Year of Wonders Essay Example for Free

course of instruction of Wonders EssayBackground of the novel1. William Shakespeare wrote most of his known plays mingled with 1589 and 1613, and died in 1616.2. Elizabeth I was succeeded by James VI of Scotland (becoming James I of Great Britain upon his crowning), in 1603.3. Between the years of 1649 and 1660, during the position Civil War, England had no monarch instead, the country was temporarily ruled by Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell as a military/parlia ment.4. In 17th Century England, art objecty mickle believed that witches were abound and were the cause of a classification of otherwise difficult-to-explain behaviour amongst people if a person were found guilty of witchcraft, they were sentenced to termination by hanging. 5. Puritans were those of a particular division of the Christian faith, differing nonably from other branches in mostly their views on morality, which they believed to be incredibly important and pursued down to the finest take of detail an d the structure and manner of their worship (shunning the baulk of outside sources, much(prenominal) as rulers of the land, into religion, and non pursuit happiness by normal means, t identicalg it instead from their belief that they were acting according to deitys go forth).6. (I couldnt answer the first part of this incertitude, as after go outing denary versions of the books cover there come alongs to be no pass off phrase to consider as a subtitle.)Historical Fiction1. time some people whitethorn hold the runation that historic fiction would be based on facts and research, painting a realistic picture of its setting, I would say that such an assumption is non, or at least should not be, usually present diachronic fiction is labelled as fiction for a ground, and as such is grounded too much in alternate reality, aiming too much to provide entertainment quite than information, to be considered an accurate, researched portrayal of its setting. Of course, there are e xceptions Year of Wonders, in part, being one exactly even that does not provide a realistic enough picture of its time and place to make the emergence of such an expectation of factual provision becoming commonplace in the genre attend a p for each oney idea.2. I believe that an authors ability to shape their material into an effective and engaging report holds a higher position of importance than their willingness to adhere to historically accurate facts if the author aims to engross their audition in the story, indeed e very(prenominal) other aspect of the book is secondary to that goal. In the same mode as one would be unwise to attempt to write a good book active a purposefully boring premise or character, there is little point in maintaining historical accuracy if such maintenance detracts from the entertainment of the piece. Even if the aim is not entertainment, but rather the transfer of a particular report, the same reasoning applies there is little to no reas on in maintaining historical accuracy if the themes being presented could be done so far more effectively without such accuracy.3. Although it is apparently important in any medium to avoid anachronistic occurrences that could detract from the story, I do not agree that the anachronisms in Year of Wonders could be classified as such, in that they do not seem to be truly anachronistic at all. By this, I mean that the attitudes of the main characters do not seem unbelievable, even considering the books setting, as any era will al personal manners nourish those who consider differently indeed, if not for this, this emergence of individuals going against the status quo who may obtain the rare misadventure to influence others, man pleasants common values would never have changed since its inception.Each of the characters in question seems to have been written with enough explanation of their own values and attitudes that they are justified, even within the context. plot of land th ese circumstances are certainly un plausibly, they are not impossible, and attempting to call those two things one and the same is akin to labelling day the same as night by the mere fact that they lie next to each other in the cycle of time.Reading the Novel1. It would seem that the reason for which Geraldine Brooks gave the name Year of Wonders to her novel is that, despite the devastating effects of the plague on Annas life, there truly were wonders that happened for, and around, her in that year. She grew closer than she ever may have expected to a good friend she salvaged many an needy life with her (albeit shaky at first) willingness in being a mid wife, which eventually led to her finding what she believed her honest calling she witnessed her towns sacrificial act of goodness, sparing innocent bystanders from sharing in Eyams wretched deal and, ultimately, she managed to find happiness, emerging from that most trying year scathed but still very much alive, restarting her l ife anew and settling down with two healthy, happy children to call her own.2. Here is a list of my initial impressions of the characters in Year of Wonders * Anna A little girlfriend whose innocence was taken from her by that which she has experienced, appear embittered and disillusioned with the world around her but standing as a strong pillar of benignity in spite of that. To those familiar with the boundaryinology for I can think of no better term for Annas character she seems at first (and throughout the story) to be a Mary Sue. * Michael A once-great man driven into an almost catatonic state by the events of the plague. * Elizabeth An unpleasant woman, spoilt to the point of unthinkable greed and selfishness by the circumstances of her upbringing. * Jamie A child like any other, energetic and inquisitive. * George Good and kind-hearted, to the level that these qualities become suspicious. * Jane A prudish and serious young girl, putting her ghostly views above al l else in her life to a perhaps obsessive extent.* Sam Dull, yet kind a round-eyed man, heart and soul with his life. * Tom A typical baby along with Jamie, he is the subject of his mothers cultism and love, and much of her reason for living now that Sam is dead. * Elinor Kind and carefree, yet contemplative and devoted Annas picture of perfection. * Mem A woman weathered by the world, projecting inherent goodness behind a more grumpy exterior as she remains to tend to a village of people who think none too highly of her. * Anys A young girl showing the same world-weariness, temperament and awareness as her aunt, though whose morality is perhaps more tarred due to her selfishness, her bluntness and her disregard for typical values. * Stanley alike to Jane, a person who treats worship and morality as being almost synonymous with life itself. * Aphra self-absorbed to the extreme and paranoid towards any outside forces in her life.* Lib A representation of a typical girl o f the Middle Ages, serving as a foil to Annas more progressive character. * Colonel Bradford A selfish, stark(a) man, having grown accustomed to abusing the power granted to him. * Miss Bradford A typical blue woman of the times, considering her wealth as a token of superiority. * Robert A wandering young man of high-class birth, seeking simple entertainment after leaving his home town of London. * Mary An unremarkable woman on panorama level, wanting only a plain and happy life. * Surgeon(s) Grouped together because they are of indistinguishable temperaments Fearful men, seeking not truly to aid others at critical points but rather to gain a business line of money from their work and remain in safety themselves. * The sexton A hard-working old man, trying plainly to do his duty in a most difficult time. * Brad Though not curiously evil, a superstitious, desperate and stupid man.* Faith Much the same as her father, Brad.* Urith The same as Brad.* Martin uniform as a bove.* Maggie A hard-working, honest peasant woman.* Jenny Same as above.* Brand A buttoned-down man, but one who has goodness within him. * Jakob Kind and accommodating, despite his difficult lot in life. * Josiah A cruel and angry man not afraid to use his strength to get his own way like his wife Aphra, he seems to reject anything other than the concept of self. * Sally An entirely innocent victim, her death seeming representative of that which makes the villagers start to abandon their faith. * Kate other desperate, simple peasant woman, seeking safety but throwing away reason in an attempt to reach it. * Merry Like Sally, Merry is a unfairly victimised child, but unlike her, Merry appears to represent hope and strength. * Alun A gruff man, set in his ways, but with a good sense of right and wrong. * Randoll A simple villager with a good heart.* hydrogen Another plain villager, of a gruff and unpleasant temperament himself, but angered back into caring about moral ity by Josiahs actions. * Lottie and Tom Desperate parents who have suspended their disbelief of the talismanic in a vain attempt to protect their child. * John A man whose already-fragile mind snapped from the headache and grief of the plague, spurring him to reckless action. * Urith Meek locked up in hiding due more to veneration of her hubby than of the plague. * James A saddening old figure, his faith tested by his continued survival magic spell more meaningful lives pass away in front of his eyes. * Mrs. Bradford A fearful woman, whose subservience to her husband is so great as to surpass her care for her childs life. * The Innkeeper An honest, fair-minded man with a good sense of justice. * Ahmed Refined, kind and accepting.3. Brooks descriptions of the village and countryside are used to create unbelief by portraying the change from a normal, perfectly functional town to a humbled break in mentions of laughter, of playful children and of the sounds of work, ar e replaced by a foreboding silence, piece of music the town itself becomes overgrown and filled with decay. The reason that these scenes scenes of a once-lively town reduced to an image of death create suspense is that, no matter where the characters focus, they will be presented by a reminder of the ruins around them, showing them just how close they are to that fate themselves.4. The views developed by Brooks throughout the narrative seem to combine into one main theme a willingness to question the status quo, to show that the current state of things may not always be for the best. This is shown through class divides (questioning whether the wealthy truly deserve their privileged status, as evidenced by the selfishness of the Bradfords), sexual relation gender equality for the times (as both men and women play a crucial role in stopping the end situation from being even worse if, as was typical of the times, only the men had been allowed to decide on issues and, for example, Anna and Elinor had not been able to choose to act as midwives the death toll may well have been higher), and the steadfast determination to perceive the plague as a religious occurrence rather than a natural one (which, by focusing eyes in the wrong direction, likely caused the loss of many lives if the true reason for the plague had been discovered earlier, more effective countermeasures could have been taken). This ecumenic theme, and its components, reflects contemporary attitudes rather accurately recent society has certainly become more open to ever-changing the status quo, and such things as gender equality and reduced expectations of religion seem to have worked rather well in changing society for the better.5. Contrast between characters can be seen between multiple pairs in Year of Wonders. Anna seems to have four main contrasting characters, each of a different kind firstly, she and Aphra are contrasted in their desires, with Annas being largely for the wellbeing of other people while her stepmothers are selfish. Michael Mompellion could be considered the second contrast to Anna, as he is an initially strong man diminished by his trials and losses while Annas seem to serve only to strengthen her resolve in the end. Anys is the contrast to Annas third defining characteristic while Anna is a rather traditional girl despite her individual ways, and hides much of her true self and her opinions inside, Anys views would not seem entirely common in our day, and she has little reservation about speaking her mind bluntly.Finally, Annas situation that of a strong, outgoing woman, secret behind the mask of a cautious, unglamorous girl is opposite to that of Elinor, who appears in Annas eyes to be a near-flawless woman radiating energy but is internally scarred and in turmoil. Elinor, with her constant graciousness and equal treatment despite her high-class family background, has another contrasting character of her own in Elizabeth, the rich daughter of the Bradfords who abuses her power and thinks only of her own desires. One more prominent contrast is between Colonel Bradford and Michael while both being intelligent men, the Colonel seeks to employ this intelligence only to protect himself, whereas Michael aims to aid those around him.The organize of the Novel1. It seems that flashback has been used here for a multitude of reasons it allows for a more direct before-and-after contrast to show the maturement of her character throughout the year (by virtue of snapping from one to the other in a stepwise build-up, the changes would be less noticeable), it reveals the inevitable end of the story so as to place an emphasis on the books characters and setting rather than its plots ramifications, and it creates a sense of curiosity as to just how events transpired within the focused-upon year to create such change as can be seen.2. While beginning with a flashback is, as previously explained, effective in setting up a variety of paths to set the foundation for telling a tale, it is not a solve-all solution for storytelling some aspects of the story cannot be satisfactorily fleshed out without the reader having some pre-established knowledge of the characters, setting and such things, and so I count on that is for this reason that Brooks decided to revisit this time.3. While I am not certain on this fact, it would seem that the middle thirteen chapters of the story were indeed narrated in chronological order if this is not the case, then I would perhaps say that the signposting to show this anachronism was insufficient.Leaf-fall, 1666 Apple-picking Time1. Key character interactions and quotations in this crack chapter are * Annas devotion to the deteriorated Michael Mompellion, rousing curiosity as to what led to the situation. * Michaels grief and bile over the loss of Elinor. * The cold, vengeful attitude held towards Elizabeth as a member of the Bradfords. * The mention that Josiah loved the upsurge m ore than his children. * Elizabeth being sour-faced and spoiled.* His hand is on the bible, but he never opens it Michaels religious habits contrasting with his shattered faith. * Annas motives in caring for Michael, showing her idolatry of Elinor I do it for her. I tell myself I do it for her. Why else would I do it, after all? * Michaels pivotal recital of a passage from the Bible, showing further his grief from the loss of Elinor and his feeling of betrayal from God Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house your children will be like olive shoots around your table2. I think that Brooks chose to use first-person narrative because it would seem that the story she seeks to tell is primarily one of a single girls character development while third-person writing allows for a greater scope of focus on multiple characters or a wider story, the first-person perspective tends to allow the writer to more accurately portray the nuanced thoughts of an individual, and so it s eems more fitting for this purpose. Another possible reason is that this subjective first-person story, shown through the imagined eyes of Anna Frith, paints the emotions and feel of the setting better than a first-person narrative may manage to easily do.3. Archaic and dialect words contribute to the story by creating a more realistic setting in a similar way to the aforementioned example of anachronism (an ancient Roman wearing a watch), the storys sense of realism would be broken if the residents of a small, 17th century British town were to speak just as we do today.4. off from the stated phrases, notable signs of decay, loss and disillusionment in this chapter are * The courtyard hadnt been swept in a sennight. It smelled of rotting straw and horse piss. * If theres one thing I couldnt stand anymore, its the scent of a rotting apple. * sometimes I feel that Im tending just another in that long procession of dead. * My neighbours cottage was empty, the ivy already locomote acr oss the windows and the grey lichens crusting the sills. * Nature has taken less than a year to begin to reclaim its place.5. Some examples of parallels between the physical desolation of the garden and the spiritual desolation of Michael are * The idea that Elinor would be sorry to see what had become of her garden just as it has been dirtied with weeds, so too has Michaels spirit been corrupted by his anger and grief, and Elinor would be most saddened to see what had become of this once-strong man. * In relation to the previous point, Anna remarks, I expect she would understand why it is so. * Anna also remarks on how nobody could truly restore Elinors garden back to its former glory, drawing comparisons to how no matter what efforts Anna or any others may make in improving Michaels state of depression they could never tend to him with the same skill as his wife could have he could never return to being the steadfast bastion of strength that he was when he stood with Elinors sup port.6. It does not, to me, seem that Annas relative stability in the face of Michaels mental collapse indicates a message of feminist resilience regardless of Brooks intention, the two simply seem to be different people, defined in this aspect by their characters rather than their genders. This view is supported by Aphras fall into depraved insanity, which certainly contained no message of women being inherently strong.7. Examples of the complexities of Annas character shown in this chapter are * Her prioritising of compassion above tradition A servant has no right to stay, once shes dismissed. But I did stay (Page 4) * Her hesitance to let any life be in need, unhappiness or danger tending to the horse (I kept prattling, softly, as I used to with the children when they were frighten or hurt. (Page 5)), not wanting to pull out the plant (like me, so brimful of endings that they cannot digest to wrench even a scrawny sapling from its tenuous grip on life. (Page 12)).