Structure

Next, you can read useful information about the structure of the short story “Tea with the Birds” by Joanne Harris.

Title

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Beginning

The short story begins with a motto, which points readers to the main topic of the story – social isolation: “Some people spend their lives without ever raising their eyes from the ground. Others dream of flying.” (ll. 1-2)

The exposition introduces readers to the setting of the short story and the character-narrator: “The funny things about Mortimer Street is that no-one really seems to know anybody else. It's one of those places; busy without being comfortable; crowded without being friendly.” (ll. 3-5);

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Middle

The rising action focuses on the interactions between the narrator and her new neighbour. At first, the narrator is happy she has a silent neighbour who does not want to socialise.

However, tension increases as the narrator (who is an insomniac and comes home late from her waitressing job) is woken up every morning by a van that delivers vegetables to her neighbour: “Then came the thumping of boxes against the walls, raised voices in the stairwell, shouted instructions, laboured steps on the landing, a final double-thump as the crates hit the floorboards and then, blissfully, the sound of the van's departure…” (ll. 73-76)

At first, the narrator tries to talk to her neighbour, but the man only smiles back. She realises that the man does not understand English and begins to insult him openly:

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Ending

In the falling action, Mr Tamaoki moves out— something which makes the narrator feel lonelier rather than relieved: “I felt curiously bereft at his absence. Although I was no longer awoken at five-thirty by the vegetable van, I slept badly. I was restless.” (ll. 158-159)

This makes the narrator consider socialising more with her neighbours. She discovers that a woman is going to be moving into Mr Tamaoki’s flat. She enters the flat and finds a packet of tea that Mr Tamaoki has left for her,...

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