Language

The language of the short story “Prospect House” by Frances Childs is simple and colloquial, including several instances of slang and explicit language: “Andrea has slept with him as well and she and Di laugh at the size of his cock, which they say is tiny.” (ll. 55-56); “When they come back I tell Andrea what happened, the bird is waiting outside for me. Andrea goes out and bells her.” (ll. 140-145)

The choice of words is related to violence, theatre, being homeless, sex, and teen life in a rough environment. It is interesting to note the literary allusion to the play The Crucible (l. 35) by Arthur Miller. The play is about the Salem witches, a historical event in which women were persecuted and killed by the local community under the suspicion of witchcraft. In “Prospect House”, Kim wants to play Abigail from the play, a woma…

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Similes and metaphors

The text is not very rich in figurative language. A single simile is used in the beginning of the text—“as thin as a rake” (l. 5)—which…

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Repetition

Repetitions are used several times in the text and help emphasise certain ideas. The expression “better than nothing” (l. 58, l. 79) is used twice in the text. The first time it is voiced by Di in connection with Rob and suggests the girl’s loneliness. The second time is used by the n…

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Symbols

The most important symbols in the short story are situational: the theatre, Winchester Cathedral, and Prospect House.

The theatre is symbol…