Two-Way Monologues An examination of Keneally?s The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith through Friel?s Translations :: essays research papers

Two-Way MonologuesAn examination of Keneallys The intone of Jimmy Blacksmith finishedFriels TranslationsIf medium is the message, as suggested by Marshall McLuhan, much throne be said about the difference between a fabrication and a play. As he explains, the medium is an filename point of reference of human facility, The wheel...is an extension of the foot. The book is an extension of the eye... Clothing, an extension of the skin... (McLuhan). Thomas Keneallys novel The strengthen of Jimmy Blacksmith explains this phenomenon as Jimmys chant. It is not only what drives Jimmy, that it is a manifestation of proven and perceived social malfunctions. This chant is an extension of Jimmy, and it is therefore his message. Where Keneally is able to flesh out a complex main(prenominal) character with intense actions and conflicting inner monologues in his novel, Brian Friel is restricted to the format of a play in Translations. Using this medium, Friel must elaborate antithetic em otions through different characters, many of whom have attributes similar to Jimmy Blacksmith. At their core, both stories are fictionalized accounts of true events. British imperialism is the similar theme in each, and both elaborate on the destruction of society and the reaction of the autochthonous peoples. Translations illustrates the attempted dissolution of the Irish culture by British solders. chromosome mapping makers are sent to survey and re-inscribe the entire island of Ireland. This is clearly an attempt at revising history, and erasure of the Irishs sense of the past. In this case, the institution of culture acts as the medium, and is an extension of their way of life. More specifically name of towns on the maps are quickly being translated from Irish to English, effectively changing both the medium, and the message. This cultural genocide is something that is comparable to the human genocide that prefaced The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith.After a large percentage of a boriginal tribes were washed-up by the British in Australia, the remaining natives were subject to horrible discussion effectively killing their spirit and their history. The result of these actions are reflected upon Jimmy Blacksmith. He is pulled between different factions, but is truly guided by an minatory and treacherous voice. Keneally is able to develop an extremely complex character at heart the breadth of the novel, where as Friel had to work within the limits of writing a play. He is unable to express deep narration or inner monologues within the confines of a stage, so his solution is to represent different perspectives through naturally one sided characters.