the question is how are a range of literary techniques used to explore the central ideas of the novel



please tell me if this essay is answering that question



___________________________________________________



James Moloney’s A Bridge To Wiseman’s Cove allows us to take a look at the struggles of life. The novel is pulled together with a number of literary techniques put to use by Moloney. The theme of identity is the focus of the novel and Moloney has successfully chosen themes that many young teenagers can relate to. The relation to the novel keeps the interest of the reader. The use of language and metaphors in the novel is strong, with many metaphors carrying a hidden message in relation to the novel. With each individual technique strung together the main ideas are searched and raised in an appealing fashion.



Throughout time the story and theme of love has always been admired and a popular genre. In the novel of Wiseman’s Cove Moloney has chosen to use this practice of writing as a theme in the novel. Carl was the strange one of his family and never received the love and care he needed from Kerry. In society love is something many people wish to possess; love comes in all forms, whether it be love of an object, friendship or romance. Exploring the theme, the power of love allows the emotion of characters to be displayed through the novel. Without love and emotion the characters are empty. Carl’s quest for love and family is an idea that holds the novel together and brings out the inner most thoughts of individual characters. It was not until the character of Carl Matt felt he was loved did he allow all emotion that was held inside of him to be released. ‘The bus was heading towards the city.. to you and Harley, she was coming home like she always did, (Moloney, 2007, p292) the realization of this softened Carl. ‘the tears he craved welled in his eyes, with them came the longed-for ache of his mothers death, and he knew at last he was alive to feel it,’ (Moloney, 2007, p292). The quest for love can be a painful one, as shown in the novel, but is worthwhile.



A Bridge To Wiseman’s Cove provided Moloney with an opportunity to express his beliefs to a wide audience. Through reading A Bridge To Wiseman’s Cove I saw the message of perception put across many times. People are not always the way we see them to be. ‘Carl’s eye picked out a girl on the opposite footpath.. he could see her face only in a distant profile, but this was enough, she was beautiful,’ (Moloney, 2007, p23). In the chapter ‘wattle beach,’ Carl discovers Maddie who seems to lead a perfect life, but as the novel progresses it becomes apparent she does not. Moloney uses this technique of character change to keep the novel interesting. Conflict in the novel arises from this when Maddie convinces herself into believing that the local ‘thug,’ Nathan Treflo is as good as his physical appearance. Nathan who sees Maddie as just an object of sexual desire treats her with no respect. Treatment like that is a burden on Maddie, but a peak point of the novel. We see many characters differ from the way people from the outside see them. Introducing this in different chapters of the novel communicates this to the reader powerfully.







From perception comes a label, people do not pause and take the time to learn what sort of person you are, they label you. It could be the way you dress, your friends or even in Carl Matt’s case, your last name. ‘Curse of the Matt’s,’ (Moloney, 2007), a phrase so often said or thought by the citizens of Wattle Beach. The importance of finding your identity is portrayed in the novel as being a hard journey, but like the search for love, worthwhile. As teenagers many struggle to find their identity and are more focused on fitting in. As Wiseman’s Cove is aimed at teenagers the story line is easy for readers to relate to and not a difficult topic. The transformation that Carl goes through is vast. From the beginning we see him as someone who has never found him self. Carl’s work at the barge gives him an opportunity to break free from the name he has been given and create his own. This time he is ‘the boy from the barge.’ Wiseman’s cove ability to relate to general teenage life deepens the understanding a reader has of the situations through the novel. With this theme put to use in the novel brings out the varying emotions of characters. Allowing the reader to understand and relate on a higher level.





James Moloney has taken characters and put them in situations to illustrate his themes. The central ideas of the novel, being the search for love, perception and identity are strongly put across with the use of the character. Moloney has taken the characters into a situation to gain empathy from the reader.