Spies Analysing Characters - Stefan
- Created by: Jo-Robertson
- Created on: 06-01-18 21:10
View mindmap
- Analysing Character - Stefan & Keith
- Stefan
- Elderly Stephen
- Unreliable as a narrator due to memory loss
- ' Amnesia Avenue' p6
- Reader has a key role in understanding this due to unreliability
- Unreliable as a narrator due to memory loss
- Worked as a professional translator - learn this in chapter 1
- Not fully explored until chapter 11 on p229
- Stefan worked translating 'the English language installation and maintenance manuals for Siemens transformers and high-voltage switchgear'
- Frayn
- Significant use of profession
- Stefan is a messenger between 2 people
- Literal and metaphorical
- He translates what he witnesses as a child to us the reader
- Though this translation is often incorrect
- But still translating the situation and readers have to assess the reality of the situation
- Though this translation is often incorrect
- He translates what he witnesses as a child to us the reader
- Literal and metaphorical
- Stefan is a messenger between 2 people
- Significant use of profession
- Frayn
- Stefan worked translating 'the English language installation and maintenance manuals for Siemens transformers and high-voltage switchgear'
- Not fully explored until chapter 11 on p229
- Went on to live a life in England which had 'somehow never really taken flight' p229
- Unhappily married, unhappily employed in an education establishment before returning to Germany to discover his roots.
- Stayed and fell in love with a German woman and raising a family
- All of this is shared in a few pages
- Shows that Frayn based much of the novel on childhood events in Stephens life
- Shows the impact these events had on his entire life
- Shows that Frayn based much of the novel on childhood events in Stephens life
- All of this is shared in a few pages
- Stayed and fell in love with a German woman and raising a family
- Unhappily married, unhappily employed in an education establishment before returning to Germany to discover his roots.
- Elderly Stephen
- Keith
- Not a very nice person
- Manipulative and controlling person
- Liar
- Stephen believes that Keith has seen a 'kind of talking monkey' p18 the reader knows this cannot be true
- Liar
- We know this very early on & Frayns use of structure is key
- By undermining the character of Keith so early is makes the reader know he cannot be trusted and Stephens trust for him is misplaced
- May take Stephen the whole novel to out grow his friend
- He slowly starts rot recognise the true nature of Keiths character
- May take Stephen the whole novel to out grow his friend
- By undermining the character of Keith so early is makes the reader know he cannot be trusted and Stephens trust for him is misplaced
- Manipulative and controlling person
- Attends the 'right local preparatory school' p16 as opposed to Stephen who attends the 'wrong school' p16
- The use of opposing adjectives 'right' and 'wrong' here indicates the fact that Stephen views Keith as superior to him
- The reader again is likely to disagree with Stephen
- The use of opposing adjectives 'right' and 'wrong' here indicates the fact that Stephen views Keith as superior to him
- Described as being very tidy: 'All Keiths toys are his own, neatly ranged in drawers and cupboards, often in the boxes they came in' p17
- This attention to order shows Keith as the mirror image of his father
- "The wheels themselves were hung neatly on the wall, alongside the picnic hamper, tennis rackets in wooden presses, deflated air beds and rubber rings'
- Frayn draws an early parallel between the two characters
- "The wheels themselves were hung neatly on the wall, alongside the picnic hamper, tennis rackets in wooden presses, deflated air beds and rubber rings'
- This attention to order shows Keith as the mirror image of his father
- Chapter 3
- Frayn uses language to to present the relationship between Keith and Stephen
- When investigating Mrs Haywards diary, Stephen pleads 'But if its something private' p49
- Keiths response is blunt and demanding
- 'Put it in the logbook' p49
- Frayns use of the imperative verb 'put' symbolises the nature of the boys friendship: Keith is clearly the boss
- He tells Stephen what to do there is no room for discussion
- Frayns use of the imperative verb 'put' symbolises the nature of the boys friendship: Keith is clearly the boss
- 'Put it in the logbook' p49
- Keiths response is blunt and demanding
- When investigating Mrs Haywards diary, Stephen pleads 'But if its something private' p49
- Frayn uses language to to present the relationship between Keith and Stephen
- Father
- Become more like him as the novel progresses
- Chapter 4 begins to mirror him
- Telling Stephen to 'Go home if you are bored old bean' p68
- The us elf old bean is an early sign of the emerging sadistic side to Keith who is beginning to echo the words of his father
- Telling Stephen to 'Go home if you are bored old bean' p68
- Chapter 4 begins to mirror him
- The relationship between the two is exaggerated when Keiths adult like behaviour is juxtaposed with Stephens childish pondering
- 'Aunts don't live in the same street as you!' p69
- Even though childish Stephen is often guessing correctly about what he is observing
- He wonders 'What secrets do they have now that they're grown up? Secrets about Uncle Peter perhaps' p70
- Reader laters sees Stephen is correct despite his subservienceKeith, his ignorance of adult life and dislike of the app sex
- Stephen is still managing to to work towards a solution to the mystery
- Contrasts Keiths implausible notions
- When Mrs Hayward disappears at the end of the road Stephen guesses she has gone into 'one of these houses in the Avenue' p73
- Ignored by Keith
- Has his own theory that his mother has gone down a 'manhole' p73
- Juxtaposition to show 2 very contrasting ideas to show the difference between the two boys
- Even though both boys are incorrect it shows the reader Stephen is more logical and Keith irrational
- Stephen may think Keiths version is 'more probable' p73 but the reader knows this is not the case
- Juxtaposition to show 2 very contrasting ideas to show the difference between the two boys
- Has his own theory that his mother has gone down a 'manhole' p73
- Ignored by Keith
- Stephen is still managing to to work towards a solution to the mystery
- Reader laters sees Stephen is correct despite his subservienceKeith, his ignorance of adult life and dislike of the app sex
- He wonders 'What secrets do they have now that they're grown up? Secrets about Uncle Peter perhaps' p70
- Even though childish Stephen is often guessing correctly about what he is observing
- 'Aunts don't live in the same street as you!' p69
- Victim of abuse by his father
- Caned by his father
- Demonstrates typical behaviours of an abuse victims
- Powerless to his father he tries to exert his own power over Stephen
- Shown by calling him 'old bean'p68
- Powerless to his father he tries to exert his own power over Stephen
- tragic victim of abuse
- Become more like him as the novel progresses
- Relationship
- Changes throughout the story
- Initially Keith controls Stephen
- Stephen sees himself as 'the loyal squire and sword bearer that a hero requires' p53
- Metaphor for the relationship that Keith is in control in every way
- Stephen sees himself as 'the loyal squire and sword bearer that a hero requires' p53
- Initially Keith controls Stephen
- Changes throughout the story
- Went on to work as 'a barrister of some sort' p232
- Use of 'some sort' shows Stephens lack of interest
- Because he has outgrown him
- Use of 'some sort' shows Stephens lack of interest
- Not a very nice person
- Stefan
Comments
No comments have yet been made