Who Is Reflected In Fitzgerald's Northanger Abbey

'The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid ' declares Austen in Northanger Abbey. An undoubtedly blunt message; yet I believe it far more aptly articulates the deprivation non-readers experience than the 'I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! ' quotation chosen for the new £10 note. As I read Northanger Abbey I was struck by its ability to charm me with its simple magnetism. I could tell Austen was not just a writer: she was, first and foremost, a reader.

For me, reading a novel is simply not enough. By reading F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby, I was struck by the harsh contrast between effulgent glamour, and the scandalous underbelly of the society in which the novel was set. By studying the novel, I was able to understand how this

When further considering how writers use narrative technique to convey such complex emotions, I was enthralled by Arthur Miller 's All my Sons. In this play Miller manages to manipulate the structure of his storytelling, interweaving information and events, creating an incredible story arc that climaxes during the last scene. Here he allows Keller an epiphany: actions have consequences far beyond the initial outcomes. Never has a piece of literature caused me to reflect on the ripple effect of one 's actions, and highlighted both the deep-rooted selfishness of society and consequently the necessity for a wider social conscience as this play. Comparatively, Zusack 's The Book Thief uses an impressive blend of narrative voice, a unique writing style, and character-driven storytelling in order to explore similar themes. Whilst one is immediate post-war America, and the other pre/during-war Germany, both articulate a need for social responsibility, and both have indeed demonstrated to me how, even though in vastly different circumstances, the universal themes of family, love, and morality are nevertheless common to both our societies and