Your correction of the passage below is the "default" standard English form.
However, what we are dealing with here is pragmatics, how the passage is
accomplishing its purposes.  The force of its "backward pronomialization"
seems to be to imply shared knowledge, perhaps even intimacy, between the
writer and the reader.  The writer seems to say, "We both know who this is.
We are in it together.  Isn't this cozy?"

Sometimes, Tomio, pragmatics overrides standard English grammar to create a
classic: something people want to read over and over again because of its
power to communicate precisely what the writer wants to communicate,
precisely what the reader wants to read.  In such instances, it would be a
shame for us to insist upon a dutiful return to the default form.


-----Original Message-----
From: SIRAISI Tomio
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: 7/31/00 11:40 AM
Subject: Backward pronominalization

The other day, I began to read Francis Iles' "Malice Aforethought".

This classic mystery begins with the following sentence:

It was not until several weeks after he had decided to murder his wife
that
Dr Bickleigh took any steps in the matter. Murder is a serious business.

Here, I have a question.
Shouldn't it be the following?

It was not until several weeks after DR BICKLEIGH had decided to murder
his
wife that HE took any steps in the matter. Murder is a serious business.

Pronominalization ordering is a problem when I write English.
When can I write the word order of PRONOUN to NOUN?

The sentences below are the samples:

(1-a) When Tom was young, he was rich.
(1-b) When he was young, Tom was rich.
(1-c) He was rich when Tom was young.
(1-d) Tom was rich when he was young.

(2-a) I like Jack because he is handsome.
(2-b) I like him because Jack is handsome.
(2-c) Because he is handsome, I like jack.
(2-d) Because Jack is handsome, I like him.

(3-a) It is not until you lose health that you realize its importance.
(3-b) It is not until you lose it that you realize the importance of
health.

(4-a) After you lose your membership in it, the younger generation seems
pretty bad.
(4-b) After you lose your membership in the younger generation, it seems
pretty bad.

(5-a) Tom said that he had not murdered his wife.
(5-b) He said that Tom had not murdered his wife.

Thank you for reading this long mail.
And I would be grateful for you to give me a reply.

SIRAISI Tomio