The Constant Gardener - „at the morgue“
The text is an extract from chapter
one of the book “The Constant Gardener” written by John le Carré. It takes
place at the morgue in Kenya where Justin Quayle has to identify his dead wife
Tessa. A friend of Justin Sandy Woodrow
accompanied him because he wanted to see Tessa again.
The narrator tells the story from
the outside (“Woodrow and Justin went there together [...]” p.28) as a
third-person narrator.
At some parts of the text the
perspective switches to the first-person narrator which is told by Sandy
Woodrow. This brings you close to his opinion and feelings. (“Why did she
always make me think of duty?” p.29)
Sandy Woodrow is the head of
Chancery in Kenya and has a close relationship to Justin. He is a “soldiers
son” (p.29) and tries to behave like it. He wants to keep calm and shut down
emotionally just as he expects it of himself when Justin and he enter the
morgue.
The author makes use of a metaphor
to describe Sandy indirectly.(“[...] he vomited his heart out [...]” p.31)
Contrary to Justin the situation overburdens Sandy and he has to throw up.
Sandy is described with the help of
a comparison at page 30.”A drowning man rising in the surface for the last
time, Woodrow recklessly took in the rest [...]”
Because he was nuts about Tessa he
had to take a last look at her. John le Carré illustrates Sandys feelings for
Tessa with this comparison. He coveted Tessa, although she was the wife of
a good friend and being at the morgue to face her for the last time made him
feel uncomfortable.Woodrow had a guilty conscience because he wanted to commit
adultery with Tessa. Nevertheless, he remained polite
and friendly and asked Justin if he should accompany him to identify Tessa at
the morgue after she was murdered in the wilderness of Kenya.(“”Of
course there is a need,” said the soldier´s son nobly” p.29)
Justin and Sandy are having a close
and friendly relationship to each other because they are colleagues and are
working both for the British government as diplomats.
The author makes use of indirect
characterisation for describing Justin Quayle.
Even in his worst hour Justin is
still comforting his friend Sandy, which shows how generous he is.
(“[…] while Justin the
ever-courteous stood at his shoulder with his arm round him,murmuring
condolences.” p.31) Acting like that characterises Justin Quayle as very
sympathetic.
Due to his
job, he is very polite and modest, as he replied Woodrow, that he does not have
to accompany him. Although he
is looking at his dead wife, he seems to be very controlled because he does not
act rash or hectic. (“ [...] Justin replied, each word carefully weighed before
it was delivered.
Because of
the behavior of Justin and Sandy at the morgue John le Carré gives the
impression that Sandy has stronger feelings for Tessa as Justin. Because Justin is very tight and controlled whereas
Sandy seems very taken.
The reader gets the feeling that the
relationship between Justin and Tessa must have been tense.