How is tension built in chapter one of Watership Down? CANDIDATE 7
In Watership down, Adams uses a quote from classical literature as an allegory of the chapter. In chapter one, the allegory is taken from Agamemnon, in which Cassandra tells of an imminent sense of death, which others do not see or believe. Cassandra is a prophetic character, and so the reader knows that what she tells is true. This creates tension, as it shows the reader that in the chapter, a very real danger is imminent, but it will be ignored by others. In this was Adams uses dramatic irony, as the reader knows the danger is real, but the rabbits (apart from the few who chose to follow fiver) do not, and so do nothing to escape their fate.
Adams creates tension in in the way that he describes Fiver. After describing the peaceful setting and describing Hazel in a calm way, the reader gets the impression that all is ok. However he describes Fiver as ‘ill at ease’, and that he acted with a sense of ‘caution’ and ‘nervous tension’. This shows that Fiver is in fear of something, and so gives the reader a sense that all may not be as it seems, and there is an impending danger. As the reader already has knowledge from the allegory that a prophetic character will foretell a danger that is a reality, they take fivers concern seriously, and share his feelings of unknowing and fear. This creates tension, as the reader knows something bad will happen, but they do not know what.
When Fiver describes the danger that he feels, he says it is ‘something oppressive, like thunder.’ In this, Adams uses pathetic fallacy to create tension. Thunder, for many people, is symbolic of a release of tension, and many say that they can feel when a storm is on the way, as they can feel a pressure in the air that needs release. Fiver implying that an event such as thunder is imminent gives the reader a sense of tension, and also re-infers the sense of unknowing, as we do not know what this event will be, or when it will come.
Very good use of academic language
ReplyDeleteCould have possibly analysed Fiver's description more?
Good structure of paragraphs and use of academic language. Good links to characters and quotes but could be explained and analysed further?
ReplyDeleteUsing pathetic fallacy to open up the analysis is good, it would be worthwhile pursuing this in the comparison piece and discussing how this is present or absent in Animal Farm. Is Animal Farm are far more prosaic piece of writing despite the metaphor of the animals for humans.
ReplyDeleteYou also need to read your work back as there are some straightforward errors that are easily fixed.
ReplyDelete