Analysis

The analysis of the short story “Sea Defences” by Hilary Taylor shows that the text has a non-traditional structure. The story mixes present events with flashbacks from the past, which offer various clues about the main character and his behavior. 

The main character of the short story is Michael, a man with mental issues. The story focuses on Michael’s way of dealing with the death of a girl he met years ago, but also on the tragic event of losing his mother in the present. 

The physical setting of the story reveals that the events take place in a town or village next to the sea. The sea defences that protect the coastline from the waves are an important part of the physical setting which also has symbolic significance. 

When it comes to the narrative technique, it is interesting to focus on Michael’s unreliability as a narrator. Because of his mental illness, Michael does not understand why people are suspicious of him and only reveals the full truth about Hannah’s death at the end. 

The language in lines 1-12 is mostly informal, because of Michael’s childish behavior and way of seeing the world. The section also contains negative words and metaphors that help set a dark mood. 

A full analysis of the short story can be found in the following pages.