The Best Death Ever
The Best Death Ever – Niall Griffiths
By Christian Steenfeldt, 3.U
Children cannot differentiate between what is fun and what is serious. In the short story “The Best Death Ever” by Niall Griffiths four boys are playing a game where they have to fake a death. The boy whoever fakes the best death wins the game. The four boys do not understand what they are doing and see the game, The Best Death Ever, as a fun game. Until one moment, when one of the boys misjudges the distance to ground and almost hang himself meanwhile his friends where shooting at him with their toy guns.
The story is narrated by a first person narrator who looks back at a specific incidence. The narrator technique is very post modernistic. Niall Griffiths uses a lot of humor which makes the story fun to read. For instance, when the boys are shooting with their toy guns they make these funny noises. Niall Griffiths also uses the boys non existing knowledge about death to make the readers laugh
“– That was rubbish! Yer meant ter die, not just fall over like a fart. Since when have did you see anyone die like that?” (Page 94 line 1-2)
Niall Griffiths takes a serious subject like death and turns it funny by saying Mick fell like a fart. The slang that is used also makes the atmosphere more relaxed. Niall Griffiths also points out a child’s innocence. “Soft lad. How can you hurt yerself if yer dead?” (Page 94 line 7) For the children it is simple logic, because why should Mick not be able to fall properly, if he is dead? Irony is also well used. The title of the story is “The Best Death Ever” and it is the same name as the game the four boys play. The irony occurs because when Gavin tries to make the best death ever, he almost dies trying. Another significant post modernistic is the open ending because it leaves the reader confused. The story is also a fix point of the narrator’s life, where he is very nostalgic. It takes place in the yard of the narrator’s house in Netherley, Liverpool. The
By Christian Steenfeldt, 3.U
Children cannot differentiate between what is fun and what is serious. In the short story “The Best Death Ever” by Niall Griffiths four boys are playing a game where they have to fake a death. The boy whoever fakes the best death wins the game. The four boys do not understand what they are doing and see the game, The Best Death Ever, as a fun game. Until one moment, when one of the boys misjudges the distance to ground and almost hang himself meanwhile his friends where shooting at him with their toy guns.
The story is narrated by a first person narrator who looks back at a specific incidence. The narrator technique is very post modernistic. Niall Griffiths uses a lot of humor which makes the story fun to read. For instance, when the boys are shooting with their toy guns they make these funny noises. Niall Griffiths also uses the boys non existing knowledge about death to make the readers laugh
“– That was rubbish! Yer meant ter die, not just fall over like a fart. Since when have did you see anyone die like that?” (Page 94 line 1-2)
Niall Griffiths takes a serious subject like death and turns it funny by saying Mick fell like a fart. The slang that is used also makes the atmosphere more relaxed. Niall Griffiths also points out a child’s innocence. “Soft lad. How can you hurt yerself if yer dead?” (Page 94 line 7) For the children it is simple logic, because why should Mick not be able to fall properly, if he is dead? Irony is also well used. The title of the story is “The Best Death Ever” and it is the same name as the game the four boys play. The irony occurs because when Gavin tries to make the best death ever, he almost dies trying. Another significant post modernistic is the open ending because it leaves the reader confused. The story is also a fix point of the narrator’s life, where he is very nostalgic. It takes place in the yard of the narrator’s house in Netherley, Liverpool. The