-Who are ‘They’ -How much are they asking for -Element of ‘humorous logic’

1. They kidnapped my girlfriend, and asked for an awful lot of money before they would even think about giving her back. I was grateful for the peace and quiet, so I wasn’t in too much of a hurry to settle up. After a while they started posting me little pieces of her, starting with an ear in a soap dish. For some reason they aren’t lowering the ransom. It doesn’t make sense. They seem to think I’d pay as much for a girlfriend with no thumbs, ears, nose or nipples as I would for one with all her bits still there. Dan Rhodes’ “Ashes” -Who are ‘They’ -How much are they asking for -Element of ‘humorous logic’

2. My girlfriend died. We hadn’t been together long, and I felt indifferent towards her. She left me her ashes. “What should I do with them?” I asked her family. “She wanted you to decide.” I really didn’t care. “You two were so in love; we’re leaving it up to you to choose her final resting place.” They were incredibly compassionate, and the pressure were enormous. I found myself in a helicopter, scattering her over the meadow where she had ridden her pony as a girl. Her family watched, weeping their final goodbyes as the little grey flecks fells to earth. Dan Rhodes’ “Ashes” • The girlfriend, the narrator, their relationship, her family • To what extent we know other people, why we love them • Element of ‘tragic-comic’

3. Nature of narrative • In a normal requirements of a plot (i.e. conflict-climax-resolution), authors frequently being forced to start a story towards the end and then use a flashback technique to fill in the details • WHY??? • – reader is left to concentrate on the climax & resolution • – reader fill in the details that will obviously influences the interpretation • – other methods are the author telling, the character reminiscence, dream, tell someone or think

4. Characterization • The ways in which characters are revealed: • The dramatic method- action and dialogue • ‘telling’ by narrator or author • Showing • Through other character • Physical description • Mental probe • Outward action • The use of minor characters

5. Characterization (cont’d) • Authors generally try to individualize and particularize characters. • How?-a)presentation of details such as age, sex, behavior, occupation, race, views, opinions, and religious beliefs b) the individualization is done against a background of cultural and social assumptions (people, groups) i.e. stereotyping

6. Characterization (cont’d) • In the past, leading characters seemed to heroes, better than human, and almost god-like. (religious undertones). In modern fiction, however, they are more like us. • Round-complex, ‘realistic’, we expect them to grow and change, even if it is unpredictable. • Flat-could be major or minor but remain consistent. Still important as they also help to bring out the traits of round characters.

7. Characterization (cont’d) • One of our tasks is to remember that fictional characters exist in a fictional world—therefore not real and detachable from that world even if they appear to have a reality outside that world. (ie, our world) • Good characterization refers to the fictional person, whoever s/he is is, and whatever his/her morality is, being well presented and our ability to accept that person as being ‘realistic’ in the context of the story.