Literature Analysis #2

The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

1) Direct Characterization: 

- "Phoebe is so beautiful, so sweet." (Page  93) 
Caroline makes a direct characterization about Phoebe when she is describing her to David. 

- "'He's beautiful, my son.'" (Page 25) 
Nora, David's wife, made a direct characterization when she stated that Paul was a beautiful baby boy.

Indirect Characterization:

-"'Don't you see?' He asked, his voice soft. 'This poor child will most likely have a serious heart defect. A fatal one. I'm trying to spare us all a terrible grief.'" (Page 28) 
In this indirect characterization of David, people can pick up a sense of cruelness and selfishness because he is giving away his daughter because of a birth defect.

- "She felt in her pocket for her keys, then picked up the box with Phoebe in it." (Page 39) 
When Caroline decided to raise Phoebe herself instead of turning her into the institution, readers can tell she is a kind-hearted person.

Direct characterization tells the reader exactly what the character is like. Indirect characterization is when the reader gets to know the character through their actions. Kim Edwards uses both of these characterizations because together, they give a broader characterization of each character. Instead of just being told what each character is like, readers can make their own generalizations through the actions of the characters. I personally had a better understanding of each character and, therefore, had a long lasting impression. I think that through indirect characterizations, I was able to remember each character better because I was able to characterize them myself. 

2) Kim Edwards changed her syntax when she focused on a character. She never really changed her diction as she kept it pretty similar throughout the whole entire book. When she focused on a character she tended to use a variety of sentences such as complex sentences and short, choppy one worded sentences. "Cold. Dismissive. Patronizing. Paul was crying harder." (Chapter III, Page 57) This is an example of Edwards using short, choppy sentences as she described a scene about Paul. By using short sentences such as these, she was able to really emphasize on each word and set the mood for the scene. "Caroline was so immersed in this dream that when Dr. Henry opened his eyes she smile at him, openly and freely, as she had never done before with anyone." (Page 36) This is an example of Edwards using complex sentences. She tended to do this a lot with Caroline and I believe she did this so the readers can really get to know her and sympathize with her. 

3) I think the protagonist of the book, David, was a dynamic and round character. David was dynamic because throughout the novel he evolved greatly. At the beginning of the book he was a loving and happy husband. After he lied to his wife, however, he became withdrawn from his family and depressed. David was a round character because he was told as a full character, not just a filler. The readers were able to get a picture of his looks and personality all throughout the book. He was not just somebody who played a little role to the book because he was the main character and the story revolved around him and his decisions. 

4) After reading this book I felt like I had actually met these people. The way Edwards wrote, I felt like I could really feel the emotions that David and his wife were going through. "'My darling,' he began. His voice broke, and the words he had rehearsed so carefully were gone. He closed his eyes, and when he could speak again more words came, unplanned. 'Oh, my love,' he said. 'I am so sorry. Our little daughter died as she was born.'" (Page 29) The scenes from the beginning of the book were the most intense. David contemplated lying to his wife about the death of their daughter. All the emotions he went through making this decision and the emotions that went along with carrying out this lie, were so well written that I could feel each one as I read through the scenes.