Perspectives

Literary perspective

The short story “My Polish Teacher’s Tie” by Helen Dunmore is a modernist work of fiction, as suggested by some of its features. 

First of all, the story is told from the perspective of Carla, the main character. Carla is also the narrator, which makes readers connect easily with her feelings and struggles. Secondly, the story uses simple language, with dialogue and informal expressions, making the conversations sound more natural and realistic. Then, modernist stories tend to focus on symbols. As the title of the story shows, the tie is one of the most powerful symbols, which illustrates the theme of identity and belonging. The story’s plot is also easy to follow, as the events are presented chronologically. 

Works with the same theme or by the same author

The short story “One of My Best Friends” by Peter Goldsworthy deals with the theme of prejudice and stereotypes. He...