Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Relationships in The Country of the Pointed Firs
One of the things that stuck out to me in this book is the relationships of the different characters. I feel like everyone is very mysterious and that there is something that our narrator is almost not allowed to know, or is working to find out. Like her strange encounter with Captain Littlepage who seems to suffer from memory loss. It is interesting to me how they suddenly just talk about his whole life story and his days at sea. I also found it interesting how the narrator found it so easy to talk to William. I think it is just interesting that she is among these elder people who all share this common knowledge of life out at sea. The people at Dunnet Landing seem to live this different lifestyle that our narrator is not familiar with.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I feel very similarly about the narrator of this novel. We are not given much to go on as far as why she is suddenly part of their community and how she came to know the other characters. Yet the way in which she embarks upon these friendships is a very individualistic and independent move for a woman in her time period. She travels alone to Dunnet Landing to focus on her writing and upon doing so starts discovering more and more about the lifestyle that the people in this fishing town lead.
ReplyDeleteI also noticed relationships to be one of the most prominent themes present and I think it will definitely set the tone for future readings. I like how you described the characters as being mysterious... I was trying to find a word to describe them but was struggling until I read what you used. I feel as if they kind of isolate the character, but not in a rude, intentional, or harsh way. I think that it's going to be the stories that each character has that will build the relationships with the narrator.
ReplyDeleteLauren, I agree with what you say about the narrator's relationship with William. I found him one of the most interesting characters we encountered so far. He strikes me as one of those people who has a lot to say, but does not say it unless he is asked to, which I find a valueable trait.
ReplyDelete