Composition
Who are the two most important characters in the short story, and who is the main character?
The woman who is begging and the man who is helping the woman.
The woman is the main character
Where does the story take place?
The story takes place in London, England
What is the woman doing? How does she feel about it?
She is begging people on the street for money, and she is angry because the Social Security has put her in this situation.
What POV is used in the short story?
3rd person narrator
What is a panoramic composition?
in a panoramic composition you are distanced from events and characters. Instead of details you are given an overview of events often with an assessment of what is happening.
Why and how does the man help the woman?
Because she is poor and he used to work at the DHSS, so he feels obligated to help her
He gives her coffee, sandwiches and money for groceries
Mention 3 physical settings where the story takes place
Outside the Underground where she begs for money
Inside the supermarket
In a nearby outdoor café
In the man’s car when he drives her home
Why is it so difficult for her to receive something from other people?
"Her clothes were ordinary"
"It was their mistake in the first place, not mine"
New situation for her
What language is used?
Simple language, informal language, standard English
What is a scenic composition?
In a scenic composition events and characters are in focus. As a reader you are close to the event, so close that you almost feel you are present
Mention some of the characteristics of the man
Helpful, Concerned, Middle-class, Sympathetic, married, father, Taxi-driver, around 40 years old
Has worked in DHSS
What time period does the story span over?
The story takes place during the span of "an hour or so"
The man says "I know what you want to say" and the woman answers him "No you don't. You don't know anything about me".
Why does the woman say that he doesn't know anything about her?
He tries to help her, because she is in a hard situation and she seems a begger as the others.
She tries to convince him that she is not what she seems to be.
Is the narrator omniscient, objective or limited? Why?
Objective narrator because there is only access to an external view on the events of the story
Is the composition scenic or panoramic? And why?
The composition is scenic, because the short story focuses on characters feelings, the enviroment and details of actions
Name some of the characteristics of the woman
Paranoid, poor, angry, mother, selfish, trust, issues
What is the context of the short story?
The context of the short story is the economic crisis that took place in the UK in the 1980s. The country was struggling as a result of the 1981 economic crisis.
Name some of the themes of the short story.
What is the message of the story?
Themes: Poverty in the UK, Kindness, Empathy, Vanity
Message:
- The importance of helping one another
- The impact of a dysfunctional system.
How did the woman get home?
The man drove her to a street near Kentish Town
What car is the man driving?
He is driving a 'Shabby blue Datsun'
In which decade does the story take place? and how do you know that?
The story takes place in the 1980’s, we know this because it is mentioned that the man had worked for the DHSS for 15 years, and DHSS was formed in 1968, therefore the story takes place around 1983 or later.
Is “DHSS” an appropriate title for the short story? Why or why not?
“DHSS” is an appropriate title for the short story, because the strike of DHSS lead to the woman’s situation and at the same time to the action of the story.
Why does the woman have a hard time receiving help from others?
Trust issues (p.5 l.23-24), she has been let down by the system (p.3 l. 36-42)