Strengths and Weaknesses of Sputnik Sweetheart

Murakami has taken risks in writing this book, but I think they have paid off. His plot and the way in which he writes is more than a step off the ordinary, and his style doesn't warm to everyone.

I think one of the things Murakami is particularly good at is making the reader see things from a different perspective, in fact, this is what the book is all about. About half way into the book Murakami introduces the idea that a person can 'split' metaphorically,but explains it literally. Miu describes to Sumire of seeing another Miu in her hotel room from a Ferris wheel, and K describes Miu at the end when she has white hair (to symbol the other half of her) as "an empty shell." Here, Murakami is saying that we can lose a part of ourselves, and I think that by explaining this as though it happened literally was a clever thing to do because it allows the reader to work out what he the author is saying without being spoon fed, and adds depth to the idea as it allows Murakami to explore the analogy more elaborately, and gives him more artistic license.

However, this argument can be turned around and readers could believe that the surreal nature of the book is the very thing that ruins it. When I first read it, it was hard to see what point Murakami was trying to make, and I felt that literally splitting Sumire was a little too far fetched, and ruined the credibility of the book. If Murakami wanted to be poetic in the way he presented his idea about our ability to split ourselves, he needn't have been so crude as to write that Miu and Sumire physically separated themselves. The book looks on life very romantically, saying things like, "I loved the beautiful stillness of the songs, " and I don't think the metaphor of splitting physically fits in with the rest of the book.

Despite this, I still think that this book by Murakami is a success- I believe it will make a change from the usual standard of books that are around at the moment, and will broaden the minds of the English speaking population.

Review of Wide Sargasso Sea

Wide Sargasso Sea is a sensuous, fast paced, exotic novel based on the life of Bertha (Antoinette) before she was moved to England by Rochester. It is Antoinette's chance to tell her part of the story. The book tells us things straight and without unnecessary flamboyancy's, it is a book which opens up the whole new world of the Caribbean to the reader, who can immerse themselves in it wholeheartedly. This is absolutely not a book which can be described as tepid- the characters and the setting are passionate, strong, vibrant; which makes the read an exciting journey.

The novel is inevitably compared with Jane Eyre, and there are certainly links to be made between the lives of Jane and Antoinette, but the style in which they are written are like two sides of a coin. The fact is, Jean Rhys is writing of a wildly different culture to Britain, as she herself explores with the character of the very English Mr Rochester. In part II we watch as Rochester struggles to acclimatise to the vividness of the Caribbean, and then we see the clashes of the two cultures come to a head. If anything, this book highlights the incompatibility of Antoinette and Rochester, and tries to explain the reason why Antoinette went insane, and why she ended up under lock and key by Rochester in England. It is a book which won't let us just blame Antoinette for her insanity.

The book contains a whirlpool of emotions- passion, anger, regret, sorrow... the list goes on. Jean Rhys never explains them explicitly, she lets us as the readers feel and see them for ourselves, so on first reading it may seem strange that there are so little adjectives and paragraphs of description- but this is all part of Rhys' subtlety. Very much like the way of the Caribbean people, the face of the novel seems bland and ordered, but bubbling underneath is the fiery emotions which make the book the success that it is.

WIDE SARGASSO SEA

Part 1.

When I read Wide Sargasso Sea for the first time, I found it hard to understand the general plot, and found the lack of emotion with which the author wrote frustrating, and made the novel less interesting. I think that the way in which she wrote was not in a way that was trying to entertain us necessarily, but to get a story told in the most unbiased way as possible- which would explain the lack of emotion. However, having read it again I can understand why she chose to write in this way, and that it can be quite effective.
One extract I found particularly clever was when she said, "I was certain that hidden in the room...there was a dead man's dried hand, white chicken feathers, a cock with his throat cut dying slowly, slowly." She doesn't elaborate on the point but uses the power of the description alone to make her point, which makes it more shocking because we are described it as vividly as the girl sees it in her imagination, with no skirting around the point.
Another thing I have noticed about the way in which Jean Rhys writes is that she often highlights certain words by putting them in a sentence of their own or by repeating them, "Persistently. Angrily." "slowly, slowly," and "Better. Better, better than people." This makes the text a lot more dramatic, but can easily be overused so it loses it's effect- and I'm not sure if this is the case in part one. It's a modern way of writing, and is probably very rare in Jane Eyre if it appears in it at all, which shows a contrast between the atmosphere of the two novels; Wide Sargasso Sea is more sharp, fast moving and dramatic, whereas Jane Eyre is more descriptive and follows a more ordered way of writing events. Wide Sargasso Sea is a very different style to Jane Eyre, but there are very strong connections between the childhood of Jane and the childhood of Antoinette- and having read Jane Eyre first it does feel like she is stealing ideas sometimes.

Ch. 38

Happily ever after.

• "Reader, I married him." Finality to this sentence. It's a conscious decision by Jane, a relatively strongwilled woman, to be part of a marriage, meaning she is happy to lower herself to be his equal, or below Rochester. She is her own mistress.

• Happy ending to a sorrowful life. Perhaps a bit cliched when Rochester regains his sight.

Ch. 37

Jane and Mr Rochester are reunited.

• Role reversal with Jane being the more independant strong person of the two.

• Jane teases Mr Rochester about marrying St John- like Mr Rochester did; emphasises the idea of Jane being the more dominant of the couple.

Ch. 36

Jane discovers Thornfield is burned.

• Is there hope for Jane? It seems that even though Rochester is crippled Jane is still happy because Bertha is dead.

• Reader gets a clue of the happy ending that might occur.

Ch. 35

St John persists with asking her to marry him.

• Jane also hears Rochester cry out for her 'supernaturally'. Could be the answer to her prayer "Show me the path!" (P.414)

Ch. 34

St John asks Jane to go to India with him as his wife.

• Jane will only marry for love- refuses St John because of this or because she still holds out for Rochester?

• "Perhaps you think I had forgotten Mr Rochester, reader, not for a moment...I sought my bedroom to brood over it." (p.394).

Ch. 33

Jane discovers she is rich.

• St John has found out who Jane is- Jane has her past reopened again- realises how much she misses it, "just tell me this, said I...- what of Mr Rochester?" (p.376)

Can't let go of her sufferings, will always be tied to them in some way (in this case St John is her link to bad pasts).

Ch. 32

Jane talks to St John about Rosamond.

• "To live amongst general regard, though it be but the regard of working people, is like 'sitting in sunshine, calm and sweet." (p.362). Hierachy is touched upon because Jane has got used to living in 'high' society at Thornfield. She's never had regard from anyone else.

• St John sees Jane as a trustworthy confidante- shows something of Janes character.

Ch. 31

Jane starts school and meets Rosamond Oliver.

• St John loves her- but doesn't think he should. He does not love Jane.

• As a reader I begin to wonder whether the story of Rochester has been forgotten.

Ch. 30

St John gives Jane a school.

• Jane is becoming more settled, and perhaps beginning to think of Rochester less frequently because her life seems to be going better. A new life.

Ch. 29

Jane recovers at the Rivers household.

• Jane talks to the Rivers- learn more about the three new characters

• St John- cold and seemingly emotionless which is a sharp contrast to Jane. "he did not speak to me one word, nor even direct me one glance," (p.341)

• Sisters are very happy, friendly people. What Jane could never have and is like a dream come true for her.

Ch. 28

Jane wanders through the wilderness and ends up at the River's household.

• Jane experiences complete poverty and rejection- reverting back to her childhood emotions because of this.

• "What a golden desert this spreading moor" - sees this stage of her life as an exotic adventure.

Ch. 27

Rochester tries to persuade Jane not to leave.

• Narrative style means we learn of Rochester's character and past in the sam order as Jane- so author trying to make us feel the same as Jane. Some would not agree with her opinions though.

• Jane is sure the right thing is to run away- strong morals if they come before her love for Rochester.

Ch. 26

The wedding that never happened.

• This is also the ch. when Jane discovers Rochester is already married, and to a mad woman she thought was Grace Poole in the attic. So another instance when Jane has a bad ending to a happy beginning.

• The reader finally gets some answers on who set the fire on Rochester's bed, and who attacked Mr Mason.

• We leave Jane as depressed as she has ever been. We are completely clueless as to whether or not there will ever be a happy ending.

Ch. 25

Night before the wedding.

• Jane has bad dreams night before, which would mean something bad is about to happen again if you go by all the other times she has had bad premonitions. Bronte is preparing us for something bad again, when really we want something good to happen at least once in Jane's life.

Ch. 24

The engagement period.

• Long engagement because Jane doesn't want to rush into it like Rochester does. Doesn't want wedding to seem like a rash move- shows she can sometimes be more ruled by her head than her heart.

• Jane says, "I like rudeness a great deal better than flattery" (p.261) It's what she has always been used to, and is probably why she was so drawn to Rochester- something familiar.

• Mr Rochester says, "I feigned courtship of Miss Ingram, because I wished to render you as madly in love with me as I was with you, and I knew jealousy would be the best ally." (p.261) Is this a cover up or is it the truth?

Ch. 23

The proposal

• Beginning description very elaborate (p.246), like the description of when Jane was reading happily as a child. Again a signal to reader of the nature of the event that is to come.

• Rochester proposes very strangely, pretending he is to marry Miss Ingram. It would seem he still has doubts about whether Jane loves him. You'd have thought he'd have realised by now.

Ch. 22

Jane returns to Thornfield.

• Jane and everyone at the house are happy to be reunited. Shows Jane now sees her home at Thornfield, and that within it are some of the only people who have accepted her in her life.

• Rochester still loves her- his love is then perhaps true and definitely not some cruel joke or whim.

Ch. 21

Jane goes to Mrs Reed's deathbed.

• Here she also finds out that she does actually have a living relative- Mrs Reed was worse than she thought. Jane accepts this though- she no longer needs the love of Mrs Reed like she did when she was a child. Similarly, Jane is no longer intimidated by Eliza and Georgiana.

• A supernatural theme is played upon at beginning of chapter, with Jane having unlucky dreams. An omen of bad things to come for the reader. Mr Rochester also sees Jane as a supernatural figure throughout the book- a bad omen for him too?

Ch. 20

Bertha attacks Mr Mason

• Jane nurses Mr Mason for the night, thinking that Grace Poole attacked him.

• Rochester suggests he will marry Miss Ingram in a conversation with Jane. Seems to have mood swings, which could show him as a man who is confused maybe because;

-he doesn't want to get another marriage wrong,

-perhaps because he is trying to deny the fact that he loves Jane because she is a governness,

-and maybe because he's battling with his conscience because he's already married.

Ch. 19

Rochester is a gypsy

• He goes to an elaborate length to find out how Jane feels about him- perhaps he's insecure, and obviously loves her if he will go to so much trouble.

Ch. 18

Mr Mason and the gypsy

• "I have learnt to love Mr Rochester"- accepted that she loves Rochester

• "Miss Ingram was a mark beneath jealousy, she was too inferior..." (p.185). Miss Ingram has higher status, but Jane perhaps has a higher mind and intelligence.

• Mystery; we are kept engaged by new action, who are the two new characters?

Ch. 17

An evening with Rochester and his friends

• She is asked by Rochester to be present for evening entertainment- shows he likes her more than a master should like his governess.

• She's never been in the company of such high status, so we see it from outside. A more critical opinion.

Ch.16

Jane realises she loves Mr Rochester.

• In the chapter we can see Jane battling with emotions; jealousy at Blanche Ingram, denial that she does in fact love him, and struggling with the fact that she isn't allowed to love him.

• "Ere long, I had reason to congratulate myself on the course of wholesome discipline to which I had thus forced my feelings to submit..." (p.161)

This is similar to the teachings of Helen all those years ago to not react angrily to injustice, and when she held her emotions in check when she was unfairly called a liar by Mr Brocklehurst.

Ch. 15

The fire in Mr Rochester's room.

• We learn a bit of Rochester's past, and about his affair with Celine Varens. Interesting how open he is with her, friendship of a sort has been established.

• Grace Poole now seems more dangerous after the fire, worried for Jane's safety- will she be next?

• Relationship between Jane and Adele grows stronger once Jane knows that Adele is parentless too, common bond which unites them.

• Rochester's past is so beyond what Jane has ever known, fascination of who Rochester is, and what there is in the world.

Ch. 14

The second evening with Mr Rochester.

• We notice now that Rochester actually enjoys Jane's company, "...I ought to be at liberty to attend to my own pleasure. Miss Eyre, draw your chair a little farther forward..." (p.131) He talks very roughly to her, ie. he isn't polite and asks blunt questions.

• Jane doesn't yet enjoy his company, but it is the most amusement she has had for a while. Chapter is entirely focused upon Rochester, rather like Jane is, because having her as narrator means we have to follow her actions and thoughts.

Ch.13

Dinner with Mr Rochester

• This is when we learn of the abrupt, blunt, and seemingly rude nature of Rochester. Jane responds by being more outspoken than a woman was thought to be in that period. Basically, she is herself with him.

• It is mostly dialogue throughout the chapter, which suggests that Jane isn't thinking anything contrary to what she is saying to Rochester- feels she can be honest with him, or perhaps sees she has nothing to hide, or still remembers being called a liar from childhood.

• Dialogue also means we are left to form our own opinions about Rochester rather than using Jane's, which means we are making judgements of Rochester as Jane would have done, which gets us more involved in the story.

Ch. 12

Jane meets Mr Rochester for the first time.

• Beginning of chapter shows she's settling in and enjoys life at Thornfield. Cliffhanger with who Grace Poole is and why there is so much discretion and secrecy about who she is.

• Interaction between Rochester and Jane shows up just how naieve Jane is to the outside world, "I think he was swearing...," "I had hardly ever seen a handsome youth..." We know this was because of where she grew up.

• "If even this stranger had smiled and been good-humoured to me when I addressed him...I should have...not felt any vocation to renew enquiries."(p.115)

This shows that her unhappy childhood has affected her in that she has only ever known how to deal with unkind or bad natured people. This is perhaps why she warms to Rochester so quickly, he's somebody she can relate to.

• The event was the first interesting thing that happened for Jane at Thornfield, so shows the distinct change Rochester brings to Jane's life- he makes it interesting, new and exciting.

Ch. 11

Jane begins life at Thornfield Hall.

• A change of place occurs, and Jane seems to relish it, asking questions frequently about Thornfield and Mr Rochester.

• Narrative style interesting at beginning of chapter;

"A new chapter in a novel is something like a new scene in a play; and when I draw up the curtain this time reader- you must fancy you see a room in the George Inn at Millcote..." (p.95)

Very informal, chatty style and tells us directly that she is trying to make us- the reader- feel within the story as an observer, following Jane wherever she goes.

Ch. 10

Jane advertises, and Mrs Reed calls for Jane.

• Within a page, 8 years are glossed over, which shows they were non descript. Means that the pace quickens dramatically, as if wanting to get to the next stage of her life as quickly as possible, to meet Mr Rochester.

• Again, when Jane comes across good fortune there is some calamity which happens soon after, in this case when Jane gets a reply to her advert Mrs Reed wants to see her again. Negative themes still going strong.

Ch. 9

Helen dies.

• The motif of weather is used again to show Jane's state of mind. "the frosts of winter had ceased...on a sunny day it began even to be pleasant and genial..." (p.77). Things seem to be getting better for Jane.

• Contrast to this idea is the fact that Helen dies soon afterwards. It seems Jane is not allowed to be happy for very long.

• Before Helen dies she says, "Jane your little feet are bare; lie down and cover yourself..." Caring for others comes so naturally to Helen she can't seem to ever focus on herself.

• Ending the ch. with the simple sentence, "Her grave is in Brocklebridge Churchyard...now a gray marble tablet marks the spot..." shows how Jane has come to accept bad things calmly, and how simple a life Helen led.

Ch. 8

Tea with Miss Temple.

• Helen's completely selfless character is elaborated upon. Jane notices that something is wrong with her, but still Helen only thinks of Jane and her humiliation.

• Helen's nature is almost the opposite of Jane's- opposites attract?

• Miss Temple obviously loves the pupils, and wants to give them as comfortable an experience as possible at Lowood. Jane's only other friend as well as Helen. Both have similar good, honest, selfless characters, all things which Jane has respect for, but can never emulate.

Ch. 7

Mr Brocklehurst pronounces Jane a liar

• Jane truly believes that she is a liar because she has been told enough times by Mrs Reed. She wants to start afresh, but Mr Brocklehurst won't let her. She is only a child- believes what she is told.

• Jane tries to be like Helen and doesn't protest at punishment- shows she has great respect for Helen and is learning to quash her emotions. Becoming a different person.

• Hypocrisy with Mr Brocklehurst's speech about attire and his guests. Shows how unreasonable his Christian ideas from the Bible are by showing that he doesn't actually act on his ideals.

• We learn that Miss Temple is on the children's side, "her brow settled gradually into petrified severity." while hearing Mr Brocklehurst speak. (p.65)

Ch. 6

Helen accepts punishment without complaint.

• Jane is in awe of the way Helen does not appear angry or feel any emotion when she is punished for something as trivial as having dirty nails. A martyr figure to Jane.

• Helen's idea of religion is different to Mr Brocklehurst's which appears in ch.7. Having Jane as narrator we see that Helen's faith interests Jane more, as she asks many questions (p.60), wants to know more.

• Jane suggests at end of the ch. that Lowood is not a 'proper' Christian institution, because they don't give Helen- a true Christian in Jane's eyes- the space to meditate and pray; "She was not allowed much time for meditation."

Ch. 5

Jane spends her first day at Lowood.

• Jane meets Helen, and is the only girl she speaks to, drawn to her because "her occupation touched a chord of sympathy somewhere" (p.51)
• She realises the school isn't as good as she thought.

• Weather is again commented on; "the wind rave in furious gusts, the rain fall in torrents" (p.47). Seems to be a recurring motif, could mirror her life- nothing positive, relentless hardships she has to face.

• The reader feels disappointment along with Jane, because we warm to her and don't like to see her have to cope with more difficulties.

Jane Eyre ch.1-4

Characters:

Mrs Reed
The benefactress of Jane. Dislikes her and excludes her from family life, is ashamed to have to look after her. Doesn't understand her, and does not try to.

Georgiana, Eliza and John
Adopted siblings of Jane. Follow their mother's example of shunning Jane, and John physically abuses her as he likes to exert what power he has over people ie. he's a bully.

Mr Brocklehurst
The owner of Lowood school. Fiercely Christian, so believes he is right in the name of God, although as a reader we disagree with his values because we see little compassion for the girls at Lowood.

Jane
Lonely child who has no one who really understands her, and hasn't been given much of a chance in life. Luck never really comes her way. She is reasonably intelligent, and very plain looking, which becomes to her disadvantage in her childhood, because she becomes less likeable.


Ch.1- Jane is accosted by John

Very negative language, "There was no possibility of taking a walk that day," "cold winter wind."

Establishing Jane as lonely, finds comfort in escaping from world to books. Language becomes more flamboyant, "scarlet drapery," "like a Turk."

Jane narrating, shows you through her eyes, like a film, "afar, it offered...near, a scene of wet lawn..."

She's in Gateshead.

Barrenness of scene is established very early on- extreme weather conditions and harsh climates, emulate emotions in Jane.

Ch. 2- Jane spends the night in the red room.

Description childlike- still believes in "tiny phantoms, half fairy, half imp." Her fear of these things are real, doesn't think reasonably yet.

Dramatic, high tension contrasts to the bleakness of first chapter. Jane's fiesty character which she usually suppresses comes out here.

Bessie is established as a friend of Jane's, her only friend at present.

Ch. 3- Mr Lloyd asks Jane if she wants to go to school

Bessie is again shown to be the only person to show Jane compassion, giving her the bird of paradise plate, and nursing her back to health.

Mr Lloyd shows how beauty is thought of in that period, "if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness." People think if she's ugly on the outside, she will be inside too.

Jane has a glimmer of hope which she clings onto. Shows how oppressed she feels in Gateshead.

Ch. 4- Mr Brocklehurst collects Jane

Preparing for new stage in her life.

Mr Brocklehurst talks of religion and we see how he manipulates the Bible to get it to say what he wants it to, eg. that Jane must be a 'bad' girl because she doesn't like the Psalms. Because Jane is author, we are made as reader to doubt how genuine a Christian he is.