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Novel Conflict Alex
Book Review: Smaller and Smaller Circle
I. Critical Analysis of Plot Structure
The novel starts with Father Emil running. The mood set is that of agitation and disturbance. As the novel progresses, one will eventually also see the pattern: that each of the characters are figuratively running from a traumatic past, an experience or a memory. Interspersed in the story are a few paragraphs which describe and imply a particular character's conflict with the self. Their conflict involves either denying or covering up the characters' whereabouts or past experiences. The whole novel itself, being of the murder-mystery type, involves chasing, concealing information, uncovering secrets and solving ambiguities.
Alex, the murderer, kills children and eviscerates their bodies as a way to cope and fight against a traumatic experience in the past. He strives to run away and break free from this bitter past by destroying and getting rid of the children who remind him of his unpleasant experiences, and whom he perceives as witnesses to his shame and suffering. The dehumanizing removal of their faces, hearts, and genitals not only echoes his desire to be rid of the parts of himself he perceived to be the cause of his suffering, but also seems to speak of how dehumanized he felt after his childhood ordeal.
Attorney Arcinas, in the same vein, tries so hard to have a life which is completely different and far better than the life his parents had given him. At present, his behaviors are manifestations of his denial of his past and his attempt to disassociate himself from the status he used to have in society.
Joana, the journalist, in spite of working for the truth has a secret of her own to conceal. She has an affair with a married man; this readily lends itself to humor when we consider how her penchant for going under cover turns up in, of all places, the bedroom!
On the other hand, the keys to clearing the cloud that seems to envelope the true relationship of the two protagonists, Father Jerome and Father Saenz are left quite obviously for the readers to discover by themselves, albeit upon either the second or third re-reading; these will be discussed more thoroughly later.
In connection with the characters' attempt to deny and run away, the author also uses the image of the rain to symbolize the attempts or the efforts of the characters to wash themselves, and to bring new life - water - to what seemed to have been enveloped by hopelessness and despair - trauma and unfavorable circumstances in the case of both Joana's affair and the plight of the families of the victims.
The point of view in the story shifts throughout the plotfrom the omniscient third person to a first person, which is that of the killer's point of view, and then back again. In connection with this, the murderer's monologues aim to level him with the omniscient narrator's view, creating an aura of power, and even fear for the sake of the other characters in the story.
The author uses dreams and recollections/flashbacks vis--vis direct narration by the omniscient narrator.
The novel ends with an impending conflict that the reader deems will have a great impact on the two lead characters. Again, as the case of the murders is solved, so there must also be a need to uncover and shed light on a matter (the very probable more-than-friendship rel本论文由英语论文网提供整理，提供论文代写，英语论文代写，代写论文，代写英语论文，代写留学生论文，代写英文论文，留学生论文代写相关核心关键词搜索。