‘I can remember some things upon that evening most distinctly, and others are like some vague, broken dreams.’
This section is at the beginning of the story and immediately we work out that this is written in past tense about something that happened a long time ago. The narrator uses the words ‘distinctly’ and ‘vague’ to show how he remembered everything, but also how the memories are jumbled up and how these two adjectives contrast each other therefore suggesting a confusion of events and how the narrator is still trying to come to terms with what has happened. The narrator talks about ‘broken dreams’ and we see from this that not only is he remembering the scene but also echoing his own current existence of being ‘broken’.
‘The lights were brilliant, and I brought her round the first curve all right’
In this part of the passage, the narrator is driving the car for the first time. This sentence gives an excited and anticipated atmosphere which is compounded by the ‘Lights’ being described as ‘brilliant’. This positive connection is also shown by the fact that he refers to the car as a ‘her’ suggesting that he has formed an instant relationship to the car. The situation is completely controlled and calm and the narrator gives us the sense that he is completely in control seeing as the narrator says ’I brought her round’, but this also gives us an inkling that this bit of the story is the calm before the storm.
‘It was a narrow road, and we were just a great, roaring, golden death to anyone who came in our path’.
In this part of the passage, the ‘narrow road’ suggests that the road ahead will be dangerous and difficult to overcome which creates a slightly tentative atmosphere. However the narrator pays no attention to this warning and accelerates forwards using adjectives like ‘great’, ‘roaring’ and ‘golden’ to show the ferocity and might of the car and him fused as one. Yet again we see that something might go wrong as the word ‘death’ is mentioned which casts a slight shadow over the scene and also contrasts the ‘golden’ feel that we previously had therefore giving us a feeling of uncertainty for what is about to happen.
‘When I became aware of my own existence once more I was among some brushwood in the shadow of the oaks upon the lodge side of the drive’.
At this point in the story, the narrator resumes consciousness after the car crash. We see that he has been knocked out for quite some time as he has only just become ’aware’ of his ‘own existence’. The ‘shadow of the oaks’ are over him and these huge shadows which cover him could in fact connote a great evil-perhaps referring to hell- that has or will come upon him. This creates an uncomfortable and intimidating atmosphere.
‘Stanley laid his hand upon my shoulder, and his touch was inexpressibly soothing, I felt light and happy, in spite of all’.
In this last part of the story, the narrator is in the company of his good friend Stanley, who we see lays ’his hand upon my shoulder’. This is a comforting technique used when something bad has happened to someone and so this makes us think of what has happened to the narrator. Stanley’s touch is ‘inexpressibly soothing’ which again shows that even the narrator knows something is wrong but even he cannot express it in words, only through his senses. The narrator then completely confuses us by stating that he is ‘light and happy’, in spite of all’, therefore conveying that not is all what it seems and that something strange is going on.
How it Happened “I can remember some things upon that evening most distinctly, and others are like some vague, broken dreams.” As the first sentence of the story, using the verb “remember” allows the reader to begin questioning the events that have previously occurred and the repetition of the verb reinforces how he could have possibly obtained a head injury at some point, causing his memory to be “vague”. The first couple of paragraphs include broken up sentences, reflecting the “broken dreams” that have happened to the narrator. Using the adjective “distinctly” is ironic because the reader later realises that it was the last thing which happened to the narrator, echoing the distinct reasoning behind this quote.
“It was not difficult to master, and soon I thought that I understood it. It was foolish, no doubt, to begin to learn a new system in the dark, but one often does foolish things, and one has not always to pay the full price for them.” By using the past tense in this section on words such as “thought” and “understood” implies that he is looking back, possibly with regret, on his decisions of the situation. Throughout the entire story, there is no use of the future tense, showing a possible underlying statement that the narrator can’t have a future, even if one is wanted. Following that statement: “I thought I understood it.” With “It was foolish” shows the wrong perception the narrator now sees as he is looking back on that certain event. As he is looking back on the event, at that moment of underestimating the vehicle, he is “remembering”, with regret, that he misjudged the automobile’s strength. Whilst reflecting on the story, it seems that the narrator is there to tells us a story rather than being part of it, seeming as if the narrator is absent from the scenario.
“It was a narrow road, and we were just a great, roaring, golden death to anyone who came in our path.” As the narrator uses the imagery of a “narrow road” and a “great, roaring golden death” this emphasises how dangerous and fast they’re travelling. By pairing them together it echoes how hazardous they are, not only to themselves but to others that mat come across them. Embedding the triplet, “great, roaring, golden death” shows all aspects of the car; not only is the engine “roaring” and of “great” size, it’s a form of death, yet a glorious death, hence the “golden”. By using the noun: “anyone”, is a sadistic view, claiming that no one will be spared from this death trap.
“I heard the crash. I was conscious of flying through the air, and then – and then - !” Through the use of short sentences, builds the suspense and shows that although everything is happening very fast, but as a contrast, the use of the hyphens, makes the sentences seem longer, which in turn, makes the reader picture this image in slow-motion. Everything is over within these two sentences, and the description of that night is now over. However we are unaware of what has happened exactly to the narrator and Perkins, as the end result is not mentioned in this paragraph. “’Stanley!’ I cried, and the words seemed to choke my throat – ‘Stanley, you are dead.’ He looked at me with the same old gentle, wistful smile. ‘So are you,’ he answered.” This quote is very casual with no emotion in it. It is also ironic in the way that dead people don’t speak. Also if someone told you that you were dead, or if you saw someone who was presumed dead, that is a massive shell shock for someone’s mind to get a hold of, and it was result in a definite reaction occurring. This end is morbid and creates images of the unknown and peculiar happenings of the afterlife. The reader is then left to piece together what will happen exactly to the characters of this story. And although the main character is dead, it is still left on a cliff-hanger. The end of the story is still told in the past tense and so something happened after to the character that the reader does not know about, and has to decide for themselves. Is he loitering around his death place? Or has he moved on to other aspects of life?
‘I’ll try her myself’ said I, and I climbed into the driver’s seat.
This implies how arrogant and vein the narrator is. Perkins (his servant) who is an expert on the car and knows it well had offered to drive it home safely because it is dark, and the man hadn’t driven the car yet, the man can learn to drive in much safer conditions. However, the cocky, rich man thinks that he can do everything. The constant repetition of ‘I’ helps to emphasise how narrow-minded and self centred the man is. This then leads on to have disastrous consequences.
‘I’ll keep her steady. If you care to jump and chance it.’
Here, Perkins is staying loyal to his master. Perkins could easily ditch him and jump out, leaving the man to a fatal death. Despite being treated poorly throughout the story, being respected poorly and treated badly, Perkins is a true, genuine person, sticking with his master even in troubled times. Perkins gives his life for his master, which, if it were the other way round would never happen. This emphasises the stereotype that the upper class are self-centred and arrogant.
‘It was a narrow road, and we were just a great, roaring, golden death ...’
Here, the author is portraying how dangerous the situation is. The narrow road implies that the road ahead will be dangerous and emphasises the cockiness of the car owner, not letting his butler drive will prove to have disastrous consequences. Despite all the danger, the narrator still goes on about how great the car is describing great, glorious things. He is very narrow minded and still has no concept of the danger of the situation, roaring round corners.
‘It was a narrow road, and we were just great, roaring, golden death to anyone who came into our path.’ This quote evidently begins to build up to an imminent accident, as is always before sudden accidents; all appears to be going well. The use of the word ‘golden death’ reflects on the thought of the narrator of the upcoming events; story-tellers often give away clues about upcoming events in the build up to indicate the forthcoming crash. The thought of a narrow lane with a car going along at a seemingly law-breaking speed makes me think of unexpected events; it can also be viewed as slightly scary in the way that disaster seems inevitable.
HOW IT HAPPENED!! 1. “I can remember some things upon that evening most distinctly, and others are like some vague, broken dreams.” a. This quote, from the start of the story hints at what is going to happen in the story, and intrigues the reader. The adjective “vague” connotes a hazy recollection of events that this man may have, making the reader look into it and it sets up the events of the story to be enlightening and drastic, because the reader wants to know what these are. The “broken dreams” may allude to how he thinks he is dreaming at the end, when he is actually dead, all adding to the mystery surrounding this story and the confusion he is conveying here. 2. “‘The gears are not the same, ‘said he, ‘Perhaps, sir, I had better drive.’ a. This quote, near the start, when they are trying out the new car, shows what could go wrong later in the story, and the erratic nature of the narrator. “The gears are not the same” tells the reader that they could be in danger, because the driver won’t know how to drive this new car; which in the end is his downfall. Also the way in which his servant suggests that he should drive shows the relationship between them: most servants wouldn’t dream of saying that in fear of looking impertinent and arrogant, but the narrator replies in a very calm fashion, showing their open and fairly close relationship. 3. “If it had been the old car I should have jammed the gear-lever into the reverse, and see what would happen (...) as it was, I was helpless”. a. This quote confirms any thoughts that the new car would be the death of them- as it was hinted earlier. It says “if it had been the old car”, this shows that they would have been fine in the old car, but because of this new car and the fact that he drove instead of Perkins, they died. When he says “I was helpless” it contradicts his earlier act of kindness towards Perkins, by letting him save himself, but now (with Perkins who stayed with him) he says that he was helpless, showing his selfishness out of desperation in his situation. 4. “At the present moment I was surprised to see him, but I was like a man in a dream, giddy and shaken and quite prepared to take things as I found them.” a. This shows the narrator after the crash. Conan Doyle uses irony here to mislead the reader – we think that the narrator is dreaming or possibly this is happening- but he is actually dead, seeing his dead friend. We are prepared to believe him, because he says he was “like a man in a dream, giddy” so it wouldn’t be surprising if this was all a dream, along with what he said about being vague at the start. This then sets up the end of the story to be very dramatic when we learn that the reader is in fact dead! 5. “‘Stanley!’ I cried, and the words seemed to choke my throat – ‘Stanley, you are dead.’ He looked at me with the same old gentle, wistful smile. ‘So are you, he answered.” a. This is the pinnacle of the story – we finally learn that he is dead, after the slow realisation from the reader. This ends the mystery of the story, because we now know why all the details have been vague and hazy. It also simultaneously opens up a new mystery though, because we are being told this story by a dead person. The use of dramatic irony – we know that he is dead, but he is only starting to realise- adds to the ludicrousness of the story and frustration towards the narrator, because the reader now knows why he has forgotten a lot of this situation ,but he has not. WORD OUT MOFOS.
How it Happened – Arthur Conan Doyle ‘”I’ll try her myself,” said I, and I climbed into the driver’s seat.’ “The Gears are not the same,” said he “Perhaps sir I had better drive.” This portrays the narrator’s arrogance and sense of self worth that is evident throughout the story. His sense that he is better than other people makes him feel that he is almost indestructible and this inevitably leads to his spectacular demise. He repeats personal pronouns (I, myself, etc) this shows that he thinks he is important. This point is further made by his blatant disregard for his chauffeur’s sensible advice. Perkins realises that it’s unwise for the narrator to attempt to drive a new car in the dark but subordinately backs down when his superior says that he wants to drive.
“Perkins behaved splendidly. I should like that to be known. He was perfectly cool and alert.” The narrator is upper-class, and treats his chauffeur almost like a pet, but he has a lot of pride in him. This illustrates the relationship between the pair, a kind of mutual love. It also shows that although the narrator sees himself as superior when in fact it is the humble Perkins that comes through as the leader of the pair and the most noble of the two.
“I’ll keep her steady,” said [Perkins] he, “if you care to jump and chance it. We can never get around that curve. Better jump, sir.” “No,” said I; “I’ll stick it out. You can jump if you like.” “I’ll stick it with you, sir,” said he. This emphasise that Perkins is the braver and the nobler of the two, which contrasts to the stereotypical view of people of his class during the time. The mutual love is repeated again in this extract, as they both want to stick it out together, they believe it would be undignified to leave the other to indefinitely die. Both the characters are being very brave, things considered; they are facing very likely death, yet remaining calm. “As it was, I was helpless” The narrator has accepted that there is nothing he can do, however he has not accepted that the blame for their demise falls upon him solely. The lack of any real regret reinforces his arrogance, and perhaps his care-free attitude towards life. This in the face of death is an admirable trait, which causes the narrator to be seen as heroic. And then suddenly a wave of amazement passed over me. Stanley! Stanley! Why, Stanley has surely died of enteric at Bloemfontein in the Boer Wall! “Stanley!” I cried, and the words seemed to choke in my throat- “Stanley, you are dead.” He looked at me with the same old gentle, wistful smile. “So are you,” he answered. This is the point at which the indestructible man died. In the paragraph before, although all the evidence points to him being dead, he still did not believe it. Conan Doyle ends the story with this, which works well, as the supernatural and the dead is left upon the reader’s imagination.
The Signalman – Charles Dickens. “So little sunlight ever found itself to this spot, that it had a earthly, deadly smell; and so much cold wind rushed through it, that it struck chill to me, as if I had left the natural world.” This is dickens’ first reference to something supernatural happening and cements the feeling of unease that has been growing since the start of the story. The narrator, a rational man, tries to justify his feelings of the supernatural by explaining why he thinks he is struck with a chill and that there is a deadly smell. However, getting the chills is associated with ghosts and the supernatural and so the reader is invited to think that not all is as simple as it seems.
‘I can remember some things upon that evening most distinctly, and others are like some vague, broken dreams.’
ReplyDeleteThis section is at the beginning of the story and immediately we work out that this is written in past tense about something that happened a long time ago. The narrator uses the words ‘distinctly’ and ‘vague’ to show how he remembered everything, but also how the memories are jumbled up and how these two adjectives contrast each other therefore suggesting a confusion of events and how the narrator is still trying to come to terms with what has happened. The narrator talks about ‘broken dreams’ and we see from this that not only is he remembering the scene but also echoing his own current existence of being ‘broken’.
‘The lights were brilliant, and I brought her round the first curve all right’
In this part of the passage, the narrator is driving the car for the first time. This sentence gives an excited and anticipated atmosphere which is compounded by the ‘Lights’ being described as ‘brilliant’. This positive connection is also shown by the fact that he refers to the car as a ‘her’ suggesting that he has formed an instant relationship to the car. The situation is completely controlled and calm and the narrator gives us the sense that he is completely in control seeing as the narrator says ’I brought her round’, but this also gives us an inkling that this bit of the story is the calm before the storm.
‘It was a narrow road, and we were just a great, roaring, golden death to anyone who came in our path’.
In this part of the passage, the ‘narrow road’ suggests that the road ahead will be dangerous and difficult to overcome which creates a slightly tentative atmosphere. However the narrator pays no attention to this warning and accelerates forwards using adjectives like ‘great’, ‘roaring’ and ‘golden’ to show the ferocity and might of the car and him fused as one. Yet again we see that something might go wrong as the word ‘death’ is mentioned which casts a slight shadow over the scene and also contrasts the ‘golden’ feel that we previously had therefore giving us a feeling of uncertainty for what is about to happen.
‘When I became aware of my own existence once more I was among some brushwood in the shadow of the oaks upon the lodge side of the drive’.
At this point in the story, the narrator resumes consciousness after the car crash. We see that he has been knocked out for quite some time as he has only just become ’aware’ of his ‘own existence’. The ‘shadow of the oaks’ are over him and these huge shadows which cover him could in fact connote a great evil-perhaps referring to hell- that has or will come upon him. This creates an uncomfortable and intimidating atmosphere.
‘Stanley laid his hand upon my shoulder, and his touch was inexpressibly soothing, I felt light and happy, in spite of all’.
In this last part of the story, the narrator is in the company of his good friend Stanley, who we see lays ’his hand upon my shoulder’.
This is a comforting technique used when something bad has happened to someone and so this makes us think of what has happened to the narrator. Stanley’s touch is ‘inexpressibly soothing’ which again shows that even the narrator knows something is wrong but even he cannot express it in words, only through his senses. The narrator then completely confuses us by stating that he is ‘light and happy’, in spite of all’, therefore conveying that not is all what it seems and that something strange is going on.
Nick and Jamie
How it Happened
ReplyDelete“I can remember some things upon that evening most distinctly, and others are like some vague, broken dreams.”
As the first sentence of the story, using the verb “remember” allows the reader to begin questioning the events that have previously occurred and the repetition of the verb reinforces how he could have possibly obtained a head injury at some point, causing his memory to be “vague”. The first couple of paragraphs include broken up sentences, reflecting the “broken dreams” that have happened to the narrator. Using the adjective “distinctly” is ironic because the reader later realises that it was the last thing which happened to the narrator, echoing the distinct reasoning behind this quote.
“It was not difficult to master, and soon I thought that I understood it. It was foolish, no doubt, to begin to learn a new system in the dark, but one often does foolish things, and one has not always to pay the full price for them.”
By using the past tense in this section on words such as “thought” and “understood” implies that he is looking back, possibly with regret, on his decisions of the situation. Throughout the entire story, there is no use of the future tense, showing a possible underlying statement that the narrator can’t have a future, even if one is wanted. Following that statement: “I thought I understood it.” With “It was foolish” shows the wrong perception the narrator now sees as he is looking back on that certain event. As he is looking back on the event, at that moment of underestimating the vehicle, he is “remembering”, with regret, that he misjudged the automobile’s strength. Whilst reflecting on the story, it seems that the narrator is there to tells us a story rather than being part of it, seeming as if the narrator is absent from the scenario.
Anna and Rory - Part One
“It was a narrow road, and we were just a great, roaring, golden death to anyone who came in our path.”
ReplyDeleteAs the narrator uses the imagery of a “narrow road” and a “great, roaring golden death” this emphasises how dangerous and fast they’re travelling. By pairing them together it echoes how hazardous they are, not only to themselves but to others that mat come across them. Embedding the triplet, “great, roaring, golden death” shows all aspects of the car; not only is the engine “roaring” and of “great” size, it’s a form of death, yet a glorious death, hence the “golden”. By using the noun: “anyone”, is a sadistic view, claiming that no one will be spared from this death trap.
“I heard the crash. I was conscious of flying through the air, and then – and then - !”
Through the use of short sentences, builds the suspense and shows that although everything is happening very fast, but as a contrast, the use of the hyphens, makes the sentences seem longer, which in turn, makes the reader picture this image in slow-motion. Everything is over within these two sentences, and the description of that night is now over. However we are unaware of what has happened exactly to the narrator and Perkins, as the end result is not mentioned in this paragraph.
“’Stanley!’ I cried, and the words seemed to choke my throat – ‘Stanley, you are dead.’
He looked at me with the same old gentle, wistful smile.
‘So are you,’ he answered.”
This quote is very casual with no emotion in it. It is also ironic in the way that dead people don’t speak. Also if someone told you that you were dead, or if you saw someone who was presumed dead, that is a massive shell shock for someone’s mind to get a hold of, and it was result in a definite reaction occurring. This end is morbid and creates images of the unknown and peculiar happenings of the afterlife. The reader is then left to piece together what will happen exactly to the characters of this story. And although the main character is dead, it is still left on a cliff-hanger. The end of the story is still told in the past tense and so something happened after to the character that the reader does not know about, and has to decide for themselves. Is he loitering around his death place? Or has he moved on to other aspects of life?
Anna and Rory - Part Two
How it happened – Arthur Conan Doyle
ReplyDelete‘I’ll try her myself’ said I, and I climbed into the driver’s seat.
This implies how arrogant and vein the narrator is. Perkins (his servant) who is an expert on the car and knows it well had offered to drive it home safely because it is dark, and the man hadn’t driven the car yet, the man can learn to drive in much safer conditions. However, the cocky, rich man thinks that he can do everything. The constant repetition of ‘I’ helps to emphasise how narrow-minded and self centred the man is. This then leads on to have disastrous consequences.
‘I’ll keep her steady. If you care to jump and chance it.’
Here, Perkins is staying loyal to his master. Perkins could easily ditch him and jump out, leaving the man to a fatal death. Despite being treated poorly throughout the story, being respected poorly and treated badly, Perkins is a true, genuine person, sticking with his master even in troubled times. Perkins gives his life for his master, which, if it were the other way round would never happen. This emphasises the stereotype that the upper class are self-centred and arrogant.
‘It was a narrow road, and we were just a great, roaring, golden death ...’
Here, the author is portraying how dangerous the situation is. The narrow road implies that the road ahead will be dangerous and emphasises the cockiness of the car owner, not letting his butler drive will prove to have disastrous consequences. Despite all the danger, the narrator still goes on about how great the car is describing great, glorious things. He is very narrow minded and still has no concept of the danger of the situation, roaring round corners.
‘It was a narrow road, and we were just great, roaring, golden death to anyone who came into our path.’
ReplyDeleteThis quote evidently begins to build up to an imminent accident, as is always before sudden accidents; all appears to be going well. The use of the word ‘golden death’ reflects on the thought of the narrator of the upcoming events; story-tellers often give away clues about upcoming events in the build up to indicate the forthcoming crash. The thought of a narrow lane with a car going along at a seemingly law-breaking speed makes me think of unexpected events; it can also be viewed as slightly scary in the way that disaster seems inevitable.
HOW IT HAPPENED!!
ReplyDelete1. “I can remember some things upon that evening most distinctly, and others are like some vague, broken dreams.”
a. This quote, from the start of the story hints at what is going to happen in the story, and intrigues the reader. The adjective “vague” connotes a hazy recollection of events that this man may have, making the reader look into it and it sets up the events of the story to be enlightening and drastic, because the reader wants to know what these are. The “broken dreams” may allude to how he thinks he is dreaming at the end, when he is actually dead, all adding to the mystery surrounding this story and the confusion he is conveying here.
2. “‘The gears are not the same, ‘said he, ‘Perhaps, sir, I had better drive.’
a. This quote, near the start, when they are trying out the new car, shows what could go wrong later in the story, and the erratic nature of the narrator. “The gears are not the same” tells the reader that they could be in danger, because the driver won’t know how to drive this new car; which in the end is his downfall. Also the way in which his servant suggests that he should drive shows the relationship between them: most servants wouldn’t dream of saying that in fear of looking impertinent and arrogant, but the narrator replies in a very calm fashion, showing their open and fairly close relationship.
3. “If it had been the old car I should have jammed the gear-lever into the reverse, and see what would happen (...) as it was, I was helpless”.
a. This quote confirms any thoughts that the new car would be the death of them- as it was hinted earlier. It says “if it had been the old car”, this shows that they would have been fine in the old car, but because of this new car and the fact that he drove instead of Perkins, they died. When he says “I was helpless” it contradicts his earlier act of kindness towards Perkins, by letting him save himself, but now (with Perkins who stayed with him) he says that he was helpless, showing his selfishness out of desperation in his situation.
4. “At the present moment I was surprised to see him, but I was like a man in a dream, giddy and shaken and quite prepared to take things as I found them.”
a. This shows the narrator after the crash. Conan Doyle uses irony here to mislead the reader – we think that the narrator is dreaming or possibly this is happening- but he is actually dead, seeing his dead friend. We are prepared to believe him, because he says he was “like a man in a dream, giddy” so it wouldn’t be surprising if this was all a dream, along with what he said about being vague at the start. This then sets up the end of the story to be very dramatic when we learn that the reader is in fact dead!
5. “‘Stanley!’ I cried, and the words seemed to choke my throat – ‘Stanley, you are dead.’ He looked at me with the same old gentle, wistful smile. ‘So are you, he answered.”
a. This is the pinnacle of the story – we finally learn that he is dead, after the slow realisation from the reader. This ends the mystery of the story, because we now know why all the details have been vague and hazy. It also simultaneously opens up a new mystery though, because we are being told this story by a dead person. The use of dramatic irony – we know that he is dead, but he is only starting to realise- adds to the ludicrousness of the story and frustration towards the narrator, because the reader now knows why he has forgotten a lot of this situation ,but he has not.
WORD OUT MOFOS.
How it Happened – Arthur Conan Doyle
ReplyDelete‘”I’ll try her myself,” said I, and I climbed into the driver’s seat.’
“The Gears are not the same,” said he “Perhaps sir I had better drive.”
This portrays the narrator’s arrogance and sense of self worth that is evident throughout the story. His sense that he is better than other people makes him feel that he is almost indestructible and this inevitably leads to his spectacular demise. He repeats personal pronouns (I, myself, etc) this shows that he thinks he is important. This point is further made by his blatant disregard for his chauffeur’s sensible advice. Perkins realises that it’s unwise for the narrator to attempt to drive a new car in the dark but subordinately backs down when his superior says that he wants to drive.
“Perkins behaved splendidly. I should like that to be known. He was perfectly cool and alert.”
The narrator is upper-class, and treats his chauffeur almost like a pet, but he has a lot of pride in him. This illustrates the relationship between the pair, a kind of mutual love. It also shows that although the narrator sees himself as superior when in fact it is the humble Perkins that comes through as the leader of the pair and the most noble of the two.
“I’ll keep her steady,” said [Perkins] he, “if you care to jump and chance it. We can never get around that curve. Better jump, sir.”
“No,” said I; “I’ll stick it out. You can jump if you like.”
“I’ll stick it with you, sir,” said he.
This emphasise that Perkins is the braver and the nobler of the two, which contrasts to the stereotypical view of people of his class during the time. The mutual love is repeated again in this extract, as they both want to stick it out together, they believe it would be undignified to leave the other to indefinitely die. Both the characters are being very brave, things considered; they are facing very likely death, yet remaining calm.
“As it was, I was helpless”
The narrator has accepted that there is nothing he can do, however he has not accepted that the blame for their demise falls upon him solely. The lack of any real regret reinforces his arrogance, and perhaps his care-free attitude towards life. This in the face of death is an admirable trait, which causes the narrator to be seen as heroic.
And then suddenly a wave of amazement passed over me. Stanley! Stanley! Why, Stanley has surely died of enteric at Bloemfontein in the Boer Wall!
“Stanley!” I cried, and the words seemed to choke in my throat- “Stanley, you are dead.”
He looked at me with the same old gentle, wistful smile.
“So are you,” he answered.
This is the point at which the indestructible man died. In the paragraph before, although all the evidence points to him being dead, he still did not believe it. Conan Doyle ends the story with this, which works well, as the supernatural and the dead is left upon the reader’s imagination.
The Signalman – Charles Dickens.
“So little sunlight ever found itself to this spot, that it had a earthly, deadly smell; and so much cold wind rushed through it, that it struck chill to me, as if I had left the natural world.”
This is dickens’ first reference to something supernatural happening and cements the feeling of unease that has been growing since the start of the story. The narrator, a rational man, tries to justify his feelings of the supernatural by explaining why he thinks he is struck with a chill and that there is a deadly smell. However, getting the chills is associated with ghosts and the supernatural and so the reader is invited to think that not all is as simple as it seems.