Pangma-La

Pangma-La is one of the most important characters of the short story “The Shining Mountain” by Alison Fell. We know little about her physical appearance, but we know that she is Scottish: “Once there was a Scottish girl” (p. 18, l. 1).

The location of her home is not mentioned, but she goes to school and watches the BBC news on TV: “She would come home from an ordinary school day and there he would be on BBC news, planting the Union Jack on a far, far mountain peak” (p. 18, ll. 10-13).

Pangma-La’s inner characterisation develops and changes throughout the short story, as she goes through a period of inner growth.  The narrator frequently gives us an insight into her thoughts and emotions, so we can keep track of her development.

Pangma-La’s relationship with her father plays a central role in the story. She hears a lot of good things about her father as a child (p. 18, ll. 13-14) and begins to idolise him. As a consequenc...