Trainspotting
Choose one short chapter of Trainspotting. Consider Welsh 's use of narrative position in that section and discuss language use (dialect, accent, taboo words)
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh is a novel based around the drug culture of Edinburgh in the 1980’s. Structured around the lives of five, male heroin addicts, the novel is assembled by a series of short stories that are tied together by characterization. The readers follow the lives of those who have chosen to drop out of polite society, as well as the self-battle to stay away from the addictive drug in hope of a better life. Focusing on the short chapter narrated by main character Renton, ‘It Goes without Saying’, (pg 51-56), it describes how the group of friends named Skag Boys, deal …show more content…
Lesley comes first, eftir me. That goes without saying.(56)
Lesley asks Renton to cook her up a hit but he refuses to give her what she wants without sorting himself out first, stating the action ‘goes without saying.’ This demonstrates Renton’s self-centered and selfish attributes that was around in the late 1980’s. The self-interested behavior also reveals the harsh truth that no matter what, sorting themselves out first with the ‘junk’, will always be the most important thing in their lives.
Frustration and sadness then overcomes the Skag Boys as they all see baby Dawn dead in her cot and find it difficult to come to terms with. Taboo language is used to show their emotions and release their anger towards the upsetting situation: -Ah’m fuckin right ootay here, man, Ah cannae fuckin handle this. -Fuck it Matty! Nae cunt’s leavin here the now. Sick Boy …show more content…
Although at first difficult to understand, the chapter captures an embraces all the emotions of the characters, positively making it more engaging and enjoyable to read. It is an unbiased and clear reflection of drug culture of Edinburgh in the 1980s with a precise implication of how society, class, politics and most importantly drugs affected the lives of people in that time era.
Bibliography
Childs, Peter and Storry, Mike. (2002). British Cultural Identities. Routledge.
Morace, Robert A. (2001). Irvine Welsh 's Trainspotting : a reader 's guide. Continuum. [Online] Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=q5VKzzUUbBIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Welsh%27s+Trainspotting+:+a+reader%27s+guide&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XbCOT868GsvE8QPDh_ikCw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Welsh 's%20Trainspotting%20%3A%20a%20reader 's%20guide&f=false
TRAINSPOTTING [DVD] / written by Irvine Welsh, screenplay by John Hodge, directed by Danny Boyle. Universal Studios, (2003).
Warrack, Alexander. 1911. The Scots Dialect Dictionary. Dorset: New Orchard Editions Ltd, 1988
Welsh, Irvine. 1996. Trainspotting. 2nd ed. Great Britain:
Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh is a novel based around the drug culture of Edinburgh in the 1980’s. Structured around the lives of five, male heroin addicts, the novel is assembled by a series of short stories that are tied together by characterization. The readers follow the lives of those who have chosen to drop out of polite society, as well as the self-battle to stay away from the addictive drug in hope of a better life. Focusing on the short chapter narrated by main character Renton, ‘It Goes without Saying’, (pg 51-56), it describes how the group of friends named Skag Boys, deal …show more content…
Lesley comes first, eftir me. That goes without saying.(56)
Lesley asks Renton to cook her up a hit but he refuses to give her what she wants without sorting himself out first, stating the action ‘goes without saying.’ This demonstrates Renton’s self-centered and selfish attributes that was around in the late 1980’s. The self-interested behavior also reveals the harsh truth that no matter what, sorting themselves out first with the ‘junk’, will always be the most important thing in their lives.
Frustration and sadness then overcomes the Skag Boys as they all see baby Dawn dead in her cot and find it difficult to come to terms with. Taboo language is used to show their emotions and release their anger towards the upsetting situation: -Ah’m fuckin right ootay here, man, Ah cannae fuckin handle this. -Fuck it Matty! Nae cunt’s leavin here the now. Sick Boy …show more content…
Although at first difficult to understand, the chapter captures an embraces all the emotions of the characters, positively making it more engaging and enjoyable to read. It is an unbiased and clear reflection of drug culture of Edinburgh in the 1980s with a precise implication of how society, class, politics and most importantly drugs affected the lives of people in that time era.
Bibliography
Childs, Peter and Storry, Mike. (2002). British Cultural Identities. Routledge.
Morace, Robert A. (2001). Irvine Welsh 's Trainspotting : a reader 's guide. Continuum. [Online] Available from: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=q5VKzzUUbBIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Welsh%27s+Trainspotting+:+a+reader%27s+guide&hl=en&sa=X&ei=XbCOT868GsvE8QPDh_ikCw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Welsh 's%20Trainspotting%20%3A%20a%20reader 's%20guide&f=false
TRAINSPOTTING [DVD] / written by Irvine Welsh, screenplay by John Hodge, directed by Danny Boyle. Universal Studios, (2003).
Warrack, Alexander. 1911. The Scots Dialect Dictionary. Dorset: New Orchard Editions Ltd, 1988
Welsh, Irvine. 1996. Trainspotting. 2nd ed. Great Britain: