Language

Most of the story is conveyed in the narrative mode, following the protagonist’s actions and thoughts. Dialogue is used occasionally in “Pretending to Know the Words” by Helen Cooper and helps reveal the main character’s identity—that he is both Luis and Recoba.

Imagery (descriptive passages conveying mental images) is used in connection with the main character and his actions, as well as to the setting: “His mouth inched into a roar, his lips shrank back, his dark eyes glittered.” (ll. 14-15);

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Similes, personification and metaphors, repetitions, and symbols give the story deeper meanings and convey additional aspects about the characters and the plot.

Similes

Various similes are used to convey the protagonist’s perspective on himself, his environment, and his teammates.

“The bed makes me feel as if I’m drowning” (l. 5) compares lying in bed with being in water and drowning, to suggest Luis’ feelings of anxiety. To convey Luis’ physical exhaustion after the game the following similes are used: “His body was beginning to feel like a sack of sand” (l. 67) and “gulping in air as if hauling himself out of a river.” (l. 74).

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Personifications and metaphors

On several occasions, the writer uses personifying language in connection to Luis’ house. The house is personified, described as having human-like reactions such as: “this giant house hates me” (l. 3), “it hates me for being ungrateful” (l. 6), “The room winked black and chrome.” (l. 23).

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Symbols

The most important symbols in the short story are the TV, the house, and the phone.

The flat screen TV on which Luis watches a replay of the match that he won together with his team becomes symbolic of appearances versus reality. Luis cannot recognise himself in the TV images because he feels depressed, while the TV shows him as a driven and successful footballer.

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