"So Much to Tell You"

The novel, ‘So Much To Tell You’ by John Marsden explores the concept of growth and change through the character, Marina, and her struggle to become whole. The contrast of Marina’s character from the beginning of the novel to the end portrays her development during her journey to heal. The composer uses techniques to convey Marina’s growth and change throughout the novel. The point of view of this book is first person and is written as an internal monologue and displayed in a diary format.

Initially, Marina is isolated and detached from the world she once knew. She begins in a tone harsh and cold. “It would stay a cold and empty book, with no secrets. ” Her tone is blunt as she describes herself as the “nut case, the psycho with the deformed face” and the “silent freak” suffering from “anorexia of speech”. The main aspect isolating Marina from growing and healing is her muteness, “Silence, always my fortress, sometimes my prison.

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” The use of juxtaposition portrays how Marina’s fortress is protecting her and helping her to survive while it also contradicts as a prison, trapping and concealing her from the world. The composer uses symbolism to portray Marina’s imprisonment and abandonment. “I drew lots of stripes, which weren’t stripes at all, but were bars, prison bars. ” By disconnecting herself from others, it prevents Marina from forming relationships with those who can help her grow and change. The conflicts between Marina’s parents were not just any common petty fights, she had a self-absorb mother and a father that feel like a nuclear cloud about to explode, and they bear a great significance dysfunctional family system.

In my ex-family my mother would yell and scream quite a lot and rush upstairs. But my father just went into a brooding quietness, an ugly silence that went on forever and scared me forever. ” This was Marina’s description of fights her parents had, and it palpably highlighted the graveness of their relationship. Often a dysfunctional family is also the result of strained or unnatural relationships between partners or parent and child. she could not communicate with them in the relaxed and casual way the way family members do. A change occurred in Marina when she saw Lisa crying, she realized that she wasn’t the only one with problems, & that each and every one has problems no matter how strong they seem on the outside. When Marina first came to the dorm she was afraid to trust, befriend or even love anyone, but throughout the book things kept occurring that made her realize, you can trust people. As the novel progresses, Marina’s entries suggest that she is becoming more in touch with her peers, and “moving round the school more confidently”. Her visit to Mr Lindells house over the weekend is a very significant event in Marina’s transformation. Throughout the weekend she becomes more expressive, expressed through her tone of excitement in the phrase “it was good! And they’re so nice! Nice, nice, nice”! Here, the use of exclamation and the repetition of the word, ‘nice’ emphasize Marina’s positive involvement in life. This is contrasted with Marina being a passive spectator during school tennis, and life in general. Marina and her journey to wholeness have been able to let her grow, change and develop. Marina was isolated and detached from the world she once knew. By disconnecting herself from others, it prevents Marina from forming relationships with those who can help her grow and change. She had a self-absorb mother and a father that feel like a nuclear cloud about to explode, and they bear a great significance dysfunctional family system. Her visit to Mr Lindells house over the weekend is a very significant event in Marina’s transformation. She is now more positive and confident. Old Marina living her life is gone in a new way.

‘So much to tell you’ by John Marsden

Question: pick a character from the text you have actually studied. Describe how and why the character establishes or changes. Support your points with proof from the text.

Marina is a 14yr old woman, and not surprisingly the main character in John Marsdens ‘A lot to tell you’. It is through Marinas journal that the audience can see her changes & & bit by bit she exposes her past.

Marinas feelings towards her parents-a mother by whom she feels betrayed & & deserted’& just looks after herself,’ and a father who in confusion has actually scarred her irreparably. Marina was a regular ‘daily’ teenager prior to “the accident, the day, I passed away” she was sent out ti a healthcare facility which she hated, “I seemed like a nutcase”, she “was getting nowhere at the health center” so her mum shippe dher off to boarding school. When marina first pertained to Warrington”I was identified not to let my daddy into my life”, but through Mr Lindell and Cathy, she had the ability to understand and keep in mind that ‘yes’ her father did indeed like her. Marina went through a “its my fault” phase, but I think her sessions with Mrs Ransome helped to get rid of that phase.

A modification likewise occurred in Marina when she saw Lisa crying, she recognized that she wasn’t the only one with problems, & & that each and everybody has issues no matter how strong they appear on the outside. When Marina initially came to the dorm she hesitated to trust, befriend and even enjoy anyone, but throughout the book things kept taking place that made her understand, you can rely on people.

Marina liked Cathy and Mr Lindell because to her it seemed they were the only people that weren’t pressuring her to speak “They keep asking my why I don’t speak for chrissake, I don’t know so just shut up!”

The major turning point in the novel was when Marina wrote the letter to Cathy asking her if she could go to visit her father. This is when Marina actually made a major step in conquering her major fear-her father. This is the point when she stops feeling sorry for herself and actually starts to do something about her problems. She actually had some faith in herself and believed in herself that she could achieve it-and she did, she saw her father, not only did she see him, she also embraced him with open arms, and she spoke. She spoke two words “Hello dad”. This is the point in the novel where the audience thinks, yes she’s made it, slowly she’s going to rebuild her life.

Marina’s trials and tribulations made her a stronger character. Though regretted through much hardship. Marina did change, although it was a slow process, it did inevitably happen.