Susan is a miserable woman whose life evolves around her husband Geoffrey the Vicar. Being the vicars wife gives Susan no privilages, only some of which enforce rules that she does not believe in. For example, religion and Jesus. Being an older woman who has certainly made an effort to keep in Geoffreys good graces, her sarcasm becomes more emotionally developed as she finds that her one true love is the affair that she is soon to have with the grocer Ramesh. Being funny does not come naturally, however to Susan it does seem that way as her spontaneous speech gives her a very straightforward way of expressing her feelings, that almost makes her seem helpless. ‘I have is to shove my chrysanthemums up her nose’. This extract is an example of the humour tht Bennet likes to show. It is humourable because the audience does not expect an older woman like Susan to be violent; also contradicting the fact that she is the Vicars wife and so she should act accordingly. ‘He has lovely teeth’. This gives us the sense that Susan can easily be distracted. The humour is in the fact that she changes the topic almost instantly from calling her ‘Mrs Vicar too’ to the appearance of Ramesh. Thus immiently foreshadowing what is later on to come.
The humour is very subtle only coming out when Susan feels the need to comment on a subject of her dislike. It is very personal, thus making her stories the topic of interest. The humour can only been felt when us, the reader, knows the whole story.
Sadness is expressed in many ways since the main character is unhappy with her life. She only knows she’s happy when Ramesh is around, thus giving her some joy of life. However as she wakes up every day, she finds that Geoffrey is out, leaving her at home even in a state where she is ill. This can cause the reader to sympathise Susan and the horrible relationship that she is fighting to keep alive. Sleeping with Ramesh did not make the reader take pity on her however the reader must feel relieved that maybe there is hope for Susan to be happy. Susan’s questions on Jesus seem to make Geoffrey nervous or unhappy. The fact that he leaves suddenly remembering ‘he was burying somebody in five minutes’ increases the doubt and awareness that maybe he doesn’t love Susan. She could just be a good role model as a Vicars wife, leaving him with no personal affection towards her but only the thought that she is accepted by everyone else. Not only that, but when Susan ‘slipped’ down the altar steps, Geoffrey seems to take no action in caring for her.
The foreshadowing is very subtle, not giving much away.
Susan’s affair with Ramesh seems to be foreshadowed. The way she explains how she feels and what her does gives us the feeling that something could happen between them. The tension of will she, or wont she have the affair increases the readers interest. Her thoughts about Ramesh include ‘He’s quite athletic himself’, ‘He has lovely teeth’ and ‘He calls me Mrs Vicar too, only it’s different’.
‘only its different’. This quote is key hint that maybe she has a slight crush on Ramesh or that maybe she is comparing him to Geoffrey. But who could blame her?
Gemma Lucas
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