My Personal Reading Of The Fox Dean Cristina IV A

The Fox  Title Meaning  The ContentThe Content  Characters Main characters Secondary characters The title is a metaphor. The fox is a smart, clever, intelligent animal and the other animals are in danger in front of him. A common reader can imagine a story of animals. The intelligent reader understands that the text might talk about a clever and intelligent person.  March  Banford  Henry  Banford’s grandfather  Banford’s father

Narrative Technique  Narrator/s  EffectEffect A third person omniscient narrator

Characterization  MarchMarch  BanfordBanford  HenryHenry

Setting  The country - England  Bailey Farm  A small village  The wood ATMOSPHERE

The Message WARTIME poverty Women’s condition: they had to replace the men because they went to fight. RELATIONSHIP Between two women unmarried and without a male presence SEXUALITY: the fox represents a male-related sexual relationship Between a woman (March) and a man (Henry) Jealousy (Banford)

THE CONTENT The Fox tells the story of two women of nearly 30: Banford and March. They decide to start a new life on a farm (Bailey Farm) in England in the country. It is wartime and life is not easy. They look after the animals (chickens, poultry, cows, ducks). Banford is thin and frail while March is strong and she is the man of the place. A fox starts to kill their chickens so the two women feel disheartened. One time March meets the fox but she doesn’t kill him: it seems as if she were possessed by the animal. The months pass. Then a young soldier, whose name is Henry, comes to stay with the girls and March immediately recognize a link between Henry and the fox. Henry is fascinated by the retiring March but the presence of Banford is an obstacle for him. So a triangular relationship begins to evolve. Henry wants to marry March but there are some problems. At the end Banford is killed by Henry but it seems as if it were an accident.

EFFECT There is a third person omniscient narrator who filtered all. He uses the technique of telling and the reader is not totally free to make up his mind and to make his personal conclusions. The narrator uses few dialogues and conversations. He adopts instead a particular position: he makes comments and through his metaphors the reader can immediately understand his values and his point of view about the situation and the characters. He is omniscient so he knows everything of everybody.

MARCH’S CHARACTERIZATION March is the surname with which the narrator refers to one of the two protagonists. It immediately recalls the third month of the year when the nature starts to blossom. Therefore it might hint at alive and a reactive nature. In addition if March refers to the verb “to march” it immediately recalls the idea of an army and soldiers. The writer wants already to underline some aspects of the character. Then the reader can imagine March because the narrator decribes her physical appearance. After that the narrator gives information about her skills and her economical situation. During the story the reader can also understand March’s personality and behaviours. As the matter of fact the omniscient narrator allows the reader to enter into March’s mind and to know her thoughts.

BANFORD’S CHARACTERIZATION The narrator refers to this character using her surname:Banford. It immediately recalls the verb “to ban” which means to take distances out. First of all there is a physical description of the character. Then the narrator gives information about her social, economical situation and family background. The reader can also know her clothes. Later the narrator makes the reader understand her personality through her actions and dialogues. The reader can also know her thoughts so he can imagine better how Banford is.

HENRY’S CHARACTERIZATION When Henry arrives at Bailey Farm the narrator gives a lot of information about him. First of all he describes very carefully her physical appearance and in particular his clothes. The narrator describes in detail his actions. But it also allows the reader to know Henry’s past: he tells why he is at Bailey Farm and what he does in his life. The reader can know his social, economical and family background. The narrator gives information about his work: he is a soldier. After that the reader is able to understand his personality because of his actions and skills. But he can understand carefully Henry especially through his thoughts. As the matter of fact the narrator underlines them.

ATMOSPHERE The setting is one of the most relevant structures of the novel. It made have a face value but it can also have a metaphorical association. The story takes place in the country, in England during wartime ( ). The two protagonists live in a farm, called Bailey Farm. It is an isolated place because there are only fields and woods near the farm. The two ladies live in a secluded area, completely immersed in the nature. This particular setting, which is described in detail by the narrator, creates an atmosphere: the two women are alone and the setting around them increases their distance and their separation from the world. The only contact that they have with other people is a small village near Bailey Farm. But they prefer not to have relationships with its inhabitants. The setting creates sadness, anguish and solitude into the reader’s mind.