ISP Blog Post #2

When applying Reader Response Theory to The Antagonist, it becomes evident that the personal narration allows for the reader to interpret and apply their individual views and knowledge to the text. Many things that Rank describes enable me to imagine places and people familiar to me, by taking his situations and putting them into my own. It seems as though much of the novel is written almost metaphorically, as if Rank’s statements are made to be anyone’s interpretation of them, they do not have fixed meaning. A lot of the book is about figuring out what his stories mean in a larger picture, which is really up to what the reader believes them to be.

Although many of my personal experiences differ from the main character’s, particularly because of the dissimilarities in our personality and interests, the content is still up for personal interpretation.  In a cultural respect, Rank’s stories describe the dynamics of a small Ontario town, which is extremely relatable and applicable to me as he describes his teen life which reflects my upbringing, also in a small Ontario town. The personal narration through a series of emails allows for the reader to form a personal connection with the characters and setting. This novel also includes the reader’s personal experiences and knowledge that they bring to the table because it centers on the betrayal and the breaking of trust from a friend. This is relevant to all human relationships. Especially for myself in high school, I've definitely been betrayed by someone close to me that has created bitterness towards them. I have become sympathetic and understanding of Rank’s anger about this, and created a personal connection towards the novel in that respect. I also think that Rank’s references to social media and Facebook create a strong reader connection in today’s world. As he describes his experience with social media, i found it be not only intriguing through humour, but extremely relevant. “The kid’s assured me that i could just click ignore and all would be well, and if ignore didn't work then i could block, no worries, no more voices- no more ghosts” (Coady 131). I think anyone in use of social media has experienced this feeling of people you hardly know, or have not know for a long time trying to befriend you on a website. By applying my own transaction through the text, I have found that The Antagonist is very reader oriented, in nature of the writing, and when analyzed from a Reader Response method.

ISP Blog Post 1- The Antagonist

Thus far, I have read one hundred and thirty pages of Lynn Coady’s, "The Antagonist". This novel is centered on creating suspense and making inferences to solve one underlying question. The main character, Gordon Rankin Junior, or more commonly referred to as, Rank narrates the book through a series of emails in which he retells many significant, and seemingly insignificant events of his childhood, teen years, college years, and present time. “I've been reading over what I sent to you so far trying to figure out why in God’s name I can’t just settle into a nice, neat, chronological version of the story of my life. I keep going off on these pointless tangents” (34). These emails are being written to a former college friend, Adam, who had written a book about a confession Rank had made to him several years ago, and one that no one else knows about. “I was going to tell it, and I broke out in a sweat and started talking faster, willing it to come but terrified and the next thing I knew I was telling it, telling you, and the fluorescent light from the kitchen was glinting off your glasses in a way that drove me crazy...” (32). As the reader, this has me questioning what the secret is. Gordon’s stories all have underlying meanings that will obviously develop into a bigger picture, but this far in the book his secret is still a puzzle although it is constantly referenced throughout the novel, and possibly revealed passive aggressively though it is not clear.

       It becomes evident early on why “the Antagonist” was chosen as the novel’s title. Rank is witty, skeptical, and often very spiteful giving him an aura that could be described as “rough around the edges.” His brutal honesty, embarrassing stories, use of profanity, and drunken rants add comical effect but also appeal to deeper emotions. These characteristics are mirrored by the physical description of him. He describes himself as being extremely tall and masculine. This creates a mental image of a large, forty something year old man whose tall structure has made him intimidating since his teenage years. “I was the worst kind of teenager- superficially speaking, that is- the kind that grownups like the look of least. Big and thuggy. I could take them. I could take anyone, obviously” (36). Because the novel is written in such a unique format, the description of Rank’s physical and emotional traits feel so personal to the reader as he provides so many details into past events, current events, and his moods as he is composing his emails. This allows for a very profound image in the reader’s mind. 

       Many social issues are presented in this novel which is relevant to today’s society and to the modern reader. Throughout the novel, Rank experiences several inner struggles. The emotional abuse inflicted by his father is something he spends a great deal of the novel discussing. As well, the loss of his mother in his late teens seems to have great significance in determining his character. It is evident that Rank has a lot of pent up emotions and has dealt with great emotional struggle in his forty-something years. 

Strengths and Weaknesses

        As an essay writer, I have both strengths and weaknesses. Although I prefer writing structured essays rather than creative writing, I have flaws in my writing. I often find it difficult to complete outlines until after I’ve written the essay because my thoughts tend to change and evolve in the process. I find this to be beneficial at the time but when looking in retrospect on my essay writing process, I realize the importance of having organized thoughts. I also tend to struggle when forming transitioning sentences, especially when introducing sources. This may contribute to the difficulty I have coming up with concluding paragraphs that go beyond just restating the thesis. In addition, I struggle with diction as I tend to write more than expected but I have been learning to limit my use of flowery language without diminishing the intellect of my writing.

      Though I do have flaws as an essay writer, I also have strengths. I have been told by teachers in the past that I have a knack for forming complex sentences structures which is especially important in essay writing. I always look at both sides of the spectrum making thesis writing something I’ve recently excelled at because I have the ability to look at all angles of a topic without ignoring contradictory evidence. Because of my strength writing theses, this makes the structure of the introductory paragraph a strong point of mine. In addition, I have the ability to find and elaborate on sources that strengthen the credibility of my essay as a whole.

     As an essay writer I would like to set a goal to become more organized in my work, and do this thoroughly. I plan to do this by completing essay outlines before I start writing my essay, and ensuring I have found all sources and cited them before hand. This will make writing the essay considerably easier to write and will allow me to finish in a timely manner. 

About Me

Hey everyone,

I am a grade eleven student from Tillsonburg where I have been living for 16 years (my whole life). My number one interest is animals, particularly dogs. From a very early age I have had a fascination with all animals (except birds which I fear, ironically) and I hope that I can pursue something in that field of interest. However, due to the fact that science is not my forte I plan on taking a university program called Peace and Conflict Studies which looks at various global issues and offers multiple career opportunities from there. This program also incorporates my other interests in the social sciences and journalism. I would love to be an advocate for a non-profit organization like the SPCA which provides care and justice for animals. You can visit their website here: http://www.ontariospca.ca/ Also, here's a picture of my dog, Grover. I may be biased, but he's the best (and cutest) dog.

Other than animals, I love music. I began playing piano when I was four and after learning the basics I realized I didn't like the structure of theory, so I switched to guitar. I have three guitars. Two acoustic, and one electric, which I've been playing for nearly ten years now. I also began playing the flute in grade seven! My biggest musical influence, especially from an acoustic perspective is definitely Ed Sheeran. I would be super content with even a tenth of his talent, and is authentic personality is admirable.

Other my love for animals and music, I enjoy spending time with my friends, and binge watching series on Netflix.