G.Greene, Travels with my Aunt -LLG42M1 PDF

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LLCE -Anglais, L2. The Essey for the final grade of May. Groupe of Mme Besnault-Levita....

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KOVACHEVSKI Jovan

student number:21510918

Travels with My Aunt by Graham Green, 1969.

Introduction This extract is the opening passage of the novel entitled "Travels with my Aunt", published in 1969 and written by the author Graham Green. He was born in the year of 1902 in Hertfordshire, England and he is regarded as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. As a Roman Catholic novelist during his lifetime he wrote some 25 novels, both combining the Catholic and thriller styles. The main themes in the novel and the extract are family relationships, together with other elements such as: travel, adventure, crime and the unconventional details of the past, elements found in many of his other literary works. In the text we are met with the narrator's immoral approach to death, the death of the mother of the main character, which contradicts his Catholic background that is reflected in most of his novels. This idea is set forth from the beginning to the end of the extract, and it is conveyed by the rather comical tone, and the uncanny emotions, such as the excitement in the atmosphere that is present during the funeral. In the passage there is a first person internal narrator who encounters the story and he is also the main character in it. The extract is taken from Chapter I and it is a beginning to a journey from suburban London, to the vast areas of faraway lands, focusing on the recent history and human identities and emotions.

I. Exposition scene "the crematorium" and the human aspect of death The funeral is the main theme in the passage and it takes place at the crematorium that is presented as "a famous" shown on line 23. The place of the scene is introduced in the middle of the passage as a place that is "stirring of excited expectation" line 24, which overpasses the experience that one might gain at a graveside. This description gives the impression that the author is challenging our image, and the image of the 20th century idea of funerals as events of big importance. a. A close look at death As death is the main topic, the author gives a very visual image of the scene and the event. There is a visual description of the crematorium and the funeral, with all the needed elements, such as the "ovens" line 24, "coffin" line 25, "clergy man" and "prayer" line 31, and "flowers" line 36, together with the family of the deceased. This visual description slightly differs from the religious background of the author, and it's presented as a rather positive event, conveyed by referring to the presence of "sunlight" line 32, which is the opposite of the idea of death that was pushed and forced for nearly a century in the previous Victorian period. Although there is no direct reference to the characters' religious background, from the tone that is very idle, we may say that he looks at death as a very normal thing, but also as something that he doesn't fully understand. This is demonstrated in his "weakness for funerals" on line 35, and the description of the guests, who are to be presented in their best versions of themselves. The funeral for him is more of a social event, where one needs to be "serious" and "sober" and act in the best manner,

for he or she doesn't only give respect to the deceased but also to the those who are in loss. b. The crematorium gardens- artificial nature. This elements that lead towards near perfection and positive description of death, continues in the last part, where we are met with the "gardens". They are created in the image of "genuine landscape" and are somewhat "too well cultivated" lines 48-49. This presentation plays an effect on the simplicity of death, as a part of existence and the human need for its lifting to a higher level of importance. This ironic presentation of death as artificial also points towards the Christian believe of an afterlife and it sheds light on a new possible adventure. The description follows the Catholic aspect, which is very different from the Anglican dominated England, that play a big role in materializing not only the idea of Christianity but also death. The gardens and the rituals of the ceremony with its physical elements, play in the idea of human need to worship something material, something that can be seen, unlike death, that still is as unknown as the possible afterlife. The beauty that surrounds the main character, helps in easing the uncertainty and boosts the idea of the human superiority in society, separating him from the rest of the animals, by so making him feel "immortal" line 35, and safe from the one thing which mankind can't conquer yet, and that is death. II. Emotions of happiness and sadness, and contrast of characters. In the middle of the passage there is a contrast between happiness and sadness and the two emotions are triggered by the same cause. The paragraph is very symbolic because the main character is forced to go back in the past in order to deal with the present.

a. Opposition characters -a comic contrast The loss of one parent, reflects on the loss of the other. The author through the main character feels bound to reconcile with the past and from the old memories we learn about the father whose characteristics were very different that those of the mother's. They are at the same time presented as a compatible couple but with oppositions such as: "lazy" and "sleepy" line 13, versus "energetic" line 10. This comical contrast is further developed when referring to the father and his actions, such as: "afternoon naps" line 9, "asleep in the bath" line 11, and "catnap in the cabin" line 15 versus the mother who has "good head for heights" line 16, and is someone who would "climb ladders to the highest scaffolding" line 17, just to find him. The revival of old memories plays into the normalisation of death, meaning that it gives a possibility, for a moment, to escape the present and assure himself that although he lost the two parents they will always stay with him and that they are an essential part of his identity. The character also puts himself in the position of a child and therefore he is able to judge their relationship which in his words is described as "reasonably happy" line 18. b. The childhood and emotions. Between the beginning and the middle of the passage, until the end, there is no contrast in the tone. The comedy and satire affects both sadness and happiness. However there is no clear or direct representation that points to the emotion of sadness. The narrator is very idle when referring or reacting to his surroundings, unlike when he is speaking about himself or his childhood where he expresses his opinions and emotions. This characteristic points that he is able, to accept death and loss as such, without it having an

effect on him, his emotions or state of mind. The death of his father also conveys that he has already encountered loss, when he was a child, forty years ago, and that he is able to deal with the loss of a loved one. The past and his childhood tells a lot about the character, and sheds light on his possible attributes, emphasising that he may be like one or the other parent, or even something in between. It also points at a takeoff towards the possible direction that he may take in the further development of the story. III. The old Family links, towards a new beginning. Another aspect of the funeral is the metaphorical ending of the past. This effect is done by including the whole family, of nephews, nieces and cousins, with whom the connection has been lost, manifested by the inability to identify them shown on lines 3839. These broken links are going to be cut, all except one, the one with Aunt Augusta. a. The lost family member- the Aunt. The Aunt as a character of importance is separated from the others, at the beginning in the title of the novel and the opening passage, starting from the first line. This is done, in order to give her the place as one of the leading characters in the novel beside the main character, and this aspect imparts an impression that she is overshadowing the death of the mother, as early as the beginning. Her importance is manifested in the description that given to the character, by having her referred as "Queen Mary" line 28, a title that also may over pass the title of a "mother" when speaking in terms of social norms and positions. Other physical attributes play in the creation of her character, one being her "brilliant red hair" line 30, and the other one seen in the dialogue further down in the end of extract, about her "sea-deep blue eyes" line 41. The last attribute also plays a part in

the mental and intellectual formation of the character, and it gives the idea of a mysteriousness and vastness of possibilities. Another argument that points that she is going to stay in the novel beside the title is the walk in the gardens at the end of the passage, which metaphorically starts the adventure. b. The funeral as a trigger for adventure. The idea of an adventure is made clear by the choice of the opening chapter of the novel. Same as the laws of nature, and as every beginning has an end, the same can be applied in reverse. Beside the funeral, the end is emphasized with the fact that the main character has entered the so called third stage in life, the retirement years that are referred in beginning of the passage, line 4, as being "considered redundant". Although he is retired, he has entered it two years before the expected time, meaning that he is still young, and this suggests that there is still energy within him. This metaphor points to the idea that he will have no obstacles stopping him or drawing him back in the making of new decisions. This is further emphasized at the beginning by the characters own words "I have no hobby" and feel of "excitement" on line 6. Another notion that is building towards the idea of "youth" that is usually linked with the feelings of activeness, energy and will to go further in life, is found in the words of Aunt Augusta, by her denial of "old age" an attribute that is bestowed upon her indirectly by the main character. This is reinforced when she is compared by herself with the cause and period of death of the mother by her comment: "she was only twelve years older that I am" found on line 46. This hypothesis is made clear by the mixture of youth with the two leading characters in the novel, which creates a strong link with adventure, and the character of Aunt Augusta that is similar with the mother, who is in fact her sister, gives the disposition to the main character to

inherit them, and accept them as his, by so together with the end of the past emphasized with the funeral, creates the main trigger for the action in the novel. Conclusion The novel "Travels with my Aunt", with all its elements emblematizes most of Graham Green's literary work, although it's not regarded as one of his best novels. Graham's fast and dynamic writing techniques are present from the beginning of the chapter until the end. The choice of the opening scene, and the effect that it creates, allows for a clear passage for an easy development of the story. His Roman Catholic background, one of the most important features by which he is known, is present but not to an extent to dominate the passage. The religious background tackles the idea of death, but besides it, from the given comical tone from the narration and description it's very clear what type of a novel it is going to be and what type of a novel we hold in our hands. The theme of family and family relations that is present in the passage, is a very easy one to develop, and it appeals to all types of readers. By this the novel is very accessible and easy to understand. The play of emotions and metaphors, highlights the characters and develops their identities. Overall, beginning from the title of the novel and the first chapter it is very clear what the author's intentions are and that this type of an opening is the best introduction for this type of an adventure like novel....