Larsson / Truffault - Magnificent!! - JK Cosmos

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Stieg Larsson Transitions – 

From Character to Character & Story to Story Major narration, first with Blomvist and then Salander and the question becomes how to have the overlaps of the stories entwined in such a way that it is crafted seamlessly and effortlessly. Larsson considers both characters and so the inquiry is how to mesh the tales in order to show the plot-lines first as indivisible plots and then as overlapping. The craft of transitions to clarify not confuse is effectively accomplished in this novel. Analyzing the language and the structure of the chapters supports the premise that Larsson is a master at transitions and storytelling. 

 The initial overlap is when Salander is asked to investigate Blomvist in the capacity of her employment with a security firm. She is interested in the dilemma of the inquiry and his recent conviction for slander and libel, necessitating incarceration, in addition to a hefty fine. Her investigation comes to a halt at the client’s request and concurrently, the client invites Blomvist to work for the Owner of a conglomerate with dual purposes. How does this assignment for Blomvist add depth to Salander’s story. The narration moves in a parallel way without the two characters meeting or having knowledge of each other. The transitions from his view to hers is planned to coincide with events that may or may not lead to the ‘ah ha moment’ of uncovering a murderer. The narration switches from each of them, through the events, not particularly chapters as other writers may choose to format the story. 

 I think that the event-driven transitions and point of view change-ups is effective. “The lawyer Frode from Hedestad had hired her to do an investigation of Mikael Blomkvist, the journalist who was given a prision sentence for libeling financier Hans-Eriuk Wennerstrom. A few months later, Henrik Vanger, also from Hedestad, joins Blomkvist’s magazine’s board of directors and claims that there is a conspiracy to crush the magazine. All this one the same day that the former goes to prison. Most fascinating of all: a two-year-old background article –‘With two empty hands’- about Hans-Erik Wennerstrom, which she found in the outline edition of Monopoly Financial Magazine. It seemed that he began his career in the very same Vanger Corporation in the late sixties. You didn’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that these events were somehow related. There had to be a skeleton in one of their cupboards, and Salander loved hunting skeletons. Besides, she had nothing else on at the moment.” Larsson p. 271. The above quote refers to Salander’s perspective as Blomkvist presents himself at the prison for his sentence to begin. 

 Both prior and subsequent to his incarceration, events are dramatic and viewed by each according to their age, station and education, but very purposefully. The stories do run concurrently after each is engaged in a path of discovery and prior to any firm conclusions as to the murder. The transition between both lives and events is not a smooth pathway in terms of what is happening to each of them. It is smooth in regard to the language and structure of the narration. Larsson pulls together clues for the murder simultaneously giving clues to the corporate corruption and Salander’s inquisitive mind and search for facts and inevitably truth. 

 Beyond chapter breaks, Larsson writes methodically to give each story a deeper texture and a clearer comprehension of the engagement of both stories. It is written like a film outline with the chapters and stories paced to keep the reader engaged and pursuing similar outcomes of the characters. Truffault, the French director, used this technique of overlapping and transitions in his film-noirs and this technique used by Larsson is reminiscent of that genre of film and perhaps writing, at least in screenwriting of the day. The technique enhances the plot development and enriches the narration. Larsson use of this literary craft is a successful one. 

 Works cited. Larsson, Stieg: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Vintage Crime/Random House, NYC, NY, 2008. (translated by Reg Keeland) Truffault, Francois: Day for Night (1973).

The Children's Book - A.S. Byatt

The Children’s Book – A. S. Byatt
Transitions – Past, Present - Connections
The plot has flashes of stories within the main story and Byatt effectively transitions from one time to another; from past to present seamlessly. This ability in her craft of writing the novel reflects an unique skill to move the plot and layer the storytelling. Analyzing her novel shows that the layering and the transitions between stories and flashbacks are not only useful but add an energy and a tenure which works well.
A book is written for each child in the main story and the mother/author has the ability to tell a tale and successfully capture the energy and pulse of each story. Byatt writes with details and significant language to describe at length the story. Rather than discourage the reader, the transitions and the details elaborate the telling.
“Toby had been lecturing in Winchelsea and Lydd, in the winter and spring, speaking about the Saxon fairy-faith, and the Paracelsiona elementals. He had become a great friend fo Patty Dace, Frank Mallett and Arthur Dobbin. The inner group of the Theosophists had held discussions of Edward Carpenter’s Love’s Coming of Age in Miss Dace’s parlour.” P.201.
This quote relates to a time of youth and connections which relate to the plot later in time.
A story within a story and how it fits with the main plot moves the plot and infers more than the straight-line of events. “In the studio Philip told Fludd he had been to see the sea. He said he hoped to go again. Fludd said, why not, and that Philip should go to Dungeness, Dungeness would interest him. Phillip made his way to Dungeness, on foot, one hot day when the broom was shining gold and the seakale was covered with spherical seeds, turning form pale green to bone.” P. 151
The Text includes vibrant descriptions and a flow of past, present storylines.
How does Byatt write long fiction and transition from one time to another, from one story to another? Her successful novel, The Children’s Book parallels her prior work, Possession. In Possesion, Byatt transitions from past to present through letters and the discovery of a story intertwined with historical facts and letters that elaborate on a personal intimate history of lovers.
Both works seem to wrap up more than one story effectively and naturally.
Works cited.
Byatt, A.S. The Children’s Book; Knopf, New York, 2009.
Byatt, A.S. Possession, Vintage/Random House, New York, 1990.