Distinctive Voices Essay Example

Composers develop distinctive voices withing a text to invoke reactions and create experiences that the audience experience as they read or view the text. The voices in the prescribed text ‘The Life and Crimes of Harry Lavender” written be Marele Day and the television series ‘Modern Family’ are very different, yet can be related through the similar themes. These themes are relationships and modern life and are convayed through the composers choice of voice. TL&COHL follows the character Claudia Valentine during an unusual murder case involving Sydney’s prime underlord, Harry Lavender. In this novel examples of distinctive voices are found in many of the characters. The most prominent is the main character Claudia Valentine. She is a private detective hired by the sister of the murdered man. Claudia is a contradiction to normal female stereotypes has the typical personality of a ‘hard-boiled’ male detective – traits like wit - “I mentally raised my eyebrows. If I ever needed an offsider Mrs Levack was the one… twelve cups a day. She didn’t miss a thing”, aggression - “you faint, I take you out and stick you under a cold shower then I bring you back in again. As many times as is necessary” and cynicism - “Hamburger Restaurant’ seemed to be a contradiction in terms but the place was definitely a restaurant and food hamburger. What they had in common was that both of them were plastic.”. Claudia is also quite cynical in relation to her opinion to Sydney. It is her home but she is realistic about her surroundings and quite easily becomes outraged by the moral corruption that occurs in plain sight. These traits are expressed through Claudia’s narration and her inner monologue. Claudia’s narration also tells us a lot about her profile. It allows us to make connections between who she is, what she does and how she sees the world around her.
Another prominent voice in this book is the voice of Harry Lavender which is expressed in his monologues. He is extremely