Woodworm Chapter 1 Summary

Superior Essays
First of all, woodworms or similar insects play an important role since they are present in nearly every story. After the first chapter, which is narrated by a woodworm, woodworms are prosecuted for having destroyed the Bishop’s throne in chapter 3 (62f). Ironically, a piece of the parchment containing the verdict was eaten by termites, causing the disappearance of the closing words (79f.). The fifth chapter concludes with the remark that woodworms are living in the frame of Géricault’s painting The Raft of the Medusa (139). Chapter 6 begins with the noise of xestobium rufo-villosum (143), a beetle closely related to the woodworm (19). In chapter 8, Charlie’s letters have to be protected from woodworms by keeping them in a plastic bag (197). …show more content…
For instance, he meets Noah (295; chapter 1), mentions that he “went on several cruises” (299; chapters 2, 7), learned “mountaineering” (299; chapters 6, 9), and he “got into all sorts of danger and escaped” (299; chapters 2, 4, 5, 7, 8). Furthermore, he “explored the jungle” (299; chapter 8), “watched a court case” (299; chapter 3), “tried being a painter” (299; chapter 5) and “fell in love” (299; Parenthesis). Moreover, the narrator buys liquor called Stinko Paralytico (288) which is used by Charlie in chapter 8 as a synonym for ‘being drunk’ (214) and is unfaithful to his partner (292), just like Charlie (219) and potentially Ham’s wife (23). Ironically, the finding of “red hairs” (292) appears to be the evidence for his infidelity, which likewise serves as an indicator for the potential affair of Ham’s wife (23).
In addition to these connections, there are links between the other chapters as well. For instance, in chapter 6, Amanda visits exhibitions displaying pictures of the shipwreck of the Medusa (144f.), which is the central issue of chapter 5. Furthermore, in chapter 9, Spike finds Amanda’s skeleton and mistakes it for Noah’s

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