Characterisation techniques and use of contrasts

Part of your essay should focus on how the writer characterises characters and on the use of contrasts in the short story “The Recital”. Eimear Ryan uses contrasts in the story as part of her characterisation technique, as most of the contrasts are used in connection to the characters and their attit…

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Contrast as a characterisation technique

Firstly, the author builds a contrast between Grace and her sister. While Grace is a recent music graduate who does not know what she wants to do with her life, her sister already has a child and is a well-known musician: “Growing up, Jen had always been the better pianist. She’d made it – a successful stint with the National Symphony Orchestra, a score for a worldwide smash-hit Irish dance show.” (ll. 38-39)

While Jen is competitive, Grace has always been a shy, “hesitant player” (l. 44).

Another contrast used in the story…

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Other characterisation techniques

Other characterisation techniques used by the author that you should pay attention to are the use of the protagonist’s perspective, and direct and indirect characterisation.

The story is a first person-narration told from the point of view of Grace, the narrator. Using Grace’s point of view helps the writer give some direct characterisations of other characters such as: “Growing up, Jen had always been the better pianist. She’d made…