Reflection in Iris Murdochs Under the Net - 2313 Words

Reflection in Iris Murdochs Under the Net In her novel Under the Net, Iris Murdoch examines the nature of reality through the thoughts and relationships of the novels main character, Jake Donaghue. A recurring theme in the novel is the idea of reflection, in both senses of the word: Jake is continually thinking about ideas, and he is also forever trying to see himself as he really is. Many of the instances of reflection in the novel occur near rivers or are connected in some way to currents. As we shall see, Iris Murdoch uses reflections in Under the Net to represent the mirror opposites of reality and appearance. The Novel As Reflection In examining Murdochs use of reflections in Under the Net, it is perhaps useful to†¦show more content†¦We should note that it is her reflection and not Sadie that Jake sees: [T]he curious fantasy came to me that if I were to look under the drier at the real face and not at the reflection I should see there some terrible old witch (p53). The relationship between appearance and reality is a central theme in the novel, and Jakes search for the truth includes the desire to learn if one can ever truly know another person. Jakes fear of intimacy is due in part to his concern for the truth; he states that although he once briefly thought of marrying Anna, he has never wanted a communion of the souls because it is already hard enough to tell the truth to oneself (p31). Jake nevertheless again comes to care deeply for Anna, and in a frantic search of Paris, he finally finds her at the citys fireworks celebration: The river was black now under the night sky and glassy, a black mirror in which every lamp raised a pole of light and the conflagration in the sky above dropped an occasional piece of gold. The line of people on the other bank was clearly reflected in it. Annas image was quite still beneath her. I wondered if in the river...my own reflection was as vividly shown. (191) Anna does not see Jakes reflection, however, and he leaves Paris without having talked to her. In a comic distortion of reality, Jake believes that Hugo loves Anna, while in fact Hugo loves Sadie, Anna loves Hugo, and Sadie loves Jake; their relationshipsShow MoreRelated Form Versus Chaos Essay2882 Words   |  12 Pagesand the private conscience, and that until we bridge it we will never be safe from the murderous madman or the anonymous technician† (10). The ideal, a harmony between the collective conscience and the inner self, is to not lose personal freedom under the of society. The opposite occurs in Sartre’s play â€Å"No Exit†Ã¢â‚¬â€each character is partially illusioned from specific reality, in other words, his or her private conscience, as the collective conscience closes upon the individual. It is similar toRead MoreExploring Corporate Strategy - Case164366 Words   |  658 Pagesreverse a decline? KPMG (A) – managing change in professional services. Xerox – difficulties with leadership at the global giant. UNHCR – managing change in a global not-for-profit organisation. Burtons (A,B,C) – three stages of a retailer’s development under different leaders. Key: ââ€" Ã¢â€"  = major focus ââ€"  = important subsidiary focus Introduction to strategy Business environment: general Five forces analysis Capability analysis Corporate governance Stakeholder expectations Social responsibility Culture Competitive