Language

The choice of words in “Debbie and Julie” by Doris Lessing reflects the social setting and the plot of the story. Many words are related to physical symptoms of pregnancy and giving birth. Other words are descriptive of the physical setting and the physical appearance of the characters.

As the text is very descriptive, you will find many examples of imagery, passages that help readers imagine what Julie sees and experiences. Here is one such example: “She walked boldly through the sleet and turned into a dark and narrow alley where she hurried, because it smelled bad and scared her, then out into the yard full of builders’ rubbish and rusty skips. There was a derelict shed at one end.” (p. 92, ll. 17-20)

Similes and figurative language, rhetorical questions and symbols are additional language devices that help the author convey deeper meanings about the characters and the plot.

Similes

A number of similes help the author convey vivid images about the characters and the action. For instance, the “fluffy rug like a terrier’s coat” (p. 90, ll. 4-5) in Debbie’s apartment suggests the feeling that Julie experiences when she steps on the rug, and associates Debbie’s apartment with comfort.

The simile “she looked like a model for cheap clothes” (p. 90, ll. 30-31) used to describe a woman in Debbie’s apartment suggests the woman’s vulgarity.

When Julie describes herself “standing like a dummy” (p. 91, l. 21) in the train station, the simile emphasises her feelings of confusion after running away from home.

The simile “moved in on her like sharks” (p. 91, ll. 33-34) is used to describe the attitude of others in the train station towards Julie, to suggest that dangerous people could have harmed Julie as she was vulnerable.

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Rhetorical questions

Throughout the short story, the author uses numerous rhetorical questions that Julie asks herself. These rhetorical questions help the author build the character’s stream of consciousness; to map her thoughts, worries, dilemmas, and change of perspective.

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Symbols

To make the themes of the story more evident and to convey deeper meanings, the author also uses various symbols.

First of all, a lot of symbolism is built on contrast. The author contrasts Debbie’s flat with Julie’s home, Debbie’s towels with Anne’s towels, to suggest the differences between two social statuses. The different towels suggest the differences between cleanliness and dirtiness, between purity and impurity. The flat, the house, and the shed are symbolic of...

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