Lights…..Camera………ACTION!!

 

Director: Cassandra Ferrell

 

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen, and thank you for coming to this pre-production meeting of The Rachel Papers. Has everyone had a chance to get coffee and donuts?….No….sorry no yogurt, but there is fruit, I think.  I just wanted to give you an idea of which direction I wanted to go with this film, give you a chance to meet everyone who will be working on this project, get some input from you on how you see your characters and maybe go over several of the scenes I have in mind. You see, I feel that music underscores life. Music invokes emotion and allows the listener feel the pieces. That, along with the visual of a film, will give the audience a tactile experience allowing them to immerse themselves into a story. Since the character of Charles will be doing narration throughout the majority of the film, I decided that instrumental pieces would be appropriate to give an emotional undertone without competing with the narrations.

As you know this film will be based on a bildungsroman novel by Martin Amis set in the 1970’s; however, I wanted to …..um, yes? Bildungsroman? Bildungsroman is a “coming of age story”. Please, can we hold the questions until the end of the meeting? I wanted to take this story in a different direction. This story is going to be set in 18^th century England along the lines of The History of Tom Jones: A Foundling by Henry Fielding. The costume designers are already working on spectacular pieces and we have orders powdered wigs for everyone. The costumes will be grand and spectacular with well placed plummed feathered hats and incredible jewelry. There will be so much candy for the eye to feast upon! Here is an idea of the direction the costumes will go in:

 

Ok, so let me introduce who you will be working with. Our Charles Highway is going to be Jesse Eisenberg.

 

And his Rachel and the object of his desire is going to be Allison Williams.

 

Chris? Is Chris here yet? Ah! Chris, I’m a big fan. Ok, Deforest will be played by the dreamy Chris Hemsworth.

 

And Lily Cole will play Charles’ “friends with benefits” Gloria.

 

Scene 1:

Ok, so now that the main characters have been introduced and everyone is acquainted let me paint you picture. The film credits open on a black background. This piece is playing as the credits role and will softly underscore the opening monologue:

 

 

The film dissolves to show a pair of hands writing with a quill and parchment. Ink well to his right. Jesse, are you right or left handed?….Ok, inkwell to his left. The camera pulls back to show Jesse or Charles is the owner of the pair of hands. It is early evening and the writing desk is by a window with the final rays of the evening sun streaming in onto the desk as the camera pans around the room. Charles stares out the window and the opening monologue voice over begins. This will be the audience’s introduction to Charles and his thought processes:

Charles: My name is Charles Highway, though you wouldn’t think it to look at me. It’s such a rangy, well-travelled, big-cocked name and, to look at, I am none of these. (flash back begins with Charles looking into a mirror inspecting each feature as the voice-over describes them.) I wear glasses for a start, have done since I was nine. And my medium-length, arseless waistless figure, corrugated ribcage and bandy legs gang up to dispel any hint of aplomb. But I have got one of those fashionable reedy voices, the ones with the habitual ironic twang, excellent for the promotion of oldster unease. And I imagine there’s something oddly daunting about my face, too. It’s angular, yet delicate; thin long nose, wide thin mouth – and the eyes: richly lashed, dark ochre with a twinkle of singed auburn….ah, how inadequate these words seems. (Amis 1-2).

Ok, here’s where the music begins to fade out and the scene is brought back to the present day with Charles sitting writing at his desk.

Scene 2:

As the narration continues, Charles continues to work on his manuscript and at pivotal points of the monologue the story will flashback. For example, when the monologue says, ‘the result being a moist four-pound waif’ the scene will flashback to the audiences first time meeting of Charles’ mother in the throes of labor with midwife standing by. A flashback will occur for every member of the family being introduced and will always return to Charles writing at his desk staring at the setting sun for a moment, looks over at the mantel clock above his fireplace and writes: Seven twenty: London on the parchment. The scene flashes back to Charles riding in a bumpy and jostling carriage trying to sleep but can’t. The score is playing:

 

 

We see Charles arrive at his sister’s house in 18^th century London and retrieve his luggage as the narration continues from Charles about Jenny and Norman with this piece underscoring the flashback to Jenny and Norman’s wedding. Charles is brought out of that flashback when Norman says Gloria will be over and Jenny asks if Gloria will want dinner. When Charles say, ‘Oh no’, looks at the camera with a smirk. Scene cuts to Gloria and Charles in the middle of heated sex with the score continuing to play. A montage of varying animalistic positions of the two will continue the score. The end of the score marks the end of the sex scene. Narration begins about Gloria.

Scene 3:

Now, we’re getting to point of the film where Charles meets Rachel. We see a very affluent manor house with carriages coming and going dropping off eager guests of the ball that can be heard going on inside. The dresses are stunning and the event regal. As the camera follows Geoff and Charles into the manor house the guests are dancing a waltz in its entire splendor. The room is softly lit with massive chandeliers and dancers are spinning while dresses are twirling. This piece is playing:

 

 

After conversation with Geoff, Charles looks around the room and suddenly sees Rachel. The camera pulls in on a close up of his face as he views her and then cuts to Rachel. The music of the waltz starts to fade and become replaced by this piece that can only be heard in Charles’ mind since the dancers are still dancing to the previous waltz as Rachel’s movements are slowed by slow motions almost like a dream.

 

 

Charles seems to move unconsciously towards Rachel like a magnet pulling him towards her in slow motion. Charles stand by for a moment and waits while Rachel finishes her conversation with a few of the party guests and when Charles says “Hello”, the Debussy piece ends abruptly as the music of the waltz continues the camera resumes at normal speed.

Scene 4 – The Snogging Scene:

Now, the scene is Rachel and Charles’ first kiss. Charles has worked hard to woe Rachel over the past several weeks. Unfortunately, he has received a letter from Gloria stating that she has probably given him some sort of sexually transmitted disease. Knowing this information, Charles knows that what happens now is only going to go so far until he can address this issue. So, as Rachel is in Charles’ room they kiss for the first time. Charles is solely intent on pleasing Rachel as they begin to make out with this song underscoring the make out session.

 

 

The movements are soft and tender and both Charles and Rachel are caught up in the moment. Their scene and the music are interrupted when they hear Norman bounding down the stairs. The readjust themselves and their clothing by the time Norman throws open the door. He announces that Charles’ father has arrived and well as “His tarts’ here too!” (Amis 127) This line is the cue for this next piece which underscores the entire next scene with Charles’ father, sister, Norman and the tart which happens like a bad dream. The lines of this scene are heard by the audience but compete with the score as Charles is trying get through this uncomfortable situation as quickly as possible however time will not cooperate:

 

 

Scene 5:

Rachel is spending the weekend with Charles’ family. The scene opens with a carriage wheel, the sounds of a team of horses and this piece.

 

 

As the camera pans back from the carriage wheel to reveal the carriage at a break neck speed, the camera swings into the open window with Deforest looking out of the other side window with a pensive look on his face. Deforest arrives at Charles’ families house as Deforest bursts in to find Rachel. The camera is following his point of view as he searches the rooms of the manor house opening the door to the sitting room to find Charles and Rachel snogging. The music ends on Rachel’s line, “Deforest, what is it?” (Amis 159)

Scene 6:

This is the sex scene between Rachel and Charles. Now, at this point in the film, the viewers are already familiar with Charles’ character (or lack thereof) through his narration of events up to now. This is going to play out like a romance novel of two people engaging in the act of making love for the first time after waiting for so long. It will be romantic and thoughtful. Tender and sensual. The lighting is cast by the fireplace of Charles’ room and a candle lit on the night stand table. The score will play this piece:

 

 

However, Charles’ crude and vulgar narration will be spoken over the scene as Charles describes it in his own words giving an insight to what he is actually thinking and providing a contrast to what is actually taking place. Thus destroying a perfectly good love scene. As the sex scene ends, the scene is cut back to present day with Charles writing at his writing desk. It is evening now and the moon is shining through the window. There is a candle illuminating the manuscript and a fire in the fireplace as Charles writes:

Charles: I feel steadier now. Perhaps The Rachel Papers aren’t in such a mess after all. With some interleaving of Conquests and Techniques: A Synthesis, and an index…? When I’m twenty this will be a thing of the past. The teenage boy is entitled to a certain amount of disorder, and anyway, I’ll mellow tomorrow. (Amis 192)

Scene 7:

As Charles is writing Letter to Rachel the score plays this:

 

 

This piece underscores the writing of the letter, Rachel receiving the letter and reading it, Deforest’s carriage pulling up in front of Charles’ manor house, the final conversation between Charles and Rachel and Charles watching the carriage pull away from the manor house. The viewers do not know if Charles is heartbroken by this revelation or if he is just uncomfortable by the situation. The scene after Rachel leaves is where the movie begins with Charles sitting down at his writing desk as the evening sun is setting.

The scene cuts back to present time. It is evening and Charles looks up from his manuscript at his writing desk and out the window at the moonlit landscape. He turns and looks at the mantle clock which indicates 12:00am midnight. He gathers up his manuscript blowing on the final paper to dry the ink so not to smudge it. He files the parchment into a leather binder and ties the ribbon and places the binder on the shelf behind his bed. He pulls out a new sheet of parchment onto his writing table, returns the quill to the ink well and blows out the candle. Fade to black as this piece plays for the final credits.

 

 

Ok, Folks, that’s how things are going to progress. We start filming in two weeks so please have the first 4 or 5 scenes memorized by then. I think that’s all I have for you and thank you for coming. Any questions? No? Ok, then……. That’s a wrap!

 

Amis, Martin. The Rachel Papers. New York: Harmony Books, 1988. Print.

 

The Rachel Papers (The Movie)

                                  -Wendy Dinsmore

My movie version of The Rachel Papers would be a dramatic comedy. A young male reminisce over his sexual encounters of the last few months of his teenage life. The movie will be set in today’s time, in Seattle, Washington as Charles attends the University of Washington. (I chose this place because in the novel they are always drinking tea; I will replace tea with coffee and Seattle is the birth place of Starbucks coffee shop.) Their wardrobe will be consistent with the style of college students in today’s time. (jeans, t-shirts, platted shirts, converse, flip-flops, etc.)

The main Characters will be played by:

Josh Hutcherson as Charles Highway

 

Hayden Panettiere as Rachel Noyes

 

Alex Pettyfer as Deforest Hoeniger

 

James Franco as Geoffrey

 

Lindsay Lohan as Gloria

 

Music Playlist:

“So Close  Now” – Eli Young Band 

This song will be played during the opening credits and pans through Charles parents house as he packs and gets ready to leave and headed to Seattle to stay with his sister and brother-in-law while he attends the University of Washington. This song is about someone living their home town and moving forward and pursuing their dreams. This song is great for the opening credits while Charles packs and tries to say good bye to his family before he leaves and realizes that no one really cares. He then getting on the long bus ride to Seattle and begins writing.

 

“Get Lucky” – Daft Punk

This song will play over Charles and Gloria’s sexual interactions together at his sister’s house. Norma refers to it as “Just Fuck and Coffee” (24) Charles and Gloria jump right in bed together “undressed like lifeguards” (27). This song was chosen because of the lyric “We’re up all night to get lucky” Charles continues to pleasure Gloria even though he is tired and wants to go to bed now. But he muscles through the pain.

 

“Summer Love” – Justin Timberlake

This song will play in the background at the party where Charles first sees Rachel walk in a lean up against the wall. Charles then begins to try to like of things to say to her to get her attention without being blown off. Charles and his friends will break out in a hip hop dance as Charles approaches Rachel. I picked this song for this scene because some of the lyrics are what Charles might have been thinking about in this time period to try and get a girls attention. This song also has a good beat and a dance/party like feeling to it.

 

“Some Nights”- Fun

This song will take place in the scene when Charles goes to have tea with Rachel after her class for the first time and meets Deforest. The song will start playing in the background when they all pile into the car and dive to the coffee shop. The song will continue to play over the coffee shops speakers as they all sit down to have coffee and Charles is left standing.

This song was picked because throughout the movie Charles refers back to his notes that he has written about Rachel to try and find out/remember what kind of person she was. One of the lyrics that stands out to me is, “This is it boy, this is war” Charles is subconsciously trying to take Rachel away from Deforest. He sort of sees it as a challenge and will not give up.

 

“A Day in the Life” – Beatles

This song will play out like it did in the novel on page 96. The song will play softly in the background when Charles and Rachel have their first kiss. The author of the novel seemed to make the background of this scene in the novel very specific so why change it?

 

 “Honestly” – Cartel

This song will play in the background over the store speakers that Rachel and Charles spend time together at in Notting Hill Gate Smith’s. Rachel begins to open up to Charles and tells him about her life and interests. This song is significant because Charles learns more about Rachel is really into her. He wants to be able to spend more time with her. He wishes that he could just tell her to dumb Deforest and be with him.

 

“Ill be (Your Crying Shoulder)”- Jeremy Kay

This song will begin play during Charles and Rachel first sexual encounter together, after they get back from the store. The song will slowly play through the love scene as they begin to truly fall in love with one another. This song becomes significant later on in the story because, just like the lyrics “I’ll be your crying shoulder”, Rachel does use Charles shoulder to cry one.

 

“Disease” – Matchbox 20

This song will play in the scene when Charles cheats on Rachel with Gloria. The song will begin when Gloria lifts her shirt up and Charles begins to undo buttons. Ironically, Gloria actually did give him a sexually transmitted disease earlier in the story. This song also helps reflect on that Charles has a “disease” or trouble controlling his sexual urges. He tries to resist but Gloria’s “wonderfully unsubtle, unliterary big breasts.”(188) pulls him back into a trans.

 

“Somebody That I Use to Know” – Gotye

This song will begin playing in the last scene (“The Break Up scene”) in the background when Rachel comes over to talk with Charles. The song will progress louder when they are done talking and Rachel is about to walks out of the room and leaves Charles staring at The Annotated Blake she had left him.

I picked this song because it is about two people breaking up. One lyric that stood out to me in the song was “I was glad that it was over”. This was relevant to the novel because Charles just wants Rachel to leave. “I wish she would go and let me mourn in peace.” (206)

“To Close” – Alex Clare

This song will be played at the ending credits while it scrolls through the actors and actresses names. This song is significant because it reflects back on him in the beginning of the movie; leaving home to move forward with his life, and also at the end when he breaks up with Rachel and moves on with his life as well. Some of the lyrics really stood out to me when hearing this song. “How do I say that I need to move on?”, “There is nothing that I can really say” referring back to Charles in the break up scene asking Rachel “What can I say?” (206

 

 

The Rachel Papers: The Novel in Music

My film version of The Rachel Papers would be a British version of a John Hughes film; a coming of age, teen comedy. I am thinking some combination of Igby Goes Down and The Girl Next Door. The film would be set in the late eighties, an interesting time during the British music scene, adding to character of the film. The film would ultimately feel youthful, free, yet intensely reflective.
The film would develop two distinct patterns set to music; contemplative and extroverted. I would focus on Charles Highway’s existential development by showing him on the train, perhaps with a pensive song playing or by filming him walking through London with long, panning shots. Furthermore, I would feature scenes of London nightlife, an atmosphere essential to the novel. The characters would reflect the clothes of the eighties and the social class of the novel, very brat-packish. In terms of the soundtrack, it would feature mostly eighties songs, with a couple of sixties songs to emphasize youthful rebellion.

The Rachel Papers

1. I Want Your Sex – George Michael
This song is a frank, honest expression of sexual longing and desire. George Michael’s lyrics almost echo Charles Highway’s own opinion. Michael singing, “sex is best when it’s one on one” is very similar to “I grant you, must see it largely as a matter of obligation, too: but obligation to the partner, not to oneself, like us” (Amis 18). Sex is primarily a matter of self-satisfaction. Just like Charles, George Michael tells his audience honestly what he wants.
2. Forever Young – Alphaville
This song reflects Charles’ feelings about youth and encapsulating a moment in his youth. Charles knows his youth is over but wishes for it to last forever. The song is contemplative like Charles in some moments of his self- assessment. The overall tone of the song is lighthearted and youthful, indicative of eighties teen pop. This song reflects one of the biggest themes of The Rachel Papers
3. Head Over Heels – Tears For Fears
This song reflects The Rachel Papers both thematically and structurally. The lyrics are written as a kind of analysis of a girl, just like the novel. In addition, the mood of the song is dreamlike, the opening feels poised yet highly expressive; I imagine Charles and Rachel walking together to this song. The song also speaks the emotional side of longing, verging obsession. Ultimately this song reminds me of a calculated crush on a girl, much like Charles has cultivated for Rachel.
4. This Charming Man – The Smiths
This song represents The Rachel Papers syntactically as well as thematically. This song focuses on self-analysis of the sharpest kind. The lyrics are witty and full of British jargon that is reminiscent of Amis’ writing. The song takes us through an evening of getting ready to go out, just as the novel does. Overall, This Charming Man is meant to be an ironic title, which would also fit Charles Highway.
5. I Touch Myself – The Divinyls
This song reflects the honest long of some for another person, yet focused on self-satisfaction; which like Charles says, is the best kind. Both the sound of the song and the lyrics reflect Charles’ mental state. He is obsessed with sex; the song repeats the same lyrics over and over again, creating the image of obsession or at least, dedication. Charles thinks much in the same way that the singer does, focusing on herself, using the other person. This view of sex is almost identical to Charles’.
6. There is a Light That Never Goes Out – The Smiths
This is reflects the prose style of Amis and a youthful night out on the town. The singer is commiserating about his desire to be young and in love. The message of the song is to savor youth while you are young because it is fleeting. This is also a theme of The Rachel Papers, being open to the world around you, soaking in the social life as a means of contemplating society.
7. Friday: I’m in Love – The Cure
This song reflects the theme and structure of The Rachel Papers. The song recounts a week of time during a relationship. The novel recounts a night in a relationship. The episodic structure allows the listener/reader to directly follow the thoughts of the singer/writer. Overall this song creates a realistic portrayal of the modern relationship, something Amis also does in a way.
8. Time of the Season – The Zombies
This song reflects the spirit of The Rachel Papers. The song represents freedom, love, and taking advantage of youth. This song is about celebrating each other through sex. This aspect particularly connects to Charles and his views. But for Charles, it also represents celebrating himself, which seemingly is his ultimate goal.
9. Leaves That Are Green – Simon & Garfunkel
This song represents the fading relationship of Charles and Rachel and youth in general. Just like the song says, the youth that Charles enjoys now will wither away. This song also contains allusions to a “poem I want to write” making a connection to writing at form of self – expression. This is significant because Charles plans on becoming a writer, his final words are “I refilled my pen.” Again, pointing to the significance of writing.
10. Happy Birthday – New Kids On The Block
This version of the birthday classic is especially pertinent to the novel because the novel takes place on Charles birthday and it is from the eighties (it is also hilarious). The novel revolves around the twentieth birthday of Charles Highway, celebrating his self- proclaimed departure from youth. Charles also plots the seduction of a young lady named Rachel on this very night, a type of birthday present. Overall, this song sums up the literal setting of the novel.

The Rachel Papers/The Lust Diaries

My RE-write Movie Ideas?!!
In my interpretation of the new The Rachel Papers I would change the name of the story to The Lust Diaries. My character would be female but her journey would be a bit different. She would be a beautiful Caribbean Island girl but she is very insecure, therefor causing her to yearn for love and attention, but the men that she meets are old and not realistic for finding happiness. Her name would be Chauncey and she would have 4 siblings all girls each different in their own way but, still no father figure in the picture, causing her to have “daddy issues”. Chauncey and her friend Shne would leave the Island together, and experience life in the US.
Chauncey would keep a journal about her escapades, and eventually meet the man of her dreams, Joseph, or so she thought and he would bring along bad things, drugs, bad luck, and eventually break her heart. Chauncey feels that love is the only thing keeping her alive, and in the moment of weakness when she wasn’t looking for attention and trying to better herself, she meets a man named Ramsey who would turn her life around. When Chauncey is older and reminiscing about her life she will decide to write a story about her experiences.
Forever Young-Alphaville
When the novel opens we are introduced to Charlie Highway a young man who is going to be traveling to Oxford soon. He describes himself as a bit nerdy but then the attention turns to his age. “Twenty may not be the start of maturity but in all conscience, it’s the end of youth (Amis 3).” Many people feel this way when you think about modern society.
Charlie however felt that “there were several teenage things still to be done; get a job, have a first love, and well just marshal in my childhood” (Amis 6). I liked how Amis incorporated a saying that we are all familiar with, “You are only as old as you feel” isn’t necessarily a quote that you could prove true or false. I felt that this song was appropriate in a sense to describe Charlie’s journey from teenager to man. Chauncey in the opening of the film would experience some of the some feelings as Charlie with the exception of feeling sad about leaving home but happy about her new journey in life.

Papa Was A Rolling Stone-The Temptations
Charlie Highway is one of six children that his parents have together, 4 boys including Charlie and 2 girls. “The thing is that I am a member of that sad, ever-dwindling minority…the child of an unbroken home. I have carried this albatross since the age of eleven” (Amis 7). In today’s society it would be easy for many students and adults to be able to relate to this type of “minority”. It is very normal to be raised in a single parent household.
Charlie gives us a bit of background on his family, “My father has in all sired six children. I used to suspect that he had had so many just to show the catholicity of his tastes, to bolster his image as tolerant patriarch to inform the world that his loins were rich in sons (Amis 8). For some time now his ferrety favors have been the preserve of his mistress, as I was assured at the age of fifteen by my elder brother” (9) Papa was a rolling stone is a song that suggests that the man described “Papa” was very promiscuous. Although Charlie’s father did not have any other children it seemed fitting to relate this song to him since he does in fact have a mistress. This song would fit in perfect with my movie because Chauncey doesn’t have her father in the picture at all therefor her papa would be a rolling stone in terms of he moves around a lot.
Petula Clark – Downtown & On The Road Again Willie Nelson
I chose the song Downtown because I felt it was perfect for how Charlie may have been feeling when he was at home, miserable but he would feel better once he left and went “downtown” which really would be Oxford. “Elation was gathering on me like a drug-I smiled at my fellow passengers, gazed interestedly out of the window, and was polite and deferential to the transport operative, producing the correct money and enunciating my destination clearly” (Aims 12)
Charlie explains that “London is where people go in order to come back from it sadder and wiser. But I had already been there-returned form it only three weeks before in fact.” (Aims 12) I chose the song On the Road again because this was not Charlie’s first trip to Oxford as he explained to the readers. He seems very elated about leaving home. Chauncey would be able to relate to this because she would be happy about leaving the Island but sad at the fact that she is leaving her family behind.
Linkin Park-Lying From You
Lying From You is a song about a kid who feels that he has to lie to get away. In the moment up until Charlie meets Gloria he begins to think about the lie he may have told her. “I wondered if there were any important lies I had told her which it would be worth reacquainting myself with, but could think of none.” (Aims 16)
Modern students would relate really well with this song and the story because at some point in time we all lie to impress someone or make ourselves look more appealing to the opposite sex. Charlie tried really hard to think about any other lies he had told Gloria, “which reminded me (him); there was another lie; I was friendly with Mick Jagger.” (Aims 17) This song would also work well with my interpretation because Chauncey being from the Islands would not have much money and she has to lie in order to succeed overseas. On the island she has family and friends so money is a non-factor.
Bad Romance — Lady Gaga
I chose Bad Romance because it is the perfect song to describe the relationship Charlie has with Gloria. It is just sex. He spends the time after wondering, “What did I feel for her? Ambiguous lust, genial conscension, and gratitude. It didn’t seem enough” (Aims 25) They don’t have anything serious going on and this could also relate to my interpretation because the relationships Chauncey has are all Bad Romances until Ramsey.
Joseph is the man that Chauncey believed would make her happy forever but ended up breaking her heart. “I want your love and all your lovers revenge you and me could write a Bad Romance” (Lady Gaga).
That Girl- Justin Timberlake
Charlie I mesmerized by Rachel and gets lost in her presence. He scurries up enough courage to call her while he is out on the town. “You probably don’t remember me (why should you?) but in fact we met at the party in August? August 9th? I was wondering…” (Aims 29) I chose this song because I feel that it exasperates how infatuated a person could be with someone else, for example one moment in the song Timberlake explains how this girl of his dreams has been running through his mind all day. “She lit a cigarette. That would give me five precious minutes in which to think” (Aims 30). Charlie continues on to intensely describe Rachel and every detail about her body, while still informing us that she was “a bit out of (his) my league really.” (Aims 30)

Day Dream Lupe Fiasco
I felt that this song is a good interpretation of the novel, The Lust Diaries because Chauncey would have moments that she daydreams about how life in the US could, but she continues to wake up on the Island. Chauncey wishes and hopes for a better future and eventually releasing her diary and the stories about her past sets her up for success. This song is the ultimate day dream, waking up and imagining this world that is perfectly perfect and what you know your life is supposed to be like.
In relation to The Rachel Papers, I feel that Charlie in the beginning was just dreaming about what he and Rachel could have, and eventually his dream becomes a reality for a moment. Charlie can’t wait for the moment that he is able to see, spend time and sleep with Rachel. Although his “dreams” were accomplishing teenage things before he became an adult, Chauncey’s ultimate dream other than happiness is Love.
Girls Girls Girls- Jay Z
I chose this song because in reading the novel it seems as if Charlie is all about sex. Sex seems to be an important part of his life, or maybe it was just the idea of sex, since he never had sex with Coco. “Coco was the sixteen year old daughter of a Lebanese economics professor. I kept our correspondence because it made me feel active and in demand, and because I like showing off in letters” (59) Charlie is what I would call an attention whore. He wants to be noticed although he doesn’t think he looks the best he still feels that he deserves the consideration.
Girls Girls Girls is a song about a man who is in love with women. I felt that it was fitting for the novel, especially after reading the section about how Charlie felt he had enough never to call Rachel immediately after sleeping with Gloria. This song could also be on the soundtrack for The Lust Diaries because even though the title is about Girls, it’s about someone who is in love with the opposite sex. Chauncey isn’t in love with Guys but the idea of ultimate happiness with the one guy that she is supposed to be with.

Amis, Martin. The Rachel Papers. 1973. Vintage International. 13-19. EBook.

Iris Murdoch’s Philosophy of Love

Love, and so art and morals, is the discovery of reality.  – Iris Murdoch

         In her novel The Bell, Iris Murdoch explores the moral lives of different members of a religious community. The novel opens with the perspective of Dora Greenfield, an unhappy wife returning to her husband, Paul, in London.  When she gets to London, she realizes he Paul isn’t there and meets him where he is working, a small religious community called Imber Court. At this point, Murdoch introduces the perspectives of a young boy, Toby, also a visitor to Imber Court, and to the community’s leader, Michael. As the story of the bell progresses, Murdoch introduces her moral philosophy through the journey of her characters: each of them ultimately seeking the concept of good and accept a moral change. The transformation of these characters represents an exercise of Murdoch’s philosophy. Ultimately, the novel as a whole represents an extension of her moral outlook.

            In addition to The Bell, Murdoch wrote many philosophical works and articles about philosophers. Murdoch’s research and knowledge of philosophy leads to a cultivated moral standard.

In her article, “Iris Murdoch and the Nature of Good,” Elizabeth Burns writes;

The prevalent model of the moral life has tended to support the assumption that there is only one way to be moral. Iris Murdoch’s concept of Good is a central feature of her moral theory; in Murdoch’s thought, attention to the Good is the primary means of improving our moral conduct. (Burns, 303)

The author expresses that Murdoch replaces God with good and makes the search for “good” central to moral truth. Burns further explains that, “According to Murdoch, our moral task is to defeat our ‘natural’ egoism. She suggests that the techniques of Plato can help us to achieve this” (Burns, 303). The author explains that according to Murdoch’s philosophy in order to love we have to overcome our innate Freudian ego and see through the eyes of another. As readers, we see examples of this in The Bell, specifically through the relationships of the characters.

            Furthermore, the theme of love as the key to moral happiness is explored in The Bell. There are many instances of spiritual and physical love in the novel, culminating in the symbol of the bell itself.Again according to Burns;

The force which, in Miss Murdoch’s opinion, most powerfully combats convention by provoking a sympathetic understanding of another individual is love; for, as she defines it, love is ‘the imaginative recognition of, that is respect for,’ the otherness of another person. (556)

The author explains that Murdoch bases most of her moral philosophy on love and the exploration of the world through the desire to do good things. We also see this aspect of Murdoch’s philosophy in the relationships in The Bell, as we see different manifestations of love that are equally fulfilling; we simultaneously see the consequences of denying love.

            Overall, Murdoch was in her own sense a philosopher; she wrote extensively about philosophy and incorporated many aspects of this into her other works. In The Bell, Murdoch illustrates her philosophy through her characters. Dora, Toby, and Michael all go through a spiritual change or awakening, their changes affect each other and the world around them. Ultimately, Murdoch seeks to merge love and morality into one attainable object, her work represents the search for fulfillment through love.

Works Cited

Burns, Elizabeth. “Iris Murdoch and the Nature of Good.” Religious Studies 3rd ser. 33 (1997): 303-13. Print.

Hauerwas, Stanley. “The Self as Story: Religion and Morality from the Agent’s Perspective.”JSTOR. The Journal of Religious Ethics, Fall 1973. Web. 4 Aug. 2013.

Kaehele, Sharon, and Howard German. “The Discovery of Reality in Iris Murdoch’s The Bell.”Modern Language Association 7th ser. 82 (1967): 554-63. The Discovery of Reality in Iris Murdoch’s The Bell. Web. 4 Aug. 2013.

The Chime of “The Bell”

Cassandra Ferrell

            I’ve always had a fascination with bells. I believe this fascination stems from early childhood. Some of my earliest memories (even at my advancing age) are of Christmas time with my parents and older brothers. Christmas in our household was a magical season. I say season because it was a three day event that consisted of traveling to the Hill Country of Texas to visit our large expanse of relatives then back to D/FW to spend time with the other side of the expansive family and finally climaxing on Christmas morning with the long awaited arrival of Santa during the night and spending the morning with just Mom, Dad and my brothers. In 1958 during Momma and Daddy’s first Christmas as man and wife, Momma had purchased a set of 12 porcelain hand-painted bells in San Francisco where Daddy was stationed in the Army and theses bells nestled every Christmas in our Christmas tree. They were simply gorgeous. They were dainty and fragile and the little tinkle they made was just as dainty and fragile. Every once in a while, when one of us kids would get rambunctious as kids do, we would run into the tree or just nearly run into it causing all 12 bells to tinkle with all their little might at the same time. I loved hearing that sound. That sound was one of the many confirmations of sights, sounds and smells that I associated with the magic of the holidays. Thanks to It’s a Wonderful Life; I truly did believe bells had magical properties because there must have been a lot of angels who needed wings.

                As I grew older, my fascination with bells continued. My mother would have to drag myself and my brothers out of bed every Sunday morning to go to church. We would stagger into the kitchen for breakfast like we were destined to for a work camp resenting the idea of such an early hour existing on a weekend. However, once we got to church, I wouldn’t allow my mother to herd us into the chapel until I got to see the chapel bell ring to indicate the beginning of services below the steeple. I stood there as long as my mother’s patience held out watching the bell sway from side to side listening to the deep resonance of the tone as the clapper would strike one side, hesitate on the down swing and finally strike the other side. I was mesmerized by the sound and the motion. It was almost hypnotic like watching a pendulum on a grandfather clock.

                These are the thoughts that ran through my mind when I first looked at the cover of The Bell by Iris Murdoch. As I read the novel, I started to notice a pattern. Maybe it was my mindset as I prepared to read. However, I started to notice a swaying and motion that Murdoch used as the characters started to develop and the reader became familiar with the settings. A motion between settings and swaying between coupled characters that could be termed as a yin and yang reminiscent of the motion of a bell. While we read Mrs. Dalloway, we learned the term as doubling. I feel with The Bell it is more than that. There are opposites that pair good with evil, moral with immoral and idealism with realism.

                I first noticed this phenomenon in the opening chapter regarding Dora’s relationship with Paul and Noel. Dora’s father died when she was young. Subconsciously, Dora was looking for approval from a father figure. She found that father figure in Paul. However, her illusion slowly deteriorates as she begins to realize that she is unable to meet Paul’s almost unattainable standards. Dora feels dismissed by Paul’s friends and victimized by Paul’s abusive tactics to push her to grow up. “It seemed to her that Paul was urging her to grow up, and yet had left her no space to grow up into.” (Murdoch 17). In contrast, Noel was easy going and gentle. He exclaims to Dora, “I am the most frivolous man in the world”. (Murdoch 20) Noel was fun and free. Everything Paul wasn’t. Through the novel, Dora became the symbolic “clapper” running between Paul until he resonated and then she would hesitate on the down swing before striking Noel tolling the other side of her bell.

                Another opposite pairing that Murdoch uses is the setting between London and Imber Court. London is where Dora could live her “bohemian” lifestyle anonymously free of judgment. London is exciting and cosmopolitan. Dora’s actions were not questioned and she was never forced to reflect on her poor choices if she didn’t want to. London is modern and progressive always moving forward. Imber Court, however, is old fashioned resisting the move forward as symbolized by the debate of the cultivator. Imber Court is unyielding and judgmental expecting all of their inhabitants to fall in line. They are pious and believe in hard manual work. Dora was forced to face her transgressions head on and expected to be repentant of them. Once again, Dora is the symbolic “clapper” swinging from one place to the other.

                An obvious yin and yang pairing is Michael and James. Michael is the reluctant leader. He only feels obliged to lead because of his familial ties to Imber Court. Although Michael served in the army, he never went overseas nor did he see combat. Michael has spent his life hiding and suppressing his homosexual tendencies. James, on the other hand, is the natural born leader that has refused leadership. He is a “man’s man”. He served in the army as well yet he saw combat making him hard and rigid. For James, the world is simply black and white. This opposite pairing is obviously apparent in the addresses they both give on consecutive Sundays to the brotherhood. In the article “Iris Murdoch’s The Bell: Tragedy, Love, and Religion” by Kenneth Masong, Masong eloquently explains the addresses like this:

“In the two homilies, though James and Michael both spoke of the requirement of the good life, their view of it diverged; and though both utilized the imagery of the bell to tell a point, they were telling divergent points. For James the bell is an image of the marks of innocence to which we all need to cling, over that of the human desire to see experience….For Michael, also speaking of the requirement of the good life, one has to attain a certain degree of self-knowledge, ‘some conception of one’s capacities.’ As James speaks on the level of universals, on that which should be in all cases, Michael addresses himself in the plane of the particularities of human uniqueness and individuality.” (Masong  27)

Through the pairing of these opposite characters, Murdoch poses the question: Can a person be an individual and still be religious? This time it is the reader that swings back and forth methodically as the bell of morality is struck.

There are so many opposite doublings throughout the novel The Bell that, for length’s sake, I cannot mention. I don’t know if Murdoch intentionally built her characters to reflect the pendulum motion of a bell taking the reader from one point of view to another or if it is just my own personal fascination with bells that have manifested.  However, this novel was the most existential and cerebral of the novels that we have read so far.  I haven’t yet decided whether I like The Bell. I can say, though, that I am completely in awe of Murdoch’s ability for subtly and intricate design of her novel.

On a final note, I can’t bring myself to post my blog without a Youtube clip. There is one other thing that was brought to mind every time I picked this novel up. It is a song from my childhood that I would occasionally hear when I would watch The Grand Ol’ Opera with my grandparents. I would literally start humming this as I would flip through the book to find where I had left off from my previous reading. What can I say? I’m a quirky person!

Murdoch, Iris. The Bell. New York: Penguin Books, 2001. Print.

Masong, Kenneth. “Iris Murdoch’s The Bell: Tragedy, Love, and Religion”. Kritike : An Online Journal of Philosophy, 2008, Vol.2(1), p.11 [Peer Reviewed Journal] Web. 31 July 2013

Iris Murdoch

 

Iris Murdoch introduced us to The Bell a story she had written with a multi-character analysis and over view on their personal lives as well as an actual Bell. Murdoch was born in “Dublin to Anglo-Irish parents on July 15, 1919, Murdoch moved to London with her parents at an early age but returned to Ireland frequently to visit relatives” (1 Bove). “Iris Murdoch writes in the English realist tradition, so it is not surprising that her novels are filled with the upper middleclass intellectuals and artists who form her world. She has stated her admiration for the great nineteenth century realists, and her writing has been compared to that of Fyodor Dostoevsky and George Eliot” (3 Bove). Murdoch seems to believe in the Plato and Freud philosophy’s and applies these methods to her writings.

“Her moral philosophy and characterization reflect Murdoch’s position as a Platonist. She believes that truth and vision are illusive and that individuals are relegated to an illusory life and have only intimations of truth. Her characters display an awareness of truth which is commensurate with their spiritual development. Only those who are able to lose themselves and attend diligently to the concerns of others are capable of moral advancement. She accepts the Freudian explanation of the psyche as egoistic and believes the natural inclination of the psyche is for consolation and protection.” (Bove 5)

 

I chose this photo because it reminds me of how I saw Dora’s character in the beginning of the novel. Her character did change some in a sense of her trying to become her own woman but ultimately Dora was young and the scenarios of swapping the bell signifies her transition to really become herself. “Dora Greenfield left her husband because she was afraid of him” (1) in this very instance this is our first introduction to Dora one of the main characters in Murdoch’s novel The Bell. Initially when I first began reading I was expecting to be introduced to a character who was in an abusive relationship, but that was not the case at all. Dora Greenfield married young, admired some aspects of her husband but ultimately, “discovered that it was not so easy as she had imagined to grow into being Paul’s wife” (3). Dora married a man 13 years older that her one whom she had only admired, “the nobility of character she saw in him, and because he was so more grown up than her” (2). She married Paul for being someone more mature, someone she hoped she herself would eventually become.
“She had a round well-formed face and a large mouth that liked to smile. Her eyes were dark slaty blue and rather long and large. Her hair was golden brown and grew in a long flat strip down the side of her head like ferns growing down a rock. This was attractive” (9). Although Dora was described as being very attractive it seems as if she still felt, “to be enclosed to one another” (11) for Paul to have power over Dora was her sense and new thought of what a marriage was.

 

“Have faith in God and remember that He will in His own way and in His own time compete what we so poorly attempt” (218) this coming from the Abbess as she speaks to Michael. Many of the characters we are introduced to have some type of battle with religion. “Michael felt himself to be one of them who can live neither in the world nor out of it” (71). “They are the kind of sick people whose desire for God makes them unsatisfactory citizens of an ordinary life…”(71). Michael recognized spiritual authority. . “Dora’s ignorance of religion, as of most things, was formidable. She had never in fact been able to distinguish religion from superstition and had given up her own practice of it…” (7). Toby experiences a moment in the story when he is trying to pray but every little sound creates a disturbance and doesn’t allow him to concentrate. Michael’s repression of his homosexuality blocks his spirituality, and Murdoch attributes this satisfaction to Dora after sleeping with Toby. I chose this photo because it represents in my opinion what each character was battling with whether it be live or religion because there is always a right and wrong or good and bad way to do something. I always believed that if you could imagine that there is evil in the world that there is also good and vise versa. “God can always show us, if we will, a higher and better way; and we can only learn to love by loving. Remember that all our failures are ultimately failures in love. Imperfect love must not be condemned and rejected but made perfect” (219).

 

Cassandra Israel

Bove, Cheryl Browning. Understanding Iris Murdoch. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1993. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 31 July 2013

 

Murdoch, Iris. The Bell. Penguin Group (USA) Inc 1958