Detailed Analysis of a Paragraph in the Novel Open City

This assignment provides a detailed analysis of a paragraph from the novel "Open City," focusing on the narrator's use of metaphor and the concept of perception. The analysis explores how the narrator employs the metaphor of starlight to convey messages about human emotions, thoughts, and the brevity of human existence. It examines the internal focaliser, the relationship between human thoughts and the light from stars, and the paradoxical element of time in the context of the narrative. The analysis also delves into the effectiveness of the narrator's word choice within the framework of literary devices, emphasizing how perception is a key element in interpreting the meaning of life's events. The document concludes by highlighting the significance of perception in understanding the relationship between human thought and the broader context of the novel.

Running head: PARAGRAPH ANALYSIS
Paragraph Analysis
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1PARAGRAPH ANALYSIS
Keyword: perception
In this particular paragraph from the literary work “Open City” the narrator uses the
metaphor of the light of the stars to convey his message to his readers. The entire paragraph
when viewed through the literary device of perception renders meaningful insight on the
entire literary work itself. In this paragraph the narrator uses the metaphor of the light emitted
by the distant stars to portray the human emotions and thoughts. The entire novel reveals that
perception is required to meaningfully interpret the various incidents which one comes across
during the entire course of one’s life.
The narrator of the novel in the paragraph under discussion here has adopted a
reflective as well as retrospective tone in which he reflects upon the light which is coming
from the stars but deep down he is really thinking about the human life and the way the
different thoughts of the human beings affect their lives. The focaliser in this particular
context is an internal one and as a matter of fact is a character of the novel. In a way it can be
said that it is the perception of this focaliser which unites the entire paragraph and provides it
meaning and the helps in the attainment of the much needed connection between the light of
the stars and the human thoughts. A critical analysis of the passage would reveal the fact that
apart from the general information which he is conveying to the readers the narrator is using
the literary devise of metaphor to make the necessary between the light emitted by the stars
and the human thoughts that had their origin in the conscious as well as the subconscious part
of the human brain. The thoughts of the narrator in the paragraph under discussion here
evokes a feeling of thoughtfulness and at the same time hints towards the limited time span
which the human beings have at their disposal inspite of the technological advancements
made by them in the brief period of their existence on this Earth. The narrator in this
particular paragraph makes use of the literary device of metaphors to express his thoughts in
a much more effective manner. Thus, it is with the help of this literary devise that his tries to

2PARAGRAPH ANALYSIS
show the association between the human thoughts and the light of the stars. On another plane,
the narrator can also be said to be hinting towards the brevity of the life span of the human
beings and saying that inspite of the technological and the other kinds of advancements which
they have made the human beings have yet not being able to conquer the brevity of their
existence on this planet. The use of the image of the stars serves dual purpose for the narrator,
firstly, it helps the narrator to show the connected between the light transmitted by the stars
and the human thought process and secondly, it enables the narrator to comment upon the
brevity of the human existence. The passage appeals to the perception as well as the logos
aspect of the readers and makes them reflect upon the message which he is trying to convey
to the readers in this particular passage.
The only contradictory thing which happens in the passage is the fact that the narrator
says that “To look into dark spaces was to have a clear glimpse of the future…..”. It is to be
noted that at this particular juncture saying that these dark spaces give a glimpse into the past
would have been more appropriate since scientifically it can be said that the light which the
narrator is seeing at the current moment have already been by the stars thousands of years
ago. Thus, the dark spaces which the narrator is referring to at this particular juncture are the
ones which were in place thousands of years ago and at this particular point of time probably
would have been replaced by the other stars. Thus, this is the only paradoxical element which
is a part of passage under discussion here. The narrator takes the help of the literary device of
metaphor to convey his thoughts to the readers. Thus, the device used to convey his thoughts
is not of much importance rather the thoughts which he is trying to convey is of greater
importance and the thoughts which he trying to convey at particular juncture has meaning in
the overall context novel as well. The narrator’s choice of words to convey his feelings do not
match the situation but as has already being mention he is just taking the help of the literary
device of metaphor and in this particular device the imagery does not matter that much but

3PARAGRAPH ANALYSIS
the thought or the logic which is being conveyed matters the most. I would like to comment
here in this particular context that the words used by the narrator in the passage in the general
sense do not make much sense and would seem totally out of context but when seen through
the specific lens of the literary device of metaphors they completely make sense. The narrator
includes them in the passage just to enhance the effectiveness of the language which is being
used by him to convey his thoughts to the readers and also to appeal to the perception of the
readers in a much more effective manner.
To conclude, perception forms an important part of the thought process of the
individuals. It is generally seen that the tool of perception helps the various individuals to not
only render meaning to the various incidents of their lives but at the same time to interpret in
a meaningful manner the various incidents of their lives. It is a reflection of this particular
fact that the narrator of the paragraph under discussion here uses this particular literary
construct to effectively show the relationship between the human thoughts and life span with
the light emitted by the stars thousands of light years away.