English Running Man Essay – Flashcards

The Running Man, written by Michael Gerard Bauer is a novel which revolves around the idea of people transforming after suffering terrible experienced and traumas. This coming of age novel focuses on a reclusive and un-emotional veteran and his young next door neighbour Joseph Davidson.

The author reveals how people are not how they seem to be through character traits, juxtapositioning and symbolism. Primarily Tom Leyton is seen as a monstrous and deformed man, Mrs. Mossop is seen as a malicious person who likes to wound people with words and Joseph is seen as a quick to judge young 14 year old. However throughout the novel Bauer is able to reveal the true identity of the characters and how they are not how they seem to be.

The Author uses Symbolism throughout the novel to reveal to the reader how characters are not how they seem to be at the start of the novel. One of the characters he does this through is Tom Leyton. Tom is seen as a monstrous and deformed man at the beginning of the novel as rumours spread the Ashgrove streets. Only later on does the author reveal the true identity of the characters. Symbolism can be seen in quotation: "It was the same face, hard and mysterious as a carved stone idol, but there was a newness as well that made Joseph think for a lizard shedding his skin. (pg. 83)

This quotation displays the symbolism to change the characters. The quote is referring to tom Leyton being "Hard and Mysterious" like a statue, however later on in the quotation it says but there was a newness as well that made Joseph think of a lizard shedding his skin". Bauer is saying through symbolism that Tom Leyton is starting a new life, and he is changing from his older self. Another piece of evidence which supports the idea is a quotation from pg166/168, "Perhaps you've lifted the lid and only seen a moth, or an egg or a caterpillar. Or perhaps you've really seen in a cocoon, with no clue what might be hidden inside" (pg.166/168). This represents symbolism as it is saying that it doesn't matter what you see on the outside but what you see on the inside. Another way the author uses a method to change the viewer's perspective s through character traits.

Character traits is one of the ways Michael Gerard Bauer changes the viewer's opinion through the characters through the novel. Character traits show the reader the current emotions and how the characters are throughout the text. This is displayed in this quotation "Dangerous sick man" (Pg.13), this quotation is explaining the feelings Mrs. Mossop has towards Tom Leyton. However, Caroline later on says "Though your eyes others will be able to see Tom as he truly was, a gentle and lovely man" (p.274). This quotations displays how Michael Bauer uses character traits throughout the novel to show character development and how people's first judgements are not their permanent judgements. Also, Juxtapositioning is used throughout the novel to change the viewer's first opinion on the character.

Juxtapositioning is used through the novel to reveal to the author that characters are not how they seem to be. Juxtapositioning is seen through in the "Escher" painting, the painting displays an optical illusion where you see either devils or angels. The concept of this painting is displayed in this quote "If he focused on the angels the devils hid in the background...when he moved his eyes devils were all that he could see...Yet each one needed each other...the spaces between the angles created the devils and spaces formed by devils allowed angles to exit" (Pg.88/89. This Juxtapositioning helps characters Tom Leyton and Joseph Davidson as throughout the book each of them need each other. Tom Leyton also quotes after josephs question "He just looks like normal man", "Most monster do". (Pg.90). This quotation goes back to the Escher paintings as the angles and the devils form one and that within our angles there are always devils and within our devils there are always angles.

Michael Gerard Bauer uses symbolism, juxtapositioing and character traits throughout the novel to reveal to the readers that people are not how they seem to be. The book revolves around people transforming after suffering terrible experiences and traumas so character development is evident. E