Multi-Narrative Essay Example

Multi-Narrative Essay How Collins portrays Victorian attitudes will also be examined in this essay. Not much Is revealed about MISS. Clack In any of the narratives apart from hers. Collins gives her a voice for a specific reason. Through her he can criticism the other characters without criticizing them directly and this gives more depth to the novel. In Footbridges first narrative we learn very little about Miss. Clack but his narrative introduces us to the character of Miss. Clack. As we know very little about her it creates a sense of suspense, as she becomes another part of the puzzle of who stole he Diamond. In her narrative we get an Insight to what Miss. Clack Is really like. She Is shown to have a curious nature, as she says, l waited for a minute or two, more than a minute or two. This is said when Miss. Clack is considering who had entered the house. Because of her curiosity and suspicion, the reader Is also curious and suspicious. What Miss. Clack discovered was Geodesys proposal to Rachel. If Collins had not set the style as a multi-narrative structure then this important piece of information would not have been revealed to us. No other character Is as curious as Goodbye than Clack, so she Is the only one who found out about his proposal. We will write a custom essay sample on Multi-Narrative specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Multi-Narrative specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Multi-Narrative specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer She also keeps enquiring throughout the narrative about the secret which Rachel and Mr.. Brief hold. This makes the reader suspicious as to what information is being withheld from Clack. We also find out more about Victorian attitudes due to the multi-narrative structure, as each character has their own views on events, and the reader can see how different classes treat the same events. MISS. Clack Is born of a higher class, and this Is shown by her arrogance and It can be seen that she Is also stuck In her class spite the poorer circumstances at the point when she is writing. She wants to be accepted by the upper classes and does not want to be downgraded. She moves to a little town and her excuse for this is for economys sake. People in Victorian times saw class as an important matter, and they would strive to be in the best circles they could possibly be in. This Is why Clack Justifies her move, as she does not want people to tank seen NAS move Tort toner reasons, sun as a lack AT money . Nils snows she is prepared to Justify and maybe change details to Justify events or actions. Clack is also very religious as she reinforces her statements with religious words. My sacred regard for truth is This suggests she is very religiously minded, as were most Victorians of that day and age, who thought there main aim should be getting to heaven. She is strictly religious, and her strictness is also portrayed in her narrative. She had a strict routine and liked to keep things ordered, and not vary them. In the same order, same place, even the same chair. This sho ws Clack has a very disciplined way of doing things, meaning her account is useful for giving us the right vents in the right order. Sergeant Cuffs narrative is set out in Just the way the reader would expect a detective to write. He gives his opinions and thoughts about the theft of the Diamond along with an explanation of why he believes what he believes what he believes. He backs up his explanation with evidence. He believed Goodbye was killed by being smothered with a pillow from his bed, as he was found with the pillow of the bed over his face. Although this seems trivial it is an underlying principle of his personality. He feels the need to explain every event that happened and not Just state what happened. This is what makes the reader believe Sergeant Cuff must be right as he explains his views, unlike some of the characters. Cuffs intellectualism is also shown in his narrative along with his Just views, which makes the reader inclined to trust his Judgment. Sergeant Cuffs narrative is important as it shows how Collins has made him very inquisitive. He says l shall endeavourer showing he is interested in finding out more. It is this inquisitiveness that sets off a widespread detective-fever amongst the other characters, victims and suspects alike. This fever spreads from Franklin Blake, to Gabriel Bettered, to Matthew Brief, to Mr.. Marguerite, to the three Indians and widens the net of suspicion, the opposite of what is trying to be achieved. Cuff makes many predictions as to what has happened, although not all of them have solid evidence. When writing about who committed the murder, he puts, There is here moral if not legal evidence that the murder was committed by the Indians. As it is not legal evidence, the reader is not totally sure if it was the Indians who committed the crime, and this brings a sense of suspense, as the crime may have been committed y someone other than the Indians. Here Collins is trying to show equality and there should not be a prejudice against the Indians. Just because they are different it doesnt make them inferior and have different morals, meaning they are prepared to steal. The sense of suspense is maintained throughout the novel due to the multi-narrative structure. Where one narrative ends and the sense of mystery seems to have settled down a new narrative begins and a new sense of mystery is brought about. Using character who hadnt played a role in the previous narrative, suspense is kept throughout the novel. A new perspective on the mystery is given in each narrative Ana Day ten time ten reader NAS Decode accustomed to one perspective, ten next perspective begins and constant suspense is achieved throughout the novel. Ezra Jennings narrative is set out differently from the rest as it is comprised of extracts from his Journal. This means that everything he writes in there he believes to be the truth. Because of the multi-narrative structure some of the narratives could have an altered version of the truth and might not give an accurate view of the occurring events, leading the reader astray. Jennings has an outsider role in the evolve as he is the doctors assistant and because he is associated with medicine he is not popular, as the Victorians were suspicious of the medical profession. Collins tries to show everybody should be accepted throughout the play and this is finalized with the outsider character being the one to solve the mystery. This is also shown as Roseanne, one of the maids, is an outsider but she plays a large role in the novel and Collins also tries to create sympathy for her. Jennings was the character who was mainly responsible for solving the mystery of the Diamond through scientific nature, which can be compared to forensic evidence. The Moonstone was the first novel to explore forensic science and it showed how at this point of the Victorian era, they were advancing in the new science of criminology. Collins purposely makes the detective expert (Sergeant Cuff fail in solving the mystery while the scientific man (Ezra Jennings) succeeds. This shows Collins could have been making the point that the Victorians were now starting to put more and more faith into science, although they still were suspicious about it. Bettered says Jennings has a medical enterprise. This proves that he is a scientific man and the other characters can see that. Jennings also accepts he is a scientific man, showing it is proud to be so in the eyes of the Victorians. He says Science sanctions my proposal, fanciful as it may seem. Jennings is the one who introduces the idea of the opium causing Franklin Blake to act to take the Diamond. He explains that Franklin was not in his right mind when he took it, and was in a state of sleep-walking. Because Flakes mind was on the Diamond when he went to sleep the opium made him concentrate on this when it took effect. However because people were suspicious at the time of medical practice Jennings did not voice his opinion straight away. Jennings is introduced as a mystery to us, and all we know is that he is Dry. Candys assistant. This creates suspense as he has been mentioned in the other narratives as well but the reader is still suspicious of him as they know little about him. Gradually Collins presents more of him, and the reader finds out Jennings is part English and part Indian. Jennings holds a mysterious place at the heart of both worlds, Just like he is at the heart of the novel. His experiment on Franklin Blake reveals the suspicion the English had against the three Indians should be returned upon them, as in the end it is one of their own, Goodbye Blithest, who played the major role in the crime. I believe using multiple voices had the desired effect that Collins wanted it to. It created suspense throughout the novel and a feeling that nothing was definitive and anything could change to alter the path of the novel. This technique especially works in a detective novel as details are crucial and if these details are mixed, which is done using multiple voices then a lot of suspense and uncertainness is caused.