Prologue To The Go-Between Essay
Referring to the prologue characterize Leo old and young The prologue to 'The Go-between' tells us a lot about the protagonist Leo's character both in his younger days at school when he was around 13 years old and how he is at present when reminiscing at around 64 years of age.
Leo is looking in a box that contained many items from his school days; he then comes across the diary that contains a multitude of memories. He looks at it but it 'refused to disclose its identity'. It is as if there are some memories that were forgotten because he blocked them out. Leo examines but 'does not want to touch it'.
Although he tells himself this is because he wanted to challenge his memory we soon realize that it is because he is afraid of what the diary and what it contains. The diary had an 'enervating power, and spoke its message of disappointment and defeat.' The diary …show more content…
We also see that most of his acts in his life 'were born of will, not inclination'. He has lived the life in a particular way because he felt he had to rather than he wanted to, he has not the freedom and the full life he wanted.
Leo starts to remember what the diary used to represent as he looks inside the first few pages. We start to learn about the character of the young Leo and the sentiments he was experiencing in his period of adolescence.
It was the year 1900, the first year of the century and he had felt it 'winged with hope' and the very signs of the zodiac represented 'a plentitude of life'. At the time they represented a magical, exciting power and a 'tingling sense of coming fruition.' The young Leo was full of optimism at the start of the century. Then we are reminded of the current Leo's feelings, how the magic of those symbols were 'no longer potent' for him. He has lost that optimism due to the events earlier in his
Leo is looking in a box that contained many items from his school days; he then comes across the diary that contains a multitude of memories. He looks at it but it 'refused to disclose its identity'. It is as if there are some memories that were forgotten because he blocked them out. Leo examines but 'does not want to touch it'.
Although he tells himself this is because he wanted to challenge his memory we soon realize that it is because he is afraid of what the diary and what it contains. The diary had an 'enervating power, and spoke its message of disappointment and defeat.' The diary …show more content…
We also see that most of his acts in his life 'were born of will, not inclination'. He has lived the life in a particular way because he felt he had to rather than he wanted to, he has not the freedom and the full life he wanted.
Leo starts to remember what the diary used to represent as he looks inside the first few pages. We start to learn about the character of the young Leo and the sentiments he was experiencing in his period of adolescence.
It was the year 1900, the first year of the century and he had felt it 'winged with hope' and the very signs of the zodiac represented 'a plentitude of life'. At the time they represented a magical, exciting power and a 'tingling sense of coming fruition.' The young Leo was full of optimism at the start of the century. Then we are reminded of the current Leo's feelings, how the magic of those symbols were 'no longer potent' for him. He has lost that optimism due to the events earlier in his