Mar 3

Briefing about 20 to 40 page:

• Tony visited Veronica’s home for one weekend
• Veronica met Tony’s friend, including Adrian
• Tony slept with Veronica and split with her
• Veronica’s mother wrote a letter to Tony, didn’t blame Tony at all
• Adrian wrote letter to Tony ask for permission to go out with Veronica

What is Veronica’s family’s opinion on Tony?

• The father making jokes on Tony, a lot of negative words to describe, for example “lower-class scum”, shows that Tony didn’t like father;
• The brother “He behaved towards me as if I were an object of …”, looks like both the father and the brother are looking down upon Tony;
• The mother looks very different;
• One evidence by the author “This is my principal factual memory…” that the memory might be very different with the fact. So the reader should be very skeptical to what we read in this part.
• Looks like Veronica is not treating Tony not very well. Veronica didn’t kiss Tony good evening. Join their examination. This might because Tony hate Veronica because Veronica went out with Adrian.
• Contrary “I was expecting further examination …” but actually they are treating Tony very well “grew tired of me”

Key term for further info:

• Unreliable narrator , 举例：了不起的盖茨比
• counterculture movement 反文化运动 1960s

What do you think Tony as a boy friend?

• From Veronica, coward, keep asking what is the future of their relationship
• Irresponsible

Why they split up?

• Tony provide comment that he is very innocent.
• “After we broke up …” -> after the sex, Tony dumped Veronica

Veronica mother’s letter to Tony

• The letter is lost

Imitating there is a court, set up like Tony is a criminal, reader is judge. Tony would like to demonstrate he is innocent, about P28, “I felt before a court…”,  about P35 “…a court of law…” “proof corroboration”.

Received the letter from Adrian, postponing tell the letter content, Tony provided a lot of ironic comment. Adrian studies Moral science 伦理学.

Photo with Veronica and Tony’s friends without Tony.

Return to first paragraph,

• 1st item: The shiny inner wrist – wear watch inside, make the time more personal, wear the watch outside

Time vs history

• 2nd item: Steam rising from a wet sink… - the mother made Tony breakfast
• 3rd item:
• 4th item: a river before they slept they went to watch river 涨潮

About the author

• Born in 50s
• 60s, 很多思潮，性自由等
• 福楼拜的鹦鹉，成名作，非常创新
• 大学学习法语，哲学，等
• 参与用词精准的工作，比如non fiction，字典编撰
• 写过四本detective story

Next session

Until

‘In other words, don’t let her start thinking I’m some kind of loony.’

Updated: 4 May, 2021
Created: 3 March, 2021