Language

Choice of words

The style of writing and choice of words in the short story “The Skirt” by Zoe Lambert is casual and informal. The narrator uses simple sentence structures and common expressions: “Rob didn’t want to come. He hadn’t got over the wheelchair thing and he had his graffiti artist image to worry about” (ll. 5-6). There are several brief dialogues present in the text, where contractions are often used to make the discussions between characters sound authentic and natural: “ ‘Mum, I can’t find any socks…’ ‘Rob! I’m getting dressed’ ” (ll. 13-15). The type of language used in both Bethany’s narration and the dialogues, together with the descriptions of the setting, reflect the fact that the characters belong to a relatively low social class from contemporary England.

The author chooses many negative words, especially to emphasize the main characters’ emotional problems. In one of her flashbacks, for instance, Bethany describes the moment when she realizes she cannot move:

I woke one morning and could not get up. I could not move. I shifted my arms in the sheets, heavy as if in a half-dream. An ac...