Janet Frame Towards Another Summer Essay Example

Janet Frame Towards Another Summer Essay Example Janet Frame Towards Another Summer Essay Janet Frame Towards Another Summer Essay What is it that makes Towards Another Summer so enticingly powerful? Although Janet Frame self-deprecatingly considered her novel to be embarrassingly personal, in fact, its captivating personal nature is where the novels power derives from; where through Grace Cleave, Frame bravely explores her mental illness, difficult childhood and her migratory conflicts with identity and place. Such a brave exploration is evident throughout the novel, including when Grace and the Thirkettles venture out into the Winchley market in the novels 15th chapter. Here, Frame uses her signature narrative methods of extensive syntax, parallel characterization, striking imagery, vivid tone and clever repetition to craft this significant event in Graces weekend of self-discovery and personal growth. Much of Summer constitutes of extensive and relaxed syntax, which not only exposes every thought and feeling Grace has in a lengthy stream of consciousness, but also indicates to readers Graces highly observant disposition and tendency to have complex cognitions. When reaching the library, Frame shows this with Anne changed Sarahs book while Sarah watched dismayed, as the seaside book where the animals had been picnicking on the sands, eating tomato sandwiches, ice cream and bananas, disappeared over the desk, and when the new book was found for her she looked suspiciously at it. Though this abundance of thought may seem harmless, throughout the novel and in this instance also, her almost obsessive thinking and observations juxtaposes with her minimal syntax of speech, for example her reply of -Yes. This suggests not only social awkwardness, but attributes much to Graces mental illness, the novels most pervading theme. Frame therefore makes it clear that even in a new situation and e nvironment that she creates, like the library, Graces mental illness is with her wherever she goes. Modern literary critic Jan Cronin noted in regards to the novel that the past increasingly leaks into the present and readers cannot help but concur where Frame weaves Graces childhood into the fabric of the present. This is not just with literal transitions into her memories, but also through Frames technique of making resonating parallels between characters of Graces past with characters of her present which she does superbly in this instance. As characterized here, the young and naà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ve Sarah who cannot distinguish between reality and narrative fiction, with Anne having to explain that animals had been in the library book to be shared with other children, and now Sarah had a new book with different animals and people , directly reflects Graces inability to do so also as a child (Grace is a Jackdaw, p69) and more sadly as an adult (with her constant delusion that she is a migratory bird). Readers who notice this parallel between Grace and Sarah acknowledge how Frame is ard ent to show that like Graces mental illness, her past is also inescapable no matter what situation she is in. In shaping the situation of the Winchley Market venture, Frame additionally shows how Graces divided sense of place are persistent also, by using salient mood and imagery which contrasts with other parts of the novel. The atmosphere of the Market is described as warm with bodies, steam, sweat, smells with rows of stallsflashy jewellery and knick-knacks where a young man and woman were standing, staring at chocolate box picture. thus crafting an environment of pleasantness and warmth. Readers should note how when Grace is with the Thirkettles and thinking of England she is always warm, however when reminiscing in solitude of New Zealand she is cold (immediately the chilling air surged near her pg.83). Graces feelings of warmth in England may well be symbolic of her relative happiness in the country, compared to the cold New Zealand which holds many painful memories of her childhood and of how she was a certified lunaticadvised to sell hats for [her] salvation. Readers may then apprec iate this situation at the market in how it shows these feelings of happiness and warmth in the protagonist of whom are aware has been through much adversity in their past. Though her mental illness, childhood and divided sense of place permeate this Winchley market venture, Graces personal growth as an individual is evident also, where Grace remarks Wonderful, Grace agreed, with a brazen air of I like flashy things, you know, I appreciate this market!. The tone of voice here is vividly joyous and exciting, and is a vast development from the pre-weekend Grace who seemed incapable of projecting any lively emotion. To further emphasize Graces growth, Frame uses the stunning figurative Grace felt as complete and shimmering as a mermaid where the beautifully elegant metaphor indicates her improvement from a woman who once had a very negative view of herself. As readers have most likely waited 15 chapters for Grace to feel complete, it would come as no surprise if this was the special highlight in the novel. Because of the arrestingly beautiful language and tone Frame employs here, it is with certainty that this moment was a special highlight for Graces (a nd therefore Frames) life also. In her critical review, Joy Cronin also wrote Phillip (the journalist) and Anne frequently meld into Graces parents, George and Lottie, and the Winchley venture is perhaps the best example of this in Summer. Graces perception of Phillip and Anne in this situation is clearly clouded with applied resonations with her own parents, where in contrast to her shimmering as a mermaid, Grace felt sorry for Anne. She guessed that Anne may might not have another chance during the week to buy the sheeting that children, house and home (and Ulysess) would be taking all her time which purposely mirrors the greatly domestic role of Lottie who also made sacrifices for her family and Graces strong guilt she felt for her hardworking mother. Graces symbolism of Anne as her mother is matched with her dramatic perspective of her exchanges with Phillip, where she creates a tension between the two with conveyed tones of mild disapproval, and ashamed emotions but more effectively her incessant repetition of domesticity including a domestic dream, domestic matters and Annes eyes were clouded with what could only be described as domestic concern. Her identification of Phillip and Anne as her parents reflects her almost Freudian desire for new parents who would lovingly say to each other -All right love as the Thirkettles did.