Analysis
The analysis of the short story “Flight” by Doris Lessing shows that the story follows a circular, chronological structure. The narrative describes the events of the afternoon, when an old man finds out about the upcoming wedding of his beloved granddaughter, Alice and the postmaster’s son, Steven.
The main characters of the story are the grandfather and Alice, with Lucy and Steven being secondary characters. The grandfather experiences an inner conflict about allowing Alice to pursue a relationship with Steven, as he does not want to be forgotten or left alone.
The physical setting is not explicitly specified, but it seems to be somewhere in England, in the countryside. The place where the grandfather keeps his pigeons is an important part of the physical setting and reflects the grandfather's attitude towards the things he loves.
The story is told by a 3rd person limited narrator.The narrator offers an insight into the grandfather’s thoughts and feelings.
The language of the story is neutral, and the story does not use slang, or contractions. The language used throughout helps determine the mood of the story, which ranges from contentment to anger, to sadness and acceptance.
You can read a more detailed analysis in the following pages.
