THE STRUCTURE OF THE FIVE CHAPTERS OF ON CHESIL BEACH

The first chapter

The first chapter is in an introductory chapter in which the writer presents the most important issues and themes concerning the novel, providing the reader with a lot of informations about the situation around which the storyline develops.

The narrator is a third person-omniscient narrator and he controls the reader's opinion by an accurate use of denotation – by adding superfluous pieces of informations in order to make the reader have a certain idea about the characters – and by using a lot of adverbs.

Edward and Florence, the two main characters, are having dinner during their honeymoon and their problems of communication begins to come out.

The second chapter

The second chapter is a flashback description of Florence's and Edward's childhood.

The function of this chapter is to help the reader to understand the situation in which the story develops and the features and emotions of both of them.

The narrator is still third person-omniscient. The family of Florence is rich while the Edward's one is poor and Edward's mother is brain-damaged. She studies violin while he has a degree in history.

The third chapter

In the third chapter the plot reaches the turning point: after some improvements the situation collapses and Florence run out from the room to the shingle.

A flashback tells an event occurred to Edward during a night in the last university days: he misunderstood the feelings of a his important friend – Edward physically fought with a rocker who had assaulted his friend – and since then Edward has been scared by the misunderstanding of other's feelings. Edward is deeply described in this chapter thanks to the narration of pieces of his life.

The fourth chapter

The fourth chapter is a flashback description of the Florence's and Edward's good and happy times told by the point of view of the narrator but also of the two characters by showing the developing of some of their inner thoughts. The revision helps the reader to understand the reasons why the situations is led to an irreparable conflict. In this chapter also the way Edward and Florence think and react emotionally to events is deeply showed.

The fifth chapter

In the fifth chapter the situation comes to an end. They have a strong discussion and they break up. The entire life of Edward is briefly told. He would travel around the world and then he would own some music record's shop. She would become a great musician and have success, Edward would never knows that. They would never see each other again.

The narrator make his opinion clear, he conveys that Florence is able to have a new successful life while Edward is not able to really go on and forget the incident, he would live a mediocre life.