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Essay / Response to Text: Breakfast at Tiffany's Novel by Truman Capote
One of the most unique things about your novel is the lack of chapters as well as the importance of the setting. Was it a conscious decision? How does setting and structure impact how the audience reads the novel? Presenting the short story as a continuing story was intentional so that the audience could easily immerse themselves in the excitement of Holly Golightly's life. Its non-linear structure of starting with the present and then reflecting on the past frames the entire narrative to follow a first-person past tense narrator remembering his friendship with Holly. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Additionally, setting the novel in New York during World War II was a conscious decision because not only did I live in that revolutionary period in America as a young, unpublished writer, like the narrator, but this setting adds also an exciting context to the story. As such, Holly's eccentric character is essential to the societal changes that took place in the 1940s, when women began to gain an independence that they had not previously shared with men. Thus, setting the novel in an important historical period when society was changing radically makes the audience question how they perceive the key themes presented. Much of the action takes place in or around the brownstone apartment in the 1970s. This physical setting adds meaning to the novel, because it is in this building where the narrator and Holly meet, their friendship begins. develops and their conflicts and memories are created. Additionally, Holly's apartment is an essential location because it is here that the audience discovers the ephemeral nature that surrounds her character. For example, she doesn't worry about furnishing her apartment. In fact, “the room we were in…looked like it was about to be moved in…Suitcases and unpacked crates were the only furniture.” Overall, the structure and physical setting influence how audiences distinguish between different types of love that can both improve and destroy relationships, the definition of true friendship, and the importance of belonging. and stability. 2. Throughout the novella, Holly remains completely isolated from anything that could represent a personal attachment. How true is this statement? Holly is to some extent completely isolated, as her desire not to be constrained by close personal relationships is blatant. Isolation is a central theme of the novel which acts as a destructive force to prevent Holly from harming herself. This can be seen when Holly tells the narrator, "one day she and the cat sort of settled down by the river, we don't belong to each other: he's independent and so am I." As such, her reluctance to claim the cat as her own highlights not only her desire for isolation, but also her reluctance to settle down with anything that might present complicated attachments to anyone. Holly's name change has a symbolic meaning and therefore plays an important role in emphasizing the theme of isolation. For example, Holly's real name is Lulamae Barnes, but her name in the mailbox since moving into the New York brownstone apartment reads "Miss Holiday Golightly, Traveling." Holly's name indicates not only her free-spirited personality, but also her attempt to have a vacation in her life by traveling wherever she wants to escape her past. Her name change also signifies how much she thinks "about.