ENGL 101W Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Durian, Asyndeton, Polysyndeton
Document Summary
Thesis: toda(cid:455) i (cid:449)ill (cid:271)e dis(cid:272)ussi(cid:374)g the stru(cid:272)ture, la(cid:374)guage a(cid:374)d the i(cid:373)ager(cid:455) i(cid:374) the passage (cid:862)mo(cid:374)soo(cid:374) note(cid:271)ook (cid:894)i(cid:895)(cid:863) a(cid:374)d its effe(cid:272)ts o(cid:374) the readers. Context: (cid:862)mo(cid:374)soo(cid:374) note(cid:271)ook (cid:894)i(cid:895)(cid:863) is i(cid:374) the (cid:271)egi(cid:374)(cid:374)i(cid:374)g of the (cid:272)hapter (cid:862)do(cid:374)"t talk to me a(cid:271)out matisse(cid:863). Ondaatje is jotting down his thoughts and actions in a notebook during a monsoon, a type of rainstorm that floods streets for a period of time and then suddenly stops. It is the first of three monsoon notebook sections. The significance of the title (cid:862)mo(cid:374)soo(cid:374) note(cid:271)ook(cid:863) is that the setting of this notebook during the monsoon season gives readers an idea of the exotic ceylon experience. This section of the chapter is written in a disjointed and random structure full of scribbled down notes. Its effect suggests that ondaatje has recorded bits and pieces of information, not bothering to make them flow or cohere.
