Analysis

The short story “The Quiet One” by Stephen Gibbin has a chronological plot structure. The story includes a few flashbacks which help to offer context and background for the characters and the events of the story.

The main characters of the story are Liam and Courtney. Liam is a thirteen-year-old boy who is spending his day at his grandfather’s shed when he is interrupted by Courtney.

The physical setting of the story is Liam’s grandfather’s shed in his allotment in the UK. Though the time setting is vague, several clues in the story suggest the events take place in the 1980s.

The story is told from the point of view of a third-person narrator. The narrator presents Liam’s perspective and offers readers access to his thoughts and feelings.

The language in the story is informal and features a lot of regional words and British slang. The dialogue also includes non-standard grammar which helps to offer insight into the characters.

You can read a full analysis on the following pages.

Excerpt from the study guide:

Symbols

The shed symbolizes Liam’s safe space and his escape from the school and the violence of his environment. Here, Liam can be himself, which is something he cannot do at school, because of how the other children treat him and his brother. The fact that Courtney confronts him right outside the shed is even more relevant in this context, as it could be seen to symbolize the intrusion of the world of violence in the only place Liam can escape and be ...