THEMATIC IMPLICATIONS

Thematic Implications

A lot of the themes in this story have to do with legacy, and the influence that the people around us, specifically our family, has on us-whether we welcome it or not. Grandfather Connor influenced Vanessa in such a way that `he proclaimed himself in (her) veins.` (Laurence 191). Vanessa didn't even really like Grandfather Connor all that much, but some of the best things about him; his steadfast nature, his strength, his perseverance, his stubborness. She can leave the brick house because Grandfather and his legacy manifests himself in her veins. This is true for the rest of us as well. Whether we like it or not, our personalities and qualities are influenced by our friends, our family, and all those who we spend time with.

OTHER AUTHOR'S CHOICES

Other Author’s Choices

 Margaret Laurence does an excellent job in the entire collection of showing how the environment people grow up in can influence their choices in life. Everyone that comes through the Brick House is a result of their environment in one way or another. We see this in the first story, in the juxtaposition of Uncle Dan and Grandfather Connor, in the Half Husky when we begin to understand why Harvey acts the way he does, and in this story, we see how Aunt Edna, Beth, and Vanessa have adapted to suit living in their environment-specifically, in living with Grandfather Connor. Not necessarily that they all adapted the same way. Beth has developed a gentle spirit to counteract how hard her father is. But she has also been influenced greatly by her mother, like how it says on page 171, “...something in her voice reminding me of the way Grandmother Connor used to speak, gently but with certainty.” Comparatively, Aunt Edna hides behind her humour to deal with him, and Vanessa turns to the world of her imagination, making up stories and creating things. These things are also a reaction to the time period they live in (the Depression).

IMAGERY

Imagery

• `...the Brick House had always been a Sunday place to me.` (Laurence 161)
• `It`s like batting your head against a brick wall. He`d get his way in the end. He always does.`(Laurence 163)
• Description of the car on page 164.
• “In my grandfather’s room the pipe was a bright light crimson. From inside it’s dragon throat came a low but impressive rumble.” (Laurence 175)
• “The music seemed the only music that ever was or ever would be. I had no means of knowing that it was being set into the mosaic of myself, and that it would pass away quickly and yet remain always as mine.” (Laurence 180)
• `More or less,` my mother said calmly, as though the tigress beneath her exterior was nothing to be surprised about` (Laurence 187)

SYMBOLISM

Symbols

-The brick house
-Grandfather Connor
-The car
-Winnipeg
-Wes Grigg
-Vanessa's writing

Jericho Children Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=H3QUS4B0iaM

PLOT

Jericho's Brick Battlements is the last story in Margaret Laurence's "A Bird in the House". As this is the last story, the majority of the action is wrapping things up and tying loose ends. The story begins with Vanessa and her family moving into the Brick House. Vanessa is 12. As everything is being unpacked, Vanessa ventures out to the stable in the backyard that houses Grandfather Conner's old Buick. In the stable she is reminded of the story she is writing and Grandfather Connor’s past. As she turns 14, Aunt Edna falls in love with a railwayman named Wes Grigg. Wes argues with Grandfather, enchants Beth, keeps the Brick House from starting on fire, and eventually marries Edna. After Edna moves away to live with Wes, Vanessa falls in love with a boy from the RCAF named Michael. Michael dazzles Vanessa but when she brings him home with her, Grandfather Connor causes them to have a falling out. Vanessa finds out that Michael is already married and Vanessa is heartbroken. She moves on and grows up and goes to University. During her second year, she gets a call that her Grandfather Connor has a stroke and dies. During the time after the funeral, Vanessa has realizations about her Grandfather and how important the Brick House was to him. By the end of the story, Vanessa is 40 years old. Her mother has died and Vanessa has started a family of her own. Vanessa returns to the Brick House to pay tribute to her Grandfather and then drives away forever.

CONFLICT

There are numerous examples of conflict in this story 

EXTERNAL

• Vanessa vs Beth (her mother) - Man vs Man - Vanessa and Beth are arguing about their impending move to the Brick House. Vanessa doesn’t want to live with her Grandfather and her mother, out of duty to her father, tells Vanessa that they have to.
• Grandfather Connor vs The Movers - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor is yelling at the movers, ensuring they watch the furniture.
• Grandfather Connor vs Vanessa - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor gets mad at Vanessa because she isn’t helping her mother unpack.
• Grandfather Connor vs Beth - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor and Beth are arguing about what to do with the MacLeod china.
• Aunt Edna vs Beth - Man vs Man - Aunt Edna gets mad at Beth for being a pushover and implores her to stand up for herself.
• Grandfather Connor vs Aunt Edna - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor is irritated with Edna for her loud piano playing. Though this isn’t a direct conflict, it is a power struggle between Edna and Grandfather Connor.
• Wes vs Grandfather Connor - Man vs Man - Grandfather gets mad at Wes for coming over right before dinner and asks Aunt Edna to go to Winnipeg with him.
• Vanessa vs Grandfather Connor - Man vs Man - Vanessa and Grandfather Connor argue about whether or not the weathermen are right.
• Grandfather Connor vs Aunt Edna - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor yells at Aunt Edna for inviting Wes to stay for dinner and for taking to long in the kitchen. They also fight about if Edna is going to go to Winnipeg with Wes.
• Grandfather Connor vs Pipes - Man vs Environment - Grandfather Connor gets mad at the pipes for starting on fire and not coming under control.
• Grandfather Connor vs Wes - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor is mad that Wes was able to fix the pipes and he wasn’t.
• War - Man vs Environment - Times were hard because of the conflict and death that the war caused.
• Grandfather Connor vs Vanessa (and Michael) - Man vs Man - Grandfather Connor fight over whether or not Michael is a good match for Vanessa. Grandfather Connor suggests that Michael is already married.
• Vanessa vs Michael - Man vs Man - Vanessa finds out that Michael is already married.
• Vanessa vs Beth - Man vs Man - Beth and Vanessa argue about whether or not Beth should sell the MacLeod china to pay for Vanessa’s university.
• Grandfather Connor vs Death - Man vs Environment - Grandfather Connor dies from a stroke.

INTERNAL

• Beth - Man vs Self - Beth struggles with whether or not she should stand up against her father.
• Vanessa (12) - Man vs Self - Vanessa thinks about her grandfather’s journey and decides that some things, like the Buick, are best left alone.
• Vanessa (40) - Man vs Self - Vanessa contemplates her grandfather’s past and his legacy and realizes how much she’s like him. She feels angry about the mistreatment of her grandfather’s monument the Brick House. As she drives away from the house, she leaves her past with it.