Abuse In "The Woman Who Walked Into Doors".
Looking at the Troubled Life of an Abused Woman, Paula Spencer, in "The Woman Who Walked Into Doors' One of Roddy Doyle's novels, The Woman Who Walked Into Doors', is a profound insight into the life of a woman who is battling through life with little money, an abusive husband and alcoholism. Paula Spencer lives everyday of her life in a blur of self-pity and confusion.
The story is written in first person narrative to relay the intensity of her feelings. To the reader the thoughts, experiences and memories are transmitted from Paula straight to their own thoughts. It is as if we are a true part of her life. The way she thinks is directly related to the way the book is written. The disorderly narrative, jumping from one instance to another compares closely to that of a persons memories.
Doyle shows the way Paula is uncertain whether what she remembers of her past is the truth or a figment of her imagination. She endeavours to remember good memories of her childhood, especially her father. Her older sister, Carmel, does not recall these events, or does not wish to, which would suggest that Paula is imagining them the way she chooses to. Nevertheless Paula tends to ignore Carmel and accuses her of "spoiling things". Paula wishes to remember her childhood as happy but from what Doyle says it was not and Carmel tells her she imagines things, which is destroying Paula's memories.
Paula attempts to convince Carmel and their younger sister, Denise, that what she recollects is real. She also wishes to prove it to herself.
"-He was nice, he sang a lot, didn't he? -So did Hitler -Ah stop Carmel will yeh, I said. -Is that the best you can do? -I know what you're up to, she said -What? -I know -What? -Rewriting history, she said.
-Fuck off Carmel will you." (Page 56-57) Paula wishes to keep her memories of her father true but her sister, Carmel continues to reveal the real truth. Doyle shows irony her as the relationship between Paula and her father is a parallel with the
The story is written in first person narrative to relay the intensity of her feelings. To the reader the thoughts, experiences and memories are transmitted from Paula straight to their own thoughts. It is as if we are a true part of her life. The way she thinks is directly related to the way the book is written. The disorderly narrative, jumping from one instance to another compares closely to that of a persons memories.
Doyle shows the way Paula is uncertain whether what she remembers of her past is the truth or a figment of her imagination. She endeavours to remember good memories of her childhood, especially her father. Her older sister, Carmel, does not recall these events, or does not wish to, which would suggest that Paula is imagining them the way she chooses to. Nevertheless Paula tends to ignore Carmel and accuses her of "spoiling things". Paula wishes to remember her childhood as happy but from what Doyle says it was not and Carmel tells her she imagines things, which is destroying Paula's memories.
Paula attempts to convince Carmel and their younger sister, Denise, that what she recollects is real. She also wishes to prove it to herself.
"-He was nice, he sang a lot, didn't he? -So did Hitler -Ah stop Carmel will yeh, I said. -Is that the best you can do? -I know what you're up to, she said -What? -I know -What? -Rewriting history, she said.
-Fuck off Carmel will you." (Page 56-57) Paula wishes to keep her memories of her father true but her sister, Carmel continues to reveal the real truth. Doyle shows irony her as the relationship between Paula and her father is a parallel with the