The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes

The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes

This blog based on the task of the Sense of an Ending.

• What is the meaning of phrase ‘Blood Money’ in Veronica’s reply email?

     The reference of blood money can be seen as that the money which getting by Tony is out of the suicide of Adrian. How was he responsible for the suicide? This can be read as that because of the letter of Tony, Adrian goes more nearer to Sarah Ford. Likewise the relationship of both takes place as a burden on Adrian and he committed suicide. So in that context it can be read.

•      How do you decipher the equation: b = s – v x/+ a1 or a2 + v + a1 X s = b?

B= S- V x/+ a1

B=Baby, S= Sarah, V=Veronica, a1= Adrian

Meaning= Sarah relation with Veronica diminish and her relationship with Adrian came as a result of baby.

A2+ V+ a1 X S =B

A2= Antony Webster, V=Veronica, A1= Adrian, S= Sarah Ford, B=Baby, a1X s= a1’s relationship with S

Meaning= Antony Webster, Veronica and Adrian are friends and the relationship of Adrian with Sarah came as a result of baby

• Adrian’s diary is willed to Tony by Sarah Ford. How come Sarah Ford owned it? Why was it in the possession of Veronica?

As the psychological thriller opened, Tony come to know that Sarah owned the diary because she is the wife of Adrian and veronica possessed it because she is the daughter of them (according to the relationship of both).

• Was the mentally retarded middle aged ‘Adrian’, Tony’s friend who did not commit suicide and was suffering from trauma and thus gone mad, and was living with hidden identity?

Possibilities not lie there because there is the clarification of suicide note. Adrian did very intellectual philosophical suicide. He believes that there is nothing wrong in suicide. There are different reasons of suicide but there are not possibilities of Adrian living with hidden identity.

• How was Veronica related to Adrian, the one suffering in care-in-the-community?

At first view point of Tony it is seems like that because of the curse of Tony, Veronica’s child- Adrian suffering from mental disease and she means Veronica as a mother suffering in care-in-the-community. But latter on as time passes he come to know that Veronica and Adrian are brother and sister. And as a sister she carries her brother Adrian.

• Do you see any missing block – some dot which is not getting connected with the whole or dot missing to get full sense of the novel - in the plot of this psychological thriller?

If we talked about the whole novel then there was nothing like that. But I have one doubt in one scene. The scene is where Veronica and Tony are in car and Veronica tries to convey one message to Tony but Tony cannot able to understand. The description of Tony that there are some people who coming in front of him. No doubt that through that place he came to know about the reality of the relationship of Adrian with Sarah. But the clarification of that scene is what Tony describe, I am not able to getting that.

• Do you see any possible reason in the suicide of Adrian Finn?

There are multiple reasons behind the suicide of Adrian.  First, he is suicide because of the suffering from trauma. Second- His suicide because of the burden that he has. The burden of baby and second the fear from society.

• In the light of new revelations, how do you read character of Veronica? Instinctive, manipulative, calculating, stubborn, haughty, sacrificial, trustworthy, good Samaritan?

This definition of Veronica is coming from Tony. And as time passes, the definition of Veronica also goes on changing. It is the point of view of Tony on Veronica. But the problem is that he has very limited and specific eyesight. He cannot think beyond the boundaries that he has.

• What do you mean by Unreliable Narrator? Is Tony Webster classifiable as Unreliable Narrator?

Yes, Tony Webster classifiable as unreliable narrator because there are many point which suggest that Tony himself clarified that he aren’t reliable. 

For Example-

“I remember, in no particular order”

So, how one can rely on that narration which is not particular in sequence? Another example is that-

“I can’t be sure of the actual events any more, I can at least be true to the impressions those facts left.”

The whole novel based on the memory of Tony but he himself said that he wasn’t sure about his memory. Moreover, he said that the story of his is out of impression. And as time passes or as story growing we come to know that Tony himself becomes the deconstructionist of his memory.  At the end we come to know that he got the memory totally wrong in a way. 

"Da Vinci Code"

You have studied ‘Genesis’ (The Bible), ‘The Paradise Lost’ (John Milton) and ‘The Da Vinci Code’ (Dan Brown). Which of the narrative/s seem/s to be truthful? Whose narrative is convincing to the contemporary young mind?

The differences in narratives between three texts such as:

Genesis (The Bible)

The Paradise Lost (John Milton)

The Da Vinci Code (Dan Brown)

First let us discuss about the narrative. So first thing came in front of our eyes is that the narration is based on individual perception. When it is goes through religion then there obviously different points of view of people. Religion always kept by people as a blind faith by people. It is never considered in true way.

These all texts are written by different writers so there must be different points of view. There is different ways of looking towards the religion or history. The individual narration is always connected with his or her own feelings, emotions, heritage, tradition, and atmosphere. So, there were more chances that narration surrounded with individual atmosphere.

Genesis (The Bible)

Genesis (The Bible) is more rigid in its nature. After the entry of ‘The Bible’ people were blindly following the religion. God is at the center. People were not aware about the text because The Bible is only allowed to priest. It is not reachable to human being. So, people were not suspension about The Bible. So, there was no space for questioning or doubting.

John Milton (The Paradise Lost)

In Milton’s Paradise Lost still God is at the center. Human beings are nearer to the God. Milton is giving more space to human being in his narration. He is giving more conservative and argumentative nature to human being. The slight change here in Milton’s narration is that he tries to questioning God. So, questions are the beginning of knowledge and diminishing the ignorance and blind faith in God. It is challenging. But women position still double marginalized in nature. They were portraying as the weakness of men.

Dan Brown (The Da Vinci Code)

The more changes come in the narration of Dan Brown. First people blindly follow the religion while now people are in search of proving. God and human being are now in face to face or sometimes they overcome on God also. But Da Vinci Code is more nearer to human interest. It has the quality to grab the attention of people. It shows that woman has more space but not parallel to male. It is more according to the people that what people like to see and watch. There is suspense, thriller and what not.

What harm has been done to humanity by the biblical narration or that of Milton’s in The Paradise Lose? What sort of damage does narrative like ‘The Vinci Code’ do to humanity?

But what harm has been done to humanity by these all texts. Bible harms on the ground that people not questioning in front of Church and God. They not allow asking question. So, their knowledge about religion is very limited. People are doing whatever on the ground of religion. While The Paradise Lost by Milton harm people on the ground that people trying to think. People raise the argumentative nature but the position of women is in down position. People believe that the down fall of male is because of woman.

The Da Vinci Code is harm on the ground that it is the religion that killed more number of people. Religion removes from the life of people everything goes well in the life. This is the idea of Sir Leigh Teabing. He tries to reveal the secret of bloodline. He knows that if it is happen than the blind faith of people towards the church and priest is also remove. People are become free from the fake burden of religion. But as Robert tries to keep secret it will take the liberty of human being. It may harm the freedom of individual.

What difference do you see in the portrayal of 'Ophelia' (Kate Winslet) in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet, 'Elizabeth' (Helena Bonham Carter) in Kenneth Branagh's Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or 'Hester Prynne' (Demi Moore) in Roland Joffé's The Scarlet Letter' or David Yates's 'Harmione Granger' (Emma Watson) in last four Harry Potter films - and 'Sophie Neuve' (Audrey Tautau) in Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code? How would justify your answer?

Women are always portraying as a double marginalized one. They have very distance and different space in every place. Whether it is about the reality or it is about the film, the position of women is same. First if we talked about Ophelia in Kenneth Branagh’s Hamlet, she is slight different than the Hamlet of Shakespeare. Kenneth Branagh takes more freedom in portraying woman. At the end Ophelia goes in madness. Elizabeth also killed in the movie. Hester Prynne is out casting from the society. And all these three women are portraying from the point of view of male or through the eyes of male. But obvious, that the body of women more objectified. Hermione and Sophie’s physical appearance is more controlled in film. No doubt that the movie’s theme “Feminine Sacredness” is played a vital role in portraying the female character like Sophie. But what camera played is also important thing.