author plot summary general analysis theme and style plot structure exit by daphne de maurier

Author

Plot Summary

General Analysis

Theme and Style

Plot Structure

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THE BIRDSby Daphne de Maurier

Daphne Du Maurier (1907-1989)

AUTHOR

Presenter: Fatih Aşan

Daphne du Maurier was a

prominent English writer in 20th century. She wrote many novels, plays and stories, notably «Rebecca» and «The Birds». A great number of her books have been adapted into movies. She was made a dame for his literary distinction.

Summary

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She was born into a

prominent artistic and literary household in London on May 13, 1907.

Her grandfather was a novelist and a caricaturist, her father an actor, her mother an actress and her uncle, a magazine editor.

Early Life

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Educated at home with her

sisters, then attended schools in London, Meudon and Paris.

She traveled throughout Europe. Started writing at an early age. One of her stories was published

in Bystander magazine in 1928 and this resulted in a contract with a literary agent.

Early Life

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Du Maurier’s first

novel The Loving Spirit was published in 1931 and received rare reviews.

It also brought her the romantic attention of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick “Boy” Browning.

They got married in 1932.

Early Life

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Du Maurier's love for

Cornwall began during her childhood when her family spent their holidays there.

It was where she found the freedom she craved.

After her marriage she moved and settled to Cornwall with her family.

Cornwall

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She lived at Menabilly for

about 30 years. Menabilly and its surroundings

constituted the setting for a number of her novels and stories.

Cornwall, with its wild seas and rocky coastline, inspired du Maurier. She thought of it as her spiritual home and the natural outdoors life that she had always wanted to live.

Cornwall

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Her historical novels take

place in 17th-18th century Cornwall.

She also wrote about Cornwall in her non-fiction works, most notable one being Vanishing Cornwall.

Cornwall

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The Progress of Julius (1932) Jamaica Inn (1936) Rebecca (1938)

«Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.»

Accused of plagiarism but the lawsuit was unsuccessful.

Fictional Works

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Frenchman’s Creek (1941) Hungry Hill (1943) My Cousin Rachel (1951) Mary Anne (1954) The Scapegoat (1957) The Flight of the Falcon (1965) The House on the Strand (1969) Rule Britannia (1972)

Fictional Works

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Later in her life, she also became a prolific non-fiction

writer and extremely interested in her ancestry.

Gerald (1934) The Du Mauriers (1937) The Young George du Maurier (1951) The Infernal World of Branwell Brontë (1960) Growing Pains (1970)

Non-fiction works

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After her husband’s death in

1965, Du Maurier moved to Kilmarth.

She hardly ever left Cornwall until she died, almost living the life of a recluse.

Known as a warm and immensely funny person who was a welcoming hostess to her guests.

«Writers should be read, but neither seen nor heard.»

Late Years

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She died on 19th April 1989 at Par in Cornwall, England, UK at the age of 81.

Late Years

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Since 1997 there has been a festival of arts and literature in Fowey named after Du Maurier to which thousands of people visit and watch shows.

Titles and Honours

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Daphne du Maurier was made a «Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire» in 1969.

She accepted but never used the title and told no one about it.

There has been many books published about Du Maurier.

Du Maurier’s major works fall into two categories.

A. Historical novelsB. Modern stories of mystery

and suspense

Literary Style

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Historical Novels

Set in seventeenth and eighteenth-century Cornwall.

Full of smuggling, violence and romance.

Jamaica Inn (1936) Frenchman’s Creek (1941) Hungry Hill (1943) The King’s General (1946)

Literary Style

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Modern Stories of Mystery and Suspense

Builds the tension slowly but surely until the reader realizes that there is no way out for the characters.

Explores fears and paranoid fantasies. Creates supernatural plots in some

stories.

The Birds (1952) Don’t Look Now (1971)

Literary Style

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She wrote page-turners – stories that were hard to put

down.

«[Her books contain] some of the abiding fantasies of the human race» - The Times, 1989-

Her novels and short stories contain compelling storylines, powerful characterisations and highly visual scenes. They were seemingly made for the cinematic screen.

Literary Style

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A lot of her novels and stories were adapted into radio

plays and movies.

Some important radio adaptations was Orson Welles’ The Birds, and a Moya O'Shea’s September Tide.

There also has been a great deal of TV or cinema adaptations.

Director of two of the adaptations was Alfred Hitchcock.

Literary Style

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PLOT SUMMARY

Presenter: Kazım Kürşad Erdil

The story opens in the middle of the night.

The birds start attacking to the Hocken’s house.

Birds enter the children’s room and are repelled.

Nat assures his family that it’s only because of the sudden change in weather.

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Nat tells the events to his fellow workers the next day

but they don’t seem to care.

He and his family hear that similar things are happening all over Britain.

He boards the windows and blocks the chimney.

He goes to pick his daughter.

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Nat’s boss come and offer them a lift but he refuses.

While they are returning home, gulls attack them.

They escape to their house, injured.

A national emergency is declared.

People are told not to leave their homes.

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The birds keep crashing to Hockens’ house throughout

all day.

Planes are crashing because of birds.

The birds’ attack dies down until the rising tide.

When the tides recede, Nat goes out for supplies.

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There are piles of dead birds around the houses.

All the people in neighbourhood were dead.

After he returns home, the bird’s attack continues.

The story ends as Nat smokes his last cigarette.

Plot Summary

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GENERAL ANALYSIS

Presenter: Merve ÖĞRETEN

Point of View Third person limited

Mood Eerie, suspenseful, horrifying, anxious

Point of View & Mood

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Time 1950’s After World War II

Place English countryside On the coast of Cornwall

Setting

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Nat Hocken

Role Protagonist - Major

Personality Description

Smart, brave, observant

Physical Description

Wartime disability

Characters

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Characters

Mrs. Hocken

Role Minor

Personality Description

Scared

Physical Description

None

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Characters

Jill & Johnny Hocken

Role Minor

Personality Description

Scared

Physical Description

None

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Characters

The Triggs

Role Minor

Personality Description

Careless

Physical Description

None

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Characters

Birds

Role Antagonist - Major

Personality Description

Physical Description

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Questions

THEME AND STYLE

Presenter: Kübra UZUNER

Danger

Natural forces against human

Survival

Arrogance of human

Theme

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Imagery “The leaves had lingered on the trees, golden red and

the hedges were still green.”

Irony “Nat had always enjoyed watching the birds,” and now

they are attacking…

Style

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Metaphor “The blanket became a weapon of defense.”

Personification “The autumn had been mellow, soft.” “Dawn had called

the living birds.”

Style

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Smile “The little stabbing beaks, sharp as a pointed fork.”

“They rose and fell like a mighty fleet at anchor, waiting on the tide.” “Had the sea been still, they would have covered the bay like a white cloud.” “Plane crash sounded like a distant bomb.”

Style

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Questions

PLOT STRUCTURE

Presenter: Nazlı Hilal KARA

Open ended plot structure

Description of Nat (What type of person he is)

Description of the land

Description of the behaviour of the birds

Exposition

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Birds begin attacking

In the bedroom

On the way back from the bus stop

Preparing for the attacks

News reports

Visit to Trigg farm

Rising Action

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The final attack

They are on their last leg, nothing else they can do but wait

Nat throws cigarette wrapper in fire in an indifferent manner

Climax

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CREDİTSDesign

Fatih AŞAN

Research and Presentation

(in alphabetical order)

Fatih AŞAN

Kazım Kürşad ERDİL

Nazlı Hilal KARA

Merve ÖĞRETEN

Kübra UZUNER