How does McEwan sucessfully engage the reader in the first c

The first chapter is the most significant in the entire book. It is where the story begins. The ballooning accident that takes place in the first chapter triggers the rest of the events that take place in the novel. The events that take place before, during and just after ‘the fall’ prepares reader’s for the themes and story lines that will follow, and also hints at what is to come.

The first chapter introduces the main characters within the novel. The readers are given clues to their personalities and begin to understand their characters. The main character is Joe. By reading the first chapter the reader can see that Joe thinks very much scientifically, with lack of emotion. He has a scientific approach to life, believing there is a logical reason for everything. There are many times in the first chapter where Joe shows emotion, but then quickly covers it up with science. When Joe hears a man shout and child cry he automatically starts running towards the sounds of desperation. When he notices four other men also running towards the field, he describes himself and Jed Parry as ‘rushing towards each other like lovers’. He quickly covers the

Overall the first chapter is the most important. The way McEwan writes reflects the general feeling of the events. The ballooning accident is chaotic and senseless and McEwan writes in a ‘jumpy’ way and has no order to his writing. McEwan engages his reader’s in the first chapter using all the above aspects. He interests them and gets them hooked, to make want to continue reading.

The other main character in the novel is Jed Parry. Jed is a deeply religious person, who believes that him and Joe meeting was not a coincidence but fate. He believes that he was sent to Joe to ‘rescue’ him and show him the way to God. The reader does not see a lot of Parry’s character in the first chapter, but the way that Joe narrates readers can make assumptions that Parry plays a large part in the rest of the novel.

Some topics in this essay:
, Jed Parry, Joe Clarissa’s, Garden Eden, Parry Jed, John Logan’s, Clarissa Jed, Joe Jed, Jed Overall, Enduring Love’, ‘the fall’, ballooning accident, jed parry, chapter joe, jed deeply religious, deeply religious, quickly covers, jed deeply, logan’s death, clarissa airport, hot air balloon, hot air,