The Diamond Mine

Growing up is a very influential, powerful experience. New experiences, new feelings and new desires are discovered every day. The short story “The Diamond Mine” is strongly influenced by this theme and the reader follows the girl Tilla as she grows from girl to woman.

When the reader starts reading the story, a very intimate mood is immediately established as the author, Nadine Gordimer, begins it with the words “I’ll call her Tilla, you may call her by another name. You might think you knew her” (“The Diamond Mine”, p. 1, l. 1); the narrator speaks directly to the reader and this helps the reader to accept the very intimate moments that are portrayed later in the text. The intimate mood also accentuates Tilla’s experiences in the story. As it is set “during the war, your war, the Forties” (p. 1, l. 4) the relationship between Tilla and the soldier boy may seem quite tame compared to what is shown and written today but this atmosphere helps by giving the actions and experiences more impact. This relatively modest period in time also helps emphasize Tilla’s innocence as a girl. The quote above also uses the words “your war” and thereby seems to create a connection to the girl Tilla more than the soldier boy; it is her thoughts, feelings and experiences that the reader shares during the story – in fact, we are not even given the soldier boy’s name. He himself does not seem to be important – it’s the act of “growing up” and discovering these new things that is significant. [Læs mere…]

One Day When We Were Young

As every adult knows there comes a time when one must leave childhood behind and grow up.

Some might embrace this development and others might hate it but that doesn’t change the fact that it will happen. However, the transition itself might happen at different ages for different people. For Mikey, the main character in the short story “One Day When We Were Young” it happens when he is 13 years old.

The whole story is built around Mikey’s psychological rite of passage, complete with separation, liminality and re-incorporation. In the beginning Mikey and his friends are still children, “unwilling to let go of their youthful games completely” (“One Day When We Were Young”, p. 2, ll. 13-14) but aware that they can’t keep their childhood much longer. This is the year when Mikey discovers that girls aren’t just “a fact of life, like rainy days and school” (p. 2, l. 4) but something more interesting. Their childishness is seen in not only Cecil’s speculations – the reason they are spying is because he thinks “they’re up to something” (p. 2, l. 26) because they don’t follow the boys around anymore – but also Mikey’s remark. Although he seems to have some insight when stating that the girls are “probably talking about girl things” (p. 2, l. 32) it is made obvious that he is still very innocent when he thinks the subject is probably dolls. [Læs mere…]

Are You Ready, Boots?

In life we are faced choices all the time: Should I spend two months’ rent on a pair of boots? Should I wear these boots that I just spend two months’ rent on? Do I love my boyfriend – and do I love him more than my boots? These are some of the questions that the main character in the short story “Are You Ready, Boots?” must ask herself as she ponders her life and potential future.

When we first meet Lulu, she’s in New York with some friends and they’re shopping for shoes. Lulu finds the perfect boots – as she says, “they make me feel like a Bond girl” (“Are You Ready, Boots?”, line 37). Other than that she also refers to Nancy Sinatra and Carrie when talking about the boots; shortly stated, they make her feel like a star. These pop culture references also tell the reader that the story is set in modern times. [Læs mere…]

About a Boy

The feeling of loneliness is one that many people know. We know that everyone is special but sometimes you can feel too “special” – and suddenly you’re not special, but “weird”. Not only will most people feel different because they’re weird but they will also feel lonely because it isn’t very socially accepted to be different. Why are some people different – weird even in the eyes of the rest of society? And how important is it to be a part of a group? In the short story “About a Boy” we get some insight into the life of Marcus, a lonely, weird boy.

The story starts in medias res with Marcus being worried, afraid even, of the next day. One of the themes comes into play here as Marcus is stressed because he is being bullied at school. Normally he would involve his mother and she would save him but this time she is actually a part of the problem. She is a single mother and raised Marcus by herself – because of her, Marcus turned out the way he did – and this is the problem. [Læs mere…]

Abduction

What are the deciding factors in a person’s life? What makes you turn out the way you do? For some time now we have known about the role of genetics in life and fate – they are the foundation of how a person is going to turn out. However, genetics aren’t the only thing that shapes a person as he or she grows up – another thing is upbringing, how a person is raised. This is the subject in the short story “Abduction”.

“Abduction” starts out with a 1^st person narrator commenting on certain events that make up the actual story. It begins in medias res with “I wanted to do her in” (“Abduction”, p. 1, l. 1) which gives the reader a basic impression of Ann, the main character, about whom this is said. The narrator who turns out to be Ann’s older sibling gives a further bad impression of Ann, blaming her and calling her “a killer” (p. 1, l. 10). Contrasting to this emotional and subjective beginning is the story itself which is written without further personal comments on Ann’s behavior and where the narrator also becomes less visible to the reader – though the narrative technique using a subjective narrator makes it so that neither Ann’s nor her brother’s feelings or thoughts are expressed. [Læs mere…]