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'What idiocy to be racing into this story and its labyrinths'

'What idiocy to be racing into this story and its labyrinths' ' The aftermath, an appropriate term for what happened in a field waiting for its early summer mowing. The aftermath, the second crop, the growth promoted by that first cut in May .’

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'What idiocy to be racing into this story and its labyrinths'

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  1. 'What idiocy to be racing into this story and its labyrinths' • 'The aftermath, an appropriate term for what happened in a field waiting for its early summer mowing. The aftermath, the second crop, the growth promoted by that first cut in May.’ • 'A comforting geometry from the buzzard's perspective, the knowable, limited plane of the snooker table.' • 'In a state of mathematical grace.' • ‘..running towards a catastrophe, which itself was a kind of furnace in whose heat identities and fates would buckle into new shapes.’ Rank order these metaphors taken from the opening paragraphs of the novel. Be prepared to justify your thinking. What should we be looking for when selecting the best lines to analyse?

  2. Introducing ‘A Lot About A Little’ • ‘A Lot About A Little’ is sustained analysis of a short bit of text that leads to sophisticated interpretation and conceptualising. • It is not translating what a line means. • ALAAL works best when a good choice of figurative/multi-interpretable/pertinent language/form/structure is chosen to respond to and debate. • DON’T feel as though you have to unpack every word. It is much better to use the quotation as a ‘springboard’ to demonstrate your knowledge of the text and provide evidence for the point you are making. • Keep looking to find the ‘best’ example from elsewhere in the text to embed as evidence to back up the point you are making. • It is very important to try to get at the heart of the quotation – what is McEwan trying to show?

  3. Model McEwan presents Joe as being characterized by rationalism from the outset of the novel. ‘…we were in a state of mathematical grace.’ This early use of ‘mathematical’ suggests that throughout his storytelling Joe is searching for a way of expressing his version of events as a truth, which can be shared. Mathematical theory, being a truth that can be proven, by its very nature, must be accepted as accurate. Interestingly, this mathematical state is combined with ‘grace’, which can mean elegance and beauty of movement, form or expression. Perhaps for Joe, ‘mathematical grace’ suggests a moment of equilibrium to be retrospectively savoured before the dramatic events that were about to unfold and change the course of his life, creating a new unwelcomed beginning. This might also suggest a moment of perfection in his mind, where making sense of things in an emotionless way is an apparent reassurance to Joe’s characteristic rationalism. This idea is supported throughout the novel with the prominence of geometric motifs and images, whenever Joe strives to make sense of a situation, ‘comforting geometry’, and ‘ruthless gravity’. However, ‘grace’ has a multitude of meanings and might also be interpreted as a condition of being favoured or sanctified by God, thus moving beyond the realm of geometric reason, and perhaps instead creating a conflicting juxtaposition between the emotionless ‘mathematical’, and the opposing emotionally powerful ‘grace’ of God. In this sense, ‘mathematical grace’ might be seen almost like an oxymoron and be likened to the seemingly opposing characteristic traits of Joe, the scientific rationalist, and Jed, with his strong faith in God’s loving grace. These contrasting personalities might be interpreted as paralleling ‘mathematical grace’ as they seamlessly merge together in McEwan’s narrative ‘rushing towards each other like lovers’ only moments earlier in the midst of the eventful chaos unfolding on the field.

  4. ALAAL – How to do it • Which parts of the Q suggest importance/notability? • What mood/feeling/colour/flavour is suggested by any word, pause, definite or indefinite article, omission, line length, order of words? • Where is the pace in the Q? Remember the effect of commas, cadence, length of lines or paragraphs. • Where does the figurative lie? • What associations can you think of with a word/idea/omission? • Use BABOP and other such words like ‘however’, ‘may be’, ‘on the other hand’ • Use the verbs ‘suggests’, ‘implies’, ‘emphasises’ • Ask a question • Use the author’s name • Embedded quotes which support the point your making

  5. Under the magnifying glass Associations Connotations Language Overall effect Links – lines to embed Sounds

  6. Using BABOP Because – a straightforward explanation will follow Also – by using this you are sustaining your point (making it last) But – further detail is coming, possibly a contradiction Or – you are going to offer an alternative Perhaps – you are not sure, but it’s a possibility because of a certain word or idea

  7. Write your own ALAAL • Topics sentence: • Quotation: • Analysis: Remember BABOP may help extend analysis

  8. Reflection • Ask one question which could be directed towards Ian McEwan about his first chapter. Perhaps consider: • Character • The event • The plot • Narrative viewpoint • McEwan’s style Example: Did you intend for Joe to be a reliable narrator?

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