Structure

The short story “Boys and Girls” by Alice Munro has a linear plot structure. 

The narrative starts with a long introduction, which describes the narrator’s background, family, and their livelihood. We also learn several important things about the narrator, such as that she prefers helping her father with his work, instead of working inside the house with her mother. 

There are several elements of foreshadowing in the story. For instance, the salesman’s words to the father “ ‘I thought it was only a girl.’ ” (p. 4, l. 5) foreshadow the father’s dismissive words to the narrator at the end of the story: “ ‘Never mind (…) She’s only a girl.’ ” (p. 12, ll. 5-6). The narrator’s fear that Laird will tell on her for making him watch Mack get shot foreshadows that Laird will eventually tell their parents that the narrator let ...