Reconstruction of order and the death of eros: on the dual narrative progression in To the North

Abstract Elizabeth Bowen’s novel To the North (1932) presents, at the level of plot development, a moral fable about the reconstruction of order and the perils of uncontrolled passion. However, when examined through the lens of the theory of dual narrative progression, it becomes evident that beneath the surface plot runs a parallel, covert progression centered on the death of eros, revealing the author’s concerns about the alienation of human nature in modern society. These two narrative progressions develop in parallel and complement each other in both thematic significance and characterization. This structure enables the novel to transcend simple moral judgment and to articulate a more complex and profound reflection on the predicament of modernity.