Language

Style of writing in lines 31-53

The exam question asks you to focus on the style of writing in lines 31-53 of Ben Okri’s short story “A Wrinkle in the Realm”. The lines present the instance the man tries to follow a woman who crossed the street to avoid him and the effect the event has on him. 

The language in this section is neutral. The narrator uses simple words and contractions such as “hadn’t crossed the road” (l.35) or “it wasn’t maleness” (l.35) as it relates what the man goes through. The story also uses short sentences, which makes the reader more focused on the events, rather than the language: “He had many things he wanted to say. The street was empty, it was getting dark. Then he did something that surprised him. He began to cross ...