The Writing Style Counts PDF

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Colum McCann was probably inspired by the Troubles in Northern Ireland to write this short story. ...

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Law 1 Chloe Law Alyson Grant Irish Literature May 8, 2019 The Writing Style Counts Colum McCann was probably inspired by the Troubles in Northern Ireland to write this short story. In Everything in This Country Must, there is a powerful dynamic between the two opposite views. The issue is the constitutional status of Northern Ireland between the Catholics, represented by the father in this story, and the Protestants, the soldiers. Tension is loaded because the weak, second class citizens are repressed by various strong dominant factors. The setting, outside of Derry, where Bloody Sunday happened provides the perfect atmosphere that enables McCann to use several literary devices to present the power dynamic in this short story. A clever way of introducing the characters based on their strength and weakness is through the use of symbolism. The main characters represent opposing groups of people that contrast and demonstrates the dominant forces that overwhelm the weaker ones. Katie, the narrator, is represented as a naive and childlike figure without real judgement about the world. One can see Katie as a representation of Irish territory being fought by the northern and the southern sides. When LongGrass “puts Stevie’s jacket on [her] shoulders to warm [her]” (346), it was a simple gesture of care but it can also suggest the way the British are planting a flag on a territory to claim it as theirs. The same goes when the father had the “curtain wrapped around [her]” (349) to perhaps, reclaim the territory but weakly since “he seemed scared and small and trembly” (349). Another symbolic figure would be the father since he is represented as weak and

Law 2 “always frightened” (343) person. As a commoner, he is obviously afraid of the consequences if he does not follow the rules of the superior group. The horse can be closely related to the father since they are both helpless beings that are beings emasculated. When “the draft horse was screaming” (347), it was a cry for help similar to the father’s when he was trying to save the horse at the beginning of the story. In the end, they both died symbolically and physically because “[the father] was not crying anymore” (350), he was simply a lifeless person. By appealing to the reader’s senses, the author cleverly divides the dominant forces away from the weaker forces. For instance, the tone used by the soldiers while they talk is harsh and rude. The connotation “your sort” (349) that Hayknife said shows the barbaric use of words to dehumanize the lower class citizens by showing their disgust and deep prejudice on them. When one of the soldier “spat a big spit into the wind” (345), it is simply a sign of disrespect towards the coward father. The body language of the father shows that he is frail and submissive to the supremacy. For instance, he stopped screaming “when one of the soldiers stared at him” (346) of fear of punishment or some terrible consequence. His “hands were on [her] shoulders, keeping [her] warm” (346) to reclaim her when she was alone and shivering. His small presence by being “silent in the corner”(347) is completely overwhelmed by the superior soldiers. When he was trying to save the horse, he would speak “in a sad voice” (344) or when he tries to comment on the soldiers, he would speak “in a whisper”(347). The clock ticking is strong imagery of tension and time running out because the horse could die any second but also the fact that the soldiers can take any moment to force their superiority and do harm. As the story progresses, the ticking accelerates and suddenly drops when the father kills the horse. It shows how easy it is for one to

Law 3 control another’s life. A complete defeat can be done within a short period of time and the more powerful one will always have the last say. The author gracefully expresses something in the reader’s mind without ever mentioning the reference directly. The use of allusion displayed strongly refers to the Troubles during the periods of Northern Ireland conflict and of the Good Friday Agreement. It demonstrates the power dynamic between the soldiers and the father compared to the real-life situation. For instance, the fight for territory is a strong factor that alludes to the real scenario. Katie is completely clueless and does not realize that her father is trying desperately to keep her his. The truck the soldiers used to destroy the fence is a harsh representation of a killing machine that initially killed the mother and son but also a method to colonize another part of Southern Ireland territory. It is a shocking and dehumanizing sight to see how easy it is to break into a weak country like a flood rushing in as the British power rushes in to cover the new land without mercy. The atmosphere creates this unsettling mood that shows how easily the weaklings can get defeated. “Blood pouring down” (347) and references of death are casually mentioned throughout the story like it is not detrimental. It reveals that people during the time frame are immune and are molded to be resisted to the worst power that represses the lower class citizens. Being injured or feeling anything negative is simply normal because these people are worthless and weak against superior forces. Peace might seem to be established between forces when “[e]veryone felt good saving a life even a horse life” (347) because it seemed obvious that life is precious no matter what side you are at but according to the father’s views. The fact that the soldiers made themselves comfortable, “talking about how maybe the army truck should take

Law 4 Stevie straight off to the hospital” (348), feeling at ease at an enemy's territory seems superficial but familiar to the various invasions in Irish history. Relevant literary devices were chosen to display the message intended: the power dynamic still lingers and will until the future generation forgives. McCann’s choice of words creates a gloomy atmosphere to set the story where the readers would be able to feel and understand the situation as clear as possible. Without the appeal to our senses, it would be unrealistic to understand the meaning of how depressing this short story might seem to be. Ironically, the most clueless person, Katie, is right about one thing, everything in this country must” (347)....