Abstract

Placing a calendar custom in a fictional text opens a wealth of possibilities to the writer: enabling new plots or changes in trajectories; signposting critical information about place and pace, time and timing; and conveying and communicating complex characters. In Reservoir 13, a novel by Jon McGregor, the custom of well dressing appears not as superfluous detail, but as an intentional device to control and manipulate the text—and the reader’s response to it. Although the mentions of the custom are fleeting, this article demonstrates how its inclusion, and its frequency of use, enables the writer to develop a sophisticated sense of place and distinctive, memorable characters through a few well-chosen words. The custom also aids readers in their navigation through a structure which could otherwise prove difficult to fathom, while simultaneously grounding the characters in their calendar when collective trauma may provoke feelings of detachment and isolation.

摘要

在虚构的文本中放置日历自定义为作者打开了丰富的可能性：启用新的情节或轨迹的变化；标示有关地点和速度、时间和时机的关键信息；并传达和传达复杂的字符。在水库 13，乔恩·麦格雷戈 (Jon McGregor) 的小说，穿着得体的习俗似乎不是多余的细节，而是有意控制和操纵文本以及读者对文本的反应的装置。尽管对习俗的提及稍纵即逝，但本文展示了它的包含及其使用频率如何使作者能够通过几个精心挑选的词来培养复杂的地方感和独特的、令人难忘的角色。这种习俗还帮助读者通过一个可能难以理解的结构进行导航，同时在集体创伤可能引发超脱和孤立感时将人物置于日历中。