Rhetorical questions and apostrophes have mutual relationships with the first person point of view employed in the story. Since the first person narration by Astrid portrays her detailed thought process and attitudes toward other people and ideas, these two techniques maybe integrated with Astrid's inner thoughts and emotions. The rhetorical questions and apostrophes are often placed in the fretful mindset, complicated reasoning, and emotional climax of the narrator. These two terms, which are sometimes too argumentative, strong, or sarcastic to attract the audience, are now blended appropriately with Astrid's consciousness. They are used to question her own conduct and the important aspects of her life. Moreover, they are also utilized during an emotional outbreak of Astrid, who desparately longs to communicate with a person who is not present or suitable to listen to her opinions.
Examples :
Apostrophe: After getting her mother's letter advicing her not to develop a deeper relationship with Ray, Astrid addresses to her mother, who was currently absent, that she would not adhere to her anymore.
"You couldn't stop it, Mother. I didn't have to listen to you anymore." (Fitch, 94)
Rhetorical questions: Since Barry's murder and Claire's death, Astrid detests her mother. Alluding to the Civil War, she related the casualties in the Gettysburg battle with the brutal murder, as Astrid perceives it, of her mother, stating that:
"In three days of battle, 150,000 men fought in Gettysburg. There were fifty thousand casulties. I struggled with the enormity of that. One in three dead, wounded, or missing. Like a giant hole ripped in the fabric of existence. Claire died, Barry died, but seven thousand died at Gettysburg. How could God watch them pass without weeping? How could he have allowed the sun to rise on Gettysburg?" (Fitch, 359)
Through first person point of view another technique is brought out: implicit characterization of Astrid and the characters surrounding her. Because the characters in the story are all presented through Astrid's point of view, her progress from gullibility and vulnerability to independence and strength is well portrayed through her analysis of her own behaviors the way she perceives society and others. Moreover, through Astrid's description of other characters' interactions with her or with each other, the audience also obtain the impression of Astrid to the difference of other characters who shaped her life in their unique ways. In a way Fitch does not clearly define the characters through directly stating their personalities as much as Rand did in The Fountainhead, or even give overwhelming description of the characters by Dreiser in An American Tragedy, thus allowing the readers more freedom in interpreting the characters. After all, Fitch wants to portray the diverse influence of the outside world on Astrid and the complicated consequences of Astrid's decisions.
Examples :
Claire's interaction with Ron indicates her weak and vulnerable character.
"'I can't stand your poses,' he said.' who are you supposed to be now, the wounded matriarch? Christ, she takes care of you. That wasn't the idea...'Ron, please.' She grabbed for him again but she was too drunk, she missed and fell onto her knees. 'Please.'" (Fitch, 280-281)
At last there are vivid imagery through simile, metaphor, some personifications, and adjectives that thoroughly set the entire atmosphere of the book. White Oleander is, although serious, a very free and poetic work. Ingrid and her daughter are both artists and perceive living in several peculiar ways. Therefore, the description of scenes, the conversations, letters, and narrations are all very free and artistic in style. The purpose of setting up this seemingly loose and free quality through lots of these techniques does not draw the intense emotion and sensory feelings of the readers. Instead, it allows the audiences to completely immerse in Astrid's experience and her view toward the entire world, socially, mentally, and physically. Fitch's ultimate goal is to allow the readers to become Astrid herself completely by taking this ultimate step: using figurative speech to color the world through Astrid's eyes so that everything looks more "Astrid." The readers may feel themselves as directly looking over Astrid's diary, which honestly records the stream of thoughts that she has during her growth toward adulthood.
Examples :
For personification, simile, and figurative, creative expression through lively adjectives and narration.
"The Santa Anas blew in hot from the desert, shriveling the last of the spring grass into whiskers of pale straw. Only the oleander thrived, their delicate poisonous blooms, their dagger green leaves. We could not sleep in the hot dry nights, my mother and I. I woke up at midnight to find her bed empty. I climbed to the roof and easily spotted her blond hair like a white flame in the light of the three-quarter moon. "Oleander time," she said. "Lovers who kill each other now will blame it on the wind." She held up her large hand and spread the fingers, let the desert dryness lick through. My mother was not herself in the time of the Santa Anas...Down below us in the streets of Hollywood, sirens whined and sawed along my nerves." (Fitch, 1-2)
Home
Setting
Characters
Synopsis
Theme and Point of View
