Analysis

Here we present a few topics we will touch upon when analysing the short story “Smile” by Roddy Doyle.

The short story is structured using narrative techniques like red herring, foreshadowing elements, and plot twist. The text also follows a traditional plot structure, as well as occasionally using fragmentation (non-chronological events).

The most important character in the short story is the narrator, Victor Forde. We will focus on his development and important outer and inner traits. Other characters that we present in our analysis are Brother Murphy and the collective character of the school boys.

With its setting in Ireland, the story illustrates the typical school life in Catholic schools for boys. The narrator mostly uses his perspective as a teenager to recount the events, which makes him more relatable and easy to empathise with.

The language of “Smile” is simple and easy to follow. Similes, metaphors, repetitions, and symbols add to the text’s narrative qualities by adding layers of meaning in a vivid and creative way.

You can read the full analysis in the following pages!