Riddley Walker Flashcards
What is the plot of Riddley Walker?
The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic Kent, roughly two thousand years after a nuclear war has devastated civilization. The young narrator, Riddley Walker, stumbles upon efforts to recreate a weapon of the ancient world. |
Who is the author of Ridley Walker?
Russell Hoban |
What is the narrative style of Ridley Walker?
The novel is written in a stylistic, imaginary dialect based on and inspired by the dialect of Kent. The first person narrator, Riddley, writes in a distinct form of English whose spelling often resembles a phonetic transliteration of a Kentish accent. |
What is the significance of the setting in Riddley Walker?
The novel is set in Kent, which was one of the areas most affected by the nuclear war that destroyed civilization. The landscape is barren and desolate, with few signs of life or vegetation. |
What is the significance of Riddley’s occupation as a connexion man?
Riddley’s job as a connexion man involves performing puppet shows that reenact stories from before the apocalypse.
This reflects one of the novel’s themes about the power of storytelling and myth-making to shape culture and identity.
What is Eusa? (Riddley Walker)
Eusa is a deity worshipped by some characters in the novel. He is associated with various symbols and artifacts that are remnants of pre-apocalyptic civilization. |
What is the link to Punch and Judy in Riddley Walker?
Punch is a powerful motif - a resilient, dark energy. A threat to all - even his own child and family (who he salivates over).
What are some literary influences on Riddley Walker?
Some literary influences include James Joyce’s “Finnegans Wake,” William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies,” and T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land.”
How does Riddley Walker reflect Cold War-era fears about nuclear war?
The novel reflects Cold War-era fears about nuclear war by depicting a world that has been destroyed by atomic bombs. It also explores themes related to technology and its impact on humanity, which were common concerns during this period. |
How does Riddley Walker reflect concerns about language and communication?
The novel reflects concerns about language and communication by depicting a world where language has been degraded over time due to lack of education and cultural fragmentation. |
When does Riddley Walker begin?
“my naming day when I come 12” (we will soon find that a 12-year-old is not a child in his world).
What are some in Riddley Walker searching for? Do they find it?
In search of the lost power of “clevverness”, some now excavate for “Salt 4” (sulphur), the key “gready mint” (ingredient) of gunpowder, which is to be reinvented by the end of the novel (leading to death of Goodparley).
What are some of the places in Riddley Walker?
The territory Riddley knows, which he calls “Inland”, is crudely sketched in the map that prefaces his narrative: “THIS HERE IS MOSLY JUS PLACES IVE TOL OF IN THIS WRITING.” We recognise it as East Kent, its former place names brutally transformed (Herne Bay is “Horny Boy”; Dover is “Do It Over”; Sandwich is “Sams Itch”).
What was Riddley Walker’s father? (Clue: 4)
His father was a “connexion man” – a kind of priest to his group – and taught him to read and write in a fashion. But he is one of the few and does not have books.
What is the moment of Standard English in Riddley Walker and what is its effect?
In all the novel there is just one piece of script from the “clevver” times: a short account of a 15th-century wall painting in Canterbury (“Cambry”) cathedral depicting The Legend of St Eustace. It is a shock for the reader suddenly to come across a passage in standard English.
