Outline IOC Runaway

Introduction:

The short story Runaway is part of Alice Munro’s collection “Runaway”, published in 2004. Throughout the passage we can identify the themes of human relationships and trust which are evidenced predominantly in Sylvia’s letter but also in Carla’s thoughts and feelings. This passage occurs shortly after Carla’s return from her attempt to run away and it consists of the letter Sylvia writes in order to apologize as well as Carla’s reaction to the letter. The importance of the passage comes mostly from the similarities that are created between Carla and her goat Flora in Munro’s attempt of sending a message to the audience about women in the society. ‘

Body Sequential:

Chunk #1: Sylvia’s letter

Ø  The first aspect that can be observed is the self-sufficient character that Munro creates with Sylvia. Through her repeated use of the pronoun “I” which shows the importance that Sylvia believes she has in Carla’s life (the only one able to help her), Munro adds to the theme of human relationships.

Ø  “You do not have to answer me”- this sentence shows the difficult relationship and tension between the two characters, Sylvia and Carla, Carla not wanting to talk to Sylvia who acknowledges and accepts it.

Ø  The fact that Munro refers to Sylvia as “Mrs. Jamieson” emphasizes again the distancing between the two characters at this point in the story.

Ø  “I am sure your husband has described it to you”. The fact that Sylvia describes the event after mentioning this sentence shows that she does not in fact believe that Clark told Carla about it. This adds up to the theme of trust in the passage.  In the same time it foreshadows a new internal conflict that will arise for Carla who will have to decide if she trusts Clark.

Ø  Lines 18, 19, 21 and 22 reveal the similarities between the character of Carla and Flora. Carla was “little” and “lost”, just an “ordinary girl” after all.

Ø  The return of Flora is connected to the return of Carla and they both caused similar effects in terms of relationships between the characters (improve the one between Carla and Clark)

Ø  Line 25 - Flora and Carla both had an impact on Sylvia’s life: Carla helped her after the death of her husband and Flora saved her during the conflict with Clark.

Chunk #2: Carla’s reaction

Ø  Lines 29-31 highlight again the conflict created by Munro between Carla and Sylvia. Carla wants to destroy the letter.

Ø  Line 36- tense atmosphere: The needle symbolizes Carla’s attempt to ignore the truth. She knows she can’t trust Clark that much after she read Sylvia’s letter, but she can’t risk destroying their relationship.

 

Conclusion:

Hence through all of these means, Munro develops the mentioned themes of human relationships and trust and describes the situation of the protagonist by depicting her both y through her actions and thoughts and through similarities with her goat Flora.