Imaginative Center uncut, uncensored: Philip Bentley
In order to fully understand a piece of literature and authorial intent, the reader must utilize unconventional methods of perspective. In Sinclair Ross?f, As for me and my House, the use of perspective becomes climacteric in determining a veridical comprehension of the imaginative center of the novel, Philip Bentley. In order to gain the full understanding of Philip Bentley, the reader must dismiss the biased unreliable narrative of Mrs. Bentley. With reference to the methods of perspective, they can be used to fully understand and dismiss the dubious narrative in Philip Bentley?fs relationships, occurrences, and Imagery. It then becomes feasible to appreciate an impartial understanding of Philip Bentley.
The individuals who surround Philip Bentley, assisted in shaping and influencing his character. Initially, Steve was introduced, and this contributed to a number of family problems. These problems lead to the frustration and jealously of Mrs. Bentley towards Philip.
?gTrue to his promise, Philip took Steve to the country with him this afternoon. I could feel that he didn?ft want me along, so at noon I complained of a headache, and stayed home to finish putting in the garden.?h (45) This clearly displays the beginning of Mrs. Bentleys resentment towards Philip, and the relationship that he and Steve share. She desires such a relationship for herself and Philip, only to be faced with the realization that it will never transpire. This hinders the legitimacy of what she sees, as it is now biased; influenced by her resentment. ?gAbout a horse for Steve, then about Steve himself. He likes Steve, and as we talked I saw Philip?fs mouth get a little contentious.?h (85) As her resentment grows, so does her unreliability to present to events clearly as they occurred. Up until Steve left, Mrs. Bentley continued to express her displeasure with the relationship that Philip and Steve remained to share. ?gI played brilliantly, vindictively, determined to let Philip see how easily... I could take the boy away from him?h (Ross, 63). Mrs. Bentley observes that her relationship with Steve is becoming not a companionship, but ?ga conspiracy?h (Ross, 95). After Steve left, Philip began spending a great deal of time with Judith. Philip was using Judith as an esca...
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...ing unstable. The wind blows the dust over the house, the dust smothers the house, as Mrs. Bentley smothers Philip. They have no control over the dust, and it becomes clear that Mrs. Bentley also has no control over the dust, and it becomes clear that Mrs. Bentley has no control over Philip. ?gI must keep on reaching out, tying to possess him, trying to make myself matter?h (Ross, 99). She attempts to reach out, Philip sees it as smothering.
By looking at all the aspects, and dismissing Mrs. Bentleys bias, it becomes clear, the true understanding of the imaginative center, Philip Bentley. His role is to keep everyone in the Horizons together, along with Mrs. Bentley. This is palpable through his relationships, occurrences, and imagery. After the unreliable narrative is dismissed, the reader can gain a full understanding and appreciation of the imaginative center.
Bibliography
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Academic colleagues like, David Greenburg, would have been exasperated, part from envy of McCullough’s ability in not only story telling but to sell and he would object to the approach of this book. The colleagues would tear at the lack of compelling rationale for an overused topic, as well as the scene setting, and meager analysis.
As one can see, Harriet, Dick and Reverend Lewis Merrill, even though they are all minor characters, affect the major characters, such as Johnny and Owen with their identity, or personality. Without these characters, the novel would never be the same. As Alan Rudolph said, “Human identity is the most fragile thing that we have, and it's often only found in moments of truth.”
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narrative focuses on a father and son, Grange and Brownfield Copeland, and illustrates how their respective demons and destructive tendencies affect the people around them. In the opening chapter of the novel, the reader is introduced to Grange as he exhibits abusive tendencies towards his wife, Margaret, while he is in a drunken state. ?Late Saturday night Grange would come home lurching drunk, threatening to kill his wife and Brownfield, he threatened Margaret and she ran and hid in the woods with Brownfield huddled at her feet? (Walker 14). Grange?s prolific consumption of alcohol seems to be a conscious effort to blunt the feeling inferiority he feels as marginalized citizen in southern society. Grange Copeland?s fits of violent anger seems to be misdirected at his family instead of the person whom he truly hates: Shipley.
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The main characteristic of the new literary form of the novel according to Ian Watt is "truth to individual experience" (4) and its new shape is created by a focus on the individual character. He is presented in a specific definition of time and space. The second section of this paper will show how far this is realized in both of the novels. In the third section I want to analyze the characters' individualism in connection with the claim to truth and their complexity in description.
The aspect of this afterword that I found the most intriguing was Hall's critique of Mrs. Penniman. "Morris Townsend is revealed as her fantasy of an oedipal lover" (230). That line really struck me for it seemed to be the first comment that I had read that was unusual and new. Anyone reading the novel could, rather quickly, deduce the general personalities of the characters. The author's observations about Catherine, Dr. Sloper and Morris do not reveal any new character dynamics. But, his ideas about Mrs. Penniman elaborate beyond the usual "annoying and selfish" remarks.
In “Brian, the Still Hunter” and “Its Wavering Image” Susanna Moodie and Edith Eaton use focalization and narrative voice to show the unreliability and subjectivity of life. They do this by slowly developing the narrative voice of Brian and Pan and limiting the perception of the reader.
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Throughout the narrative, the text utilizes the conflict over the crisis of cognition, or the very mystery regarding the Marquise’s lack of knowledge surrounding her mysterious pregnancy, as a catalyst for the presentation of the plurality of opinions associated with the Marquise’s current status in society and presumptions to the father’s identity. In itself, this state of cognitive dissonance prevents the Marquise from making any attempts at atoning for her supposed sin, as she herself is unaware of any possible transgressions responsible for her current predicament. In turn, this separation from the truth pushes the marquise to fall into the conviction that the “incomprehensible change[s] in her figure” and “inner sensations” (85) she felt were due to the god of Fantasy or Morpheus or even “one of his attendant dreams,” (74) thereby relinquishing her subconscious from any guilt. However, despite her self-assurance of innocence and desperate pleas at expressing her clear conscience, the marquise becomes subject to external pressures from both her family and society, who come to perc...
Although told in an aloof and anonymous third-person, the narrativeis always shifting, almost imperceptibly, from an objective stance to less neutral observations which, because of their perspective or particular choice of words, appear to be those of Mrs. Kearney. (Miller,...