How Does Textual Cues Relevant - 1631 Words

How do textual cues relating to narrative space function to enable the reader to build a cognitive map of the storyworld in For Anna, by Libby Gleeson? Unlike with visual media, such as film, the physical details of a narrative aren’t immediately apparent in the printed text. The reader must build a mental picture of where objects are, in relation to each other, in order to visualize the action and discern meaning from the many interactions depicted. It has been found that â€Å"†¦ readers engage in cognitive mapping through textual (or spoken) cues and from these construct a mental model of the world, within which everything else can be located, contextualized, and inferentially understood.† (Hayles and Montfort 2012, 453). This mental picture,†¦show more content†¦Martin stared at it while his mother got out of the car and went to get the milk and bread. Get out now. Dial her number. Listen while it rings. Hear her voice. Say †¦ A young girl, towel and boogie board over her shoulder wet hair trailing, came out of the shop and pushed open the door of the phone booth. Martin fell back against the sticky vinyl of the car seat and closed his eyes.† This beginning consists of elements of exposition and initiation, letting the reader begin to build up a map of a shop with a phone booth outside, and a girl with a boogie board, towel and wet hair, along with the focalizing character, introduced by name (Martin), suffering in the hot car. The reader can begin building a scenario involving a beachside setting. The initial tension is established here, too, with Martin involved in internal conflict involving an absent â€Å"her.† By dropping the reader into the middle of the action – the beach journey has already started, and Martin is dealing with some pre-existing issue with a girl – the narrative has hastened the introduction function, as the reader is already interacting with the narrator. When Martin sees his chance to resolve his dilemma disappear before his eyes as the girl with the boogie board beats him to the phone booth, the reader is engaged