Summary: Short Stories

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• 1 Short Stories

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• In Chemistry, how is the theme of family used?

  At the beginning of the story, the narrator describes how close the family were and how that changed once Ralph enters the picture. This change can be show through the metaphor of the boat. When they were close it sailed, when they weren't it sank

• In Chemistry, how is chemistry used as a metaphor?

  Chemistry is used as a metaphor to show how even though the elements (people) change and take different forms (close and distant) they aren't destroyed (seeing his Father and Grandfather)

• In Chemistry, how is juxtaposition used to show the difference between Ralph and the narrator's grandfather?

  The shed is somewhere that's "safe" whereas the house is seen as "menacing"

• In Chemistry, what points can be made about the narrative?

  It is a framed narrative. It starts and ends at the pond. This emphasises the chemistry metaphor, that things are destroyed, but they do change.
  It is a first person narrative in the past tense

• In Chemistry, what points can be made about structure?

  It is not in chronological order, suggesting that the story has been written as a man recollects different parts of this childhood memory

• In Chemistry, what quotes show narrative?

  "The pond in our park"
  "stood by the pond"

• In Chemistry, what quotes show family?

  "an actual existing line"
  "soon after Mother met Ralph"
  "We lived for each other"
  "I felt safe in his shed"
  "The house ... was a menacing place"
  "confessed"

• In Chemistry, what quotes show chemistry?

  "Anything can change"
  "We turned it from one form to another"
  "But though things change they aren't destroyed"

• In My Polish Teacher's Tie, how is smiling used as symbolism?

  In the story, Stefan smiles when he doesn't really know what's going on. At the end of the story Carla smiles once she has her identity back, symbolising that having an identity is foreign to her

• In My Polish Teacher's Tie, what quotes show smiling?

  "be smiling ... in a foreign place when you don't know what's going on"
  "smiling"
  "A smile lit in his eyes"
  "I smiled"