Characters

Jen is the narrator of the short story “Are We Nearly There?” by Kate Smalley Ellis and the main character. Her characterisation is conveyed through self-irony and through Jen’s thoughts, actions, and attitude.

Jen’s outer characterisation presents her as a 17-year-old teenager (l. 22), the eldest daughter in her family. In her family, her father is a relaxed figure, her mother is a stressed and anxious figure, while her little sister is childish.

Inner characterisation

Jen’s inner characterisation is conveyed by focusing on her interactions with her family and Simon (probably her boyfriend), on her attitude towards them, towards driving, and towards her first sexual experience.

From the beginning of the short story, we find out that Jen does not trust herself and her decisions. She is frightened of driving the car and being responsible for her family: “Well he shouldn’t trust me. Neither of them should. There’s no way I should be allowed on this three-lane motorway surrounded by lorries and motorbikes and people carriers...” (ll. 5-6)

Furthermore, we also find out that Jen lost her virginity the previous night, an experience that was not what she imagined it would be: “It’s not that it blew my mind. It didn’t. I don’t even think I came. He said he loved me and I said ‘Oh’ and peeled my stomach away from his.” (ll. 9-10)

The fact that Jen is driving although she got very drunk the previous night suggests that she is irresponsible:

Tony told me that if you’re still drunk from the night before they can find the alcohol in your blood. He said they’d ban me from driving if I was caught but I’ve been bugging Dad for this motorway experience for so long now I couldn’t back out. (ll. 17-19)

Jen’s attitude towards the rest of her family suggests she is critical of all of them. On the one hand, Jen is bothered by the fact that her father is too relaxed when it comes to her driving: “…Dad, whose driving-instructor technique is to fall asleep in the back ‘to show he trusts me’. Well he shouldn’t trust me. Neither of them should.” (ll. 3-5)

Jen does not trust herself and her driving skills, although she has a full driver’s licence.

Jen’s attitude towards her mother suggests that the teenager is often bothered by her mother’s anxious and nagging attitude:

‘Are you deaf or what?’ Mum shouts and I jump. The needle is edging towards 85 mph. There is a gust of wind and the deep connection between me and the car is severed abruptly.
‘Only a fool breaks the two-second rule.’ Mum loves a mantra. (ll. 47-50)

In other words, Jen feels that her father is too trusting, while she feels her mother doesn’t trust her enough. However, her mother’s attitude seems to be valid, as Jen drives in an increasingly dangerous way as the story develops.

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