Analysis of Themes in "Room" by Emma Donoghue

1. General Vision and Viewpoint In ‘Room’ by Emma Donoghue

2. Opening

3. Room Key Moment: The Key Moment: The opening opening of ‘Room’ is deeply pessimistic. Ma and Jack are prisoners in Room. What’s worse, Ma is a frequent victim of sexual assault at the hands of their captor, Old Nick. Key moment - Jack’s 5th birthday. He is measured on the wall and Ma tries to make the day special for him, despite the fact they are imprisoned by making a cake. Techniques - the silences that can be sensed at the beginning show the harsh reality of their situation. For Jack, this birthday is like no other as he has grown up in Room his whole life, but it must be difficult for Ma to put up a front and make it seem normal to him. Key moment Key moment - - Jack throws a tantrum about the lack of candles on his birthday cake Jack throws a tantrum about the lack of candles on his birthday cake - this must be a difficult moment for Ma who has no control over the situation and we feel her frustration- yet she keeps her cool and we as readers admire her resilience as she tries her best.

4. Room It feels at the beginning as though there is little hope of escape. Key Moment Key Moment - Emma Donoghue uses sound Ma and Jack are. The ‘beep beep’ that signals Old Nick’s arrival most The ‘beep beep’ that signals Old Nick’s arrival most nights as described by Jack, the novel’s narrator gives us as readers an nights as described by Jack, the novel’s narrator gives us as readers an almost monstrous impression of him almost monstrous impression of him. sound to illustrate how locked up Emma Donoghue continues to present the setting of Room as a prison. Their food is rationed and not nutritious. Their food is rationed and not nutritious. We learn later in the novel that Room itself is just a garden shed and lacking in space (11 by 11 foot)- and very secure. A blow torch is needed to remove the metallic door. the setting of Room as a prison. Overall, the outlook at the beginning of the novel is bleak and depressing Overall, the outlook at the beginning of the novel is bleak and depressing.

5. The Story Progresses

6. Room The rising action of Room is a rollercoaster of emotion and this mirrors our outlook. Key moment Key moment - - We feel more optimistic when Ma finally reveals the truth about the We feel more optimistic when Ma finally reveals the truth about the outside world to outside world to Jack in ‘Unlying’ Jack in ‘Unlying’, but it quickly changes to frustration to believe Ma’s story. frustration when Jack refuses We feel Ma’s true loneliness as a mother Ma’s true loneliness as a mother - Ma never got to share her story up until now, and we share her disappointment we share her disappointment and sense how alone she feels -’you are sort of broken and remade by the experience...raising a child in a locked room, that’s the perfect image for what every mother does, just in a more extreme way’ - Emma Donoghue on motherhood. Although we understand and feel Ma’s frustration in this moment, we can still acknowledge Jack’s anger which stems from the fact he realises he has been lied to his acknowledge Jack’s anger which stems from the fact he realises he has been lied to his whole life, so he lashes out at Ma. We as readers feel the tension that rises between Ma whole life, so he lashes out at Ma. We as readers feel the tension that rises between Ma and Jack, which is in contrast to the usual loving and understanding relationship they and Jack, which is in contrast to the usual loving and understanding relationship they have created up to this point. have created up to this point. we can still

7. Room Key moment Key moment - - Their escape offers the readers an immense feeling of hope Their escape offers the readers an immense feeling of hope. Ma’s resilience Ma’s resilience up to this point and Jack’s bravery Jack’s bravery in playing dead, rolling out from under the Rug and his encounter with Ajeet, the kind stranger uplifts us as readers and gives us an immeasurable feeling of both relief and uplifts us as readers and gives us an immeasurable feeling of both relief and euphoria. euphoria. Ajeet, the kind stranger However, Jack and Ma’s road to recovery is not as easy as we would have However, Jack and Ma’s road to recovery is not as easy as we would have hope. hope. Emma Donoghue uses realism to portray the ‘vultures’ - the Media. Key moment Key moment - - Ma’s horrifically invasive TV interview Ma’s horrifically invasive TV interview. The puffy haired interviewer asks Ma some awfully personal questions which triggers a interviewer asks Ma some awfully personal questions which triggers a suicide suicide attempt attempt E.G. how she felt about ‘deceiving’ Jack by not revealing the full truth about the world. This is arguably the novel’s climax This is arguably the novel’s climax - - most emotionally shocking and intense most emotionally shocking and intense moment and it is a stark reminder of life’s harsh realities and we moment and it is a stark reminder of life’s harsh realities and we sympathise with both Jack and Ma sympathise with both Jack and Ma - - feeling sad for them. feeling sad for them.

8. Ending/ Conclusion

9. Room In the conclusion to ‘Room’, the ending is bittersweet, and we are left with a mixture of hope and In the conclusion to ‘Room’, the ending is bittersweet, and we are left with a mixture of hope and sadness. sadness. Key moment Key moment - - Ma and Jack return to visit Room Ma and Jack return to visit Room, to say goodbye, at the request of Jack. What Ma doesn’t realise is that this moment will be closure and a healing experience for her too. Jack says that this moment will be closure and a healing experience for her too. Jack says goodbye to all of the various objects that were so much a part of his upbringing. goodbye to all of the various objects that were so much a part of his upbringing. “Goodbye, Room." I wave up at Skylight. "Say goodbye," I tell Ma. "Goodbye, Room." Ma says it but on mute. I look back one more time. It's like a crater, a hole where something happened. Then we go out the door.” This is a powerful moment This is a powerful moment - - Ma was reluctant to visit Room, not really wanting to revisit that Ma was reluctant to visit Room, not really wanting to revisit that traumatic time in her life, but her saying goodby on mute shows that on some level, Jack has shown traumatic time in her life, but her saying goodby on mute shows that on some level, Jack has shown her how no matter what, it will always be apart of her, for better or for worse her how no matter what, it will always be apart of her, for better or for worse. Simultaneously, Jack’s insistence on finally seeing Room again, and the attachment he has clearly made with the place is insistence on finally seeing Room again, and the attachment he has clearly made with the place is broken when he describes it as a ‘crater’ broken when he describes it as a ‘crater’ - - it is a space where something happened, and he can now it is a space where something happened, and he can now move on, but it will always have defined his and Ma’s life. In the end, we are overcome with both move on, but it will always have defined his and Ma’s life. In the end, we are overcome with both sadness that they had to endure such and thing, but also proud of them for moving on from it. sadness that they had to endure such and thing, but also proud of them for moving on from it. Jack’s