What matters most? In a novel, it is always the ideas To what extent do you agree with this view?

Respond to this question with close reference to one or more novels you have studied. Lloyd Jones demonstrates how the main ideas within a novel initiate the readers response to the story. Set in 1990s, Mister Pip is based around the brutal events which occurred in the Bougainville uprising in Papua New Guinea. Throughout the novel, the idea of the power of storytelling is predominant and readers are able to witness the influential grasp it has over a small village and in particular, a young island girl named Matilda. Jones reveals how the existence of the book Great Expectations by Charles Dickens acts as both a blessing and a curse to the small island community. Matilda and her peers convey the positive powers of storytelling to readers. As Mr Watts tells the story of Pip in Great Expectations to the class, we witness Matilda embracing the story, expanding her limitless imagination and temporarily escaping the horrors of war unfolding around her. Given another world to spend the night in, the children develop a sense of security and become encapsulated by the novel. Jones shows how readily the children welcome a connection to another time and place and how greatly Mr Watts storytelling ability influences them. It is this influence which aids the preservation of innocence of Matilda and her class mates by barricading them from the harshness of reality. Lloyd Jones illustrates the classic piece of literature as a symbol of hope for the children, yet for others in the novel it a representation of other sorts. The children look forward to Mr Watts storytelling which indicates that he too is a source of optimism for the children and they look to him in search for the positives in life and for hope of a better future. It is Jones selection of this key idea which enables the readers to relate to the silent desperation of the children in the novel and their need for hope. Though Great Expectations acts as an escape for the children, it is the source of conflict and confusion for the adults, excluding Mr Watts. Dolores, Matildas mother, is one of many villagers negatively impacted by the existence of the fictitious character Pip which was established in the minds of the children by Mr Watts. Dolores primary values lie in the Bible and with her heritage. She feels threatened by the influence of literature when her own daughter chooses faith in Pip over the Bible and her deceased relatives which leads to her resentment toward Mr Watts and his storytelling. Jones demonstrates to readers how it is her wariness of Matilda and Mr Watts growing bond which drives her to steal the book - an act which is condemned by the Bible. Yet again, Lloyd Jones exemplifies the varying effects the power of storytelling has on the villagers. For Dolores, it is the source conflict and is the divide between her and Matilda in already-troubled times. We as readers recognize Dolores desperation in maintaining control over her daughter as it is the fraction of her life which is considered stable. Jones show how Dolores willingly abandons her desire to be a perfect human being through following the Bible when she thieves Mr Watts copy of Great Expectations- an act which has dangerous consequences for her and her entire village. Within the novel, storytelling is a powerful tool in which the storyteller is in control of the audiences responses. Lloyd Jones displays the significance of storytelling primarily through Mr Watts as he is witnessed telling the story of Great Expectations to the children and the rebels; each rendition varying slightly from the other. Mr Watts adapts elements of his own life experiences into the story which the audience obliviously accepts as part of the Dickens story. Jones demonstrates how Mr Watts had the power to alter the story to impact his audience. For the children, Mr Watts inspired them while for the rebels, he held their attention. Throughout the novel we as readers understand that characters migrate and that Pip entered the real world as a symbol of hope, however, it is only toward the end that we realize Mr Watts integration of his own

life experiences into Great Expectations is sign that he allowed himself to migrate into the world of Pip to escape from his own life of disappointment and hardship. Lloyd Jones incorporated the quotation by Umberto Eco to highlight the significance of the influence of literature to our primary characters and how the story teller, too, finds himself in a fictitious world in search of hope. Themes and ideas within a novel are of utmost importance as they, more often than not, have a deeper meaning which can be interpreted in various ways. Readers understand and can relate to the character-reader relationship which forms as a result of effective storytelling. Many may believe that Lloyd Jones has written about a man retelling a well known novel in an era of war, however, through the power of storytelling readers are able to identify that Jones has in fact created a character who influences a community with his knowledge of literature and who has brought hope to the children trapped in a world of brutality and calamitous events.