Farah

How does the author present the idea of time in the Gift of Rain and
From Hell?
The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng is a story of Philip Huttons
life as told via him 50 years after World War Two. From Hell by Alan
Moore goes back even further and tells the tale of Jack the Ripper
and depicts one of the many theories that exists about the series of
murders. Both books has the idea of time presented through various
devices and plotlines in the novel. This essay will explore how the
author has presented the idea of time in the two novels through the
organization of the text, the usage of language and the tone it sets,
and one of the key recurring theme of the two novels.
Tan has presented the idea of time as something to hold on to.
The way he has presented this in his novel is through the
organization of the text. Lacking chronological order, the story
switches between the past and the present and we often find Philip
reminiscing as he tells his story. We did not know it then, it would
be the start of a strong friendship. Says Philip to Michiko as he
retells his story. The constant shift between the past and the present
has been able to allow the reader to fully appreciate how Philip is
telling us something that has happened. This sentences also depicts
on how although we may not know it as it is happening, a seemingly
normal event today may be of great significance tomorrow. Through
this narrative, Philip also manages to condense a story that took
place over years into a few weeks. This highlights how quickly life
can move on without you and the importance of holding on.
Quite the opposite of Tan, Moore has presented time as
something to chase after. Also lacking chronological order, the novel
is organised in a way that the reader knows what will happen before
it actually does. For example the first page of Chapter 2 that are
panels of speech bubbles that are later on introduced throughout
the chapter. The same thing happens in Chapter 7. This teases the
reader as it makes them not only hooked on the story, but also
eager to find out what will happen next. This foreshadowing at
future events causes the reader to go through the book faster,
chasing after the story being told and as the characters chase after
time in the book, the readers chases alongside the characters.
As the reader reads the book, although subconsciously, due to
the fast pace of the book the reader naturally reacts to time as
something that is fast-paced. Such as in the story, we see the main
character William Gull constantly chasing after time, such as when
he began killing his victims within a closer timeframe to one another
- such as two in one night. With the organization and the storyline,
Moore has presented time as something fast that we ought to chase
after.
Both authors have used the organization of their text to
present their idea of time albeit different, using similar methods. It

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is a lot more effective in From Hell as Moore was able to engage his
audience to chase after time as well as proving his point whereas
Tan was a lot subtler. Besides the structure and presentation of their
text, both authors use very different aspects of language to try and
send home their message about time, which affected the impact it
had on the readers.
In the Gift of Rain, Tan has written Philips first person
narration with a very slow and soothing tone. The language used is
eloquent, yet straight to the point. There were days of cloudless
skies and unforgiving heat, but the one impression that remains now
is of rain into a Chinese brush painting. This description of his life
is the first impression that we have of Philip, which sets the tone
and mood of the rest of the novel. The detailed way that Phillip
narrates throughout the novel creates a sense of nostalgia for the
past, a longing to relive the moments that have passed and should
have been held onto.
However in From Hell, Moore having written a comic book
was very sparse with language. Often there were pages with no text
and merely pictures such as pages 44-45 in Chapter 11 and pages
28-30 in Chapter 7. The two panels quickly and speedily depicts
events unfolding. This lack of text causes the reader's eyes to skim
through the page, mimicking the speedy unfolding of events and
adding to the heightened intensity of the scene. The fast and almost
frantic pace of From Hell, varies immensely from the grace of the
Gift of Rain as it reinstates the desire and need to chase after time.
From Hell stresses how fleeting time is and how it waits for no man.
It is apparent that Tan has presented time as something gone,
and of the past whereas Moore presents it as something to come, to
chase after, the two authors have presented time as something that
has, is and will repeat.
In the Gift of Rain, influenced by his philosophical beliefs, Tan
has inserted themes of reincarnation into the novel. Theirs was a
meeting of the souls travel with them, even after death, all
through their subsequent lives. Not only do the characters tell one
another stories of reincarnation, they live a life that has been lived
before. What did you feel when you met me that first time?/ A
though Id known you before A telescoping of time. The Gift of
Rain sends a strong message that echoes the idea of reincarnation:
the events of your past life will repeat in an unending cycle until
your wrongs have been righted. This infinite concept of time, builds
on the theme of longing for the past.
Similarly to Tan, Moore as presented time as something that
will repeat again and again. In Chapter 14 pages 12-14, Gull
specifically shows the events that will unfold again and again as
time repeats itself and goes around in its loop.
The similarity of the vastness of time from both authors is
apparent in the novel however the influences vary. Moore, as an
occultist believes in the works of hidden power influence everything.
Amongst the metaphysical power are the work of time and the

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fabrication of the fourth dimension. We see the re-occurrence of the
phrase What is the fourth dimension throughout From Hell in
chapters 2, 7, and 14.
In retrospect, the way Moore presents the need to chase after
time can be linked to how Tan presents time to be held onto. Both
fear the loss of time and as a result believes in the need to take
action to ensure no loss. Tan uses the method of taking a slow and
steady pace believing that time will just slip by you should you not
hold onto it. Moore believes that time is constantly moving and ever
changing therefore requires you to chase after it in order to not lose
out on time.
The idea that time can slip by is influenced by the cultural
beliefs of the two authors. It is true that both authors have two very
different backgrounds - such as Tan being influenced by the
buddhist philosophical beliefs and Moore by his occultist ideologies.
However the two authors both perceive time as a non-matter
existing alongside our physical world and that is how they have
presented time in the their respective novels.
With the following points in mind, the author has presented
time quite similarly. Through the usage of the organization of the
text, the two authors have shown the two presentation of time
however Moores way was a lot more effective due to the fact that
the readers themselves were able to chase after time alongside
the book. Due to the fact that the format was a comic book Moore
was able to be a lot more creative with the way he presents the idea
of time.
In conclusion, Tan has presented time as something we should
hold onto by the organization of the Gift of Rain and the usage of
elaborative language. Moore has presented time as something we
should chase after using the organization of his text however the
lack of language as opposed to Tan. Both authors have created a
sense of need to not lose out on time due to their cultural
background albeit different. Tan usage of the devices presents his
message of time a lot subtler than Moore however it is a lot more
appropriate to the need of holding on subtly. Moores usage of the
devices really impacts the reader due to the fact that it changes the
way the reader reads as well as he presents his idea of time. Both
authors have used the devices to a very effectively although
differently to present their idea of time in the two novels.