Analysis
Guatam Malkani’s short story “Paki” has a chronological plot structure. The story presents a fight between a gang of British Asian boys who are beating up a white boy for apparently calling them an ethnic slur. The story builds tension as the fight goes on and the ending includes a reveal which changes the way readers view the events of the story.
The main characters of the story are Jas, the gang’s newest member, and Hardjit, the gang’s leader. Jas struggles to fit into the gang and he is envious of Hardjit’s coolness, especially when it comes to his ability to seamlessly use the gang’s sociolect.
The physical setting of the story is Hunslow, a diverse borough of London with a large community of South Asians. The social setting looks at different cultural differences between the gang of British Asian boys and British white people.
The story is told by a first-person narrator who is also the main character, Jas. The narration is humorous and provides context for the events of the story as well as insight into Jas’ background.
The language used in the story stands out from the very beginning. Non-standard grammar and spelling are used to reflect the gang’s image, and a mix of English and Punjabi or Hindi highlights their cultural backgrounds.
You can read a full analysis of the short story on the following pages.
Excerpt
Below, you can read an excerpt from our study guide:
