Language

An overview of the language of “The Age of Lead” by Margaret Atwood shows that the story is written using simple and accessible language. The choice of words is related to relationships, society, and the environment.

Dialogue is missing from the text because, at the time of the narration, the main character is alone, watching TV. Furthermore, the story is built using flashbacks, focusing on Jane’s memories and her perspective.

Similes

Two important similes are used in the text. Vincent “was adored like a pet” (l. 55), a simile that suggests the easiness with which Vincent made himself liked, as well as the fact that most people did not take him very seriously.

At the end of the text, the litter on the streets is described “like a trail left by fleeting residents of a city under bombardment” (ll. 222-223),...

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Repetition

Repetitions are used quite often in the short story and help emphasise an idea or focus on a certain topic. In the following example, repetition suggests that Jane is very preoccupied with the idea of consequences (which is also the theme of the story): “None of what she called consequences. Consequences: babies and marriage, in that order. Jane herself had been a consequence.” (ll. 61-63)

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Symbols

The story includes several symbolic elements that hide deeper meanings.

The dead body of John Torrington is symbolic of death and the power of nature, as it has been well-preserved by the Arctic ice, even after 150 years. The body is the starting point for Jane’s reflections on death and the consequences of human actions.

The TV show and television, in general, become symbolic of mirrored realities, as Jane notes that television was first a way of escaping and later become a reminder of reality.

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