Structure

The short story “Bedtimes” by Tim Parks has a chronological structure, following the main characters over the course of seven days, from Monday to Sunday. The events are marked at the beginning of paragraphs by date and time, as in the following example: “Tuesday evening, 10:45” (l. 6). 

The story begins in media res and introduces the main characters and the physical setting: 

Monday evening, 10:30. Thomas is sitting on the sofa with his laptop, reading for work. Mary has been talking to a friend on Skype. If he is going to work all night, I may as well go to bed, M...