A parallel plot is one where the characters present their outlook while one big event occurs. In The Break, the characters undergo many changes in their lives that explicitly or implicitly affect them simultaneously. Even though these alterations may not seem impactful, they still take a toll on the characters’ lives. The Break is a series of vignettes told by different heroes about one fateful night that changed their lives (Vermette, 2018). A protagonist Stella reported a crime upon seeing someone having trouble in the barren field. A victim becomes the trigger for people to reveal their inner world. A number of other characters who are related directly and indirectly are described that night. This row of narratives shows each individual’s traits and exposes their attitude to each other, which is a common technique of transformation plot.
For example, officer Scot who leads the case of the victim, struggles between two perspectives – his professional and personal. He mourns the victim’s death, and simultaneously, he has to find the criminal and punish him (Vermette, 2018). Other characters like Lou and Pauline struggle with relationship issues despite having to repent of the victim’s death that they knew (Vermette, 2018). All individuals keep living their lives while the main event occurs in their timeline.
Meanwhile, the author explicitly uses flashbacks when referring to the character’s relationship with the victim and each other. In addition, the author uses allusion while depicting the bonds between women who share their trauma-affected life. It means their past experience dictates each action of the character. As in the case of Cheryl, who suffers the death of her sister, a reader may find her reaction to the victim’s death dictated by her recent loss (Vermette, 2018). Hence, the parallel stories make up the entire storyline comprehensive as if the puzzle was assembled.
Reference
Vermette, K. (2018). The Break. House of Anansi Press.