Narrative is an essential aspect of Ford's The Good Soldier. Since the narrator is also one of the main characters, his narrative perspective becomes even more interesting to the reader. One of the most fascinating aspects of Dowell's narration is that it is inconsistent, often incorrect, and sometimes somewhat passive. His perspectives and how he views himself in his relationships create parallels with his narrative style and actually become driving factors in his storytelling. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay John Dowell's relationships with women lack passion or sexual desire. He “showed not even the slightest tremor of sexual desire” (Levenson 378). His relationships with Florence and Nancy, which potentially should have been described as “romantic,” are anything but. To even begin to interpret Dowell's relationships, it becomes necessary to first examine his overall view of love. He clarifies that he does not believe in the “permanence of the love of man or woman… [or] in the permanence of early passion” (Ford 96). He also states that "there is no man who loves a woman who does not desire to come to her to renew his courage" (Ford 97) and that it is not sexual passion that provokes a man's desire for a woman. Dowell's views, applied to his own life, show that the very idea of ​​his relationship with Florence is unraveling. Florence in no way renews her courage; on the contrary, it contributes to making him weaker and more unconscious as time passes. Dowell's role in his relationship with Florence is, like his narration, full of "inconsistency... passivity... [and] sexual abstention" (Levenson 378). The reader is still somewhat in the dark regarding Dowell's relationship with his wife Florence, even after nearly three hundred pages of text. Love and passion aside, Dowell and Florence don't even have a stable line of communication. He only realizes the true essence of their relationship when it no longer matters after Florence's death. Dowell makes it clear that he does not know his own history and is essentially inactive in his own relationships, simply complying with the decisions his wife makes. He shows that he is aware that his inability to see situations and people clearly is a negative, stating that "the damn trouble of it all is... you never really go further than what I've cataloged » (Ford 37). Dowell's ignorance is perhaps the most striking manifestation of his innocence. In fact, Dowell's account is driven more by his perceptions than by "the evidence surrounding him" (Hoffman 45). If the loss of innocence is the realization that one has a choice, then Dowell remains innocent throughout the novel. Yes, he is alluding to the fact that he is staying with Florence to serve as her nurse, perhaps subconsciously implying that there is another option by mentioning that he is only staying to serve a specific purpose, but he doesn't seem like he actually realizes he can divorce. What is clear to the reader, however, is that Dowell does not love or even love his wife. At first, there is no evidence of affection towards Florence. In fact, his disdain for her is subtly manifested when he observes that during the conversation "Leonora simply nodded her head in a way that shook my poor wife pleasantly" (Ford 38). Although Dowell cannot be convincingly portrayed as a malevolent man, it is clear that he derives at least some pleasure from his wife's annoyance and discomfort. One of the most important aspects of Dowell's relationshipwith Florence is the distance between the two of them that is maintained by both characters. Florence betrays and lies to Dowell, and Dowell still remains detached from Florence. He has no desire to change the dynamic of his relationship, which is evident when Florence's doctor says that the couple should "refrain from displays of affection" (Ford 74) and Dowell internally responds with "I was ready enough” (Ford 74). We no longer talk about his sexuality, in terms of women, men or himself. It remains ambiguous not only in its narrative, but also in its sexuality. His descriptions of the women around him are more revealing of his own personality than of the reality of his perceptions of women. That is, his interactions and reactions with the women around him show more of his personality and thoughts than the truth about the women around him, in part because he is a very unreliable narrator and that the reader is almost obliged to ignore much of it. things he says. He describes women as he sees fit, based on his relationship with them and how they fit into the gender structure of society that he considers good. Dowell "attempts to preserve his idea of ​​true womanhood by presenting women such as Maisie Maiden and Nancy as 'submissive' and innocent" (Hoffman 42). The aforementioned description is in tension with his description of “Leonora as transgressive and threatening” (Hoffman 42) when he feels fear or inadequacy toward her. Although Leonora has many differences from Nancy and Maisie, the real differences lie in how Dowell depicts them in his narrative. This sexual ambiguity leads to the discussion of Dowell's relationship with Edward. Dowell views Edward as the epitome of an Englishman and a societal norm. In other words, “Dowell focuses on Edward as the pinnacle of stability” (Hoffman 35) in the midst of his gender confusion. In fact, Dowell even uses his narration as “the autobiographical act of fully identifying with Edward… […] narration becomes for Dowell a means of imperialistically crossing boundaries of identity” (Hoffman 46). His introspection regarding masculinity comes through fully when his narrative focuses on Edward, as Dowell uses Edward as a basis for comparison and definition of gender. In both subtle and explicit ways, Dowell implies that he sees Edward as the definitive man. In describing Edward, Dowell says that the brick pink of his complexion, perfectly level with the brick pink of his inner eyelids, gave them a curious and sinister expression... And this guy, walking into a room, caught the eye of every woman. inside, as skillfully as a conjurer pockets billiard balls. It was very surprising (Ford 30-31). This description, one among many, implies a certain perfection in Edward whom Dowell considers to be the very embodiment of a man. Dowell's perceived role in his relationships with the people around him and with himself shapes his storytelling. Additionally, Dowell's roles in his relationships parallel his narrative style. His relationships are full of doubts, mistakes and distance. These three qualities are omnipresent in Dowell's story, from the beginning. Dowell begins his story by stating "It's the saddest story I've ever heard" (Ford 13) instead of stating that it may be the saddest story he's ever been in involved, since he is one of the main characters. He chooses to distance himself from the people in his life in his relationships and therefore chooses to distance himself from the story in the way he tells it. In her article, Karen Hoffman writes that “Ford [emphasizes] narrative as a means of.