Themes
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Change
Nostalgia
Conflict
Status
Characterisation of Mrs Jackson
 “She remembered but took no pleasure in the memory.” – Direct speech, blunt tone,
Links to nostalgia that she does she doesn’t view her time that she spent there in a
nostalgic light, it suggests she hated it.
 “… fur coat…” – word choice, Status, the connotation of expensiveness and luxury and
suggests wealth, symbolism of her own sense of supremacy throughout.
 “Now she kept her fur coat as far away from them as she could.” “Now she was smiling
and trailing her fur coat.” -- Contrast, Change, Mrs Jacksons mood changes completely
when they get to the hotel. Firstly she short and rude, however in the hotel she shows
clear signs of happiness. Like Jackson, she will only be content when she is in an
expensive and luxurious environment, where her social status feels re-enforced.
 “His wife was smiling as if she expected someone to photograph her.” –
 “...surrounded by a pack of children...an empress surrounded by prairie dogs.” –
metaphor, word choice, Status, Dehumanising, suggest her status but shows how she
doesn’t fit in, even comical, she is, Mocks wife , comparing her to dogs.
 “…we should be back in Africa where we belong.” “… were lazy…” “You’d go out
Themes
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Change
Nostalgia
Conflict
Status
Characterisation of Mr Jackson
Nostalgia + Shame
 “He looked up at the tenement with the cheerful animation of one who had left
it,…” – word choice, personality seems split from having a nostalgic view of the past
and a wish to separate himself from his past.
 “The interior of the cinema came back to him in a warm flood…” “..they were all
dancing in a restaurant…” – visual image, recalls aspects of his childhood and youth.
 Jocular tone, seems to ignore the unpleasant or grim aspects of these old money:
o “…old Hannah?” – “A fat woman with arthritis.”
o “…rain coming through the roof.’” – their home
o
Characterisation of Mr Jackson
Status
 “…a square red ring.” “…black polished car…” – visual
imagery, suggests he wants to advertise his wealth.
 “And the wallet bulged from his breast pocket, a
wife, two children, and a good job in
administration.” – list, suggests they have a similar
value.
 “‘What’s he but a doctor anyway?” -- syntax,
dismisses the Bruces, “People like himself. By God,
less than him. He had had the guts to travel.”—
syntax, prefers himself to the other men in the hotel,
he is aware of the status and social position of
others.
 “He took out a cigar to show who he was,..”—A status
symbol of Jacksons whole personality.