Language

Style of writing

The language of the short story “Beggarland” by Alan Sillitoe is generally easy to follow and understand. The author does, however, use some less common words such as “tisane” (l. 159), which is a less commonly used name for herbal tea. In this case, the use of the word suggests that Jane is well-off and educated.

The tone of the story is generally informal, using contractions that help convey the protagonist’s thoughts: “ ‘Never, you understand. Never.’ ” (l. 169) The narrator, however, uses a more formal tone– this helps the reader distinguish between the narrator’s voice and Jane’s voice: “The last au pair had shot off at no notice to do a tour of Europe with a boyfriend, so Jane wrote to Greta whom she had previously turned down.” (ll. 8-10).

We also encounter indirect speech in the story, for example, when Greta wants the children to eat dinner in her room: “Greta took them upstairs for a bath, then asked would it be all right if they ate in her room?” (l. 70-71). Greta’s accent – as she is from the North of England – is also suggested in the story: “ ‘I ’ope so.’ ” (l. 21) “ ‘Yer don’t want that.’ ” (l. 57)

Fragmentation and words marked with italics are also used in the story. For example, Greta's poor education is conveyed using fragmentation: “ Greta was adept at finding places on the map – considering she hadn’t got to within shouting distance of O Levels” (ll. 105-106). Ben’s excitement is emphasised with italics: “ ‘We passed Notting Hill Gate three times’ ” (ll. 65-66).

Descriptive language

Descriptive language is used extensively in the short story, as the author often describes the characters, the setting, and the eve...