Analysis

The analysis of the novella The Embassy of Cambodia by Zadie Smith shows that the story has a chronological plot structure. The narrative includes multiple flashbacks which show Fatou’s life, and the story follows a circular structure, beginning and ending in front of the Cambodian embassy. 

The main character of the story is Fatou, an immigrant woman from the Ivory Coast who works as a housekeeper for the Derawal family. Fatou’s only friend is Andrew, a man she goes to a Tunisian café with on Sundays after church and they discuss religious topics. 

The physical setting of the story is Willesden, in North West London, during the summer of the 2012 London Olympics. The Cambodian embassy, the Tunisian café where Fatou and Andrew meet, and the Derawals’ house are all significant locations.

The story has a first-person narrator who acts as an outside observer to the story, without interfering in the events. The narrator seems to be omniscient and has access to Fatou’s thoughts and feelings.

The novella uses neutral language to tell Fatou’s story. Several similes and metaphors are used to enrich the story and present things in compelling ways.

The story is rich in symbols, which are used to add additional meaning to an apparently straightforward narrative. For example, the badminton match being played inside the embassy is used as a symbol of Fatou’s own life.

 

Short story analysis

I denne vejledning får du Studienets hjælp til at analysere noveller (short stories) i engelsk.