Skip to main content

ISC English Literature - The Sound Machine by Roald Dahl Summary

In The Sound Machine by Roald Dahl we have the theme of obsession, instability, fear and dedication. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Dahl may be exploring the theme of obsession. Klausner spends his entire time with his sound machine. What first starts out as an innocent experiment that excites Klausner becomes something which Klausner obsesses over. It is also interesting that Mrs Saunders is at a loss when it comes to what Klausner might be doing and if anything she begins to feel afraid. This may be important as it highlights the distance that exists between Mrs Saunders and Klausner. Ironically they are next door neighbours but would not be similar or close when it comes to their lifestyles. Klausner has an unusual lifestyle in which his life appears to be dedicated to the sound machine. At no stage in the story does Dahl give the reader an insight into any other activity that Klausner might participate in. Something which is clearly unhealthy for an individual. To be so focused on one thing and not allowing themselves the opportunity to explore other ventures in order to create a balance in life.
If anything Klausner may be mentally unstable. It is as though he is so preoccupied with the sound machine that he has no time for either people or other things. It is also possible that Klausner has a heightened sense of hearing. This may explain as to why the doctor does not hear the cries from the tree when Klausner strikes it with an axe for a second time. The fact that Dahl uses plant life and suggests that plant life has the ability to feel may be important as Dahl could be placing a symbolic spotlight on environmental issues. Perhaps Dahl is suggesting that not enough care is given to the environment. A stance that would not have been common at the time the story was written (1949). It might also be a case that Dahl is also highlighting how socially detached from society Klausner is. There is no mention of Klausner having any friends in the story and the only person who knows him well is Dr Scott. Someone that Klausner appears to trust. Though it is noticeable that Dr Scott is somewhat afraid of Klausner while he is applying the iodine to the tree.
The fact that Dr Scott is applying the iodine on Klausner’s instruction may also be important. As Klausner is attempting to treat the tree as a human would be treated. Klausner has attached feeling to the tree based on the sound he may or may not have heard. The fact that the branch falls on the sound machine is also interesting as Klausner appears to be associating the falling of the branch with the tree defending itself. Which in all likelihood is something that is not realistic. Though for Klausner everything is realistic. It is as though Klausner’s activities with the sound machine have clouded his judgement. He may not necessarily be thinking straight such is the excitement he feels over his discovery of what he hears when he strikes the tree with an axe. The striking of the tree with an axe is also an irrational act. Though logical to Klausner. This could be important as Klausner without knowing it may have lost touch with reality. Which would play on the theme of instability.
The end of the story is also interesting as it seems to be a case that things have gotten to be too much for Klausner. Something that is noticeable by the fact that Dr Scott takes Klausner’s arm while they are walking back to the house. Symbolically this could suggest that Klausner is being taken into the care of Dr Scott. That there is a realisation by both men that Klausner may not be mentally stable. The reader aware that the trigger for Klausner’s breakdown is the fact that he allowed himself to focus entirely on the one project. Throwing all his energies into it and if anything shutting himself off from the outside world. What had most likely started off as a pet project became an obsession to Klausner and fuelled by the excitement he felt he may have tipped himself over the edge. Perhaps Dahl is suggesting that to succeed in life an individual needs balance. Something that Klausner did not have. With Klausner it was all or nothing. He may or may not have succeeded in his actions but the results are definitely not what Klausner expected. Unfortunately for Klausner he does not know if he really heard the sounds of the roses been cut or the daisies been plucked from the ground or the scream of the tree when hit with the axe. Dr Scott cannot confirm that he heard the sound that Klausner heard. Which leaves the reader suspecting that Klausner has worked too hard on the sound machine and as a result had a breakdown.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

ISC English Literature - B. Wordsworth by V.S. Naipul Summary

In B. Wordsworth by V. S. Naipaul we have the theme of admiration, identity, curiosity, friendship, control, freedom, uncertainty and coming of age. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed male the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that Naipaul may be exploring the theme of admiration. If anything the narrator appears to admire Wordsworth though the reality may be that Wordsworth may not necessarily be who he says he is. He suggests that he is writing a poem that will be the greatest poem in the world however as the story progresses Wordsworth admits to the narrator that there is no poem. However it might also be significant that Wordsworth denies the story about the girl poet as the reality may be the girl poet may have been Wordsworth’s wife and the sudden loss of her is something that Wordsworth may have never overcome. Wordsworth was a young man at the time and had the future in front of him. However his life appears to have become one of ...
Post a Comment
Read more

ISC English Literature -Fritz by Satyajit Ray Summary

In Fritz by Satyajit Ray we have the theme of memory, innocence, worry, control, letting go, friendship, fear and conflict. Taken from his The Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Shankar and after reading the story the reader realises that Ray may be exploring the theme of memory. Jayanto can remember when he was a child and he visited Bundi. Throughout the story he recalls incidents of his time in Bundi telling Shankar not only about the deodar tree but about Fritz as well. For Jayanto the time he spent in Bundi when he was a child is mostly a happy and innocent time. Apart from when Fritz was torn apart by two dogs. It is also noticeable that Jayanto is afraid while in his in Bundi. He believes that while he was sleeping Fritz had come into his room and walked across the bed. Though Jayanto believes this the reality is it did not and could not have happened. If anything Jayanto most likely feel asleep thinking about Fritz and...
Post a Comment
Read more

ISC English Literature - The Singing Lesson by Katherine Mansfield Summary

In The Singing Lesson by Katherine Mansfield we have the theme of despair, sadness, reliance, appearance, desperation and happiness. Taken from her The Garden Party and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the opening line of the story it becomes clear to the reader that Mansfield is exploring the theme of despair. Mansfield opens the story with the line ‘With despair – cold, sharp despair – buried deep in her heart like a knife.’ This line is significant as it not only sets the tone for the story but through Mansfield’s language usage (cold, sharp, knife) the reader also gets a sense of how deeply affected Miss Meadows is after she has read Basil’s letter. It may also be important that Mansfield tells the reader that Miss Meadows ‘trod the cold corridors.’ It is possible that Mansfield is using the setting of the school (the cold corridor) to reflect how Miss Meadows is feeling. This sense of coldness is further explored ...
Post a Comment
Read more