Book Extracts - a sense of character and time
First extract
I squinted back up at Rebecca. Ice in her bones. Vanessa was right. This
girl was dangerous.
‘I do believe you.’ My voice was a whisper in the back of my throat.
‘That’s better then!’ Rebecca gave her strange animal laugh with her mouth
all twisted. ‘Because if you don’t believe me, I’ll have to show you. Have
you seen a chicken with its head chopped off? It flaps around even though
the head is lying in the sand and blood is oozing everywhere. It’s the same
with an ostrich. They kick and run wild without their heads. I’ve cut the
throat of an ostrich. Chopped the head clean off.’
I watched Rebecca’s face. Thought of those huge, feathered wings beating
against the air. Beating and beating. And the blood spurting. I felt my own
blood throbbing and a sticky hotness collecting on my skin.
‘Do you believe me?’
‘Yes … yes I do.’ My voice was hoarse.
She smiled suddenly. ‘You know, I like you, Fishgirl. You’re a baby but
you’re different to most baby smabies. Go home now, Fishgirl. And remember,
no telling your pa about this place. I don’t want him snooping around and
checking up on us. And sending me back to school. Remember, you owe me a
favour.’
‘What sort of favour?’
She shrugged. ‘Don’t know. A favour or a forfeit. I’ll see when the time
comes. Go now!’
I wriggled out through the opening into the fresh air and stood up. I sensed
her eyes on my back. There was a blurred movement and a soft thud. The knife
handle quivered as its blade struck sharply into the sand at my feet.
Rebecca laughed her throaty animal laugh. ‘How about that? I could’ve sliced
off your foot.’ She snapped her thumb against her finger. ‘Just like that!
What would you have done then?’
Don’t stop. Just walk. I heard Vanessa’s voice.
‘Hey, Fishgirl! I’m talking to you. What then?’
On the sand I saw my foot lying off to one side like a chicken-head. And me
hopping about on one leg. Bleeding. Bleeding like a chicken without a head.
Blood everywhere.
‘What would happen, Fishgirl?’
I looked at her then. Wet my lips. Forced the sounds out. ‘I’d bleed to
death.’
‘That’s right. All alone here in the sand-dunes. You’d bleed to death.
You’re not stupid either. Now go!’
My heart was screeching louder than any cicada. Don’t run. Just walk. And
don’t turn around. Don’t look back. The dry leaves crackled under my feet.
Ahead was a dune. Behind that was the sea.
Second Extract
'For your spirit-animal to find you, you have to prove yourself.’
'Does everyone have a spirit-animal?’
Jonah nodded. ‘But they don’t always find it.’
‘Mine must be a fish.’
‘No. Your spirit-animal is something else.’
‘What?’
From the ledge in the rock he took out two hollow oyster shells. Some dark
stuff lay inside one and pale creamy stuff in the other. He spat into one
and rubbed his fingers inside the shell. Then he came up close. I closed my
eyes. Felt the warmth of his hands against my face. He smudged his thumb in
an arc across each eyebrow. He paused for a moment, and then he drew his
thumb from the centre of my forehead down the length of my nose.
When I opened my eyes I sensed dark shadows above my eyelids. Then I
squinted down. There was a dark earth line running along the ridge of my
nose and white clay marks on either side of it. They seemed to make my nose
longer. I looked back at Jonah. Tried to read the reflection of my face in
his eyes.
‘What am I? I whispered.
‘A gemsbok.’
‘A desert antelope?’
He nodded.
‘Don’t be stupid, Jonah! I’m not from the desert. I’m from the sea.’
He shook his head. His eyes were luminous in the candlelight. The colour of
clear gold honey. Cheetah’s eyes. I tilted my head back to see him properly.
As I did, I sensed the weight of two heavy black horns at the back of my
head. Instinctively I put my hand up to feel them. But there was nothing
there.
Discussion of character development and narrative strategy:
1. Investigate the characters in these 2 extracts. Discuss how they are presented through dialogue, action and way of behaving, as well as the author's description.
2. How have you responded to the characters in these short extracts? Do you see them as heroes or victims? Are they believable? If you've read the entire novel you might be able to choose your favourite character. Does your character change in the story?
3. In Fish Notes and Star Songs the author gets deep inside the head of 5 characters. Were you able to recognise the voice of the different characters even before the author told who was speaking? If so, what were the clues? How were you able to recognise whose head you were inside?
4. These 2 extracts take place in the past tense. But there are moments in the book that take place in the present tense. And there are also flash backs and stories within stories. So the whole novel is a weaving of different times. Why has the author done this? Do you think there is a sense of time passing? Is there any link between the chapters so that you immediately understand which time you are in?
5. Fiction can involve more than one genre (style of writing) e.g. science fiction, mystery, historical, fantasy, romance. What genre does Fish Notes and Star Songs fall into? Do do think it belongs in more than one genre? Why?
