Structure

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Beginning

The story “My Girl in Skin-Tight Jeans” by William Boyd begins with a short introduction in which the narrator explains why he never married. He is very anxious to convince readers that he could have married “any number of girls” (p. 93, l. 5), and the reason why he didn’t was “largely” (p. 93, l. 8) his weak constitution. The readers can guess that this is not the only reason (it sounds too much like an excuse), giving an initial hint that the narrator is un…

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Middle

In a flashback, which turns out to make up the primary narrative in the story, the narrator reveals that the last winter one of his projects had failed and his budget was reduced, which led to him becoming “chronically depressed through most of January and February” (p. 94, ll. 11-12), although he improved with the coming of spring. He adds that “if it hadn’t been for the regular arrival of my magazines with their laughing happy people in their primary-colored world I’m sure I would have done something drastic.” (p.94, ll. 12-15). Readers are left to imagine what that “something drastic” might be, but it is very likely that he means an act of violence, either towards himself or someone else. It is also a foreshadowing of the climax of the story.

With the arrival of spring, the girl in skin-tight jeans appears. The narrator describes the girl focusing on her physical attributes and the clothes she wears, and the description is objectifying (pp. 94-95, ll. 26-1). …

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Ending

In the falling action, the narrator wakes up the next morning and knows “instinctively” that the girl has gone forever, and for a moment, he feels “the sadness of her passing intensely” (p. 101, l. 17). However, he is quickly distracted by looking out the window and noticing that a man is putting up a new billboard.

In the short resolution, he quickly claims the new object posses…

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