Sonata for Harp and Bicycle by Joan Aiken

Sonata for Harp and Bicycle

Joan Aiken

* Joan Aiken is an English writer who during her childhood she lived in a creepy old house and based on some of her personal experiences she wrote "Sonata for Harp and Bicycle". The main characters job in the story was really a job that had Aiken.

* The story is told in third person.

* Jason Ashgrove: Curious, brave, is in love with miss golden, caring.

Bernice Golden: Brave, is in love with Jason, shy, and is scared to tell Jason about the ghosts.

William Heron: Romantic, stupid, gets to conclusions too soon.

Daisy Bell: Stupid, loves William deeply, insecure.

* This story took place in Grimes Buildings in London, England. The setting is important because this is where William Heron and Daisy committed suicide and their ghosts are still there.

* The bicycle and the harp are artefacts that symbolises something in the story. William patrolled the corridors in the building on his bicycle so when Jason was first in the building, he herd the bell of the bicycle ringing as he got near him. The harp Daisy played and taught at a room in the building where his lover patrolled. Also the roses and wine because they were a symbol of love from William towards Daisy.

* A memorable quote from the story is "Heron waited and waited. At last, mad with grief and jealousy, having celled her home and discovered that she was not there; he concluded that she had betrayed him; ran to the fire escape, and cast himself off it, holding the roses and the bottle of wine.

* The purpose is to communicate the writer life is not worth ending for just an assumption that she had betrayed him.

* I think it was a good story because it has a love story that ended up tragically. Also because I like suspense.