Chapter 1/2 Flashcards
What is the Liguster that Stephen speaks about in chapter 1?
- Privet Hedge that Keith and him used to play in when they were young boys.
How do we learn that Stephen has gone abroad in chapter 1?
- He says he wished to go to “that far-off, nearby land.”
- Physically close but emotionally far (in terms of his stage of life now/ stage of life when he was in that place.)
Who is Marcel Proust and what did he say about memory?
- French literary critique.
- Idea that smells set off involvuntary memories - called Proustian memories.
How do we know that Stephen is old (from chapter 1)? What does this hint at, perhaps?
- “summer day nearly sixty years ago.” Must be above 60.
- Has grandhcildren.
- Hints at his unreliability in narration - because his memory is fading.
How is the Liguster described by Stephen?
- “has sexual urgency to it.” Smell linking to memory when he was younger/ going through puberty –> attraction towards Keith’s mother describes her eyes to be “sparkling.”
- “vulgar” –> associated with a sickening memory. Why does he want to return to that memory??
What happens in chapter 1?
- Introduced to Stephen who can smell a scent reminding him of his childhood and Keith’s mother. Stephen decided to go down to London (back to his childhood home.)
What are the houses all together in The Close described as?
- “Fourteen separate kingdoms.”
- They are isolated from each other/ secrets can be hidden from house to house.
- “Kingdoms” –> mirroring fantasical/ child-like way Stephen views The Close with Keith (ie. viewing people to be spies/ killers.)
How is the motif of gardening/ plants continued in chapter 2?
- Continued when Stephen describes gardens of all homes.
- “sharp rose beds” in Hayward’s garden (their perfection as a family.)
What are The Arvery’s described as having?
- “oily confusion of Charlie and Dave.”
- Metaphor: vehicle they take care of, constantly working on something/ hands on!
How are the residents at “The Geests” described?
- “Geest twins, their identical pigtails, identically bouncing.”
- Symbol of innocence/ playfulness of this residence.
How are The Pinchers viewed in the Close?
- “undesirable elements.”
- Stephen finds it “faintly embarassing” to live so close to such a disreputable family.
Who is Stephen’s brother, what is his family name?
- Geoff.
- The Wheatleys
How is Trewinick described by Stephen in chapter 2?
- “garden decaying” –> continuation of plants motif/ place is reminiscent of death.
- “sinister allure” –> intriguing because it’s such a mysterious place.
How is the house of The Hayward’s (Chollerton) described by Stephen (from Old man perspective? )
- “garage doors as flawlessly white” as when he was young.
- “rose beds cut in metrically sharp way.” –> presicion of the family/ pride in appearances.
- Inside described as “dark”–> unwelcoming despite being beautiful place.
How does Stephen describe his school uniform compared to Keith’s school uniform?
- ” Yellow and black are colours of local prep school” (Keith) , “green and black are the colours of wrong school.” (Stephen.)
- Yellow: royalty, bold colours like Keith (and his family’s) bold lifestyle.
- “Green”: representative of Stephen’s envy towards Keith/ camoflague (like WW2 uniform) –> people at this school are nobodies; blend into environment - unnoticed.
How is Keith presented as an extremely imaginative character in chapter 2?
- Stephen describes how he disovered that Trwinnick was mysterious , he designed the “overhead cables” that linked their two houses.
- He was behind “all kinds of plots and swindles”
- Keith: unreliable but we are drawn in as readers because Stephen believes Keith.
How are Keith’s toys described? Connotations? Significance of Stephen brining his “broken toys” for project they worked on together?
- “Keith’s toys are his own”: Keith’s priveledge vs Stephen’s lack of priveledge. Perhaps, because Keith is an only child, he is spolit.
- Described as “duck egg blue”: colour of RAF planes; Keith associated with pride/ from respectable family.
- His “broken toys” –> Keith using Stephen; could’ve used his own toys–> signs of abusive relationship.
How does Mrs Hayward treat Stephen (chapter 2 references?)
- Calls them “you two” or “chaps.”
- Not addrssing Stephen directly as an individual person (doesn’t view him as worthy of individual respect.)
- Social superiority over Stephen and his family.
What does Stephen notice that Mrs Hawyard normally does?
- “Posted letters, several times a day.”
- “Spoke softly/ smilingly” - calm/ serene presence.
Mr Hayward’s physicality. What does he do/ how does he act? (references from chapter 2)?
- Always doing hands on work: “forever digging and dunging.”
- Present verbs: constantly working, is he trying to cover something up by making these constant renovations?
- Works hard –> proper figure of masulinity for Stephen unlike his lazy father who doesn’t do much!!
- “forever making perfection yet more perfect.” Obsessive, doesn’t have a proper job? What is he actually doing.
- “whistling” - present verb, always doing it. Adds sinister element to him.
How does Mr Hayward treat Stephen directly? What sort of phrases does he say to him?
- “he’d smile, I’ll cane you.” Unpredictable/ dangerous.
- Calls him “old bean”–> odd phrase to use when speaking to a young boy? Strangeness associated with Mr Hayward.
How is Auntie Dee described?
- Opposite to Mrs Hayward (her sister.)
- Maternal figure/ welcoming. Exclamation marks show her enthusiasm when speaking to Stephen, addressing him directly unlike her sister.
- “Reckless display of white teeth and cheerfulness” unlike Mrs Hayward who is “unhurried”/ Mrs Hayward smiles “more softly” –> Dee = more pure.
- Described as “ornament”: put on pedestal because she is married to Uncle Peter.
How is Auntie Dee’s garden described?
- “untended lawn was as high as untended croquet tops left from last summer.”
- Continuation of garden/ plant motif, a place of adventure where young children (her Milly and Keith and Stephen) can have fun.
- Simile, shows disorder - things aren’t kept in check/ follow a schedule like The Haywards. Taking life as it goes/ living in moment.
How is Uncle Peter described?
- “His very absence was a kind of presence.” Paradox. He drives Dee to act in a certain way (out of pride!) You can see his presence through her and through his energy in the home (even when not there) ; that’s how much influence he has.
- Peter “like a saint and his attributes in a religious painting.” –> religious imagery. simile.
- “silver” ornaments on his (somewhat) shrine, royalty!
How is Stephen’s father described compared to Mr Hayward?
- “like some mild-natured furry animal.”
- Views his father as weak/ pathetic/ has no purpose just like a “furry animal” has limited purpose in animal kingdom VS Mr Hayward = epitome of masculinity from his intimidating nature. Stephen = naive for wanting aggressive father?
- Associated with laziness: works with “electronic controls” whereas Mr Hayward works with his hands.
- Says odd phrases like “Shnick - Shnak” not very well-educated?
How does Stephen describe his relationship with Keith?
- “officer cors in our two man army.” METAPHOR
- Keith = socially superior to Stephen –> in their relationship too! Gives orders/ instructions - Stephen expected to answer to these without question.
- Keith “dominant figure” whereas, Stephen = “disciple” –> religious imagery as if Keith is his GOD.
Significance of Stephen saying “thank you for having me. thank you. thank you” to Keith’s mother after having stayed at their home.
- Aware of class system/ social hierarchy –> aware of his priveledge in being in such a prestigious place in The Close.
- People pleaser to people who are even rude to him; may be detrimental ie. easily manipulated.
- Repeats phrase “thank you” in thanking reading listening to his story Blur between his present/ past self.
How is the hedge, Liguster at Braemar described by Stephen?
- “Garden of Eden.”
- “straggling underworld (to) secret kingdom.”
- This place was their paradise
- Whole other entity/ fantastical location –> place for them to live out their imagination!!
- “straggling” –> untidy nature of lawn. Reality check. Juxtaposition between how adults would view the hedge and how they view the hedge. Adults would see as “wild.”
Significance of the different narrative voices.
- Speaks in first, third person, present and past.
- Occasionally, Old man Stephen separates himself from his younger self, speaking in 3rd person “is that the way he sees it.” Ashamed of who he was when he was younger?
- Multiple perspectives allows reader to live story as memory “down memory lane” with Stephen. Insight into his personal thoughts.
How can it be seen that Stephen is an unreliable narrator? Significance
- Forgets everything.
- “Where did policeman fit in.”
- “Have I got everything back to front?”
Frayn withholds a lot of information. Significance. Example?
- Told Mrs Hayward goes to Dee but Dee never goes to Mrs Hwayard - why? Left in dark.
- Creates suspense. Frayn saying something about how perception works - no complete “truth” in a story.
What is a Bulingsroman?
- Coming of age novel - spies is considered to be one!
What effect does policeman have on The Close?
- Everyone = “frightened” that their husbands could’ve died in The War.
As well as smell triggering memory, what else triggers memories in chapter 2?
- Sounds
When Keith tells Stephen that “my mother is a German spy”, why is this likely to be false?
- Because Keith seems unreliable from his imaginative ideas presented.
- But, if the words aren’t true, why have they affected Stephen so muh for him to remember them 60 years later??
How does Older Stephen describe The Close when he returns?
- “Everything is as it was and everything has changed.”
- Paradoxical.
- Repeated in chapter 11.
