Analysis of Chapter 9 of Enduring Love by Ian Mcewan Essay Example

is explored.

From the beginning, the story has been told from Joe's perspective, with his thoughts shared intimately. However, by transitioning from a first person narrative to a third person narrative, Ian McEwan creates a sense of distance from Joe. Through witnessing Clarissa's emotions, we gain another viewpoint that may be more reliable. This marks the first time we glimpse into Clarissa's mind and it provides a vastly different perception of the situation, particularly regarding Joe himself.

In this passage, he is portrayed as an extremely self-centered individual. As soon as she enters the house, he attacks her. He expects her to pay attention to him, but refuses to listen to her in return. When she refuses to listen to him, he becomes angry and says, "Your only concern is I'm not massaging your damned feet after your hard day" (p. 86, l. 21). Clearly, Clarissa has experienced a series of unfortunate events throughout the day, as indicated by the phrase "At her back a bad day" (p. ).

In page 79, line 5, the first paragraph of the text is dedicated to describing the various situations the protagonist had to handle throughout her day: from comforting a crying student under her supervision, attending a Senate committee, participating in a seminar, to dealing with complaints from her colleague during lunchtime (p. 9). As soon as she enters her apartment, she feels overwhelmed by Joe's

presence as he immediately approaches her without offering a kiss or any kind of greeting (p. [insert page number here]).

80, l. 30). It is a widely known fact that arguments tend to escalate more easily when individuals are tired or when they have experienced a particularly difficult day beforehand. Clarissa currently feels unwell, possibly affected by a cold or flu (p.

80, l. 17) and she is experiencing back pain. Her only desire is to unwind but Joe refuses to let her do so "All Clarissa wants to express is, Where's my kiss? Hug me! Take care of me! But Joe is persisting as if he has not encountered another person for a year" (p. 81, l. 6-7).

In an attempt to evade the conversation, she goes for a bath. However, Joe persists and what she hoped would be a peaceful moment turns into a tedious experience where she must deal with Joe's lack of ability to engage in a meaningful conversation. Described as both "conversationally deaf and blind" (p. 81, l. 9) and a "non-stop talking ape" (p. 81, l. 26), Joe proves to be quite a nuisance. At this point, all she desires is to be left alone if Joe isn't going to take care of her (p.

At line 81, Clarissa reproaches Joe, as depicted earlier in the chapter. This is inevitable considering Joe's irritating behavior, which is something every person can relate to. The argument ensues when Clarissa cannot resist expressing her frustration to him. The bathroom, where this scene takes place, is deliberately selected to intensify the vulnerability as it is a private space where individuals are often physically and mentally exposed. Ideally,

it should be a peaceful place for relaxation.

However, the thunder of the taps (p. 81, l. 18-19) is not present in this particular place. This room represents the boundary between their love and their emotions that are fighting to be expressed. The atmosphere is full of tension, as the first person to release their feelings will initiate a "battle" (p. 7, l.).

The person referred to as the "borderline case" (p. 81, l. 33) is Clarissa who uses the word "symptom" (p. 84, l.)

18) She expresses her doubts about Parry's existence and continues by asking, "Why did you wipe the message off the tape?" (p. 85, l.)

In addition to emphasizing Clarissa's doubt in the Parry harassment situation, she also recalls Joe's lie about the wrong number call, stating "It's like you invented him" (p. 86, l. 26). This sentence foreshadows a ruptured relationship between them, as they no longer trust each other. Clarissa's doubt and Joe's lack of support leads them to no longer confide in anyone. The break-up is evident in the exchange of harsh words, anger, and slammed doors.

In their relationship, both parties were sensitive to each other's emotions and took precautions to avoid causing harm with their words. Clarissa displayed caution in her communication, using careful questions to assist him (p. 85, l. 10). Joe exhibited similar care towards Clarissa, acknowledging that it was difficult to be harsh with her because she was easily hurt (p. 86, l. 4-15). Nevertheless, he was the first to make an audacious comment, labeling Clarissa's remark as "new-age drivel."

Joe assumes a "husky voice" and continues to be self-centered, desiring her comprehension of his experiences. However,

since she does not show any intention of listening, he gives up and angrily declares the end of their relationship with the words, "Well fuck off then." (p. 88, l.)

Both parties in the battle were unsuccessful in persuading each other as they were unwilling to listen. However, we will now shift our attention to the narrative structure (3/5). Ian McEwan decides to alter the manner in which he presents his story in order to introduce a different perspective. By selecting Clarissa as the narrator, he invites doubt regarding Joe's credibility and sanity. Clarissa contributes her own thoughts and uncertainties about Joe's mental condition.

On page 85, line 8, it is noted that she has allowed herself to become immersed in Joe's mental state, problems, dilemma, and needs. The reason for her expressing doubts about him is likely due to her previous experience with a similar situation. When she was twelve, her father passed away from Alzheimer's, which has always been a fear of hers - that she might end up living with someone who becomes mentally unstable.

"That's why she chose rational Joe" (p. 83, l. 30-3132). However, Joe does not appear to be very rational in this situation. He is simultaneously expressing a desire to return to science and a desire to share Parry's harassment with Clarissa.

However, Clarissa is growing tired of discussing "back in science Joe" as she is fully aware of what to anticipate in these conversations ("She's heard this before" (p. 81, l. 15)). That being said, it becomes evident why Ian McEwan chooses to deviate from using a first person narrative. This distance allows the reader to question whether Joe is a

trustworthy individual and if Clarissa's suspicions about him envisioning Parry are valid. After all, they were both witnesses to a horrific accident which likely left lasting impressions on their minds. It is possible that Joe has been deeply affected by the incident, still experiencing shock, and possibly even experiencing deceptive thoughts produced by his brain.

After completing chapter nine, the reader is left contemplating Joe's mental stability. This uncertainty surrounding Joe's sanity persists as the reader progresses through the subsequent chapters, with the thought lingering: "Does Parry even exist?" Ian McEwan skillfully introduces doubt not only about Joe, but also about Clarissa. From the beginning, we are immersed in Joe's perspective. The decision for Joe to imagine Clarissa's point of view when telling the story holds significance.

Joe may desire to convey the extent of his feelings of rejection and loneliness to us. It makes us question whether Clarissa is the one who should not be trusted. What we do know is that Ian McEwan aims to engage us in the narrative. He wants us to decide whether to side with Joe, Clarissa, or no one, and follow our instincts. This immersive experience is primarily conveyed through questions such as "Does this happen to you... (p.

In his book (p. 80, l. 21), the author poses the question: "Where do we acquire these techniques? Are they ingrained within our emotional range or are they acquired from films?" (p. 87, l. 11-12-13).

These questions are posed by Ian McEwan directly to the reader, not by Joe or Clarissa. The appearance of Jed Parry has raised numerous doubts and questions, leading us to ponder the impact he has on the lives

of Clarissa and Joe. While his existence is not the main concern, he undeniably plays a significant role in both their lives. For the reader, Parry symbolizes what diminishes the significance of the ballooning accident in Joe's perspective. Previously, Joe was consumed by thoughts of the accident, but once Parry begins stalking him, his attention shifts to this new problem.

Regarding Clarissa, Parry represents a manifestation of Joe's psychological issues. Parry is increasingly dominating Joe's thoughts and their interactions, despite Clarissa not having actually met him yet. Parry's presence threatens to disrupt their relationship.

Their life was peaceful. He worked as a journalist and she was a teacher who specialized in John Keats' poetry. They did not have any children. And out of nowhere, Jed Parry appears. While Parry waited at the door, Joe started questioning his own work and whether he should pursue a job more focused on science and return to his research. Parry introduced doubt into areas of Joe's life where he had never questioned before - starting with his career and then extending to his relationship with Clarissa in this particular chapter. Clarissa jokingly refers to Parry as Joe's lover in earlier chapters.

The narrator suggests that the enduring love story is not actually between the narrator and Joe, but rather between Parry and Joe. However, the narrator is unaware of this. In Chapter 9, when Joe leaves the door on their love, he discovers that Parry has successfully achieved his goal of breaking them apart. Ian McEwan effectively achieves his objective in this chapter: he creates doubt in the reader's mind about Joe, Clarissa, and Parry. Additionally, Parry is not only portrayed

as a religious fanatic, but also as a manipulator who desires to prevent Joe from loving Clarissa. This manipulation is successful as evidenced by the subsequent chapters where Clarissa and Joe sleep in separate rooms.