Themes and message

Confusion and identity

Confusion and identity is the defining theme of Anna Hope’s short story “A Gap of Sky”. It is illustrated by Ellie and by how she feels regarding her life in London.

On the one hand, Ellie feels drawn towards night-life, alcohol, and drugs, which give her the illusion that she is free:

She was totally and absolutely free, and last night she smoked a crack pipe and danced on a rooftop in East London and everything was grey and misty but beautiful still, and she didn’t want the night to end, but it did, and she was alone, and that was fine, and now she could go and do anything that she liked. (ll. 69-72)

On the other hand, Ellie is aware that studying and attending university courses is the responsible thing to do, so she feels panicked when she realizes she may be kicked off the course and lose the entire year: “Monday. It is Monday. Essay there is an essay due, important, due for Tuesday morning. Virginia Woolf. And the… What was the title? Something Oyster of Perceptiveness. Fuck. How t...