Language
Style of language
The language of the short story “The Sin Bin or Lucy’s Heart” by Lucy Cross is casual and conversational. The entire story reads like Lucy’s monologue, as it follows Lucy’s stream of consciousness. Lucy’s thought processes are rendered as they occur, which leads to the narrative jumping from one thing to another. For instance: “She says it makes me look like I’m famous or something. Penny Jones is very thin. When I hit her, I thought she might just fall over.” (p. 35, ll. 14-16)
The simple style is also consistent with how a teenager might express herself. The events in the story are conveyed in a blunt, straightforward manner, and there is little reflection and introspection. For instance: “Penny told her mum I hit her, and her mum phoned the school. The school phoned my mum and my head of year, Miss Parry, put me in detention. My mum cried.” (p. 35, ll. 30-32). The sequence of events is relayed in a brisk, unfeeling manner, which reflects Lucy’s limited introspective abilities. It can also suggest that Lucy is actively trying to avoid thinking about it too much because remembering what she did makes her feel bad.
