Structure

...

Beginning

The story begins in medias res (the middle of events) showing the narrator praying in a temple: “I kneel here before the gods and the thought of what I am about to do stings my eyes like incense” (ll. 1-2). The opening sentence grabs readers’ attention because it is intriguing. We don’t know who the narrator is and what thought torments her.

The intrigue is next developed when we learn that the narrator is planning to withdraw her talented daughter from ballet lessons: “I can already …

...

Middle

The middle of the short story is essentially a backstory plot – with the narrator remembering the various events in connection with her daughter taking ballet classes. For example, the narrator reflects on how Pearl started taking ballet classes in the first place: “In the beginning, we tried to leave her alone at home after school.” (l. 15); “…but I could not stand coming home to see her little face in the window of the dark apartment.” (ll. 18-19) As the parents worked in a factory and could not stay with Pearl in the afternoon, the ballet classes came as a ‘blessing’ (ll. 44-45), giving the girl a place to be while they worked.

The backstory plot is occasionally interrupted by references to the present: “Ah, Amitabha,…

...

Ending

The story ends by returning to the present moment: “The monks are ringing the gong. As I gather my things to go, I pause for a moment by the window where the setting sun dances upon the glass” (ll. 153-154). The image of the sun suggests the story’s circular structure, as the same phrase appears near the beginning of the story (l. 41).

Another circular aspect is that the story ends as it began, with the narrator’s intention to withdraw Pearl from ballet classes, something she …