Discuss the Endings of 'the Great Gatsby' and 'Birdsong.'

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Discuss the endings of the novels ‘Birdsong’ and ‘The Great Gatsby.’ Sebastian Faulks has retained the episodic structure of ‘Birdsong’ right up until the conclusion of the novel, therefore allowing the plot and subplot to come to each of their own endings. Some critics say the purpose of the episodic structure within ‘Birdsong’ is simply to relate both plot lines together and to give the novel stability and continuity. However, Sebastian Faulks seems to have composed this episodic structure to highlight the theme of human redemption. Consequently, this theme is highlighted through a series of events within both plot lines within the concluding chapters of ‘Birdsong.’ The subplot, mainly involving the character of Elizabeth, takes place in England 1979. Within this chapter, the reader witness’ events that emphasize the theme of war. In the final scenes of ‘Birdsong’, we are presented with the event of Elizabeth giving birth to her son. By ending the novel with a scene of birth, the cycle of war is highlighted. This is because war has connotations with death, whilst birth is associated with new starts and the beginning of life. Moreover, this creates the idea that war never truly ends as it is questionable that Elizabeth’s son may grow up to fight in a war. Therefore, showing that soldiers such as Stephen and wars such as World War One are no different from soldiers and wars today. This leaves an uncertainty next to whether or not society learns from its previous mistakes involving war. In addition, within the chapter of England 1979 the reader discovers, along with Elizabeth that Stephen ‘didn’t speak for two years after the war.’ This finding highlights the damning effects that war can have. Also, many of the other soldiers within the novel suffered from shell shock. All of these effects suggest that even after a long time has passed, the events of war still have

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