Analysis

Read here a brief summary of our analysis of the short story “Pride and Joy” written by Philippa East.

The short story follows a traditional plot structure, with an exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. In the exposition, readers are introduced to the characters of Mrs Jacks and Billy. Apart from characterising Mrs Jacks and her relationship with Billy, we will also comment on Meg’s role in the story.

The social setting focuses on a parent’s life when their child has a cognitive disability. When it comes to Mrs Jacks, the narrator appears to know what she thinks and how she feels, having insight into her thoughts and memories about the past.

The language employed in the short story is fairly simple and the few complicated words can be easily deduced from context. The author employs several linguistic and stylistic devices such as similes and metaphors, which are meant to add to the story’s meaning and to make it more appealing to readers.

You can find the full analysis of the story in the next pages!