Character change brought on by
Character change brought on byCharacter Change Brought on by Setting, Illustrated in Deliverance and Invisible Man
Plot setting is a crucial aspect of any novel. It delivers to the audience the atmosphere which the novel itself is taking place. In both Deliverance and Invisible Man setting illustrates to the reader where the novel is happening, what time frame the novel is placed in, etc., it also serves the protagonist in the novel as well. What the setting accomplishes in both of these novels is it acts as a catalyst in helping the protagonist come to a realization of self. Deliverance and Invisible Man create a different psychosis in the protagonist's character through their use of setting. Dickey's Deliverance and Ellison's Invisible Man through their use of setting, force their protagonists to come to a realization of self-awareness.
In Deliverance, Dickey illustrates how man, removed from "civilized" society, reverts back to his primitive instinct. Man, in this primitive state, becomes the most dangerous creature that roams the earth. His ability to reason becomes utilized only on the aspects of survival; laws cease to exist and man justifies and acts out any action that ensures his survival. He shows that it is not nature one should fear but rather man, nature is a neutral force that only provides context for man to behave a certain way. To illustrate this point, Dickey places four individuals, born and bred in suburban society, into wild and lawless nature. Confronted with the "uncivilized" setting around them, Dickey shows how different men can react to the same situation. The character with the most significant and profound change is Ed Gentry.
Ed agrees to venture out on the river with the hopes of gain a new perspective on the life that has been draining him mentally. Ed's wants are shadowed by his duties to both his family and his job. Although he will not directly tell Lewis, this is the first trip that Ed actually wants to gain something from, not another weekend warrior journey, trying to conquer the natural world. Ed leaves his house in hope for friends, music, sport, a little drinking and a detachment from his day to day life. Right from the start, Ed begins his transformation, however it is only the first of two. Ed's first transformation is ongoing. The little sensations he receives from the river and it's surrounding give him an awareness of where he is and who he is. Illustrated in the following passage, Ed conveys his feeling towards the trip,
I touched the knife hilt at my side, and
remembered that all men were once boys, and
that boys are always looking for ways to become
men. Some are easy, too; all you have to do
is be satisfied that it has happened. (Dickey 62)
This quote illustrates that it is Ed's second chance to prove...
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