Analysis

This section highlights the main elements of our analysis of the story “The German Boy” by Ron Butlin.

The story’s structure is fragmented, and it features narrative techniques such as foreshadowing, backstories, and flashforwards. The story depicts an adult narrator who has to deal with the collapse of his business in the present, while he also remembers a story from his childhood.

The story only contains a few important characters. The main character of the story is an unnamed male narrator. His childhood friend, the German Boy Klaus, and the woman who sits in the rain are secondary characters.

The events take place in England, covering a period between the 1960s and the 1980s. The social setting explores the issues of social exclusion based on cultural differences and social class.

The events are described by a limited first-person narrator. The language is easy to understand, mixing narration with dialogue, which helps the reader understand more about the characters and the events.

You can find a full analysis of the story in the following pages.

Further help

Do you want additional help with analysis of short stories? See our general guide for more: