Spiesy stuff 2

What I noticed from scanning through the collection of sample essays on www.study-spies.co.nr was that they had a much stronger, perhaps more cohesive arguement in the opening paragraph than I would normally include.

For example, in answer to an mock exam essay on Frayn's presentation of Memory, I wrote:

Spies is perhaps an exploration of the mechnisms behind memory. Frayn aims to show the links between the often vague and loose connections betweem spunds, sights and other sensual imagery, and thoes of the actual events within the chronological narrative.

Petroski's essay on Stephen's maturation in the novel began with:

The themes of maturation and psychological development are arguably the most important in the entire novel. For this reason Frayn aims to present them in such a way which will give the reader a realistic insight into the confusion and fears of a child facing adolescence. Stephen’s reactions to this pivotal stage in his life shape the readers reactions to other characters and to Stephen himself. Frayn looks to achieve this goal and does so through his use of imagery, Freudian connotations and word association.

It seems to me that the way to go begin is to state exactly what you're going to discuss, rather than an initial exploration of the implications of the question. Perhaps I'm missing the point entirely and it's a style thing which is irrelevant to the examiner. But, atm to me, anyway my opening is perhaps harder to award marks to as my points aren't clarified as much.

My English teacher has already brought up the point that I should perhaps be less subtle, and "make the examiner's work easier". But it's such hard work, espcially under exam conditions to "state the obvious". And anyway, it would probably back fire if I tried to change the style of my essays now.

Although I still have a nagging feeling that I probably should.

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Reply 1

Vesicle

charliejacobs

does anyone have any notes on the theme of knowledge and innocence????

The whole novel is practically about knowledge and innocence. The older narrator is constantly questioning what the child Stephen knows, and, because of his innocence, what the child does not quite understand and confuses.

The section which most stricks me is when Stefan tries to imagine what is going on in the little boy's head beyond the geranium pots. In there he questions what it means to underatand something.

There are other instances where the fragments of memory are coloured by limited understanding. 'When did Stephen know that it was Uncle Peter, when did Uncle Peter know that he loves Mrs Hayward?' Frayn here I think is trying to show how knowledge has such a subconcious nature, feelings blue into one another and are undefined so that especially to a innocent intellect it is hard to make sense of them, and to know or understand anything.

These are some brief thoughts. Quite undeveloped, but I hope they give you some ideas.

On main areas to revise, I'm not really sure. I'm just trying to read through the novel again, and then go about considering as many themes and interpretations as I can.

Reply 2

general_store

The January '07 one was ' How is Keith presented and what is his importance in the novel'

The May '06 one was along the lines of, how is adulthood presented in the novel'

You will find various references to other questions throughout the thread, but to save you the effort:

these are a little para-phrased however

Comment on betrayal/ excitement and mystery in the novel?
How is X presented in the novel?
How is Stephen/Mr Hayward/Mrs Hayway etc presented and what is their importance?
How appropriate is the opening/ conclusion to the novel?
How are relationships presented in the novel?

You probably guessed, but to clarify, the '/' means it is a different question :smile:

Those are the only ones i can remember off hand, but it's a start.

Reply 3

Ywiss

KateScarlett

And... to back up the point that the ! is the only time she has sex with her husband is the line 'The garage doors dont open often' - a sexual reference to mr and mrs H

Haha, I love the way you say that as if it's fact :biggrin:

You know, I was at a Spies conference with Michael Frayn and someone asked him whether the tunnel and the train going through represented sex, and he was like, "Er...well...that's not what I meant to suggest..." He looked very shocked, the poor dear.

KateScarlett

and secondly, you must remember that the character of Mr H is himself not well, shell shocked from the war.

Again, you make this suggestion as if it's a fact! Unless you can quote a specific point in the novel where it actually says, "Mr Hayward is shell-shocked from the war", you can't say that he is shell-shocked. You can suggest that he is; it's certainly a plausible suggestion, but you can't actually put a fact into the novel that isn't actually there.

Remember, part of AO4 is being able to understand different interpretations of the novel - and if you go into the exam and say that the garage doors are a sexual reference and Mr Hayward is shell-shocked, you're going to be marked down. Scoring AO4 marks is a lot about expression - use phrases such as "it could be that" or "Frayn seems to suggest that" or "perhaps" or "to some extent, it may be" or even the simple "or".

Reply 4

lily_of_the_valley

ive just done that essay on mr hayward, and the ideas i put down for it were:

#he's presented to us solely through the eyes of Stephen the child, and so our view and opinions of him are biased. Because Stephen is clearly scared by him he's a lot more scary to us.
# presented as a very threatening and powerful character, reflected in his language, especially in the way he only uses short, sometimes one word sentences
#however this power and authority can be undermined, key scene being when he has to ask stephen for the basket. the idea that he has to resort to saying "please" in such a tone to a child means that from this point on in the novel his threatening status is somewhat diminished.
#his presence in the novel reminds Stephen of the divided world that exists between adults and children, which shows his importance in the novel. Stephen forms relationships with other adults in the novel such as Mrs Hayward, but Mr Hayward is always at a distance, and is the adult who disciplines children.
# his character is linked to several images of threat such as the bayonet and the cane, reminding Stephen of the threat during war time
# also, it's because of Mr H that Keith is the way he is. He clearly idolises his father and copies his words, and manner, which of course culminates in him using the bayonet on stephen.

i dont really have anything to offer on uncle peter, but hopefully the notes above will get you started on the mr hayward essay. hope this has helped :smile:

Reply 5

Samelam

lizzyd

i need help with 2 essays, one on the presentation and importance of mr hayward, and one on the presentation and importance of uncle peter.
i'm a bit stuck for ideas so any help would be much appreciated!

for Uncle Peter:
He is introduced in hagiographical terms (as if he were a saint) "the glory of Uncle Peter" pg 25
He is initially depicted as an archetypical RAF war hero, characterised by quotes such as "cheerful bravery", "smiling the same reckless smile", his careless disregard for danger" pg 25. As he is mostly absent throughout the novel there is no possible correction of this image.
He is the linchpin of the plot, although virtually never seen. When he is present, however, he is never actually identified. This makes him an elusive figure throughout the novel; he inverts the typical view of a hero. His nerve is broken and he is skulking underground like "an old tramp". Frayn implies that UP has both mental and health [roblems, and the readers never learn what drove him to leave the Barns to his death on the track.
He is complex and tortures. The wild way in which he implores Stephen to "tell her" "forever" pg205 indicates his final state of mind, possibly hinting that UP commited suicide: as his and "Bobs" only way out. We never learn if this is true though!
Interestingly, UP's last convo is with Stephen, who pretends not to know its actually him. There is a big contrast from that RAF hero, staring out as Stephen from the "silver frame" to the distrubed, desperate man hidden underground.

Reply 6

pink_goose

“He often seemed like some mild-natured furry animal.” Where is this quote in the book? Also who is this quote referring to?

“‘Stephen, darling, listen,’ she says, as softly as the silken rustle of the parachute.” Again, what page is this quote and why do you feel it is significant

“One single heroic deed, to lay at Ketih’s feet” What page is this quote and also what has just happened in the novel for this quote to be written

Reply 7

Ywiss

pink_goose

“He often seemed like some mild-natured furry animal.” Where is this quote in the book? Also who is this quote referring to?

The quotations (*cough* not quotes!) are in chronological order - there's a space between the end of each chapter - so that one is in the 2nd chapter, after the one before it.

It's referring to Stephen's father.

pink_goose

“‘Stephen, darling, listen,’ she says, as softly as the silken rustle of the parachute.” Again, what page is this quote and why do you feel it is significant

Not sure what page, but as it's in chronological order according to chapter, it shouldn't be too hard to find. There is a theme of silk throughout the novel, especially with regards to Keith's mother - e.g. the silk scarf around her neck, the silk scarf Uncle Peter gives to Stephen to give to her. The image of the parachute, (as far as I can recall), links in with Stephen's vivid imagination of the parachuter landing in the Barns. You'll have to go to the part of the novel where it is and have a good look.

pink_goose

“One single heroic deed, to lay at Ketih’s feet” What page is this quote and also what has just happened in the novel for this quote to be written

Again, it's all in chronological order so it shouldn't be too hard to find. If you still can't find it, post again and I or some other kind soul will haul out our dust-covered copies. This quotation is from the time when Stephen decides to go out and find out what's in the box by the railway bridge, I seem to remember.

Reply 8

Vesicle

Ywiss

There is a theme of silk throughout the novel, especially with regards to Keith's mother - e.g. the silk scarf around her neck, the silk scarf Uncle Peter gives to Stephen to give to her. The image of the parachute, (as far as I can recall), links in with Stephen's vivid imagination of the parachuter landing in the Barns. You'll have to go to the part of the novel where it is and have a good look.

I've noticed this before, but that quote "Stephen, darling, listen,’ she says, as softly as the silken rustle of the parachute", which I've never really noticed before is immensly illustrative of the presence this texture has on Stephen. Silk is that middle class flawless smooth perfection that is so tainted because of how it's worn, and what it's used for. Stephen obiously connects her at this point in the novel to the mysteries of espionage, but can it be an early indication of how he connects subcounsciously the dangers of the 'war world' to surburbia.

Reply 9

rosie86uk

Hi Sean,
Quotes - well it's difficult to say. You want to have a few ready for characters 'wheeny weedy wheatley', 'teapot ears' for example and a couple of quotes that sum up relationships (Stephen & Keith - 'he's resuming the burden of leadership') and themes etc. Once you have a few quotes for each aspect you'll find you've built up quite a collection.
In my personal experience I've always found that integrating quotes in to the context works well as then you only need buzz words e.g. 'grey lips' 'perfectly plucked' 'well-ordered' 'sweet reek' rather than memorising long winded passages.

Reply 10

Sean_

A very important factor with Uncle Peter is his fall from grace. Towards the beginning of the novel (chapter 4 i think) Uncle Peter is decorated as a hero(contrast between stephens family- whose unckes and aunts he rarely see's) as he is a member of the very successful RAF during the war. Obviously he ends the novel as the homeless person that is living like a squatter and involved in a seedy affair. i'm sorry i have no quotes for this as to be honest you've just bought the point to my attention and i'll have to revise it before friday lol

Sean :smile:

Reply 11

sese

Well you need to think about the way he forshadows the whole expirience especially in chapter 2 this creates mystery as u don't know what he is talking about but as the book progresses things begin to fall in to place. A theme in this novel is the prospect of knowing and not knowing what old Stephen wants us to know '...no wait i've got that wrong...' we are, as readers submissive to him, almost at his mercy because we are intruiged by his relevations.
Before the plot has been revealed we do think that she might be a spy but when she enters their 'privet' place and talks to Stephen we know that she is concealing more than meets the eye but we still know more than Stephen because he is still being naive.

This is what i think i hope it helps, the whole novel represents it! :smile:

Reply 12

edbradley

hey my teacher really thinks BB is going to come up in the exam... although she said that the year before apparently but it would make sense if it did. I'm going to list points about the way she is presented and hopefully u guys can add some more, which i have missed?
1.fickleness- frienship to friendship- Rosemary Winters-> Stephen-> Dave Avery.
2.Replacement of Keith- breaks up S and K childish relationship- childhood to adulthood- shows how stephen goes from perceiving things as a child to perceiving them as an adult when he befriends BB. Can be seen in chapter 8 when BB says Mr and Mrs H are having 'terrible quarrel' whilst Stephen thinks they are 'talking quietly and reasonably'. Shows his stages of emotional maturity. she goes 'from beneath our notice' to the whole 'larmona' thing.
3.BB's single year advantage over Stephen means she brings him up to speed on 'adult' things- smoking, sex, adulterous affairs etc.
4. BB awakens S's sexuality, 'fine golden hairs on the brown skin of her legs', symbolism of her purse, 'bobblyness', apparently there is falic symbolism with the smoking but not too sure.
5. Highlights the fact not only spying occuring between K, S, and Mrs H, but also BB, Mrs Berril, Mr Hayward, the kids of the close etc. She introduces him to other children, change from single friend Keith who they hate and who is 'stuck up'.

Reply 13

Ywiss

edbradley

haha cheers thanks for pointing that out! just a quick question on Mr Hayward but did he actually fight in a war and what is his job? is he on a war pension? Because he does not seem to do anything except gardening and fixing his car.

We're told by Keith that he was a soldier in the war, yes - and it seems that he doesn't have a job at the moment. We're not actually told anything else - but from the strange and terrifying way he acts, his obsession with having control over people and his anguished expression in the scene when Stephen won't give him the basket, it's a possibility that he might have suffered from shell-shock, which would explain why he doesn't work.

Reply 14

daniretro

Ywiss

Yep, that sounds very good, well done! I think that getting something on Barbara Berrill is possible, though it might be a little less specific, just to help out the ones who don't know the text as well as you do, something like the presentation and importance of women in the novel - which brings in Barbara Berrill, Keith's mother, Auntie Dee, Stephen's mother, etc.

It's possible - but it's good that you're not too sure! If you write, "it could be that..." - immediate AO4 marks. But remember, it's phallic - not falic!

you should mention the symbolism of the blue popper on her purse. Its constantly repeated and symbolic for her own sexuality and virginity, by the way stephen is 'offended' by it.
Also, she is symbolic in a biblical sense, as in adam and eve. as stephen descibes the privet hege as their 'garden of eden'. she is stephens sexual temptress, as eve, issing him, and giving him knowledge etc etc. and also can be likened to the serpent when she tempts him into smoking. this is all well worth mentioning for a deeper understanding of the novel. expecailly if its a question about barbara berril. :smile:

Reply 15

big A

daniretro

I pondered about the Garden of Eden symbolism of the book. Stephen and BB's Adam and Eve moment in the hedge, smoking being a reflection of eating the apple of knowledge, could it be a metaphor for innocense and experience; Keith is the innocense of childhood with the spy games and is holding Stephen back from adulthood while Barbara is the one who offers experience and thus allows Stephen to enter maturity and the world of adulthood? Also, Keith personifies God when he punishes Stephen for fraternising with Barbara just like God punished Adam for being tempted by Eve into sin even though sin is necessary as Man requires knowledge, Frayn did it intentionally, yeah? He copied Philip Pullman.

Reply 16

smartie146

xx_ida_xx

Can someone please explain to me the significance of 'Lamorna.' It appears frequently and especially towards the end. I'm stuck as to why it is so significant.
Please help. I have my exam this week so a response asap would be great.
:smile:

Lamorna is the name given to the feelings which Stephen feels for Barbara and Mrs Hayward which he cant quite understand.

Lamorna is also the name of the Berills House

L'amour is french for love which could also be related to his feelings.

Lamorna is three syllables just like 'I Love You' which could be linked to the above.

Hope this helps
x

Reply 17

lily_of_the_valley

sese

Im having quite a difficult time understanding the way this book is narrated. I get that old stephen (can he be reffered to as Stefan in the exam?) is taking 'a trip down memory lane' but he is old he does not remember much 'no wait i got that wrong' but why as young Stephen does he know everything so specifically?
My teacher says it is because Frayn uses it as a metaphor to say that children know everything. Im not sure any opinions?? :smile:

You can refer to him as Stefan when you are talking about the old man, when you talk about the child you refer to him as Stephen.

Personally I disagree with your teacher's metaphor. From what I've been taught and read, one of the main themes in the book is the fallibility of human memory, which is why at so many points in the book Stefan corrects himself mid-flow. And also, even as a child Stephen doesn't know everything, for example: it never occurs to him and Keith that Mrs H could have turned right not left at the end of The Close. He also doesn't realise what the X in the diary stands for (although we don't know for certain, we can make a good guess). If you read back over the novel, you'll see that Stephen doesn't know everything specifically, there's even a quote: something about solving one mystery and coming across another (i'll edit later when i find it). Plus there's the night where he turns in his bed trying to find a value for x....

just my opinion, but i think your teacher is wrong.

Reply 18

rosie86uk

There have been suggestions of possible exam questions:
- Child in adults world
- Class
- The ending of the novel
- Presentation of women.

Is it absolutely set in stone that 2 of these 4 will definately be the main focus questions for this exam?

Reply 19

willie07

There are LOTS of themes! here's a few...
Spying
Appearance and Reality
Conflicting Opposites
Change and growth
Fantasy and reality
Heroes

there are many others that I can't think of right now - in a Chaucer frame of mind! Try the AQA website for past papers, and yeah, i'm sure if you do well in your essays it's certainly possible to get an A overall.

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