Use of contrasts

The exam assignment from May 25 2023 asks you to pay particular attention to the use of contrasts in the short story. This is a broad focus point, so there are many different options for how to do this. It is generally a good idea to integrate your points about contrasts with your other analysis points (characters, setting, etc...). 

First of all, you might consider how the short story uses contrasts in the description of its two main characters - especially in relation to their way of dealing with the mother's death. Here, you could point out how the narrator seems to react by becoming an adult before her time. For example, she takes responsibility for much of the housework (e.g. ll. 23-26), and she even feels responsible for looking after her father's health (ll. 53-55). In contrast, her father retreats into his workshop and does not really contribute...