The Sense of An Ending by Julian Barnes

Classroom thinking activity - Reading of "The Sense of an Ending" by Julian Barnes

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Here is my response to the questions,

1) What is the meaning of phrase ‘Blood Money’ in Veronica’s reply email?

  This phrase is used by the Veronica in email sent to the Tony which  has deeper meaning that means that when Sarah has given Tony a letter and 500 pounds in a will, it's may be that Sarah is happy with her relations with Adrian which is happened because of Tony that he wrote to Adrian to meet Sarah that's why this happen. Sarah may be happy with this relations but also responsible for Adrian's death. So, that money is Blood money , a cost of Adrian's death.

 2) How do you decipher the equation: b = s – v x/+ a1 or a2 + v + a1 X s = b?

         B-Baby = Sarah - Veronica + a1 Adrian In this equation, there is the absence of the a2 - Antony Webster. This one is right in the eyes of the Adrian that Antony wasn't responsible for the act and damage that is happen with Adrian (suicide), Sarah (pregnant) and Veronica has sacrifice her whole life in care of that baby and never marry. This is may be represent just a memory of the Tony.

        a2- Antony + v- Veronica + a1- Adrian x s- Sarah = b - baby . In his equation, we can say that Antony revisit the documents and realize that he is the responsible for the damage of the chain that is broken and human relations are destroyed. Antony wrote in a letter letter to meet the Veronica's mother Sarah that's why Adrian went there and relations between Sarah and Adrian happened because of the Antony's mistake. So, we can say that because of the unhealthy relations of late age woman with a young boy, the mentally unbalanced baby has to suffer and Veronica also has to sacrifice her whole life in taking care of that child. 

3) Adrian’s diary is willed to Tony by Sarah Ford. Why did Sarah Ford own it? Why was it in the possession of Veronica?

       Adrian’s diary is willed to Tony by Sarah Ford because she is happy with her relations with Adrian that is because of the Tony. Sarah Ford own Adrian's diary may be because they have relations with each other and after the death of Adrian it is with her. It is in the possession  of Veronica because she is a daughter of Sarah and all that belongs to her came in inheritance.

4) Was the mentally retarded middle aged ‘Adrian’, Tony’s friend who did not commit suicide and was suffering from trauma and thus gone mad, and was living with hidden identity?

      We can't say that mentally retarded middle age 'Adrian' who didn't commit suicide and was suffering from trauma and thus gone mad, and was living with hidden identity, no doubt once it came  in our mind but we can't believe it because as narration tells Baby of the Sarah and Adrian because of their unsuitable relations, young boy's relation with late age woman turn into tragedy as Adrian commit suicide, Baby is suffering mentally and Veronica sacrifices her life in taking care of the baby.  

o   5) How was Veronica related to Adrian, the one suffering in care-in-the-community?

    

            As Veronica is the daughter of the Sarah and Adrian and Sarah are in relationship with each other. Because of this relation of late age woman and young boy turn into tragedy as the baby that is of both is mentally weak and as a blood relations after mother's death Veronica take care of him (Adrian) who is really her brother not friend or lover.

 

    6) Do you see any missing block – some dot which is not getting connected with the      whole or dot missing to get full sense of the novel - in the plot of this psychological thriller?

      

            The novel is a psychological thriller,  there are many dots and things that can't be connected at end which is unanswered by Barnes. Many things in the novel is difficult to understand for which we need deep understanding and repetitive reading of it.

     

     Why Sarah has told bad things about her own daughter to the Tony when he visited           Veronica's home? Is it general jealousy of women or something else ?
 

     Why at last Veronica choose to be alone without getting married and take care of mother's  child while mother didn't care much about her ?

       

      Is Adrian happy or not with his relation with Sarah ? If, yes why he has done suicide ?

     What happen with Robson's girlfriend ?

     

     7) Do you see any possible reason in the suicide of Adrian Finn?

   

           Julian Barnes not clarified the exact reason behind Adrian’s death but may be out of the shame and guilt that he has affair with his girlfriend's mother (Veronica's) or may be some deep philosophical reasons behind it.

o   

     8) In the light of new revelations, how do you read character of Veronica? Instinctive, manipulative, calculating, stubborn, haughty, sacrificial, trustworthy, good Samaritan?

    

             In first part, we find her character who manipulate men, calculative and stubborn but in second part the narration is changes that suddenly we feel she is so kind that she has sacrifice her life to taking care of the baby. So, it is on the representation of the characters that make them.

 

 

·   9)What do you mean by Unreliable Narrator? Is Tony Webster classifiable as         Unreliable Narrator?

 

            Yes , Tony is an unreliable narrator, Unreliable narrator means we cannot fully trust or believe on whatever narrator said, or the narrator himself is not sure about whatever he was said. In this novel also , we find that what is said by the Tony is also not true as he times and again break himself that what he is thinking is not really true for the incident that happen bu after checking the letter he come to know that he himself is responsible for the life of Adrian, Veronica and Sarah.  

 

     Thank You