The Importance of the Characters in Ian Rankin's Knots and Crosses by Philip Lim
A
crime fiction novel is the sum of many distinct elements that work together
harmoniously. Instances of those include the plot, the setting and the
characters. It is difficult to determine which of them is more essential to a
crime fiction than the others. Different novels may emphasize more on an
element than another. The most important element of Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses is the characters. The
realism of the setting in Edinburgh, the setting that is described with the use
of the characters and the shifting focalization show that characters are
central to Knots and Crosses.
The importance of the characters in Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses is shown through the realism of the setting in Edinburgh. The ‘‘Edinburgh’s Main Public Library, a large, unstuffy, old building sandwiched between a bookshop and a bank’’ (Rankin 116), demonstrates how places are realistically presented in the novel. The high level of realism in Rankin’s work exists in order to support the characters. The characters indeed are credible if the readers can ‘‘believe in the place’’ (James 133). The realism of the setting makes the places more believable, and the readers therefore believe in the characters more easily. The purpose of the realistic setting is then to support the credibility of the characters. The setting is ‘‘an important element in the whole book’’ (James 129). Even such essential element as the setting manifests itself to support the characters. The characters are then the most important element of Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses since the realism of the setting, which is another key element in a crime fiction, comes to support the characters.
Besides the realistic setting, the use of the characters to describe the setting also shows that the characters are central to Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses. As previously mentioned, the setting is an important element of a crime fiction (c.f. James 129). It is not only ‘‘described by the authorial voice’’ (James 132) in Knots and Crosses. The characters are indeed used to describe the setting. Rebus’s journey in the army is an instance of how the setting is ‘‘perceived through the mind of the characters’’ (James 132). Rebus describes the cell in which he has been thrown in as a disgusting place ‘‘smeared with blood, faeces and other things’’ (Rankin 180). The description of the cell in then perceived from John Rebus’s perspective. The cell’s setting shows that the characters are essential in order to create a respectable setting. Additionally, Edinburgh is the predominant setting in Knots and Crosses. Even the leading setting is described through the characters’ mind. ‘‘The strengths of Edinburgh as a city’’ (Rankin 237) is indeed described through Rebus’s mind as he walks towards the library. The various instances of how the characters contribute to the presentation of the setting reveal their necessity in Ian Rankin’s work. The readers not only visualize the places but also feel them because of the characters’ contribution. The most important element of Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses therefore is the characters because they are essential to a decent setting; they associate moods to places by describing the setting in their own perspective.
Different characters have different perspectives. The shifting focalization indeed demonstrates that the characters represent the most important element of Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses. The focalization indeed changes frequently in Rankin’s work. Jim Stevens’s point of view about the crime society in Edinburgh contrasts with the one of the protagonist, John Rebus. Stevens thinks that Rebus is a ‘‘bastard’’ and that he will be ‘‘nailed’’ someday for being part of the criminals (Rankin 113). John Rebus however has not participated in any of the crimes. His violent reaction when Stevens tells him that Michael Rebus is involved in drugs pushing suggests that he ignores the whole story about drugs (c.f. Rankin 227). This situation shows ‘‘how different [people] can […] perceive the same event’’ (James 150). Stevens and Rebus both perceived the drugs pushing differently. The characters’ divergent points of view shows the presence of shifting focalization since the novel is divided in such a way that each part of it transmits a different angle of the same situation. The shifting focalization is also amplified by the presence of the first person narrative in chapter 22. John Rebus tells his journey in the army in the first person narrative. He includes descriptions of his feelings, and says that he feels like a ‘‘failure’’ (Rankin 195). The ‘‘first-person narrative has the advantage of immediacy’’ (James 146). The closeness between the readers and John Rebus in this particular chapter is increased because of the first-person narrative. The reader will associate themselves with Rebus’s character. Such increase shows that the shifting focalization is present in Knots and Crosses since it is the only chapter in which the first-person narrative is used, creating a contrast from the other chapters where the focus is sometimes not even on Rebus. The focus on Rebus in chapter 22 then brings the readers to think only about Rebus, whereas the focus in other chapters brings the readers to focus on other characters. The readers’ attention in the novel is then always on the characters and less on other elements since the focalization constantly changes and deals with major events in the story. The divergence of opinion about drugs pushing makes the reader think about the two points of view of the characters, and the first-person narrative catches the readers’ attention, which makes the readers focus again on Rebus, one of the characters. The shifting focalization therefore shows, through the divergent opinions of the characters and the first-person narrative, that the most important element of Knots and Crosses is the characters.
The essential element in Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses is the characters. The realistic setting that supports the credibility of the characters; the way characters’ perception influences the setting; and the shifting focalization that includes characters’ divergent point of view as well as change in the narration all demonstrate the importance of the characters in Rankin’s work. Although the characters are the most important element of Rankin’s novel, setting is also a considerable component. How do the two elements, the characters and the setting, interact with each other in Knots and Crosses?
Works Cited
James, P.D. ‘‘Telling the Story: Setting, Viewpoint, People’’ Talking about Detective Fiction. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, 129-158. Print.
Rankin, I. Knots and Crosses. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1987. Print.
The importance of the characters in Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses is shown through the realism of the setting in Edinburgh. The ‘‘Edinburgh’s Main Public Library, a large, unstuffy, old building sandwiched between a bookshop and a bank’’ (Rankin 116), demonstrates how places are realistically presented in the novel. The high level of realism in Rankin’s work exists in order to support the characters. The characters indeed are credible if the readers can ‘‘believe in the place’’ (James 133). The realism of the setting makes the places more believable, and the readers therefore believe in the characters more easily. The purpose of the realistic setting is then to support the credibility of the characters. The setting is ‘‘an important element in the whole book’’ (James 129). Even such essential element as the setting manifests itself to support the characters. The characters are then the most important element of Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses since the realism of the setting, which is another key element in a crime fiction, comes to support the characters.
Besides the realistic setting, the use of the characters to describe the setting also shows that the characters are central to Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses. As previously mentioned, the setting is an important element of a crime fiction (c.f. James 129). It is not only ‘‘described by the authorial voice’’ (James 132) in Knots and Crosses. The characters are indeed used to describe the setting. Rebus’s journey in the army is an instance of how the setting is ‘‘perceived through the mind of the characters’’ (James 132). Rebus describes the cell in which he has been thrown in as a disgusting place ‘‘smeared with blood, faeces and other things’’ (Rankin 180). The description of the cell in then perceived from John Rebus’s perspective. The cell’s setting shows that the characters are essential in order to create a respectable setting. Additionally, Edinburgh is the predominant setting in Knots and Crosses. Even the leading setting is described through the characters’ mind. ‘‘The strengths of Edinburgh as a city’’ (Rankin 237) is indeed described through Rebus’s mind as he walks towards the library. The various instances of how the characters contribute to the presentation of the setting reveal their necessity in Ian Rankin’s work. The readers not only visualize the places but also feel them because of the characters’ contribution. The most important element of Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses therefore is the characters because they are essential to a decent setting; they associate moods to places by describing the setting in their own perspective.
Different characters have different perspectives. The shifting focalization indeed demonstrates that the characters represent the most important element of Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses. The focalization indeed changes frequently in Rankin’s work. Jim Stevens’s point of view about the crime society in Edinburgh contrasts with the one of the protagonist, John Rebus. Stevens thinks that Rebus is a ‘‘bastard’’ and that he will be ‘‘nailed’’ someday for being part of the criminals (Rankin 113). John Rebus however has not participated in any of the crimes. His violent reaction when Stevens tells him that Michael Rebus is involved in drugs pushing suggests that he ignores the whole story about drugs (c.f. Rankin 227). This situation shows ‘‘how different [people] can […] perceive the same event’’ (James 150). Stevens and Rebus both perceived the drugs pushing differently. The characters’ divergent points of view shows the presence of shifting focalization since the novel is divided in such a way that each part of it transmits a different angle of the same situation. The shifting focalization is also amplified by the presence of the first person narrative in chapter 22. John Rebus tells his journey in the army in the first person narrative. He includes descriptions of his feelings, and says that he feels like a ‘‘failure’’ (Rankin 195). The ‘‘first-person narrative has the advantage of immediacy’’ (James 146). The closeness between the readers and John Rebus in this particular chapter is increased because of the first-person narrative. The reader will associate themselves with Rebus’s character. Such increase shows that the shifting focalization is present in Knots and Crosses since it is the only chapter in which the first-person narrative is used, creating a contrast from the other chapters where the focus is sometimes not even on Rebus. The focus on Rebus in chapter 22 then brings the readers to think only about Rebus, whereas the focus in other chapters brings the readers to focus on other characters. The readers’ attention in the novel is then always on the characters and less on other elements since the focalization constantly changes and deals with major events in the story. The divergence of opinion about drugs pushing makes the reader think about the two points of view of the characters, and the first-person narrative catches the readers’ attention, which makes the readers focus again on Rebus, one of the characters. The shifting focalization therefore shows, through the divergent opinions of the characters and the first-person narrative, that the most important element of Knots and Crosses is the characters.
The essential element in Ian Rankin’s Knots and Crosses is the characters. The realistic setting that supports the credibility of the characters; the way characters’ perception influences the setting; and the shifting focalization that includes characters’ divergent point of view as well as change in the narration all demonstrate the importance of the characters in Rankin’s work. Although the characters are the most important element of Rankin’s novel, setting is also a considerable component. How do the two elements, the characters and the setting, interact with each other in Knots and Crosses?
Works Cited
James, P.D. ‘‘Telling the Story: Setting, Viewpoint, People’’ Talking about Detective Fiction. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2009, 129-158. Print.
Rankin, I. Knots and Crosses. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1987. Print.