Paul Marshall Flashcards
Amo bar
The Amo bars can be seen asa symbol of exploitation. Marshall exploits the coming of a new war as a marketing opportunity for his product, deliberately giving it a name with military associations (‘ammo’ - ammunition), a connotation underlined by McEwan using the term “shell” to describe its hard outer coating
Disconcerting
Ch4
“Paul Marshall was staring at her” 4:48
“As she passed she felt him touch her lightly on her forearm. Or it may have been a leaf.” 4:54 Creates ambiguity and foreshadows Marhsall’s later behaviour with Lola.
ch5
“The tall man in a white suit standing in the doorway may have been there many minutes” pg58
“Paul Marshall sat back in the armchair, watching her closely… He crossed and uncrossed his legs. Then he took a deep breath. “Bite it”, he said softly. “You’ve got to bite it””pg62
Marshall’s evident pleasure in watching Lola try the chocolate bar is uncomfortable, particularly with Marshall’s focus on the sensual. The atmosphere is not quite right (even the twins recognise“that no adult had business with sweets”) and it is difficult to avoid the suspicion that Marshall is using the chocolate to lure or ‘groom’ Lola.
Readers will still have Marshall’s curious comment of Lola reminding him of his favourite sister fresh in their memory and also of the narrator’s account of Marshall waking“uncomfortably aroused”after a dream involving“his young sisters”. The tension increases at the end of the chapter as Lola, laughing, calls on the twins to leave. She will be alone with Marshall. pg60/61
Controlling/patronising
ch4
“Marshall took control of the conversation with a ten-minute monologue”
“then came the problems of success itself, unbelievable sales, new production quotas, and disputes about overtime rates, and the search for a site for a second factory about which the four unions involved had been generally sullen and had needed to be charmed and coaxed like children” - simile foreshadows Paul’s behaviour with Lola
Comic figure in chapter 4
Paul Marshall is at times presented as a rather comic figure in this chapter. Cecilia notices“something comically brooding about his face”and she longs to tell Leon that Marshall“had pubic hair growing from his ears”. She finally dismisses him as“unfathomably stupid”. McEwan may be deliberately misleading (or misdirecting) the reader here. By using Cecilia’s perspective/as the focaliser, he presents the readers with two possible villains, of whom Hardman seems to be the most sinister. However, the ambiguous ending to the chapter serves as a reminder that Marshall may not be all that he seems.
Wealthy
‘He offered her one from a silver case 4:52 - symbolic of his wealth
‘two men in cream linen suits’ 4:53
‘so hugely rich’ 4:50
Cecilia feel uncomfortable in his presence in chapter 9
‘Then Cecilia was aware of another figure in their presence at the edge of vision… she confronted Paul Marshall.’
“I insist you try it.”
(ch9,p112)
Marshall portrayed as dislikable in chapter 11
‘It was Paul Marshall who broke more than three minutes of asphyxiating silence … it was inappropriate at the beginning of the meal, for Marshall to turn away from his hostess and begin a private conversation’ - Increases our dislike for Marshall. Disrespectful and arrogant. Discomforted by silence may imply guilt.
‘There was a two-inch scratch, Robbie noticed, from the corner of Marshall’s eye’ (127) - dramatic irony as we are aware Lola also has scratches. Creates suspicion
‘Cruel good looks’ (127) - oxymoronic phrasing. Appearance vs reality.
‘Robbie wanted to know why Marshall had not mentioned the matter before if Lola had been so badly harmed’ (142)
‘Marshall remained in his seat and filled his glass’ (142)
‘Lola stood up and took a couple steps towards the window… Marshall came and put his hand on her arm’ (143)
Paul Marshall’s interaction with the police in chapter 14
he ‘offered them cigarettes from a gold case… he patted the senior man on the shoulder and seemed to send them on their way’ (175)
Creates suspicion that Paul Marshall uses his powerful position in society to manipulate the police officers. The ‘gold case’ is symbolic of his wealth and status. From Briony’s perspective, it was almost as if he was directing affairs.
‘As they were walking back across the field, Nettle joined them. He had a bottle of wine and an Amo bar which they passed around’ (239)
After the Stuka attack, Nettle retrieves and Amo bar from a dead person. This allusion to Paul reminds us that he is profiting from everyone else’s suffering.
“She came the closest she would ever be to the battlefield, for every case she helped with had some of its essential elements - blood, oil, sand, mud… along with the sodden crumbs of Amo bars” (304)
Allusion to Marshal - a reminder that he is profiting from the suffering of these men.
“…until then the truth that only Marshall and his bride knew at first hand, was steadily being walled up within the mausoleam of their marriage… Every word in the ceremony was another brick in place.” (325)
The metaphor of a“mausoleum”is used to describe their marriage, the association with death creating an inauspicious start to their married life.
The imagery of their secret shame being“bricked up”creates a sense of injustice and helplessness, with Robbie condemned to pay for a crime that he did not commit.
“it was Paul Marshall”(p346).
The climactic moment of Briony’s visit to Cecilia’s is the admission, and revelation, that“it was Paul Marshall”(p346).
“It has often been remarked upon, how much good he did in the world. Perhaps he’s spent a lifetime making amends.” (357)
GUILT, CLASS, THE UNCHANGEABLE PAST
- Briony reflecting on whether Marshall pursues so many philanthropic enterprises to give the appearance of a good man (as he did with the police back in Part One) or to atone, as she is doing through her novel
- ‘their Foundation and all its good work for medical research’, ‘the collection they’ve donated to the Tate’, ‘funding of agricultural projects in sub-Saharan Africa’
- it’s very easy for rich people to appear generous and kind-spirited because they have so much
- if we are considering Marshall’s charity work to be his atonement, Briony’s pales by comparison. Who has she actually helped (apart from herself) by writing this novel?
‘liver spots’, ‘purplish swags under his eyes’, ‘age had shrunk his face’, ‘doddery and flat-footed’ (357)
- he’s ugly, just as he was in Part One, and yet he still has everything he could ever want (people holding umbrellas for him and his wife is a small example of this)
- idea of divine retribution for Briony reflected in Marshall also (his lack of good looks)?
