The Lemon Orchard Irony

Example/explanation Situational irony. - The men are using the cloak of darkness () to restore social justice. - The act of violence is contrasted with the beauty of nature. Use of pathetic fallacy where nature seems to sound her disapproval of the mans actions. - The man with the lantern utters that he will take great care of [a] dog when he is about to ill- treat a human being

Theme The irrationality of racial violence or institutionalized racism.

Setting Lemon Orchard presented as a dark and cold setting on a damp wintry night.

Feet

The dramatic irony - when the power shift from the popular guy to plain Jane Turner: At the game when Jane exercises her full power as Umpire and gets her revenge on Collier in the most legitimate way. - Jane is dutifully executing her responsibility as Umpire but is perceived as having her revenge. She cant help

The setting could be a reminder of the harsh cruel slave labour that was only abolished not too long ago from the time of the story. Nature, ironically, responds to the presence of the men and seems to comment on the ugliness of what is happening. The darkness builds tension The devastating cost of ignoring seemingly insignificant details or things.

The Pyrrhic victory (inherent sense of irony)

The Sniper

My Oedipus Complex

but be perceived as a vindictive cow. - Jane feeling miserable despite getting her revenge. - Insignificant places, body parts and people gaining significance e.g. Centre Count, Feet, Jane. Dramatic Irony - The lust of battle died in him and Sniper is bitten by remorse after killing the enemy, who he later finds out to be his brother. Dramatic Irony - Boy suffering because he had his prayers answer - Boy commiserating with Father after baby is born.

The victims of war.

Relationship between parents and child

Type of openings The Lemon Orchard or The Sniper openings that launch straight into the narrative; Feet or My Oedipus Complex - openings that are direct and hold the readers attention by directly addressing him, providing information that are pertinent to understanding the upcoming events.

STORIES

Feet

TWIST/ TURN OF EVENTS The turning of tables on Collier

TECHNIQUES

THEME

- Motif of feet Not to look down on in - Irony signification theme - The weather leading to the game being moved to centre court - Characterization

STORIES

TWIST/ TURN OF EVENTS pyrrhic victory

TECHNIQUES

THEME

The Sniper

Killing his own brother

My Oedipus Complex

Arrival of Father Arrival of Sunny

- irony Adolescent life - parallel (Carsons Social pressure situation) - Characterization - Civil war of the Sniper - A sense of foreboding after the kill Family Relationships Irony Characterization Childhood

Jane in Feet
Evidence
I might have known that I was going to end up on Centre Court I love Mr Evans / He is so tactful that he swings from the pipes in the changing room, I wasnt making any mistakes I didnt see what I wanted to see which was Michael Collier and I wished I had worn a sweater instead of trying to look attractive sort of in short sleeves.

Explanation/Elaboration
Self-effacing personality / awareness of her own abilities Sarcastic tone / Humour Imaginative / youthful imagination Student-teacher relationship Careful/ takes a job seriously/ Capable Teenage infatuation Teenage attractive insecurities / wanting to look

Setting
Story Feet Setting Centre Court/ High school Explanation/Elaboration the ironically low status of the worn out and dreadful Centre Court in her high school, despite the given name. sympathise with narrators situation of having to umpire at the Centre Court for the schools tennis tournament as she equates her selfworth to the venue that she has been assigned to. Represent things that are treated in a insignificant manner Platform of teenage insecurities

Story

Setting

The Sniper war-torn Dublin on a rooftop

My Oedipus Complex

Not much emphasis placed on setting at the opening.

Samphire

Cliff top

Explanation/Elaboration Republicans and Free States were waging civil war. The protagonist is on a rooftop near O Connel Bridge where it is described that the silence of the night is broken by spasmodic gun shots. Shows the devastation of war on civilian life Domestic setting. Larrys family is not wealthy but he is well provided for. However, the story hints at some financial strain which the child-narrator has yet to comprehend. It is safe when actually a war was on-going. Shows how the protagonist is sheltered from reality. Most part of the story is on a cliff top. Mollys decision to kill her husband happens here but she is not successful. TECHNIQUES

STORIES

Pain and the humour Mesmerized by Collier Makes mistakes with her calls, and almost cries The experience of her embarrassing moments in the court Situation changes: The turning of tables on Collier pyrrhic victory

Feet

- Motif of feet (narrated with humour, - Irony - style of narration - Jane is telling the story in her own words and narrates it humorously Written style that closely resembles a speaking style and herein comes the humour. - Sarcastic tone / Humour

Jane shares her feelings in a painful manner but at the same time in a funny way. characterization Using the child to identify mistakes in the childs perceptions provide humour Pains of adjustment and trying to understand the situation Use of Freuds theory recreated it in Larrys

My Oedipus Complex

Arrival of Father Arrival of Sunny Father and son competing for

STORIES

Pain and the TECHNIQUES humour mums life in an amusing manner which includes attention: father who has rights to share mums bed. and son in the Twist: arrival of sunny same position Beneath the humour there are serious Competing for human problems of adjustments in mums relationships attention Skillful humour that makes this a good read.

Samphire Characters: Molly is an affectionate diminutive and the husband is opinionated and domineering. Molly is usually short fro Margaret. Her husband gives himself a pet name, Lacey. Silent and the impression she gives us is that she is crushed by him. Lacey: odious and Molly has come to hate being married to him. He is self-centered, and insensitive. Moly is terrified of the high cliff, yet he simply does not notice this; instead he congratulates himself on persuading her to go up, even being a little firm (i.e. bullying) with her to overcome this fear. He talks incessantly. The Twist Molly obviously wants to murder her husband and when she makes the effort the reader silently hopes she succeeds. The success is in the way the writer portrays the husband. The mans solipsism plays into her hands. He goes on and on about the Samphire and tells all and sundry about it. Points to note: Molly looks at him curiously and wonders whether it was perhaps possible that he saw beauty there, as if he is an utterly alien creature. When he falls his expression is described as baby-face surprise and his pose on the edge is brilliantly conveyed in Motionless in equilibrium for one timeless space a cinema stopped in action . Symbolism: in the stress on the downwards motion as they, especially Molly, walk back down the path, down, down, Down.: It is descent for her into some kind of misery. She is a picture of despair.

Impressions of Lacey

Insensitive to Mollys mood (ignores her fear for heights and insistently demands Mollys agreement with, and admiration of his action.) He is not sensitive to his wifes obvious embarrassment at his behaviour in the shops and also in public. He makes the same insensitive joke twice He insults both tobacconists by calling their shops houses of ill-fume, a pun on a house of ill-fame, meaning an immoral place. (the two tobacconists do not respond to hid silly joke. There is no report of either of them speaking to him) People seem instinctively to dislike him. Seems to make a fool of himself in front of the holiday makers he shows off and it is clear that he considers himself special and superior Is overfamiliar, calling out to the man from he hotel; (it is clear from the mans response he nodded merely that the others do not like Lacey) Seems to be tight-fisted (mean with money) He boasts about the villa they are to rent, not like ordinary summer people; and he boasts to Molly about his cleverness in buying the walking stick. This leads him to decide that they will not have tea the next day to make up for the money he has spent on the ashplant. He has already tried to pay less for the stick. And seems to be tight-fisted. His behaviour, marching and singing, is designed to draw attention to himself. Seems to be insufferable, a most insensitive man, boastful and very full of himself. He demands attention, especially from Molly, who is called on to admire his cleverness, though it is not particularly clever to go into a shop and buy something. She does not reply.

Mollys reaction She is silent most of the time giving the impression that she feels crushed by her husband. However, we can guess what she must be thinking because of the views of the husband we have formed earlier in the story. He is a bully and it is obvious she detests him. She stood near the door, not looking at anything. That is a clue because it betrays her distaste for, and embarrassment at, his words to the tobacconist.

She must have noted the negative responses he gets from others and the fact that he does not seem to notice. She can hear his bad taste in his comments to the shopkeepers. She appears to have a lot to dislike him. It seems obvious that she would be determined to kill her husband. His constant attention seeking repels her and she is likely to feel bitter. She would have noticed that the others do not response to him just as she does not herself, despite his constant, self-regarding questions. She will think what a repulsive man she is married to him. Her terror on the cliff the day before shows that she has already made her plan. Her mind will be full of hatred here and she will be determined to murder him.