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The Sense of an ending

By Julian Barnes

1.  How do you decipher the equation?

·      b=s-v x/+ a1-- baby = Sarah – veronica x/+ Adrian 1

·      a2 + v + a1 x s = b – adrian2 + veronica + Adrian 1 x Sarah = baby

This is how I read equation.

2.  Why did Sarah ford own the diary of Adrian? Why was it in possession of veronica?

Sarah Ford owns the diary of Adrian because at last Adrian was having close relation with Sarah ford. Sarah was about to give birth to Adrian’s son.

Sarah ford was mother of Veronica. Adrian was her boyfriend and she knew the awkward situation between both of them. When Sarah dies, officially all the things which belong to Sarah go to her daughter. She knew that perhaps Tony would not tolerate the things which are said about him in diary. That is why she kept diary.

3.  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?

There are possibilities we cannot deny. But what novel speaks is something different than this. He is the son of Adrian.

4.  How was Veronica related to Adrian, the one suffering in care-in-the-community?

She takes care of Adrian. And gives some help also.

5.   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?

Yes. – Why after the span of time have passed. I mean, why do the recall all the incidents at age of 60. Why not earlier than that.

-        If Adrian really has committed suicide which contains depth, than where are the evidences that it was philosophical one and not sudden outcome? Or is the evidences wept out by someone. Text remains silent here.

6.  In the light of new revelations, how do you read character of Veronica? Instinctive, manipulative, calculating, stubborn, haughty, sacrificial, trustworthy, Good Samaritan?

She is smart as well as sentimental. The way she takes care of Adrian, the way she hides the things from tony at last stage of his life. It clearly shows that she is the perfect balance of both things. Smart in a sense that yes she is calculative. But one thing is sure that the way she emerged through the memory, certainly she is not that.

7.     What do you mean by Unreliable Narrator? Is Tony Webster classifiable as Unreliable Narrator?

Unreliable narrator is the one whose statements we cannot believe.

Certainly tony is unreliable narrator. We can see that through his letters.