1
Q
Harvest
(Joanna)
A
- Dramatic + shocking
- Childlike focalisation
- Part of cyclical narrative (revisited at the end)
- Part of non-linear narrative structure
- Conventional crime opening (flashback, murder, violent)
2
Q
Flesh and Blood
(Jackson)
A
- Delayed revelation
- First appearance of Jackson Brodie
- Focalised through Brodie
3
Q
She would get the flowers herself
(Louise)
A
- First chapter focalised by Louise Monroe
- lots of class conscious backstory
- Louise is stereotype of tough (but vulnerable) female detective?
- Intertextual reference to ‘Mrs Dalloway’ by Virginia Wolf (female centred writer, stream of consciousness)
4
Q
Satis House
(Reggie)
A
- Focalised through Reggie
- Tragic backstory of Reggie’s mothers death
- Religious satire via Ms Mcdonald
- Intertextual reference
- Following chapter ‘Rapture Ready’ ironic linkage to Mrs McDonald
5
Q
Rapture Ready
(Reggie)
A
- Contrived?
- Coincidence?
- Plot device to ‘unite’ characters
- The ‘train crash’ chapter
6
Q
The discreet charm of the Bourgeoise
(Louise)
A
- “Give a medal to all the women” - feminist aspect
- Violent deaths cause by David Needler
- Unicorn magic themed birthday
- Intertextual reference to film about middle class manners. Reference to Bridget, Patrick’s middle class snob of a sister
7
Q
The celestial city
(Jackson)
A
- Jackson hovers between life and death
- Poetic style, shift in tone from previous
- Flashback to Niamh, Jackson’s sister.
- Religious element to Jackson’s time in hospital e.g. ‘Pilgrim’s progress’, ‘Jackson risen’ and ‘Adam lay ybounden’
- unconventional for novel to have incapacitate protagonist.
8
Q
Reggie Chase, Girl Detective (Reggie)
A
- Later we have “Reggie Chase, Warrior virgin”
- Bright, vibrant title - feels quaint, ironic?
- Lots of old fashioned “detective work” here - but from unconventional protagonist
- Bright, vibrant title - feels quaint, ironic?
9
Q
Jackson Risen
(Jackson)
A
- First description of Tessa
- Lots of backstory re: Tessa/Bernie (the con)
10
Q
Grave Danger
(Joanna)
A
- Strange flashback chapter as Joanna remembers her childhood
- Why important? typical of mood shifts, time shifts, focalisation shifts (post modern fractured narrative)
11
Q
Abide with me
(Joanna)
A
- Another flashback focalised via Joanna
- First mention of where Joanna is now (i.e. Kidnapped)
“the lumpy mattress they were sharing”
12
Q
High Noon
(Jackson)
A
- Intertextual reference to Western “Shoot out”
- Jackson + Reggie track Joanna + she ends chapter walking towards him, covered in blood
13
Q
La Regle du Jeu
(Joanna)
A
- Joanna’s violent escape from her captors
- Note: this occurs before ‘High Noon’ but appears later in the novel, fractured post-modern narrative style.
- Intertextual reference to French film.
14
Q
Christmas ‘Part’
A
- Gentle CODA to novel - goodwill etc - but death of Marcus? Uneven tone?
- ‘The rising of the sun, the running of the deer’ carol
- Good bless us everyone, Billy, Christmas Carol
- Brodie’s link to Joanna
- “Safely gathered in” goes back to 1976, cyclical structure
- “And Scout” (final chapter
