Reflection on the First Half

I realize that I haven't been prompt in posting to this blog. Part of that has been because of complications with work which have made this a slow read for me. The other part is because I find it difficult to post chapter-to-chapter. Rather, I would like to discuss themes of the novel that tie into several chapters, not just themes from one chapter or another.

I'm sure you've all noticed how the narratives of each chapter is unrelated to the next; there is no story that continues from one chapter into another. In groups, we've discussed this quite extensively and this was one of the most important realizations from the first half of the book for me. I've posted about the first several chapters already, but I'd like to discuss a few more things as we begin working on presentations with this book.

I've asked myself why the author would choose to make each chapter somewhat of a short story. Short stories tend to end the moment after the story climaxes. I feel that each chapter has its own climax but that the novel as a whole does not. This is in-line with the notions that a short story should be little more than build up and climax leaving the reader to make assumptions for him or herself. What then, is the purpose of constructing a novel in this way?

From the chapters of the first half of the novel, I can say that though the chapters do not share a concurrent narrative, they do share similar themes, characters, antagonists. I would like to offer that these antagonists (such as Hangman, maggot, the bullies, as well as Jason's reaction to each of them) are perhaps the real narrative of the story—that is to say, it is through the stories change every chapter, these 'antagonistic themes' do not.

Jason of course is the protagonistic force of the novel. Through his interactions with the antagonistic themes, we as readers can more clearly see a development of plot occur. The scenes, the places, the events—these have little to do with the development of Jason as a character and protagonist.

I feel that this is common in many novels. When I think of the Harry Potter series (I use the example because I feel that it's readily familiar to most), it isn't the scenes and places that affect Harry the most, but rather internal conflict. What makes Black Swan Green different is that the narrative is intentionally broken, bringing the 'core' of the novel (Jason's inner turmoil) to the forefront.