Pastiche in "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell"

The book "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell" by Susanna Clarke is a wonderful combination of different genres and literary devices. Some say it is a pure fantasy novel, others have argued it to be a historical novel, or an alternative history. As for the literary traditions, those are mostly drawn from the Romantic era, to be more specific, from the 19th century writings. The main influences on the language used in the book come from Austen and Dickens, other devices used have come from the Byronic hero, the Gothic tale, the comedy of manners etc. This essay will be focusing on the pastiche of the 19th century writing styles, mainly in Charles Dickens' works.

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yeesss, i really love writing essays. truly fun to do that. especially when writing only with your both index fingers...

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The book is good. Very good.

Love the magic. And the sarcasm in it.

But pastiche?

How the hell should I know anything about it?

I haven't read any stories from Dickens. How should I know if Clarke is pastiching him or not?

From Wikipedia? But that's not an acceptable source for our school teachers, no.

As I understood from the word pastiche description, it is something that writers do because they don't have anymore original ideas. They copy someone's style and publish a book with it. Good for them.

So what does Clarke do?

I don't know 'cause I haven't read any of Dickens' stories!!! God, is that so hard to believe that I haven't done that?

Yeah... I like more contemporary writers than 19th century ones. They're just a tiny wee bit TOO OLD for me.

Why do I even have to write this essay? It's not like I'm gonna use it some time in the very distant future... you know, I might be even dead tomorrow. I could be hit by a car. Or an icycle. i don't know. I can't see into the future.

We are being made to do this because some people slightly older than us think it is best to destroy our lives, eyes, nerves and everything else by making us do some piece of writing no one is going to profit from...

Yeah yeah. I'm being a teenager. I know.

Frankly, I don't care. I already submitted something like this to my english teacher. I don't care anymore if I submit something like this to you too.

I should go to a pshyciatrist? Yeah, just make me. How can she/he help me by writing an essay to you if I do not have enough knowledge and wit to write one?

I knew it from the beginning that I was not cut out for this school. Now you ask me, of course, that why did you even come here then? Why? Because I was ready to take any flight out of Märjamaa. I hated that place. I still do. Yes, I had a possibility to go to Westholm. But as I got the call from TIK that I had got in I felt good, because that was something to feel good about. Getting in to an elite school in Tallinn when coming from places like Õismäe Gymnasium and Märjamaa Gymnasium was a big thing for me. I was excited. And everyone was so proud of me... I couldn't let them down. I know I can't do this now either, but I feel like you all are asking too much of me. I know myself. I know I can't push myself anymore. I'm on the verge of running into a mental hospital and begging myself to be locked down somewhere. Everyone's complaining, everyone's got their own problems, so do I.

Probably I'm jsut begging for some kind of special treatment, or that's what you treat. No, I'm not. I'm simply contemplating the fact that I'm not as good as you think. I hate writing essays. Give me something where I can make everything up by myself, like the Shantis last year. I like those kind of writing tasks. Not essays which have strict structure and strict use of words and nothing can be different from the view in the teacher's mind or you are going to get a worse mark for it. I'm not used to be contained in a box. To have my thought put inside a little box and told that I have to write a perfect essay within the box. it's not how my mind works. I know everyone else has to do it too. I know that very well. No one has to remind me of that. I'm sure they have problems with writing their essays too. But they are determined to do that because they know they're going to need it for their future. I know I'm not. Tell me one subject in a film school that requires writing a strict essay and I'm gonna write them from now on. But I don't see editing and animation go together with essays in any way. I just ond't see the connection. If you see one, please, be so kind, let me know.

Probably having a writer's block right now. At least that's what everyone else calls it. I call it my inability to write essays. I've never been good at it. At least in english. When I was in Märjamaa, my estonian teacher used to praise me and my writings there. Also in Õismäe. But that was also the basic school. Guess high school expects more from me than I can give. I'm utterly happy for any five I manage to get here. I'm used to getting 4-s and 3-s and even 2-s and 1-s. If I take a history test I always hope I can get at least a 3 so I wouldn't have to study double for it. When doing something in english I also aim for a good solid 3 or 4. If I get a 5, I'm completely astonished. You see what this school's made me like? I used to be a straight-5-student. I used to get "kiituskirju". Now I'm struggling somewhere in the lower middle class, so to speak. From Hilton hotel to cheap roadside motel in somewhere California. That's where my road has taken me.

I'm happy to start a completely new life in a place where nobody knows me. I'm so looking forward to it. I know it ain't gonna be easy, but I'm willing to work for that. I'm willing to work for it, because I can see a goal in there. A future. Something that will make me happy. In this essay I see no goal. A mark, you say. A good mark. What will it give me? Nothing that I can touch. Only see. Only hear. Nothing substantial. Nothing that I can use for my life. One mark will give me nothing I can use. I can't eat it, can I? I can't buy anything with it, can I? Can I pay my rent with it? No. No, and no.

I'm lost. I don't know what to do. Tears swelling up in my eyes every minute or so. Me drying them again. Yes, you can read it and think it nothing more but a sad story of a poor girl who should get up and smile more, maybe the world will be a better place. There are people who can do a lot of things just by smiling, but I'm not one of them. As most of the world, I am doomed to serve those people who do nothing but smile and think it to be the hardest job ever. Think me as an emo, as a goth, as anything you want - I'm none of them. I'm just a sad broken girl with small petty troubles such as writing one stupid essay while in the world there are so many bigger problems than me - global warming, hunger, diseases etc etc etc etc etc. Well, I say, fuck them. They're not gonna go away with us talking about it and doing nothing. Even doing something won't get us very far. Has it helped so far? Don't see the results anywhere. The world still goes round as if nothing has happened. Rich people still dominate over the poor. It's inevitable. Everywhere you go.

Ah, getting bored with this tirade. No one's going to read it anyway. I'm just gonna delete it soon, or post it up on my blog which no one reads and for wednesday, have a middle quality essay for Paavo coming up. It's so typical. I just wish he could see this. Or maybe not. I don't know. I'm confused.

Life's not easy. It has been said to me a hundred thousand times. I KNOW IT ALREADY!! STOP BUGGING ME ABOUT IT!!! And also, don't feel pity for me. I don't want that. I just wish someone could come, wave their magic wand and make it a bit easier for me. I'm trying, you know. For the last three years I've been trying to impress people that will never be impressed by me, a low worth-of-nothing scoundrel who has come to a shining place of education to throw everyone's middle grades into abyss.

Okay. I have no idea why I just said that. Sorry. I'm sorry if anyone was offended by this. I really am sorry. There are many great, fantastic persons in my class, in our school. People that try to feel for me even if they don't understand what I'm going through. Thank you for the support. if just someone could help me write this essay too...

I'm tired. I don't know how the others do it. Of course, they complain too, just like me, but somehow they manage to get through it with a smile on their face. As a miracle, I understand that I have been able to do that too! Wow. Not possible. But yet it is. "Ka see läheb mööda". YM grandmother's and my mother's favourite saying. "This too shall pass". That's what I'm waiting for. That it would pass. I want this period to be over. I want this year to be over. This schoolyear to be over. I want I want I want. I always want something, but never do anything to make it happen. Or I do and I don't understand that I'm doing it.

Wow. This has gotten long. Not exactly a book material, but still. My thoughts, my feelings, all coming from inside me. Read it if you want, don't read it if you don't want. I don't really care. Suggestions are welcome in the comments section. Good night, and good luck.