An exploration of the relationship between adolescence and society in love relationships that cross boundaries. Snow Falling on Cedars (Guterson), The Go Between (Hartley)

Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson and The Go Between by L.P Hartley both successfully explore the relationship between adolescence and society in love relationships that cross boundaries. The novels have different settings, Snow Falling on Cedars on an American island in the 1950s, and The Go Between in Norfolk, England in the 1900s. Both authors use similar methods and styles of writing but in different ways in order to explore this idea.

Firstly, the writers both explore the social and cultural boundaries that can thwart adolescent love. In Snow Falling on Cedars Guterson shows how cultural boundaries cause the division between Hatsue and Kabuo. Hatsue says to Ishmael the reason for her “emotional reserve” was something she couldn’t help and that she had been brought up so that she avoided “effusive displays of feeling”. Hartley also explores the same idea that both social and cultural boundaries have on adolescent love in his novel The Go Between; his method of doing so is more effective than Guterson’s. The class boundary between Marian and Leo is used to show the effect on adolescent love; Leo is naïve and doesn’t see the divide between his class and that of Marian’s, such as he doesn’t see other obvious events that are going on around him “I carried messages between them and I couldn't always understand”. Although the older Leo describes Maudsley as “a snob” the younger Leo, although perhaps realising the class division between him and the Maudsley family, doesn’t acknowledge the implications this has upon him and is under the delusion that he is the same as them. Similarly he doesn’t see the gap in age between himself and Marian as any problem in thwarting his admiration for her. Roger Ebert commented that the 1970 film interpretation of The Go Between is “terribly observant about nuances of class”, he went on to discuss Mrs Maudsley as the typical matriarchal woman of her time, who supported the British class system and was determined that everyone should stay in their correct places within it. This matriarch is likewise a very powerful upper class woman a “stately” figure and maintains the same ideals in the original Hartley novel, this idea of hierarchy is why it would be frowned upon for Marian and Ted to be together.

Snow Falling on Cedars and The Go Between consider the consequences for the individual of their failure to become a man, the numbing of feeling, isolation and loneliness. In Snow Falling On Cedars Ishmael is cold and almost empty of feeling “he didn’t like very many people anymore, or very many things either”. He returns from war wounded both physically (the loss of his arm) and mentally (he is self-pitiful and weak) because of his experiences. This is not the correct way for the “island man” to be; his father maintained his positive outlook when he returned from war and remained strong. Likewise in The Go Between, Leo is affected to such an extent by what he sees, the shadow “like an umbrella” opening and closing and the consequences of this that he’s unable to live a fulfilled life and “shrank into myself”. The main indicator of Ishmael’s pain is shown by Guterson through dialogue, for example with his mother, it shows just how pessimistic and hurt Ishmael is. His beliefs that “emotions just float away” signify how cold he has become to the outside world. This contrasts with The Go Between which uses a prologue and an epilogue, “The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.” this shows that Leo has endured his pain for over 50 years and it is still vivid. Comparatively Ishmael’s suffering to some extent ends in the novel after a decade when he helps to find evidence to clear Kabuo’s name.  

Ishmael Chambers could be contrasted to the Ishmael in Moby Dick by Herman Melville. As critic Jennifer Bussey explains “Ishmael [Chambers] keeps himself closed off from the world” this is apparent when he turns to his mother for help and tells her that he is “unhappy” and she explains that there is no way that she could “understand what it’s been like for you”. Bussey goes on to explore further the way in which the two Ishmaels are very different and how Ishmael Chambers doesn’t fit the archetypal American male ideal as he sees himself “as a victim of the world” and not “as a part of it”. The Go Between as a novel is described as not only being nostalgic but “it is about nostalgia” in the Penguin introduction by Douglas Brooks-Davies. Brooks-Davies goes on to say that Leo’s “memories are not only personal (and it turns out deeply painful) but collective and cultural.” The idea in both novels that neither Ishmael nor Leo have been able to become fulfilled men is due to the impact that their adolescent love had upon them. If society hadn’t condemned Ishmael and Hatsue’s relationship because she was of a different race, Ishmael may have had the opportunity to be fulfilled. Similarly if it wasn’t for the nuances in class between Marian and Ted, which were socially unacceptable in 1900 England, Leo wouldn’t have had his “breakdown” and may have gone on to live a more complete life.

Both writers show the impact that time and place can have on adolescent love that crosses boundaries. Snow Falling on Cedars is set on San Piedro Island in 1954 after the Second World War. This is extremely significant in the structure of Snow Falling on Cedars as we are often shown flashbacks of Ishmael’s fighting in the war “Ishmael saw Eric Bledsoe bleed to death”. The period of time in which Kabuo’s trial is taking place falls after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour which is what evoked such hatred and racism against the Japanese race. The Go Between is set in England in 1900; at this time society and the class system were very rigid and boundaries were not to be crossed, this could be the moral cause of Ted’s shotgun suicide. During 1900 many Britain’s were away fighting in the Boer war, although on face value this seems to have little effect on Leo, it is a strong background to some of the attitudes and events in the novel. In a sense Brandham Hall is an Island as is San Piedro, they are both isolated in their own ways and contribute to love across boundaries resulting in unhappy consequences. This idea is explored further in Snow Falling on Cedars with the idea that Hatsue and Ishmael were unable to “speak freely because they were cornered” by the water, “a limitless expanse of it in which to drown”

Snow Falling on Cedars is better at showing the effect that time has on adolescent love that crosses boundaries over a period of time since Ishmael realises that “Hatsue had been taken from his life by history, because history was whimsical and immune to private yearnings”. Flashbacks and vivid war scenes are used to emphasise the affect that time has, “the bone cracked jaggedly into a hundred splinters that were driven up against his nerves…” Ishmael and Hatsue were separated not by choice but by fate, they were together at the wrong time and in the wrong place and were ultimately separated because of the bombing of Pearl Harbour in1941 and then Hatsue being sent away to the Internment camp. Hatsue feels that she doesn’t belong, she isn’t “part of them” – the “people seeking union with the greater life”. Hatsue has no choice; she is physically moved away from Ishmael because of war. Hatsue is sent to the internment camp and in the meantime Ishmael is left to continue with life, until he is called to fight for his country where he sees a man being “shot through the spine with a shell that ripped open his shirt front and dropped some of his guts onto the beach”, perhaps these experiences show why Ishmael has developed into such a cold person and to a certain degree go a way to justifying his being. However, as critic Jennifer Bussey states Ishmael “is already bitter and cynical”, Bussey looks on the war as an opportunity for Ishmael to learn from his experiences but because he is already so bitter and cynical he doesn’t do this. Whereas in The Go Between Leo’s love for Marian is affected by time, but only over a condensed period thus intensifying his love. In both novels it’s ultimately the date and the time that passes which causes the failing of love, as nowadays it would be much more acceptable to have relationships across both race and class boundaries.

Both writers use techniques such as frame narratives, flash backs and pathetic fallacy to explore adolescent love. The frame narrative in Snow Falling on Cedars differs significantly from that used in Hartley’s novel; however both are effective in their own ways. Snow Falling on Cedars uses the courtroom as a frame narrative; this should signify justice rather than prejudice. Few feelings are portrayed by Ishmael during the courtroom scenes, and this makes the flash backs more potent and obvious thus emphasising the adolescent love that he had for Hatsue. In The Go Between, Hartley uses a prologue and an epilogue as a frame narrative, “the past kept pricking at me and I knew that all the elements of those nineteen days in July were astir within me” this shows how important the impact of time is in the novel.

However, the device that is used most effectively by both of the authors is pathetic fallacy. Guterson uses the cold and snow to show how Ishmael has become inside, and Hartley shows the soaring temperatures of summer that intensify as Leo’s love for Marian grows.  As Leo’s love for Marian and the tension towards Ted and Marian’s relationship intensifies, it could be an allusion to Icarus’ myth; Leo is flying too close to the sun - Marian. Hartley shows the heat as something beautiful and shows it’s positive effects for example the water is described as “green, bronze, and golden” towards the beginning of the novel. However as Leo becomes more involved with Marian, further on in the novel, the heat’s impact becomes negative and because it has dried out the water “ghostly, corpse-like” boulders appear. This demonstrates how effectively Hartley uses pathetic fallacy – the heat is like Marian, beautiful and alluring, but leads to negative consequences.

Both writers use pathetic fallacy as a way of foreshadowing what is to come next, in Snow Falling on Cedars all of the lights go off in the court room when it gets to a dramatic stage in the trial “the courtroom lights flickered in the storm, flickered again, and went out.” In The Go Between on Leo’s birthday (when Ted and Marian’s relationship is discovered) there is a huge storm - thunder and lightning “an orange trickle, down a primrose-coloured sky”, foreshadowing what Leo and Mrs Maudsley will find.

The writers both use symbolism, significant global events (such as war) and memory to explore the pain of adolescent love, as you would expect in a love story, physical appearance is given prominence in both narratives. In Snow Falling on Cedars there is some emphasis placed on symbolism, the idea of the cedar tree as a symbol of homeliness for the young Ishmael and Hatsue (however it could also be seen as a symbol of constraint). Hatsue and Ishmael “spoke of everything in the intense and inwrought manner of teenagers” in their cedar tree, this shows how it was their home, the only place that they could go and talk together, their home. In addition to this as critic Barbara Bleiman explores the title “Snow Falling on Cedars” in a sense symbolises what the novel is about “the word “falling” has connotations of sadness and despair…” it is “suggestive of a mood of loss”. However more prominence is given to the senses in this novel than to actual physical things “what he wanted, he realized now, was to drink in the smell of her and to feel her hair in his hands”. In Guterson’s novel nature is something to be embraced and admired, it is similarly the way in The Go Between, but he shows that although nature is beautiful and should be embraced it can also be poisonous.

Symbolism is explored in Hartley’s novel through the deadly night shade (Atropa Belladonna) although Leo knew “that every part of it was poisonous” this didn’t make him see it as any less beautiful, in Hartley’s novel the deadly night shade represents Marian. In addition to this when Mrs Maudsley leads Leo to find Marian and Ted towards the end of the novel, we learn how the deadly night shade has been reduced to a stump “lying on the path, limp and bedraggled” this indicates that Marian is also going to be reduced to nothing. In The Go Between, the importance given to symbolism is apparent from very early on in the novel during the prologue where the reader learns of Leo’s fascination for the star signs and how he creates his own curses. In the novel Marian could be seen as Virgo (the virgin), Ted as Aquarius (the water carrier) and Trimingham may represent Sagittarius, we learn that Leo is not actually Leo’s real name, but a name that he has taken because of his captivation with the star signs.

In conclusion, the various ways in which both of the authors explore the relationship between adolescence and society in love relationships that cross boundaries are effective in the novels. However, in my opinion Hartley’s way of showing the effect that adolescent love has had on his protagonist is more effective than that of Guterson. He shows the long lasting impact that society’s view to love that crosses boundaries can have on the individual and ultimately how this made Leo sink into himself and become a recluse.   

Bibliography:

David Guterson, Snow Falling on Cedars

L.P Hartley, the Go Between

Roger Ebert, The Go Between – film review

Jennifer Bussey, Snow Falling on Cedars - review

Douglas Brooks-Davies, Penguin introduction to The Go Between

Barbara Bleiman, emagazine essay – An exquisite hybrid- Snow Falling on Cedars

Analysis of Tony Harrison's poem Book Ends, from The School of eloquence. Harrison's exploration of memories of difficult family relationships.

Throughout the School of Eloquence, Harrison’s sonnets explore his continuing love and loyalty towards his parents alongside a sense of conflict. He uses memories in order to show that his family relationships were difficult “he dubbed me Pagininny” in An Old Score, Harrison demonstrates his father’s sarcasm towards his work.  Harrison feels alienated from his parents, in Book Ends, he admits that his relationship with his father was difficult “we never could talk much”. He also remembers that his Mother said “You’re like book ends, the pair of you” implying that despite their difficult relationship there were similarities between them. The reader can see that the relationship between Harrison and his parents is more difficult than Harrison wishes it to be, primarily since many of his poems continually explore the theme. Nevertheless, Harrison loves his parents, for example in v. when he mourns for them and takes offence when their grave is marred. v. is a direct allusion to Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard as it is written in identical metre and concluded with the poets own epitaph.

In Book Ends Harrison raises memories through his use of allusions, showing that he felt divided from his father after his Mother’s death,  and also explores the division between himself and his parents before this transpired. He suggests by his use of repetition that the separation between himself and his father is that of the “books, books, books” of Harrison’s grammar school education and later on in his career as a poet. Many of Harrison’s poems explore the idea that he was divided from his parents by the education that he received (winning one of only six scholarships to Leeds grammar school) for example in Confessional Poetry when Harrison discusses the war of taunts caused because of the manner of his eloquent speech “your father comes across as mean”.  Book Ends is an extended metaphor which highlights Harrison’s distant relationship with his father as it shows that although they are similar they are far apart. Harrison’s mother acknowledges that both father and son have similarities for example “Hog that grate, say nothing, sit, sleep, stare …” which would clearly make them a pair, like bookends.

The reference to 'books, books, books' at the end of the first sonnet maintains that they are different, and also relates to the function of Book Ends, as a pair. Harrison is described as “the ‘scholar'” in Book Ends and his love of literature and academia despite not having his parent’s full approval is explored in A Good Read where he receives one of his father’s “you-stuck-up-bugger looks” and he says “ah sometimes think you read too many books./Ah nivver ‘ad much time for a good read.” showing that it is what books represent that cause a division between them. In Book Ends Harrison uses the form of the two separate sixteen-line sonnets, and the extended metaphor of bookends to show this division. He also uses chiasmus in “the ‘scholar’ me, you, worn out on poor pay” this implies that Harrison being a “‘scholar’” is what causes the separation. Inverted commas are used to suggest that Harrison is being sarcastic and somewhat tongue in cheek about his educational prowess which adds a sense of irony to their dissimilarity.

Alienation from his parent’s leads to Harrison’s sense of guilt, betrayal of love and of unfulfilled duty to his parents and is shown when Harrison explores memories of difficult relationships. This guilt is linked to the italicised phrase in Book Ends where Harrison berates himself “you’re supposed to be the bright boy at description/ and you can’t tell them what the fuck to put!” Guilt is shown through the sensitivity revealed when Harrison comments “Your life's all shattered to smithereens.” Book Ends I has a strict structure; it is structured into two line rhyming couplets emphasising Harrison and his father as a pair, and is written in iambic pentameter like the other poems in the School of Eloquence. The two sonnets represent the bookends of her death, Book Ends I is the day of her death and Book Ends II the writing of the epitaph for the final farewell. The sonnets are linked as they are both written in the same meter and use the same imagery of father and son sharing a drink. Books Ends II although more relaxed, uses the same rhyme scheme as Book Ends I. This relaxed tone could illustrate the time between her death and the erection of the stone.  Harrison also acknowledges his guilt through memories in Breaking the Chain, implying that he was a disappointment to his parents by becoming a wordsmith instead of working in the “drawing office”. Harrison shows this difficult memory by reminiscing “can’t bear to part with these never passed on, never used, dividers” and “looking at it now still breaks my heart!”

The connection that Harrison has with his father is the love that both have for his mother. In Book Ends I they are united in their grief “Shocked into sleeplessness you’re scared of bed” here, sibilance is used in order to emphasise the shock. They are both rendered wordless by this shock “We never could talk much, and now don’t try”; they used to find it difficult to talk, now there is nothing left for them to talk about, no common love. The pair are emotionally divided; Harrison shows they are connected through the use of imagery in eating 'that last apple pie' which Harrison's mother had “Baked the day she suddenly dropped dead”, again it is Harrison’s mother uniting the pair even after death. The “apple pie” is also used as a symbol of  typical family life, which has now been lost. Harrison recognises that in life, and in death, his mother joins them, “A night you need my company to pass/ and she not here to tell us we're alike!”

Harrison explores the memory of his difficult relationship was with his father because of what he perceives to be his father’s limited education in Book Ends.  Harrison’s preoccupation with family relationships stems from his difficulty in coming from a working class background and “his hunger for all modes of articulation”. This is shown in Heredity the epigraph to the School of Eloquence when he describes his uncles “one was a stammerer, the other dumb.” and claims that he doesn’t know where he gets his “talent from”.  When it comes to writing the epitaph for Harrison’s mother’s stone this “talent” deserts him. The thoughts written in italics show frustration “you’re supposed to be the bright boy at description/ and you can’t tell them what the fuck to put”, Harrison uses an obscenity -“fuck” to emphasise his feeling of uselessness. He cannot better his father’s efforts which he describes as, “miss-spelt, mawkish, stylistically appalling” Harrison uses a tri-colon here to highlight how inarticulate his father is. He’s critical of his father’s inarticulacies but realises that he couldn't have done better, he couldn’t “squeeze more love into their stone” However, he is excluding himself from his family calling it “their” stone as opposed to “our” stone.

Book Ends captures the sense of heartache and frustration between Harrison and his father and also the tremendous love the men have for the same woman, who keeps the 'Book Ends' together. Through writing Book Ends Harrison acknowledges all that his mother has done for him, using his memories to allow her to live on after death. He uses direct speech, written in her dialect and using her expressions “Hog that grate, say nothing, sit, sleep, stare …”  in order that she should be remembered. This method is used in Bringing Up when Harrison quotes his mother’s voice “You weren’t brought up to write such mucky books!”  He doesn’t agree with the idea that he is like his father, yet he expects these comments from his mother, accepts them, and ultimately respects them enough to quote her directly.

In conclusion Harrison explores memories of difficult family relationships throughout the School of Eloquence. He does this to emphasise how important his family and his background is to him and how it has shaped his poems. Without the difficult family relationships that Harrison experienced his poetry and in particular Book Ends wouldn’t have such a specific and thought provoking impact on the reader.

Bibliography

Book Ends by Tony Harrison

An Old Score by Tony Harrison

Confessional Poetry by Tony Harrison

A Good Read by Tony Harrison

Breaking the Chain by Tony Harrison

Heredity by Tony Harrison

Bringing Up by Tony Harrison