Text 32: More pricks than kicks

Text 32: More pricks than kicks

1. Context: Published in 1934 and was Samuel Beckett’s first collection of short stories

2. Won Nobel prize for literature in 1969

3. Form and structure: ‘This was hoolagism pure and simple. What the hell did he care? Was it his wall?’ Rhetorical questions are used to make the audience view their own opinions on the situation

4. Throughout the text, the writer uses longer sentences to aim the text are a more educated audience

   • These sentences are also colloquial and the text is written in conversational form
     • These can be contrasted to the formality of text 15: Hygiene improvement notice

5. Figurative language: ‘The stump of loaf went back into its prison’ The figurative is used to show the preciousness and rarity of food within the text

   • Prisons separate criminals from humanity much like the character is separated from food
   • We can compare this figurative language with text 21: Titus Andronicus as quotes are used to describe the character figuratively

6. Sound patterning: There is no distinct sound patterning within the text, which makes it not a good point to draw comparisons on

7. Word choice: ‘No butter, God forbid’ Serio-comical lexis is used which increases the dramatics of the situation

   • This can be compared to text 22: A modest proposal as it also uses a mocking lexis

8. Grammar: ‘Yes, he had put the horse behind the tumbrel’ This is simple grammar and contrasts the complex lexis

   • This can be compared with text 11: Vegetarian society which uses friendly grammar to invite the audience in and keep them occupied