Practice Paper 2

Prose: The Novel and Short Story: Evaluate the effectiveness of devices used to represent internal states of mind in two or three works of fiction you have studied.

Introduction:
Throughout both novels, The God Small Things by Arundhati Roy and As I Lay
Dying by William Faulkner, characters often lack rational thought and, speak in

Most authors have distinct styles, and in both novels, Roy and Faulkner embed a deeper meaning within them with the use of a subtle and discreet narrative manner, such as stream of consciousness and interior monologues. This is particularly true in As I Lay Dying, a novel of a dysfunctional and unstable family told through fragmented chapters. Each character reveals their perspective in different chapters, but the perspectives are true to life in that they all reveal information about the Bundren family and their struggles to exist. Although stream of consciousness proves to be prevalent in the progression of the plots, a series of flashbacks and flashforwards unfold the secrets of these characters' unhappiness. Through the use of literary devices such as stream of consciousness, interior monologue and analepsis and prolepsis, Roy and Faulkner allow for the flow of impressions coming through a character’s mind to be represented on the surface.

Outline: I. Stream of Consciousness A. As I Lay Dying 1. Faulkner imitates the way the human brain works; the progression of thoughts passing through the mind as they occur represents a selective omniscience a. I am I and you are you and I know it and you dont know it and you could do so much for me if you just would and if you just would then I could tell you and then nobody would have to know it except you and me and Darl" (51). 2. Faulkner’s stream of consciousness is different from the common stream of consciousness because he has a unifying plot, and characters act in an external drama, which has a beginning, rising action, climax, and ending. a. Jewel is a man of few words, reminding us that he’s a rugged man of action instead. b. Darl is incredibly analytical, eloquent, incisive, and even poetic in his language. c. Vardaman looks at the world, predictably, with the eyes of a small child. i. Believes he sees Addie ii. Associates her to a fish d. Cash is incredibly logical and well organized in his thought-process.

B. God of Small Things 1. Roy has assimilated different kinds of experience and fused her sense perceptions, emotions and thoughts into an appealing work of art by using narrative techniques stream of consciousness which is evident in abrupt flashbacks and an equally quick switch on to the present. 2. Individual words are italicized in the characters’ narrative with the purpose of giving emphasis i. When Ammu gives instructions to Estha; demonstrates the effectiveness by showing whatever is going on in his mind
“Finish the drink/Watch the picture/Think of all the poor people/Lucky rich boy with porketmunny. No worries. 3. An abundance of repeated structures a. "The orange too orange. The lemon too lemon" (98). b. "Nothing mattered much. Nothing much mattered" (19).

II. Interior Monologues A. As I Lay Dying - the use of monologues is a device for making it possible to introduce thoughts of a variety of characters without confusing the reader. 1. Chronology is evident as time moves forward with an abundance of flashbacks. 2. Time is often simultaneous within course of two or more monologues – one element of plot or description of setting will be repeated in monologues to help reader figure out simultaneous movement of time.