Annotated Passage: Moral Disorder
By Margaret Atwood
Fadila Chater
My sister's mood had changed. Now she was almost euphoric. “Look at the swans,” she said.“They're so, they're so...”
“Swanlike,” I said. I felt almost giddy. The afternoon sun was golden on the pond where the swans floated; a mellow haze suffused the air. Suffused, I thought. That was how I felt. Maybe our parents were right: perhaps I alone had the magic key, the one that would open the locked door and free my sister from the dungeon that appeared to be enclosing her.
“It was great to come here,” she said. Her face was radiant.
-Moral Disorder
(page 58)
Reading Strategies
I found it quite helpful in visualizing the descriptive text that Atwood had created. The detail written in the passage sets the mood or emotion of the character and atmosphere. When visualizing the sentence, The afternoon sun was golden on the pond where the swans floated; a mellow haze suffused the air, a movie scene played out in my mind. The sun lingering on the pond, reflecting gold off the crystal-like water. Two young and similarly looking women sitting on the green, lush grass who regard the elegant swans. The camera has a softening effect, creating a warm environment. I usually visualize texts as if I were screening a film on the big-screen. I have found this method to be extremely helpful in understanding and relating to texts.
I had taken the time while reading the text to pull away from the plot and make conclusions to inner-workings of the main character. I became more aware of what the main character's intentions had turned out to be. Reading the passage, Suffused, I thought. That was how I felt. Maybe our parents were right: perhaps I alone had the magic key, the one that would open the locked door and free my sister from the dungeon that appeared to be enclosing her, I made connections to Nell's outlook on herself and her family. She feels as if she's the only answer to her sister's problem; as if she was the potion that made everything miniscule. She feels like her parents and everyone around her rely on her to solve the problems they face. Nell's trip to the park had been a way of calming her sister down and cheering her up. Understanding the character's personal reflections leads to comprehension of the plot or events occurring in the text.
Craft of Writing
To create a complex text, Atwood's interpretation of the sister's struggle with personal feelings and the world around her is symbolized. Atwood uses the words “magic key” to symbolize Nell's talent with connecting to her sister – her sisterly touch. The “locked door” symbolizes the sister's shell of emotions and problems. The dungeon” symbolizes the state of which Nell's sister is in – a dark, brooding place. When creating a work of fiction, I find it necessary to keep the reader engaged with different forms of theme representation. The variety of forms creates a spark of engagement that can quickly become a thick flame, when fed the right connections.
Atwood uses language to create a double meaning. In the passage, The afternoon sun was golden on the pond where the swans floated; a mellow haze suffused the air. Suffused, I thought. That was how I felt, the word suffused is used to describe the atmosphere of the setting and the atmosphere of Nell's mind. She feels suffused, as if her mind were the haze that lingered in the air at the park. This connection creates depth to the setting and plot. It also helps the reader engage in the entirety of the plot – the characters, the mood, the setting, and the situation. This method combines fragments of the theme at hand to form a unity.
Resonating:
The dialogue that was created between the sisters tells a story behind their relationship. They speak of the geese; Nell finishes her sister's sentence, as if she knew what she was going to say. The sisters are close enough to know what's on each others' mind. Nell knew that bringing her sister to the park was a good idea before her sister even mentioned it. During the passage, Maybe our parents were right: perhaps I alone had the magic key, the one that would open the locked door and free my sister from the dungeon that appeared to be enclosing her. “It was great to come here,” she said, Nell explains her thoughts about the charm she has on her sister. I can understand how it feels to have such a strong effect in someone, because I too, have a sister. We are both very close, and we understand what makes us act or behave a certain way. Relationships made in a novel are like relations made in life, they are significant to note, in order to understand the problem or situation.
Atwood's use of descriptive emotion resonates with anyone with a beating heart. Atwood writes: “My sister's mood had changed. Now she was almost euphoric.” The use of emotion in a complex text allows the reader to connect furthermore with characters. We have all felt something – an emotion or feeling – deep or shallow – in our lives. When reading, we try to relate to the characters as much as possible. In fact, it is beneficial for us to connect, in order for us to enjoy. The descriptiveness of these feelings adds distinction between feelings. Someone could feel sad, yet another person could feel rich and deep sadness. There is a big difference between everything we feel. Atwood's method is helpful in distinguishing emotions and connecting to characters.