Ardila
Tomas Ardila
Mrs. McCabe
ENG3U
6 October 2020
Activity 1: Synthesis Paper
The method of narration is crucial when writing a piece, especially in a novel. It is the
style of narration chosen by the author that defines the reader’s experience and understanding. In
the novel, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn has a very distinguished style of narration. Two different
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characters narrate the novel, both in the first person with different systems. The methods of
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narration are through journaling and the other is through present narration. This affects the
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influence the narrators have on the reader, the experience of the reader, and the message of the
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novel.
Throughout Amy’s journal, she plants the idea of her being the perfect and most
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understanding wife while creating an image of Nick as a bad husband. “As if I am already being
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resistant. “This is what weʼre going to do. We are going to help my parents for once.” Of course
thatʼs what we have to do, and of course, if he had presented the problem to me like I wasnʼt his
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enemy, thatʼs what I would have said. But he came out of the door already treating me like a
problem that needed to be dealt with. I was the bitter voice that needed to be squelched.” (page
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100) This line is a fine example of the influences the narrator has on the reader, after every
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journal the-image of Nick in the reader’s head worsens. The way Nick describes his reaction to
the media press and the authority raises suspicion or on the other hand, is just honest concern for
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his missing wife. “This was my eleventh lie. The Amy of today was abrasive enough to want to
hurt, sometimes” (page 49) “Flashbulbs exploded, and I dropped the smile, but not soon enough.
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I felt a wave of heat roll up my neck, and beads of sweat broke out on my nose. Stupid, Nick,
stupid. And then, just as I was pulling myself together, the press conference was over, and it was
too late to make any other impression. I walked out.” (page 71) The honesty is important to look
at when analyzing Nick’s narration, why does he barely seem concerned about his wife? Why is
he so concerned about his image on the media press? there are better things he should be worried
about. In cases like these, it is up to the reader to create their own beliefs and make proper
decisions when guessing Nick’s intentions. The illusion of the perfect wife made by Amy. “I
wonʼt blame Nick. I donʼt blame Nick. I refuse —refuse!—to turn into some pert-mouthed,
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strident angry-girl. I made two promises to myself when I married Nick. One: no dancing-
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monkey demands. Two: I would never, ever say, Sure, thatʼs fine by me (if you want to stay out
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later, if you want to do a boysʼ weekend, if you want to do something you want to do) and then
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punish him for doing what I said was fine by me.” (page 65) This is Amy explaining her thought
process on her marriage that indicates she is the perfect wife. Between the lines, Nick
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continuously states she is a bad wife. Who’s telling the truth and taking advantage of their
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narrative voice? The uncertainty of the liability of the narrators, creates the theme of the story,
even if they seem honest nobody can be trusted.
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I have only considered one of the narrators to be the antagonist, with emphasis on Nick,
but during the discussion, someone mentioned Margot as the antagonist and her involvement in
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Amy’s disappearance. Although the text somewhat supports this when Nick talks about Go’s and
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Amy’s relationship, I still believe Nick had greater involvement. Another question was brought
up that completely changed my perspective on the novel, had Amy left and framed her husband
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for her disappearance due to her unhappiness in Missouri and in the relationship? This changed
my thinking because the novel as stated above makes Amy look like the good guy while Nick
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gets pointed at for being the antagonist. These questions opened my eyes to the different
outcomes this story could have.
Developing the plot the author definitely wanted a suspense aspect to the novel, the use
of two narrators keeps the reader in a limbo of uncertainty that in my opinion makes the novel
what it is, a suspense piece that keeps the reader intrigued. Without the different points of
narration voice, the dramatic and unanticipated effect wouldn’t be present in the novel. It will be
interesting to continue reading and discover the reliable narrator and the impostor, the discussion
in the weeks meeting helped me realize how everyone read the novel differently and took apart
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the narration method according to the prediction brought forward.
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