Language

Style of writing

The style of language in the short story “Home Is Not Here” by Laura Blake is largely informal. The narration reflects the thoughts of the main character Birdie and thus also largely reflects her way of speaking. For example, words like “rahted” (l. 5), “mumma” (l. 43), or “chupid” (l. 71) point to Birdie’s Jamaican heritage.

At times, the narration also includes conversations Birdie remembers having with her parents, such as: “ ‘“It nah our house, baby. Wi rent de top floor; Pat has de bottom.’ ” (l. 112). In these examples, the language that is used reflects the accent and dialect of Jamaican Creole. Non-standard grammar and spelling such as “de” instead of “the” reflects the characters’ way of speaking in an authentic way. 

Similarly, the dialogue between Birdie and the immigration officer also includes non-standard gramma...