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In:Style as Motivated Choice: In memory of Peter Verdonk (1934–2021)
Edited by Michael Burke and Joanna Gavins
[Linguistic Approaches to Literature 44] 2025
► pp. 21–44

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Chapter 2
Reconstructing Kath

Memory, bereaved mind styles and plot manipulation in Penelope Lively’s The Photograph

 | University of Glasgow
Published online: 8 May 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lal.44.02emm
Abstract
Penelope Lively’s The Photograph is a story which revolves around a dead woman, Kath, and the memories of her by those closest to her. Readers of the novel have to form a representation of her from information presented in the thoughts of the bereaved characters, then reconstruct this representation later in the story as more information accumulates. This chapter examines the “mind styles” of these bereaved characters, including stylistic features such as metalepsis, multiple-self metaphors and sentence fragmentation. In addition, this study examines how these presentation techniques create a sense of mystery about the dead woman and hide key facts for plot manipulation purposes, so that the revelations at the end of the story can then come as a surprise to readers.
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Story summary
  • Bereaved mind styles
  • Stylistic features of bereaved mind styles
    • Memory triggers and apparent presence
    • Multiple selves
    • The nature of memories: Fragmentation and memory loss
    • Filtering Kath’s representation through communal and individual mind styles
  • Plot: Mystery and resolution
    • Suppressing information: Omission and burying
    • Re-balancing and hinting
    • Denouement: Explanation and reconstruction
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (38)
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