Analysis

The analysis of the short story “Good Girl” by Marita Conlon-McKenna shows that it follows a linear, chronological plot structure, with the exception of the scene at the beginning, which offers a glimpse into the future. The conflicts in the story are between Chrissy and Eilish’s group, and later on between Ian and Chrissy. 

The main character in the story is Chrissy, a Catholic school girl living in Northern Ireland, who dates Ian, a boy from a Protestant family. The relationship between them inspires a group of Catholic girls to assault Chrissy. 

The story is set in Northern Ireland, in the 1990s. The social setting explores the conflict between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland, as well as family connections, such as those between siblings and between children and parents. The social setting also briefly explores romantic relationships.

The story is told from the point of view of a third-person narrator who has access to Chrissy’s thoughts and feelings. As we only see things from Chrissy’s point of view, the narration is subjective. 

The language is informal and casual, creating a sense of connection between the reader and the main character. The language used in the dialogue illustrates the difference between characters.

You can read a more detailed analysis in the following pages.

 

Short story analysis

I denne vejledning får du Studienets hjælp til at analysere noveller (short stories) i engelsk.