This is not only one of my favourite stories; it also reveals how a frame can be used to broaden our perspective on what might seem, at first glance, a small, isolated event, or to show its implications over a time-span greater than the story's. For me, "A Wedding" offers one of the best examples of its kind.
 |
| Click to enlarge. |
Because a few people have not read this one, I will not spoil the ending. Leave it to say that William Sansom has put all of the weight of his frame on the final sentence, and that this does not represent a twist ending, but a continuation of the plot with additional detail. A twist can be useful in the middle of a story, when space remains to explore the implications of the twist; it can be fatal at the story's end, where it often seems more like a gimmick than a thoughtful resolution. Sansom has taken the wise approach, and allowed the story to lope ahead without hindrance.
One detail that I can mention without spoiling the plot is the emphasis on setting. I love detailed landscapes in fiction, and here, Sansom has focused on strong visual impressions to make his writing live. Given the story's brevity, there is no room for any detailed exploration of character (and none is needed, in this context), but the place is rendered vividly and with economy of means.
 |
| Click to enlarge. |
Still and silent, the landscape is the perfect setting for a terrible event. William Sansom is a master of terrible events; in a "Wedding," he also becomes a master of the crowning detail.
No comments:
Post a Comment