The Sense of An Ending by Julian Barnes

Classroom thinking activity - Reading of "The Sense of An Ending" by Julian Barnes

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Here is my response to questions,

(1) What is the meaning of phrase ‘Blood Money’ in Veronica’s reply email? 

This 'Blood Money' phrase used by Veronica in email sent by Tony. Because Sarah has given 500 pounds and letter to Tony because she is very much happy with the relation with Adrian and it is possible only through Tony, because Tony wrote a letter to Adrian that meet Veroniks's mother and then all things happened. But then Adrian died. So this money is like Blood Money .

(2) How do you decipher the equation: b = s – v x/+ a1 or a2 + v + a1 X s = b?

B=baby, S=Sarah Ford - Veronica and A1 = Adrian. So in the absent of Veronika Sarah and Adrian had affair and baby born. Here A2 Tony is absent. But that is not reality. Because some how Tony is responsible for this but it is in just his memory so he can't put himself in this .

This is very reliable equation because in which we can easily identified clear idea of whole the chain of relationship. A2= Tony Webster + V = Veronica +A1 = Adrian X S= Shara =B means baby. So we can say that mentally disturb baby born because of Tony. Tonny had first relation with Veronica after the breakup between them Veronika meet his friend Adrian and then Adrian had relation with Veronica's mother and she is late age women and that's why mentally disordered baby born.  

(3) Adrian’s diary is willed to Tony by Sarah Ford. Why did Sarah Ford own it? Why was it in the possession of Veronica?

Because Adrian had relation with Sarah Ford and that's why this diary Sarah Ford own Adrian's diary . After the death of Adrian this diary is also with her. So it is in the Possession of Veronica because she is the daughter of Sarah and all that belongs to Veronica as inheritance. 

(4) Was the mentally retarded middle aged ‘Adrian’, Tony’s friend who did not commit suicide and was suffering from trauma and thus gone mad, and was living with hidden identity?

No, the mentally retarded middle aged ' Adrian' is not living with hidden identity. Because when we read novel at that time we can come across the truth that this mentally retarded 'Adrian' was son of Sarah and Adrian, and because of the late age of Sarah this boy born mentally retarded. And Adrian commit suicide because of Sarah became pregnant by him and he himself responsible for it.  

(5)  How was Veronica related to Adrian, the one suffering in care in the Community?

First Veronica and Tony had relation but after the break up she had relation with Adrian but Adrian had physical relation with Sarah Frod ( Mother of Veronica ). She is old one and because of late age this relation one mentally weak boy born but after the death of Sarah and Adrian 's suicide Veronica take care of him as her brother not friend or lover and she spent her life behind taking care of him. 

(6)  Do you see any missing block – some dot which is not getting connected with the whole or dot missing to get full sense of the novel - in the plot of this psychological thriller? 

Many questions and query grown up when we read the novel. Because it is psychological thriller and whole story narrates by Tony and it is his memory and when we talked about our memory at that time we can't talk hundred percent true or fact that what we want to say and that's why we can't connect all the dots. Same way in this novel also we have question  that Why Sarah live alone? What about Robson's girlfriend? Why Adrian commit suicide though he had good intelligent power? Why Sarah has told bad things about Veronica to the Tony when he visited Veronica's home?  

(7)  Do you see any possible reason in the suicide of Adrian Finn? 

Julian Barnes not gave cl ester  clear reason behind the suicide of Adrian but we just say that it is happen because of guilt and shame of his affair with girlfriend's mother. May be he don't want to take  his responsibility or some other philosophical or psychological reasons behind it.

(8) In the light of new revelations, how do you read character of Veronica? Instinctive, manipulative, calculating, stubborn, haughty, sacrificial, trustworthy, good Samaritan?

In first part we find that she is very calculative, stubborn but in second part her character is completely contrast she is so kind, trustworthy , responsible, she sacrifice her life to taking care of his brother.

(9)  What do you mean by Unreliable Narrator? Is Tony Webster classifiable as Unreliable Narrator?

Yes, Tony is Unreliable Narrator, because he talks what ever it is his memory and time and again he deconstruct what he said. After checking the letter he come to know that he himself is responsible for the life of Adrian and Veronica and all this things.

Thanks.