Sunday, October 18, 2009

Time

Time is a huge factor in the second part of this novel. The first scene is introduced as Quentin is lying in bed listening to the ticking of his watch, which he then breaks on his dresser. The ticking of his watch seems to have control over Quentin’s head. On the way to get his watch fixed Quentin explains, “I could only hear my watch ticking away in my pocket and after a while I had all the other sounds shut away.” Yet when he arrives to get his watch fixed he changes his mind and leaves the store with his broken yet still ticking watch. Though before he leaves he inquires if the clocks outside say the correct time, though he does not wish to know the actual time. At the end of the section, Quentin listens closely to the bells chime and the affect is has on people around him. As the last bell of the hour sounds, Quentin describes the darkness as still once again. Therefore, though Quentin may not know the actual time, it is the ticking and sound of the bells that are always present in his head.


Why can’t Quentin ignore the ticking of his watch?


What does Quentin’s father mean when he says, “Only when the clock stops does time come to life?”

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