Analysis
Chapter 5
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02.11.11
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The
fifth chapter of the novel “About A Boy” from Nick Hornby
published in 1998 is about Marcus, a 12-year-old boy, and his
problems at home and in school.
Marcus
doesn't know what to do. His mother starts crying and he has no clue
why. So he starts to think about what might have happened or what he
has done wrong. But he comes to no conclusion.
As
he arrives in school he greets his friends but they ignore him. Again
he doesn't know the reason.
In
the break time his so-called-friends ignore him again when a couple
of other boys start to tease all of them.
When
they're gone he tries to continue the conversation with one of his
friends. But that doesn't work out because they say to him he has to
stop hanging around with them. Because of him they were being teased.
Marcus
starts to think that he has to stay away from them. He realizes that
because of him they're not invisible anymore. He blames himself for
making them targets to others.
The
chapter is divided into seven parts. The first part (p.25) is about
Marcus' mother crying without an obvious reason.
The
second part (p.25/26) is about Marcus wanting to help his mom but
doesn't know how.
In
the third part (p.26/27) goes Marcus to school and thinks all the
time about his mother crying and whats wrong with her.
The
fourth part (p.27/28) is about Marcus' arrival in school and his
so-called-friends ignoring him.
The
fifth part (p.28/29) is about Marcus thoughts about his friends and
some other kids teasing them.
In
the sixth part Marcus (false) friends tell him to stay away from them
because he's the reason they're being teased.
The
last and seventh part (p.30) is about Marcus realizing it's his fault
that his friends are being teased and his decision to stay away from
them.
The
protagonist of the chapter is Marcus, a 12-year-old boy. He lives
with his mother in a flat in London. He is very serious despite his
young age. When something isn't right he thinks about the problem
very much. In his new school he doesn't have real friends because of
his look and behavior.
Other
characters are his mother and his “false” friends. Marcus mother
is single and broke up with her boyfriend, Roger, recently. In this
chapter she's obviously sad. But we don't find out why she cries.
Marcus
friends, Nicky and Mark, are not his real friends. They ignore him
mostly and in the end of the chapter they tell Marcus to stay away
from them because of him they're being teased by other school boys.
The
theme of the chapter is that Marcus doesn't know what to do with his
mom, it's about that Marcus is teased in school until his “friends”
doesn't want to hang out with him anymore and that Marcus always
tries to find out what he might has done wrong.
The
intention of the author is to let the reader see that despite how you
really are you are mostly judged by your look and behavior. In Marcus
place he's unpopular because he dresses himself differently, has a
different haircut and behaves more serious unlike his classmates.
The
author uses neutral third-person limited narration. Because of that
the reader is directly involved in the action and knows all the time
the thoughts and feelings of the protagonist. But as a result we just
know his thoughts and not the thoughts of other persons.
The
setting of the story is London. At the beginning of the chapter
Marcus is at home, in their new flat. The second setting is Marcus
new school.
The
chapter is structured in simple not too complex sentences. The action
takes place in London so the spoken language is standard British
English. The tone of the chapter is mostly serious.
On
the whole it's a story about growing up and the usual problems in
school and at home. Because we don't know the whole story yet, we
can't say too much about what is narrated. From this extract we can
learn that being young in not always easy. Everyone has their
problems and has to solve them.