Language

The language of “Growing Up” by Anthony Hill is simple and easy to follow. The sentences are structured in a way that is similar to a speech because the story is meant to be read like a spoken story that a father tells his child/children. Furthermore, the author uses examples of grammar and vocabulary which are typical of English spoken by Aboriginal Australians, adding authenticity to the narrator’s voice: “Them things didn’t mattered.” (p. 3, l. 32).

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Similes and metaphors

The author employs several comparisons between people, situations, and things. Two similes stand out in the story. First, the narrator compares Evan with him in terms of height: “he was lanky like me” (p. 1, l. 20). Second, the narrator compares the feeling of disappointment when … 

Contrasts

One of the most important figures of speech in the short story is the use of contrasts. Contrasts are the opposite of similes.

Firstly, the narrator and Evan are both tall, but all their other traits are in contrast. The narrator i

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Rhetorical questions

Occasionally, the author uses rhetorical questions that the narrator addresses either to his mother (as a child) or to his child/children (as an adult) meant to inspire reflection on the 

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Symbols

The story includes a few symbols, meant to add more meaning to the plot and its theme. A symbol is a word or image in the text which represents a deeper meaning connected to the theme and message of the narrative.

The contrast between the narrator’s poor house and Evan’s property is symbolic of the economic discrimination between white people and Aboriginals in Australia. While the white

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