they talk about Anders' death and how they both believe that it should not have happened. You learn that they both feel that in some way they are to blame and feel guilty. Mr fox feels guilty because he realizes that Anders was not the correct choice to retrieve Dr. Swenson to stop her research and return. Mr. Fox thinks he should have sent Marina because she knew Dr. Swenson, although barely, the better than anyone at Vogel because Dr. Swenson was her professor in college. Marina feels guilty because she feels that Karen blames her sense she was the one who uttered the words "Your husband is dead" to Karen. In this dialogue you also learn that the reason Anders was sent to retrieve Dr. Swenson because she hadn't updated Vogel on the progress of her research in over two years, and Vogel has no idea as to whether the experimental drug which was scheduled to start trial phase in two months, even existed at this point. The drug was supposed to emulate the never ending menstruation observed in the women of an Amazonian tribe. This drug would allow women of any age to bare children. When Mr. Fox informs Marina that he thinks she should have been the one to go her guilt grows. Originally she refuses until at a later point until Karen calls Marina in the middle of the night to beg her to go because Karen believes her husband isn't dead. Marina's guilt coerces her to agree to go to the Amazon. Marina begins taking Lariam, a malaria drug, which gives her the same nightmare that she had when she took the drug as a child, before visiting her father in India. She dreams of walking through the street of India with her father. The crowds begin to grow and she is separated from her father. Marina then wakes screaming. This section ends with Marina getting on a plane to the Amazon to find Dr. Swenson for Vogel, and to retrieve Anders' body to give Karen the proof of her husband's death that Karen needs.
Theme Development:
During this section Patchett focuses on different reactions to death. She focuses on the guilt, using Mr. Fox, and Marina, and she focuses on denial using Karen. Patchett communicates to the reader that guilt comes along with death because people naturally seek out things they could have done to prevent a death which naturally results in them blaming themselves. As a reader you understand that Marina feels guilty when Karen calls her in the middle of the night. Karen thinks,
Karen would never speak to her again, that [Karen] would always blame her for bearing the news. The fact that Karen chose her to call in the middle of the night felt something like forgiveness, and for that forgiveness she deeply grateful.(30)
You can understand that Marina feels guilty because she is grateful for her forgiveness. If she didn't feel guilty then why would she care whether or not Karen forgave her. Her relief is brief because Karen asks her to go to the Amazon to find her husband who Karen doesn't believe is dead.
Mr. Fox feels directly responsible Anders' death because he knew all along Anders was the wrong choice, and the only reason he didn't send Marina was because they were dating. In their conversation over dinner Mr. Fox says to Marina,
I should have sent you in the first place. You were the boards choice, and I made a case against you. I told them I asked you, and you refused. It was selfish in my part. This time we've spent together...(24)
Monday, January 5, 2015
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Initial Reactions: Attention Grabbing Style
Synopsis:
Marina and Mr. Fox learn about Anders' death from a letter sent from Brazil by Dr. Swenson. Anders' was in Brazil to convince Dr. Swenson to return to Vogel (the pharmaceutical company that the three work) and stop her experimental drug research in the Amazon Jungle. Marina and Mr. Fox then go to Karen's (Anders' wife) house to inform her of her husbands death. She is distraught.
After reading the first twenty, or so pages of Ann Patchett's State of Wonder I've found myself becoming interested in this intelligent novel's story, style, and characters. The interest peaking focus on the death of our main character Marina's colleague is enhanced by Patchett's writing style. Her pages are riddled with professionally constructed metaphors and similes that allow Patchett to accurately convey her ideas about the burden of death simultaneously hinting at the development of a guilt driven theme. Although Patchett hands her readers a plethora of metaphors and similes she doesn't fail to weave other literary devices, such as irony and symbolism into the pages of her novel. Although the book has barely begun, one can already begin to take note of important aspects of this novel. Patchett is constantly mentioning the weather, specifically rain and snow, and various birds, which has lead me compile a list of possible motifs of unknown meaning. My favorite line from the novel so far greatly sums up my initial impression of Patchett's style.
"The crocuses she had seen only that morning, their yellow and purple heads straight up from the dirt were now frozen as solid as a carp in a lake."
(page 9)
This single line involves so many elements. Crocuses which after research I learned symbolize cheerfulness and happiness are frozen solid from the snow. Snow is representing coldness, and negativity, which now covers the crocuses which symbolize happiness and positivity. This is a great representation of the way our characters collectively react to Anders' death. Marina, Mr. Fox, and Karen all hold nothing but happiness in regards to Anders but after they hear of his death immediately they are covered by sadness. On a less critical note her use of simile is an example of the style in which Patchett writes.
I look forward to delving deeper into the novel to become more comfortable and knowledgeable about Patchett's style, characters, and meaning of her work as a whole.
Marina and Mr. Fox learn about Anders' death from a letter sent from Brazil by Dr. Swenson. Anders' was in Brazil to convince Dr. Swenson to return to Vogel (the pharmaceutical company that the three work) and stop her experimental drug research in the Amazon Jungle. Marina and Mr. Fox then go to Karen's (Anders' wife) house to inform her of her husbands death. She is distraught.
After reading the first twenty, or so pages of Ann Patchett's State of Wonder I've found myself becoming interested in this intelligent novel's story, style, and characters. The interest peaking focus on the death of our main character Marina's colleague is enhanced by Patchett's writing style. Her pages are riddled with professionally constructed metaphors and similes that allow Patchett to accurately convey her ideas about the burden of death simultaneously hinting at the development of a guilt driven theme. Although Patchett hands her readers a plethora of metaphors and similes she doesn't fail to weave other literary devices, such as irony and symbolism into the pages of her novel. Although the book has barely begun, one can already begin to take note of important aspects of this novel. Patchett is constantly mentioning the weather, specifically rain and snow, and various birds, which has lead me compile a list of possible motifs of unknown meaning. My favorite line from the novel so far greatly sums up my initial impression of Patchett's style.
"The crocuses she had seen only that morning, their yellow and purple heads straight up from the dirt were now frozen as solid as a carp in a lake."
(page 9)
This single line involves so many elements. Crocuses which after research I learned symbolize cheerfulness and happiness are frozen solid from the snow. Snow is representing coldness, and negativity, which now covers the crocuses which symbolize happiness and positivity. This is a great representation of the way our characters collectively react to Anders' death. Marina, Mr. Fox, and Karen all hold nothing but happiness in regards to Anders but after they hear of his death immediately they are covered by sadness. On a less critical note her use of simile is an example of the style in which Patchett writes.
I look forward to delving deeper into the novel to become more comfortable and knowledgeable about Patchett's style, characters, and meaning of her work as a whole.
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