In Tim Winton's novel Breath, the narrator's complex response to the incident at the riverbank is represented through the use of literary elements and techniques. Through the use of vivid imagery, the juxtaposition of different emotions, and the careful building of tension, Winton shows how the narrator's initial sense of duty and responsibility towards saving a drowning boy quickly turns into a mixture of guilt and glee, as he realizes that he and his friend Ivan Loonie have been playing a cruel prank on the panicked onlookers.
Winton uses vivid imagery to create a clear picture of the riverbank scene, allowing the reader to feel as if they are right there alongside the narrator. The description of the "brown" and "cold as hell" river, the "big old gums" and the "dragonflies in the air above us" help to create a sense of place and atmosphere, while the image of the panicked women "slithering up and down the bank" and "yanking at their own ears" adds to the tension and urgency of the situation.
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The initial sense of duty and responsibility towards saving a drowning boy quickly turns into a mixture of guilt and glee, as he realizes that he and his friend Ivan Loonie have been playing a cruel prank on the panicked onlookers. The narrator rises to the moment and attempts to wade into the river to save the boy, but is quickly upstaged by the sudden emergence of Ivan Loonie. Loonie's feral shriek startles the woman into falling back on the mud, while the narrator is left bouncing on the plank, watching the scene unfold. As Loonie starts to laugh and the woman charges into the water, lunging and swiping to no avail, the narrator feels more guilt than glee. However, as he continues to watch Loonie duck and feint and giggle, he realizes that he is more interested in being a part of the prank than standing by and watching it