Language

The language of “Gideon” by Z.Z. Packer is simple, informal, and easy to follow. However, since the choice of words is often related to political aspects, it might be difficult to understand the social setting if one is not familiar with some events from the early 1990s such as the conflict regarding Palestine, or “the Federal Reserve Board, NAFTA, the gun lobby and the neo-industrial complex” (p. 153, ll. 27-28).

Most of the story is conveyed in the discursive mode, but the author also includes dialogue passages and quotations with the purpose of better illustrating Gideon’s character and the interactions between him and the narrator.

Imagery is mostly used to describe the characters’ contrasting appearance, such as in the following example:

He always smelled different after being outside. Like a farm animal, or watercress. Plus he had a ton of calluses. Sometimes I'd stare in the mid-darkness at how white he was. If I pressed his skin, he'd bruise deep fuchsia and you'd be able to see it even in the dark. I was very dark compared to him. He was so white it was freaky, sometimes. (p. 153, ll. 18-24)

Additionally, the author uses a series of language devices which have the purpose of conveying deeper meanings in a creative manner.

Similes and metaphors

Quite a few similes are used to illustrate the narrator’s perspective on Gideon and on the events she experiences.

Initially, Gideon is described using two similes which suggest why the narrator was attracted to him—because he had Afro-hair and a puzzling smile: “He had hair like an Afro wig and a nervous smile that kept unfolding quickly, like origami.” (p. 152, ll. 2-4)

Then, Gideon is depicted as smelling “like a farm animal, or watercress” (p. 153, l. 19) when he comes from outside to suggest the idea of a raw nature in his character, and the fact that the narrator disliked his smell.

...

Repetition

Repetition is used on various occasions to add emphasis or suggest something about the characters. When Gideon is cited speaking about politics, the author uses the repetition of an interjection to suggest that the narrator did not care about his ideas or listen to him carefully: “…because by tacitly participating blah blah blah you're engaging in blah blah commodification of workers blah blah blah...

...

Rhetorical questions

A rhetorical question is used in the beginning of the short story as part of the narrative technique called breaking the fourth wall. By asking a rhetorical question, the narrator addresses...

...

Symbols

The short story also includes a few symbolical elements.

The crickets are symbolic of confinement because Gideon catches them and puts them in jars. They also represent the way the narrator feels: like a pet experiment of Gideon’s because she is an African-American woman,...

...