“Sonata for Harp, & Bicycle”

By Joan AikenPublishment Date: 1976

Author Information● Joan Aiken● Born September 4, 1924● British author of fantasy, adventure, horror,

and suspense tales for both juvenile and adult readers

● First short story published at the age of 18● First novel published at the age of 38● Died January 4, 2004

Other Works by Joan Aiken

● The Wolves of Willoughby Chase● Black Hearts in Battersea● The Serial Garden: The Complete Armitage

Family Stories● Midwinter Nightingale● Is Cold Shoulder Road

Setting● London, England● Mid 1900’s● Moreton Wold and Company Advertising● Grimes BuildingsThe setting of an old building with a dark past and strange rules (no one allowed after 5pm) adds moods such as suspense and wonder into the atmosphere, structuring the social milieu of the story.

CharactersJason Ashgrove● New copywriter at the company● Curious as to why no one is allowed in

the building after 5 pm● Round character, is developed early in story● Static, doesn’t really change● Direct characterization:

○ “Jason was annoyed”(542).○ “Jason was frustrated”(542).

● Indirect characterization:○ Courageous, smart, loving, caring, brave, strong○ Curious: “‘But why is it?’ Jason Ashgrove, the new copy writer, asked

his secretary one day. ‘Why are the staff herded out so fast?’”(542).

CharactersMiss Bernice Golden● Secretary at the company● Loves Jason, the new

copywriter● Knows the reason why no one is

allowed in the building after 5 pm, but she won’t say● Direct characterization:

○ “Next morning when Miss. Golden, crisp, fragrant, and punctual,”(542).

● Indirect characterization:○ Scared, suspicious, loving, caring, smart, weak,

○

CharactersGhost of William Heron● Old night watchmen at the building● Rode a bike to work;

symbolized by bike● Loved Miss Daisy Bell● Jumped to his death on Halloween over 50 years ago● Thought his girlfriend didn’t want to marry him● Dynamic character● Lifted his curse off of Jason

Characters

Miss Daisy Bell● Was William’s girlfriend● Used to teach how to play the harp● Is represented by the harp as a ghost● Used to rent a room in the Grimes Building that is now

Jason’s office● Round character, is developed throughout story

Summary● New employee, Jason, comes to work for Moreton Word and Company

Advertising at the Grimes Buildings● no one is allowed in the building after 5 pm ● Jason doesn't know why● Asks his partner, Miss Golden, who is his lover, about the secret and she

will not tell him● Out of suspicion comes back to the building● He hears a bicycle bell of William Heron(man who jumped to his death

off the fire escape of the building)● Ghost calls for the name Daisy, the woman he loved● Finds Jason and shoves him● Jason has gray hair● Miss Golden realizes what he did● He takes her out for some coffee and she tells him the story about the Nightman, William Heron, and Daisy Bell● William Heron and Daisy Bell were in love● Daisy Bell played the harp and gave lessons in one of the rooms in the building● She and William started their affair● Daisy’s alarm to go see William didn't go off and he got worried that she had left him● Jumped off fire escape and died at 5 pm; anyone who comes to the building after 5 pm will jump off the fire escape● reunite the ghosts● Arrange a meal between the ghosts to bring them back together, and hopefully lift the curse off of Jason● jump off the fire escape with a parachute, and kiss in mid-air

Plot Diagram Climax

Rising A

ctio

n

Falling Action

Denouement

Exposition

Inciting IncidentJason, frustrated by Miss Golden’s reluctance to tell him what is going on, threatens to come here after everyone has left, but she frightenly tells him not to.

Mr. Manaby

tells Jason, his newly

hired copywriter how no one is allowed

to be in the building after 5 o’

clock. Jason wonders

why

Jason and Miss Golden finally reunite the two ghosts

A voice over the intercom tells employees the exiting procedures. Jason asks Miss Golden about these strange procedures but she quickly hushes him.

Jason keeps persistently asking Miss Golden about the odd building, for she admitted she knew because only the established staff can know.

The employee's leave the building and Jason asks Miss Golden if she will tell him if he takes her out for coffee (she says no but that it has to do with a bicycle and a harp).

Later that evening, he climbed the fire escape of the grimms building. As he entered he noticed the darkness and emptiness of the offices. He also heard a bicycle bell and a harp.

He then heard a voice calling for Daisy. The voice shoved him.The voice told him to jump down the fire escape but he just ran down it without stopping.

The next morning, Jason’s white hair gave away to Miss Golden that he had gone to the building after dark. She then told Jason that since he had seen William Heron, the watchman, he will die in 5 days. She then explained the whole story.Heron was a watchman and Miss Bell taught the harp. On Halloween, they were going to get engaged but Miss Bell never showed up because her alarm never went off. Heron thought he had been betrayed and jumped of the fire escape and dies. Daisy soon died too. Their ghosts haunt the hallways but they have never met.

Jason and Miss Golden plan to reunite them. They get roses and champagne and call Miss Bell to wake her up.

Holding hands, they decided to leave and not to let the curse, true or not, bother them.

They parachuted off the fire escape with a shower of roses kissing.

Point of View● 3rd person omniscient● How it enhances the story...

○ Can view points of views and thoughts of multiple characters

○ Better description of the setting and other descriptions in the story from multiple perspectives

○ Only know what Jason is feeling and thinking○ When we find out that Miss. Golden was lying when she

“wants her conscious cleared over the Oat Crisps”, see another character’s thoughts and feelings

Author’s Technique● Suspense

○ "-fire escape," he heard, as they came into the momentary hush of the carpeted entrance hall. And "-it's to do with a bicycle. A bicycle and a harp."■ Leaves reader wondering about how the secret of the building

has to do with a harp and bicycle○ “‘How about it?’ the whisper mocked him. ‘How about jumping? an

easy death compared to some’”(545).■ Leaves the reader holding their breath and yearning for more

information(whether or not Jason will jump down the fire escape)

Symbolism ● “Wash hands, please”● Symbolizes cleansing● Workers washing their hands before leaving

Grimes Building ● Represents cleansings of souls and washing

away of the spirits

Theme● Love conquers all● William Heron and Daisy Bell died, but

their ghosts continued to wander the Grimes Building, hoping to find each other once more

● 50 years of drifting in this in between state, not being alive and yet still stuck in the Land of the Living never stopped them from trying to reunite.

Rating

● Two and a half out of three stars ● Loved the suspense and tension of the story● Loved how the author was able to balance

that out with a romantic side● Plot line and the climax was very good● Towards the end of the rising action, it

seemed a bit rushed.

1/2

Weird Facts● London, England is said to be the most haunted capital city in the world

○ Due to an outbreak of plague, the Great Fire of London, the famous Jack the Ripper murders, and of course The Tower of London

● Joan Aiken herself grew up in a haunted house● 50 Berkeley Square

○ Said that the attic room is haunted by the spirit of a young woman who committed suicide by throwing herself from the top floor window. The vengeful spirit has reportedly taken the form of a white figure or a brown mist -- capable of frightening people to death.

○ In the 19th century, numerous unexplained deaths were reported from the address -- all occurring in the attic.

Citations“Britain from above.” The Telegraph. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. <http://www.telegraph.co.

uk/news/picturegalleries/uknews/9183638/Britain-from-above-Jason-Hawkes-aerial-photographs-of-cities-at-night.html?

frame=2184532>.

“Champagne.” Giant Bomb. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. <http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/scale_small/1/13313/1371600-champagne.

jpg>.

“GasBike.” Gas Bike. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. <http://greenlinebicycles.com/upload/product/original/BC-706M-11-Burgundy_1.jpg>.

“Joan Aiken.” Britannica School. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2014. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. <http://school.eb.com/levels/high/article/2763>.

“Roses Orchid Flowers.” Orchid Flowers. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. <https://orchidflowers.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/red-rose.jpg>.

“Williamsburg Youth Harp Society.” Williamsburg Families. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. <https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aQrW5e-

QUvk/Tp-lriuhMzI/AAAAAAAAW9I/6i_l8II6vuc/s800/harp%25252Bpapercraft.jpg>.

“Ghosts.” Photo Spin. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 Oct. 2014. <https://www.photospin.com/content/illustrations/full/326_3199234.jpg>.

Citations Cont.● Haunted Rooms. hauntedrooms.co.uk, n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/haunted-places-to-

visit/london>.

● Kinsella, Kate. Prentice Hall Literature: Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall,

2002. Print.

● Travel Channel. Travel Channel, n.d. Web. 7 Oct. 2014. <http://www.travelchannel.

com/destinations/london/articles/top-12-haunted-attractions-in-london>.

Responsibility ChartMaria Decelles:

● point of view slide-25 min● author’s technique slide-40 min● plot diagram-55min● added image on side of the slides-2min● edited and commented on the slides-10min● inserted bullets/not complete sentences-10min● responsibility chart-5min

Caroline Chaffiotte● symbolism slide: 20 minutes● theme slide: 25 minutes● rating: 20 minutes● found the title picture: 10 minutes● background color and font: 15 minutes● editing: 5 minutes● Weird facts and citations: 45 minutes

Steven Okuhara● setting slide-25 min ● character slides-50 min● summary-50min● editing-10min

Shourav Makkapati● title slide-10min● author slide-35 min● other works by the author slide-35 min● Found the images 25 min● citations for images-25 min● other citations-20 min ● editing-10min