As discussed in last week’s post, we have now covered enough ground with the earlier tips, and for now, analysis of other, popular works would help us cement our understanding of the basic components of writing fiction.
So for now, the tips and analyses would come every alternate Thursday… Savvy?
Gone Girl
“What are you thinking?
How are you feeling?
What have we done to each other?
What will we do?”
Yes, we are working off the movie, and not the book, and the reasons for that are very simple.
- Generally, movies are quite easier, and sparser.
- More importantly, I have not read the book.
The first time I watched my movie, it really freaked me out… I mean, honestly, as a guy, it just resonates with a very specific part of my soul…
In some ways, the perfect time to watch this movie is at a bachelor party… But not yours, of course…
Anyway, my job, tonight, is not to praise this movie, but to dissect it and analyse the pieces, in a very cerebral, heartless way… And hey, that’s what I do…
OBVIOUS WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
Plot of Gone Girl, divided into discrete narratives
Okay, let us dig right into it, now…
1. Nick’s Narrative
Setting: North Carthage, Missouri (primary)
Narrative:
Point of View: Third Person (primarily Nick)
Voice: Objective
Time: July 5 to September 23, 2012
Tone: Aloof, but earnest
Now, this is where the bulk of the major events and incidents occur, initially with Amy’s disappearance, and the subsequent investigation, leading to his brief incarceration. It continues after Amy’s return, upto the conclusion.
His consistent faltering, and repeated lies, often makes his narrative appear more unreliable than it actually is, which lead the police, and the readers, to suspect him more and more, as the story approaches its halfway mark…
2. Amy’s Narrative (Part 1)
Setting: New York City
North Carthage, Missouri
Narrative:
Point of View: First Person (Amy)
Voice: Epistolary / Character
Time: February 24, 2007 to July 5, 2012
Tone: Evolves as the story progresses, from dearly beloved to cold and calculating
This part of the narrative describes a young Amy, falling in love a young Nick, the events leading up to their marriage, and the subsequent unravelling of their relationship.
Thereafter, as the narrative catches up to the present day, the entire tone loses any warmth it may have earlier had, which already wasn’t much, and is revealed to be greatly misleading.
3. Amy’s Narrative (Part 2)
Setting: Resort
Lake House
Narrative:
Point of View: Third Person (primarily Amy)
Voice: Objective
Time: July 5 to August 4, 2012
Tone: Cold
This narrates Amy’s journey from the desolate resort, to Desi’s Lake House, to her home.
It portrays the lengths to which she would go, to establish her narrative, with her rapid transformations, from the pretty, polished blonde to the dull, exploited brunette, and then the tragic victim…
Basically, she just gets scarier and scarier… Well, as a guy, that is what I’d think…
Now, I have tried not to let my personal feelings affect my analysis… To be honest, I think the guy is very dumb and the girl is fairly crazy, and there is a simple thing to learn from the entire story-
Synopsis: If you marry a girl significantly smarter than you, then bore and annoy her for the next 5 years, and eventually cheat on her, she will make you pay…
Well, I suppose that concludes it…
So, that is all for today…
Thank you…
The Writer Guy 
Still saying it- READ THE BOOK!!!
But, this is one of the very few examples whenever the movie is just as good as the book.
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