Robyn and Vic

The novelist presents the character of Robyn.
She is a Temporary Lecturer at the University of Rummidge.
Robyn's idea is that doesn't exist the concept of "character", this reinforces the ideology of Capitalism, and she points her ideas saying how novel has changed during the 18th, 19th and 20th Century, and how novel has collaborated with the movement of Capitalism, considering the novelist a sort of capitalist of the imagination.
In addition she leads some examples of what she writes about, to make understand how important is the use of other texts. Introducing this concept of intertextuality, Robyn wants to explain the idea that "there are no origins, there is only production, and we produce our selves in language". Even if Robyn believes in these concepts, she is a person with feelings, ambitions, desires, fears like anyone else.

In this way David Lodge compares the character of Robyn to that of Vic, beginning from their morning routine.
The writer underlines in what period is situated the scene, that is the first day of the winter term, so the reader can understand that Robyn is a teacher. She is a good teacher and she isn't afraid of her self-confidence.