Analysis

This analysis of Lucy Caldwell’s short story “Cyprus Avenue” will guide you through a detailed understanding of the text and help you answer your exam assignment.

In the next pages, we will first of all look at the structure of the text (including its ending).

We will characterise the two most important characters — Nirupam and the unnamed main character – and discuss their relationship, looking at how they bond over similar experiences.

We will examine the setting of the story – the airports and Belfast – considering social aspects like discrimination, family relationships, and grief.

We will consider the narrative technique used by Caldwell, focusing on the unusual combination of a second-person narrator and the future tense. 

We will explore the language used by the author, from choice of words to imagery, metaphors, repetition, and symbols, looking at how they enhance the narrative.

We will help you discuss the themes of identity and bonding, by analysing how they are conveyed through plot and characters.

You can read the full analysis in the next pages of this study guide.