Sample Answer for General Vision and Viewpoint (NLMG, PHIC, LB): ‘The general vision and viewpoint is shaped by the reader’s feeling of optimism and pessimism when reading the text.’

The Comparative: General Vision and Viewpoint (NLMG, PHIC, LB)

'The general vision and viewpoint is shaped by the reader's feeling of optimism and pessimism when reading the text.'

Texts discussed:

Novel: 'Never Let Me Go' by Kazuo Ishiguro

Play: 'Philadelphia, Here I Come' by Brian Friel

Film: 'Lady Bird' directed by Greta Gerwig

The general vision and viewpoint of a text refers to the authorial and directorial outlook on life and how the world of the text is perceived by the reader or viewer. However, a text is never relentlessly bright or dark. A myriad of factors serve to highlight both the positive and negative aspects of a text. The three texts I have studied as part of my comparative course are, the novel 'Never Let Me Go' (NLMG) by Kazuo Ishiguro, the play 'Philadelphia, Here I Come' (PHIC) by Brian Friel and the film 'Lady Bird' (LB) directed by Greta Gerwig. The general vision and viewpoint of each of these three texts are both similar and different in a plethora of ways, with feelings of optimism and pessimism emerging at various junctures throughout.

The vision at the opening of all three texts seemed quite pessimistic, though both (PHIC) and (LB) are not as bleak and pessimistic as (NLMG). (PHIC) opens in a seemingly triumphant fashion. Gar marches on stage, cheerily singing. 'Philadelphia, here I come, right back where I started from..' However, our vision of Gars excitement and enthusiasm is shattered as we come to realise that beneath the veneer of enthusiasm is a tangible sense of loss, sadness and despair. This is a house cloaked in the darkness of familial tensions and difficulties and an inability to express emotion. The Al Johnson song 'California, Here I Come' is not a song about wanting to leave home, but one about wanting to return to it. I believe that Gars' longing to establish a genuine connection with his father, rather than to leave both S.B and Ireland behind, reveals the glum vision and viewpoint of Gars life. Similarly in (LB), we are presented with a negative vision and viewpoint. However, akin to (PHIC), this bleak vision is initially masked by a positive one. The film opens with an idyllic image – mother and daughter sleeping side by side, a comforting glow seeping through the curtains. However, tension quickly builds, with Lady Bird asking her mother, 'Do I look like I'm from Sacramento?'. Marion's response, 'You are from Sacramento' does nothing but intensify the strained atmosphere. Lady Bird clearly believes that her hopes, dreams and future lie outside her home place, but her mother is not in sync with her ambitions. I felt that this strained relationship between parent and child mirrored that of Gar and S.B. Although the communication between Lady Bird and Marion was considerably more open, both relationships created a sense of desolation and sorrow, which greatly contributed to an overall pessimistic vision and viewpoint.

However, a number of unnerving moments at the start of (NLMG) are the catalyst for feelings of pessimism among the audience. The sheer resignation of Kathy to her fate sets the novel's discouraging vision apart from that of both (PHIC) and (LB). Again, we are presented with a facade of optimism and comfort as Kathy describes her role as a skilled 'carer'. Any sense of hope quickly recedes as we are overwhelmed by ambiguous terms. Great emphasis is placed on the concept of 'donation', the 'fourth donation' in particular. Donation traditionally indicates a voluntary act, so why does it create a sense of obligation in the text? I was also disturbed to learn that at just 31, Kathy was nearing the end of her working life. This contrasts sharply with both Gar and Ladybird, who were at the brink of new and promising futures. The opening of (NLMG) is permeated with sadness and regret but, worst of all, there is a sense of acceptance. Unlike Lady Bird and Gar, Kathy has no prospect of a happy future. However, the opening vision and viewpoint in all three works is overwhelmingly pessimistic.

Furthermore, the vision of romantic relationships in the text is critical in shaping the reader's feelings of positivity and negativity. In both (PHIC) and (NLMG), the romantic relationships of our protagonists serve to both accentuate and embellish our feelings of despondency. The complex relationship between Kathy and Tommy in (NLMG) is a defining factor in the novel's bleak viewpoint. The star-crossed lovers met as children but Ruth sabotaged any chance they had at a real relationship. Towards the end of the novel, it becomes clear that she regrets the senseless relationship between herself and Tommy. 'It should have been you two.' Although our hopes are temporarily raised, it cannot be denied that Ruth has robbed Kathy and Tammy of valuable time. A further sense of despair is evoked when the rumour of 'deferrals' is proven to be false. As a reader, I dared to believe that clones who proved themselves to be in love could gain extra, precious time. The sombre atmosphere of the world of the text develops further as Kathy and Tommy learn that the rumour is nothing but a hoax. The remainder of their relationship is haunted by Tommy's impending and inevitable death. I felt that this futile vision of relationships effectively conveyed the pessimistic viewpoint of the text. Equally, the tragic relationship between Gar and Kate in (PHIC) underscores the dreary viewpoint of text. In contrast to Tommy and Kathy, Gar and Kate had the possibility of a happy future. Ultimately, it is Gar's insecurities and inability to communicate that bring about the demise of their relationship. Gar's attempts to confront Senator Doogan are fruitless. To a degree, this is reminiscent of Kathy and Tommy's meeting with Madam. However, as a reader, Gar's case proved to be incredibly more frustrating. He was unable to win himself and Kate and time together. Instead, he was forced to watch as Kate lived a prosperous life with Dr. Francis King. This heartbreak leaves an indelible mark on Gar, 'has left a deep scar on the 'aul skitter of a soul'. Although the expiration of Kate and Gars love contrasts to that of Tommy and Kathy's in terms of accountability, they are alike in that they are short lived and intensely shape the pessimistic views of the text.

On the contrary, romantic relationships in (LB) do not contribute significantly to the general vision and viewpoint of the text. I felt that Lady Bird's romantic relationships shaped her in a positive manner. Although she was betrayed by both Damny and Kyle, the experiences allowed her to grow and mature. This is vastly different to the enduring mark Kate left on Gar's life and Tommy on Kathy's. The relationships experienced by Gar, Kathy and Lady Bird were all fleeting and influential. However, unlike Gar and Kathy, I felt that the romantic relationships in (LB) built resilience within the characters, thus creating a more optimistic vision in the text.

Similarly, the central characters in each of my three texts greatly influence the audience's attitude towards the texts. In both (PHIC) and (LB), Gar and Lady Bird are the creators of the difficulties in their lives. Gar's refusal to take accountability for the uncommunicative relationship between himself and his father's serves to infuriate and exasperate us. This stimulates a negative vision of the text. Certainly, SB is at fault for the superficial relationship with his son, but Gar is also culpable, 'If he wants to speak to me, he knows where to find me! But I'm damned if I'm going to speak to him first'. Gar is obstinate and stubborn and inspired frustration in the audience. The characteristics are mirrored in Lady Bird, who also has a troubled relationship with a parent. Like Gar and S.B, Lady Bird and Marion are extremely similar. It is their strong willed nature and an inability to back down that stimulates many arguments. Lady Bird is certainly at fault. I perceived her to be ungrateful and uncooperative. She demonstrated little to no respect for her parents, who made massive sacrifices for her wellbeing and education. She is utterly self absorbed and spiteful, flaunting her cast with the words. 'F*ck you Mom'. Lady Bird abandons her friend Julie in favour of entering a social circle of 'superior' class. Unlike Gar, Lady Bird does engage in some form of communication. She expresses emotion through violent outbursts, contrasting to Gar who suffers in silence. However the selfish nature of both Gar and Lady Bird evoke disdain in the audience, shaping a pessimistic vision and viewpoint.

However, in (NLMG) Kathy's humanity and compassion provide an inspiring note of optimism in a harsh world that does not value her existence as a clone. Her gentle, empathetic nature serves to comfort readers, as she demonstrates remarkable capability and selflessness when caring for the 'donors'. This is evident as the donors 'tend to do much better than expected' under Kathy's nurturing hand. Although Gar and Lady Bird have bright, promising futures, which could not be more different from the depressing fate awaiting Kathy, it is Kathy who reveals a deep capacity for understanding and forgiveness. She possesses a nature considerably more open than that of Gar or of Lady Bird, and is willing to communicate. I felt that it was Kathy's merciful spirit and actions that created a slightly optimistic vision and viewpoint.

Finally, the endings of the texts both changed and reinforced my initial impression of the general vision and viewpoint of the texts. Both (PHIC) and (NLMG) end pessimistically, cementing the vision we gained at the beginning. (PHIC) ends in an overwhelmingly bleak fashion, stained with regret. Gar's final meeting with the boys is unfulfilling and no bridge has been built between himself and his father. I was deeply saddened as SB revealed that the prospect of losing Gar was extremely painful- but it's likely that this is too little too late. Our final vision of Gar is one of great distress as he questions why he has to leave, 'Why? Why?'. I experienced the same pessimistic view as I had at the beginning. I don't believe that there was a happy ending- Gar did not get the attention he so longed for from his father, we don't know if he emigrated to Philadelphia and he didn't end up with Kate, the love of his life. This is echoed in (NLMG) as the novel ends in total despondency. Unlike Gar and Kate, Tommy and Kathy earned some time together. However, Tommy's 'fourth donation' is constantly looming over the couple, and their last meeting is extremely disturbing and deeply saddening. It is a simple, quiet affair with Kathy coming to sit by Tommy's bedside. They were 'reluctant to start any new conversation we'd regret not being able to finish properly'. I found that this complete anguish and resignation shaped an extremely pessimistic vision. I found it utterly depressing that the clones' lives and deaths were completely out of their own control. Unlike (PHIC), (NLMG) did not end in a particularly ambiguous fashion. Kathy's future was already determined. The closing of both (PHIC) and (NLMG) were permeated with sadness, creating a pessimistic vision and viewpoint.

Alternatively, the end of (LB) is certainly the most uplifting of all three texts. The film concludes on a note of hope, with LadyBird on the cusp of a new life and making peace with her past. After a turbulent number of weeks with her mother, Lady Bird reveals the extent of her growth and maturity through a phone call. She expresses remorse to her parents, particularly her mother and reminisces on defining moments she experienced in Sacramento. Most significantly, she tells her mother 'I love you, thank you, thank you'. It is clear that Christine has matured and as a result, her relationships have too. This contrasts the final view of Gar and SB's relationship and shows that if either party had been willing to communicate, things may have ended differently. The hopeful emotions evoked in (LB) are a welcome contrast to the despondency experienced in (NLMG). I felt that this hope created an optimistic vision and viewpoint which contrasted the pessimism felt in the beginning.

There is no doubt that the general vision and viewpoint is heavily shaped by the reader's feelings of optimism or pessimism in reading any text. However, from my study of the texts, it became clear to me that a number of factors over the course of each text also play a significant role. These factors can cause the original sense of the general vision and viewpoint to either be reinforced or possibly changed, thereby determining whether the audience responds optimistically or pessimistically.

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