Language
The language employed by James Wall in the short story “Dancing to Nat King Cole” is easy to comprehend. The short story combines narrative and descriptive passages with dialogue, which makes the story more complex.…
...
The dialogue
The dialogue is very important because it points to the relationship dynamics between parents and children, but also between spouses. Also, the dialogue is used to suggest the fact that Charles suffers from Alzheimer’s:
He looks …
...
Imagery
Imagery is also known as the use of descriptive language in literature. In “Dancing to Nat King Cole”, imagery is mainly present when Katherine recalls Charles’ behaviour:
When the brandy arrives, he raises hi…
...
Similes
The simile “you make him sound like a baby” (l. 69) suggests two things. On the one hand, Rebecca believes that her mother acts in a very protective manner towards her father. On the other hand, Rebecca is…
...
Symbols
The song “Unforgettable” is an important symbol in the story, as it symbolises Charles’ love for his wife and his promise to never forget it. For Katherine, the same song symbolises happier times, when Charles was healthy and not suffering from Alzheimer’s.
The tea cup that Charles broke symbolise the couple’s past life and the way he has changed…
