![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Symbols and Motifs – We noted the symbolic use of physical cleanliness (toothpaste, baths, new clothes) to suggest Eli’s need to morally/spiritually cleanse himself (he often sought to be physically clean after a murder or argument).In our first session, we focused our discussion on language and structural techniques used in the novel, and split into groups to decide the significance of the following features: Fast paced, bloody and plot laden, the novel seems a surprising choice for the 2011 Booker shortlist, but behind the brightly coloured cover and the relentless hyper-violence, DeWitt’s novel is layered with complex themes and carefully employed motifs, which shed new light on modern issues such as masculinity, greed and the environment. Our first half term has drawn to a close with two weeks spent on Patrick Dewitt’s The Sisters Brothers: an allegorical picaresque novel that superimposes 21st Century concerns onto the backdrop of the California Gold Rush and the uncharted land of the Wild West. We just use it differently.” Eli, The Sisters Brothers ![]()
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