1. By Mélissa Roux IOC revision

2. Passageonpage 125-126 Startswith: ‘ThepiecesofCholly’slifecouldbecomecoherentonly in theheadof a musician…’ Endswith: ‘… Only in drinkwastheresomebreak, somefloodlight, andwhenthatclosed, therewasoblivion.’

3. Aim ofpassage Thispassageis in Spring andrecallsCholly’spast. • Authorsucceeds in makingussympathizeforCholly • Conceptoffreedom • Protrayshectiness in Cholly’slife • Explanation/reasontoCholly’scurrentbehavior • Foreshadowshis rape toPecola

4. What I will explore >linguistic devices + how they convey meaning >characterisation >structure of the extract >consider the effect of the social/historical context

5. Structure Theopeningoftheextractstartwith a strongsentence: ‘ThepiecesofCholly’slifecouldbecomecoherentonly in theheadof a musician.’ • Musician (artists) are commonlyknowntohavecreative=messyminds. ThisallowsthereadertounerstandthatCholly’slifeis so hecticonlycomplexminds can understand. • Could also be thereasonwhy he has theneedto ‘escape’ by drinking.

6. ‘musician’ • MetaphorofCholly’slife • Morrison uses ‘musician’ (chosethisspecifically) toportraytheevents in Cholly’slife as different music notes • Alltogetherthese ‘notes’ or ‘event’ are whatcomposeshislife. • Hislifeislikeanunpleasantsong.

7. Structure Thefirstpartoftheextractiseuphonic. Therestofthepassageregularly uses literarytechniques (e.grepetitionof ‘free’) toaddrythmforthereader. Morrison uses: ‘talk their talk’ - alliteration ‘skins andstrings’ - sibilance ‘Only’ - Anaphora

8. Structure Stillearlyon in thepassagetheconceptofCholly’sfreedomis introduce with a repetitionoftheworditself. • Anaphorawiththeword ‘free’ allowstheconcepttoresonate in thereaders’ minds • Repetitionofthiswordcreates a senseofrythmemphasizingonCholly’sfreedom. Refers back tothefactthatCholly’slifewascoherent ‘only in theheadof a musician’

9. Structure Chainingofeventswith ‘to’ –repetition At thismoment, eventsthathavestronglyaffectedCholly’slifeandbehaviour are listed out by Morrison, thiseffect: • RecallsthereaderthatCholly has beenthrough a lot • Allowsustosympathizeforhimknowingthattherewas once a sweetandlovingsideofCholly

10. ‘Dangerously free’ • OxymoronprotrayingCholly as a character. Being free nowthathe’slostthepeoplewhocaredmostabout. • AfterthepartoftheextractthatrepeatedlyreferstoCholly’sfreedomisclosed by thefollowingquote (next slide)

11. ‘….Nothing more to lose. He wasalonewithhisownperceptionsandappetites, andtheyaloneinterestedhim.’ Thispartfollowstherepeated ‘free’ ofCholly. • ‘free’ couldactually be replace by ‘alone’ • At firstthisquoteseemstocontrasthis ‘freedom’ butwethenrealisethatCholly’s free in hisownworld. • Cholly’sonly a representationofmanymenfromthe ‘blackcommunity’. Morrison teachestheaudiencethe miserable andunpleasantlifethat a lotof ‘blackmen’ wentthroughduetoracisms, unfairtreatment. • Thereasonwhythesemen (Cholly) turnedto alcohol.

12. ‘Only in drinkwastheresomebreak, somefloodlight, andwhenthatclosed, therewasoblivion.’ • Metaphorofdrunkenselfbeing a passagetobeingconnectedtotheworldandperhapsfeelingalive. • ‘floodlight’ givesanimpressionofheavenandhope • AllowstheaudiencetoforgiveandunderstandthereasonwhyChollyconsistently comes homedrunk • ‘oblivion’ choiceofvocabularymakestheaudiencefeelpityandscaredforChollybeinglost, emphasizesontheirsympathyforhim.

13. Conclusion • Thispassagesums up Cholly’slife as beingmessy. • Beginningmetaphorofhislifebeinganuglyandcomplicatedsong. • Literarytechiniquessuch as repetitionandanaphoraaddrythmntothepassageemphasizingonthemetaphorimentionedonpreviouspoint.