Destination.

In yesterday's lesson we learnt about the destination of a novel. Stupidly I handed my notes in to Mr F, so there may be some mistakes in this blog about destination etc, but I'm going to try my best and edit anything that is wrong when I get my notes back.

So, what is the destination of a novel? The destination of a novel is where/what the novel is leading to. As I'm sure many people know, the destination of a novel, any novel, is different. For example, the destination of Harry Potter will be drastically different to the destination of Atonement.

I'm going to use an example now to explain further about destination. The text or novel that I am going to be using/referring to is Pride and Prejudice. Now, for those of you who are familiar either with Jane Austen or Pride and Prejudice, you will know the famous quote:

'It is a truth universally acknowledged , that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.'

Now, if you are like me, you will have read this line and found it intriguing but thought no further about it until you've gone back and read the story through again. If you're not like that, well then, good for you. But anyway...

This single sentence is actually a whole paragraph. It is singled out from the rest of the text on the page, just this one sentence. Now, how could this be important to the destination of the novel? Well, we now know that the destination of the novel is where it is leading too, so from this sentence we now have an inclination as to the thought or idea that the novel's destination could be about marriage and wealth, and maybe even about the relationship between the two and how they link together.

Furthermore, this sentence is actually quite key to the destination of the novel. The sentence presents the reader with a theory or an idea right at the beginning of the novel. No characters or setting has been introduced, just this theory. This is therefore helpful to the destination of the novel as it acts as a clue, and the emphasis on this sentence/paragraph (it's emphasised because it is one sentence on its own, nothing else, nothing more) sort of cements it almost in the readers mind and continuously pops up as a reminder as to the direction the novel could be heading and so the emphasis signify's the importance of the sentence.

Another way in which the destination of the novel is presented, is through the simplicity of there being no setting or description of any kind, until the final paragraph in the chapter. For example, the reader is immedietely introduced to this theory at the very start of the novel, but straight after they are then introduced to three characters. Mr Bingley, Mr Bennet and Mrs Bennet - but there has been no description of either character.

Jane Austen's lack of use is actually quite a clever trick. The fact that there is no description about the characters before the conversation actually causes the reader to focus in and concentrate more on the conversation. To put it simply, the lack of description is used so the reader will focus more on what they're saying/doing than where they are.

Additionally, the lack of description also highlights that this conversation is of great importance and that it is quite significant to the novel and its destination.

Finally, the last paragraph of the chapter acts as a confirmation to any thoughts the reader may have/has had about the destination of the novel. In the final chapter we finally receive a description about Mr and Mrs Bennet, but it is the final line of the chapter that holds the true importance/signifigance. 

'The business of her life was to get her daughters married...'

This final line concludes that the direction of the novel is indeed about marriage and therefore suggests that the novel will be centred around this idea and that it will be key to its continuation.

I think this is right, if it isn't then I'll edit the bits that are wrong. I'm hoping it's good though and sorry I rambled quite a bit. Sorry!