Taking you there...
In this picture we see a long street with some buildings and cars. I think the author chose this image to give general information about the locality the story take place. It is the unique figure we can click on.
The second image we are offered by the author is this one. Here the reader is standing on the corner looking up and down the street. We can see one house with fourteen windows and one door. Next to the house there are some trees and tool cable circuit. In front of the house there is a road sign saying NO ENTRY.
Maybe because of the sky, this place seems to be tenebrous. As a reader I feel melancholy and solitude. However I think this was the aim of the author because after clicking you enter to another world, full of new people.
In this picture the reader is coming in to the house. The perspective has been changed. We see just a small part of the house. We have a more detailed view. It is representing our approximation to the world of Jess' friends and also to the investigation of what had happened to the cousin.
Another picture you can see is this one. Here the reader has already entered into the house. In the image you see three shadows. I think that it is because we still don’t know the people. They are introduced by their names, but you don’t have any description of their aspect which means you can imagine them the way we want.
In this picture you see a dark room. This dark light may represent the life of the people living there. The room is messy what should characterize a chaotic lifestyle of Jess' friends.
It is difficult to describe the things in the room so I suppose they are not as important as the light and mess that give you some information to understand better the story.
You find this image when you decide to have lunch with Kate. You will go to the cheap place and you will order pasta.
In this image you see white plates and caps which may symbolize expectancy of learning something more about your cousin Jess. The background is black what may symbolize unconsciousness. However the dish is clean what may mean your expectancy will not be accomplished.
When the waiter brings your food you realize you aren’t already hungry and you don’t eat.
This picture is quite different from the others in two aspects. One of them is a meaning and the other one is that you can click on it.
You will find it after coming in the Polly's room. For the first time appears something representing another world, world of ancient Egypt. May be it shows desire for something new, for new ideas, new places or new perspective of life.
When you enter to this room you find Polly reading cards to find the answers for her questions.
If you click on it, it leads you to another image which shows five cards. However you don’t know whether these cards are yours or Polly’s.
In this picture you see someone playing guitar. This image you find after deciding to go to the pub with Polly before going to the party.
The picture is quite blurred and this is why it results impossible to recognize all objects.
I guess it is because of the atmosphere in the pub. According to the text the pub is crowded, noisy and it is full of smoke which sticks to your hair.
I have decided to analyze these two pictures together because they are very similar. Well, we can say they are coincident but at the same time they are different. We see them from different angles. In both picture we can see a man holding a bottle. We don’t know exactly what he is drinking, but as he is in the party I guess he is drinking alcohol.
We either know who he is. In my opinion he is Ned, but the text doesn’t say who he is. This image you will see when you will go to the party after spending some time in the pub.
When you enter to the party first person you see is Ned and this is what makes me suppose that the man from the picture is he.
This is an important picture because it shows you one of the protagonists and it is first time you can see someone clearly. You can tell his shape but not his all face.
Maybe it symbolizes the closer relationship to the people from the house. After spending the whole day with them you know a little bit more about them.
This is the image you see when you go for a walk. It is a man wearing black trousers and white shirt. As you can see he has wings which mean he is an angel. He represents the place where you go (or not) after death.
The first thing I asked myself was why he is looking down, but then I found the answer in the text:
“You hesitate but decide to keep walking; it's almost worse to back away.
“You walk on slowly, watching without wanting them to see you.“
You as a reader don’t want to see properly what is going on. Maybe because you are afraid of these people or just think it is not your problem. However they leave in you strange feelings and you become to think about death and appropriate burial.
In this picture you see Kate sitting at the desk by the window. The room is bright and sunny, with a picture on the wall.
Here again we aren’t allowed to see the face of protagonist. And thanks to it you can imagine her in you way
In this picture you see Ned on the couch. He seems to be in his own world. He doesn’t say anything he is just looking on something. On the table, there is a bottle and some rests of the food.
It is first time you see Ned’s face.
Until know you couldn’t see him. Maybe it means that you already know these people and they consider you as a friend, not just Jess cousin.
This image represents a swimming pool. For me it is strange swimming pool, but it doesn’t matter. You see a someone swimming and in my opinion is a reader which means you see yourself. According to the text the swimming pool is full of people but in the picture you cannot see anybody. I suppose it symbolize your feelings. Aybe you feel alone there, even you have come with Ned.
In this image you see a bottle of beer. It is clear it represents a pub where you go with Ned after going to the rally.
The picture is blurred ant this is why you cannot see well what’s written on the bottle.
After deciding leaving you go for a walk. You pass through different places and shops. In this image you see the street with cars.
You have never been in this place before so it can be interesting for you just walking down the street and looking for new things.
This picture represents a bookshop. This picture is different from others because it is drawn and symbolic. It is not a photo.
According to the text you know you browse thought the new releases and cooking section but if you look at the book in this image you cannot see any title. There is only one book with the name of the author - Milton.
I guess these books aren’t very important because the Phillipa doesn’t give us any more information.
However she gives us the opportunity to imagine the titles of these books
In this picture you see the incenses.
You will find it if you decide to go to candle shop
Here you can see flower bed made by tulips. According to text in the flower shop you find many different flowers of different colors.
However, in this image you cannot see any colors except grey. If you look on it carefully you see that this photo is taken from the height and as in the text is written you like this place maybe it should be a symbol of something untouched.
This image you find if you go to the rally with Polly and Ned, where you meet another person Sylvie.
She also knows your cousin and she is quite surprised to see you in that place because it means that neither family has information about Jess.
You see three people sitting and talking maybe about the demonstration. In the background, there are other people and some cars.
Here you see a widow; it may be windows of some shop. You are supposed to be in the restaurant, drinking your coffee, ands as you have decided to sit near the windows you are gazing to things surrounding you.
You stare at a man sitting in the car at the traffic lights. In your head, you are more out than in of the restaurant.
This is the last picture you can see. There is someone packing the bags. I think this someone is your cousin Jess.
In my opinion this picture appears last because it says you that you didn’t learn anything about your cousin and you can just imagine the end of this story.
There is a contrast of two colors: black and white. White represents events you know and black represents your doubts, misunderstanding and desperation.
The whole background is black because you have no more information about your cousin. You cannot see the direction of the road because you have no idea where Jess is.
Academic year 2009/2010
© a.r.e.a./Dr.Vicente Forés López
© Guillermo Chuliá Peris
guichupe@alumni.uv.es
Universitat de València Press