I Spy
18th January 2014
Practice At Examining How A Writer Achieves A Particular Effect
Text: 'I Spy' by Graham Greene
What Is The Significance Of The Title?
The title ('I Spy'), is significant because it shows the similarities between Charlie Stowe and his father. Also because without it we would never come to assume that Charlie Stowe's father is in fact a spy, who is being arrested for spying for the Germans or the 'Huns' as his wife calls them. This creates the effect of dramatic irony as Charlie, who has observed exactly what we see, does not relise why his father has been taken away by two strangers in 'belted mackintoshes'.
How Does Greene Establish The Similarity between Charlie Stowe And His Father?
Greene establishes a similarity between Charlie and his father by making them say nearly the same kind of things. For example, Charlie thinks that he “... might as well have his smoke.” then later on, his father says “... may as well have my smokes”. These are quite the same, thus establishing a similarity between the two characters. Also, they both use proverbs a lot of the time. For Example Charlie says “May as well be hung for a sheep”, which is, of course, a well known proverb. His father, later on, says “Never do today what you can do tomorrow”, again, this is another proverb.
A further example to establish a similarity is that they both do the same action when they are nervous. For instance, they both grip their collar when they are worried. We know this because Charlie “clenched his fingers on the collar of his night shirt” and then his father “stood, one hand held high stiff collar.
Greene further establishes the similarity between father and son by making them “both do things in the dark that frighten them”. Also Greene specifically outlines the point that the pair are similar when he writes “...his father was very much like himself...”.
Also both of them are terrified of being caught/are being caught. To further their similarity, they
Practice At Examining How A Writer Achieves A Particular Effect
Text: 'I Spy' by Graham Greene
What Is The Significance Of The Title?
The title ('I Spy'), is significant because it shows the similarities between Charlie Stowe and his father. Also because without it we would never come to assume that Charlie Stowe's father is in fact a spy, who is being arrested for spying for the Germans or the 'Huns' as his wife calls them. This creates the effect of dramatic irony as Charlie, who has observed exactly what we see, does not relise why his father has been taken away by two strangers in 'belted mackintoshes'.
How Does Greene Establish The Similarity between Charlie Stowe And His Father?
Greene establishes a similarity between Charlie and his father by making them say nearly the same kind of things. For example, Charlie thinks that he “... might as well have his smoke.” then later on, his father says “... may as well have my smokes”. These are quite the same, thus establishing a similarity between the two characters. Also, they both use proverbs a lot of the time. For Example Charlie says “May as well be hung for a sheep”, which is, of course, a well known proverb. His father, later on, says “Never do today what you can do tomorrow”, again, this is another proverb.
A further example to establish a similarity is that they both do the same action when they are nervous. For instance, they both grip their collar when they are worried. We know this because Charlie “clenched his fingers on the collar of his night shirt” and then his father “stood, one hand held high stiff collar.
Greene further establishes the similarity between father and son by making them “both do things in the dark that frighten them”. Also Greene specifically outlines the point that the pair are similar when he writes “...his father was very much like himself...”.
Also both of them are terrified of being caught/are being caught. To further their similarity, they