Analysis
This section highlights the main elements of our analysis of the short story “The Shining Mountain” by Alison Fell.
The story’s plot structure is linear, though it skips over several years of time in the beginning. The most important characters of the story are Pangma-La and her father. Their relationship is at the centre of the action and the focus of the themes and message. The old Sherpa woman - revealed to be the mountain goddess - also plays a significant role.
The story begins at the home of Pangma-La’s family, most probably in Scotland. However, most of the action likely takes place in Tibet, on one of the peaks of the Himalaya mountains. The social setting explores parents' expectations and gender roles.
The story is told by a third-person narrator. The narrator is mostly focused on Pangma-La's perspective, but does offer a few comments on the thoughts of her father and the mountain goddess towards the end of the story.
The language in the story is powerful, using similes, metaphors and symbols to better communicate the setting and final message. The story also contains many fairy tale elements.
You can find a full analysis of the short story in the following pages.