Topic > Analysis of the last three paragraphs of chapter 1 of "A Room with a View"

The last three paragraphs of chapter 1 of "A Room with a View" describe the actions of the two female protagonists, Lucy Honeychurch and Miss Bartlett, when they find themselves alone in their rooms. This short scene is a brief but extremely accurate depiction of the contrast between these two different personalities, what they desire, and how they perceive the outside world and its inevitable reality. These attitudes are present in the way Lucy and Miss Bartlett behave, so through the analysis of their actions it is possible to understand whether they are characters from "Room" or "View"; whether their senses are still alive or numbed by the passage of time; whether optimism or realism is their driving force. It could perhaps be said that through this scene EM Forster really introduces us to Lucy and Miss Bartlett; the scene, although it seems insignificant, foreshadows how these two women will behave and how they will affect or influence each other. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. As with the rest of the novel, the narrator is objective and omniscient. Even if the situation is described from the point of view of an outsider, i.e. in the third person, and even if there is no personal connection between the characters and the narrator, he still knows the thoughts and feelings of the two characters. Naturally, this type of storytelling gives readers a sense of freedom over how they perceive the characters; the narrator does not judge them, so it is solely on the basis of their actions or thoughts that we can formulate our opinion: there is no favoritism on the part of the narrator. The setting is also the same for both characters, as if to show how they behave when they find themselves in a similar situation. Despite the objectivity, it seems that the narrator is somehow linked to the characters, because their feelings are described in an involved way, as if the narrator knew their causes and intensity. Therefore it is possible that through the narration of this scene, Forster intends to provoke readers to create their own first ideas about Lucy and Miss Bartlett. This is done successfully, since it is difficult not to see the difference between them or not to sympathize more with one than with the other. Sentence length is regulated, and there is no suggestive difference between sentences describing Lucy and those describing Miss Bartlett. . Perhaps this once again alludes to the objectivity of the narrative. Polysyndeton is used with Lucy as much as with Miss Bartlett, although in the description of Lucy's view from the window it seems to evoke excitement in the reader, as if rushing to illustrate the entire view. But when “and” is repeated when communicating Miss Bartlett's controlling actions, it gives those actions a prolonged, repetitive, monotonous feel, which is so different from how the simple device of the polysyndeton portrayed Lucy. It is also interesting that Forster placed a comma in front of virtually every “and” in these three paragraphs. This seems to split sentences more than a comma or “e” would on their own, and constantly disturbs the rhythm of sentences but at the same time makes each action bolder and more individual, as if meaning can be found in every aspect of life . behavior of the characters. The descriptive nature of the writing gives the situation more realism, as well as comedy, whilst the tone itself is generally kept serious as is the diction, it is the way in which Forster links certain words and creates a barely visible atmosphere and subtle exaggeration that demonstrates the situational comedy, especially when it relates to Miss Bartlett. A simple sheet of paper with an interrogation noteshe seemed "portentous with evil" and "was seized with the impulse to destroy it", which, hyperbolically, conveys the idea of ​​Miss Bartlett's suspicious and controlling nature. The momentary hyperbole adds more liveliness and humor to the passage, as on the surface Miss Bartlett appears to be calm and collected and one would not suspect her to have such drastic and violent thoughts. But the image we get of Miss Bartlett is not just comical, contradictory: there is sadness in her, almost as if she were a living anachronism, a being misunderstood, insecure and full of nostalgia, as if she longed for something unattainable. Although his sighs - which are said to be "his habit" - are somewhat funny, it must be said that the type of humor used here by Forster is decidedly dark, a kind of schadenfreude, as readers find it amusing to see. The lack of satisfaction or pleasure in Miss Bartlett's life. Even his “protective embrace” “made Lucy feel like a fog”; the simile used here reflects how she is judged by others as a stern, controlling, predictable older woman, with no warmth in her soul, nothing to make the "fog" disappear. Perhaps Miss Bartlett's personality is that of a healer, who not only protects Lucy from the evils of the world but also from some past personal disappointment. It is possible that, through the way he acts now, he is trying to correct or prevent something that he had no control over in the past. The fact that she "closed the shutters", "locked the door" and "examined" the interrogation note "carefully" conjures up the image of someone quite limited or simply frightened by the abrupt and constant ambivalence of life, someone who tries to find consolation in their careful idiosyncrasies – in fact, the adverb “carefully” was used twice in the last paragraph, further emphasizing Miss Bartlett's desire for control. When she saw a piece of paper with “a huge question note” on the wall, she immediately asked herself: “What does this mean?” and "examined him." Of course many others would react similarly, but in this context the fact that she tried to instantly analyze this simple note supports the idea that she is indeed an insecure character who wishes to be aware of everything and not experience elements of surprise in her life . Lucy, on the contrary, is portrayed as a more liberated, carefree and youthful character. His actions are full of hope and naive positivity; after the "protective embrace" received from her companion, "she opened the window and breathed the clean night air", freeing her from the "feeling of fog". The narrator describes this scene in a way that suggests movement, as if Lucy's desire to free herself in that moment is incredibly urgent, as if it must be satisfied quickly. The contrast between Lucy and Miss Bartlett is shown very strongly here; the way they behave when they are alone reflects their internal states. Again, according to Lucy, when she thought of Mr. Emerson, to her he was a "gentle old man", while Miss Bartlett was outraged by his spontaneity and saw him as a dangerous and unpredictable man. It is difficult to say whether any of them are right in their beliefs, but it is clear that they are quite extreme in their hypotheses: Miss Bartlett's suspicions of conspiracies and dangers seem endless, while her protégé blindly believes mere appearances, without questioning their rightness or injustice. In this way, Lucy's perception of the world seems full of visual poetry; the personified “dancing lights in the Arno” evoke an image of beauty and fantasy, referring at the same time to the idealistic fantasy world of.