Pigglewitch the Loquacious
The story begins upon a botched suicide attempt which subsequently leads to an autobiographical confession unsolicited. The response to the commencement of this flashback narrative is the kind of stuff one always wonders doesn’t occur more often. After all, if a man launched into his story with the following, wouldn’t your response be the same as his listener who cuts off him and demands just the facts. Tough call who is the more unfortunate here.
"I have always been a child of misfortune. The Lord has punished me with the greatest severity for my sins, although I have tried to lead a pious, resigned life, however heavily His hand might be laid upon me. “
Pigglewitch the Disrespected
The story of Mr. Pigglewitch is not exactly one in which it rains strawberries and the streets are paved with the blood of bullies. His life is fairly marked by examples of treatment and response such as this from a beautiful young woman the first time she lay eyes upon him:
“If you come to Castle Osternau dressed like a scarecrow, you must not complain if you are laughed at.”
Piano Teachers: God's Demonic Educators
Whether in the movies or real life, horror stories abound from those forced to submit to parental will to learn how to play the piano through personal instruction: a hellish experience. This metaphorical interpretation is given further credence in the novel:
“I know from sad experience how large is the number of musicians, whom Heaven in its wrath has allowed to teach, who bring to their calling only the merest superficial facility, without the smallest vocation for teaching."
Cliffhanger
A metaphorical image—especially one which provides a contrast between significant characters—has long proven an effective means of ending a chapter. The effect heightens tension and stimulates an emotional response in readers to have their questions answered. A good example is the one which closes Chapter XII, “Bertha Von Massenburg.”
“Clearer and more brilliant grew Lieschen's fair and lovely image, while Bertha's faded into night and darkness. He turned from the window calmed and cheered.”
Chapter XII
The opening lines of the chapter succeeding this cliffhanger take the opportunity to immediately expand upon the tension it pulled tighter. Interestingly, that tension intensifies within a metaphorical landscape that seems paradoxical to that on which the previous chapter drew to a close:
“The spell which Bertha von Massenburg had cast around the inmates of Castle Osternau upon her first appearance within its walls did not fade, but grew stronger, and embraced in its charm every individual of the household, with the exception of Lieschen.”
