Shell Stories - English

The Short Story: A Vendetta

P.E.E. Paragraphs – Exemplar Analytical paragraphs - criteria for success: • Point • Evidence (Quotation) to support points • Explain discussion of literary devices and their effect, e.g. personification.

POINT

Maupassant’s use of personification…

EVIDENCE (Quotation)

‘reefs, which pierce the waves in every direction’

EXPLAIN (Go into more depth – discuss the effect on the reader…

The verb ‘pierces’ is aggressive and powerful, which might make the reader think that the reefs are alive and violent, the effect…

Maupassant uses personification to make the island, and particularly the reefs surrounding it, seem alive and aggressive: ‘reefs, which pierce the waves in every direction.’ The verb ‘pierce’ is violent, and it is as if the reefs want to inflict pain on the sea. It could be that Maupassant is foreshadowing the murder and revenge to come; either way, it is an effective and powerful use of the device; this is going to be a harsh story because of the harsh setting.