A Gap of sky Essay Example
A Gap of sky Essay Example

A Gap of sky Essay Example

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When the traffic light changes to yellow, there is a moment of decision-making. The choice must be made quickly in order to prepare for acceleration once it turns green. In the journey of life, we often pursue opportunities like chasing after green lights. However, some people struggle with making these decisions and may resort to drug and alcohol abuse as a cry for help due to pressure. This behavior could stem from various reasons such as depression, protest against responsibilities or a desire for change.

Anna Hope's 2008 short story "A Gap of Sky" explores the search for freedom, self-reflection, and determination.

Virginia Wolf frequently employs the "stream of consciousness" narrative technique in her writing. This style delves into the innermost thoughts of a character, often resulting in a confusing j

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umble of their distracted and unfocused state, as seen in Else's perspective while under the influence of drugs. Else's thoughts are constantly shifting, causing her to lose focus rapidly.

Under immense pressure from her parents, Elli is forced to take an undesired course at University College London. Despite referring to it as a "bloody course" (p. 3, line 66), she must submit an essay on Virginia Wolf or risk failing. However, after waking up late on Monday afternoon, Elli realizes the essay is due at nine sharp the following day. This causes her thoughts and actions to become frenzied and disorganized.

Elli is feeling unfocused due to the effects of the drugs and alcohol she consumed the previous night. Despite her printer running out of ink and stores about to close, she decides to head out into the city to purchase ink. However

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her flighty mind perceives the big city as a distracting jungle amidst her state of inebriation.

During her stroll in the town, Ell has various realizations. While exploring a store, she stumbles upon a Jasper red stone that triggers memories of a similar protective stone gifted by her mother.

Upon reflecting on the incident involving the stone, she comprehends her mother's affection towards her, reasoning that it was "an expression of something, a distilled expression of something, of her mother, of her love" (p. 4, line 110-111). As she spots a raised black leather glove with the middle finger pointing upwards, she experiences liberation and a sense of being beholden to no one.

According to the text, Elli is someone who embodies freedom. She can pursue whatever she desires without feeling burdened by anything or anyone: "She was totally and absolutely free, and sat night she smoked a crack pipe and danced on the rooftop in East London and everything was grey and misty but beautiful still, and she didn't want the night to end, but it did, and then she was alone, and that was fine, and now she could go and do anything that she liked" (p.3, line 69-73). The recurring use of the word "free" throughout the text suggests that Elli is constantly in search of this elusive concept. Therefore, freedom could be considered a central theme of this story.

Ellie's experience is characterized by the onset of a severe headache and fear of mortality, brought about by the effects of drugs.

The usage of language in "A Gap of Sky" indicates that it portrays the thoughts of a 19-year-old individual, with

the incorporation of slang and colloquial speech heavily influencing the stream of consciousness. The text features an abundance of short, fragmented sentences and a vocabulary reflective of a younger persona, including the frequent use of swear words, self-referencing questions, and a sharp and fast-paced jargon such as "good plan."

The aforementioned depiction has a symbolic connotation that pertains to her internal state. She may be experiencing a void of emptiness in her mind, one which she endeavors to assuage with drug abuse.

Elli has realized that she has her entire life ahead of her and is determined to make the most of it, desiring to extract everything from life. Her reference to "sucking the pitch from the sky" may represent her search for freedom by relinquishing childhood and constructing a future. On page [unspecified], line 93, she describes it as "something destroyed, or being built". However, this freedom frightens her due to the decisions and responsibilities that young individuals must face. This is a common predicament with some managing better than others.

At the conclusion, Elli discovers that her mother truly cares for her and this revelation empowers her with a newfound sense of self-worth. This realization enables her to recognize love as a pervasive force that permeates everything and everyone around her.

The main character is resolute in her efforts to bring about a constructive transformation in her life and move forward towards a more promising tomorrow.

In terms of Else's drug problem and her self-realization, the urban setting is a significant factor in the story. The city is always awake, with its wild Jungle-like atmosphere, presenting numerous opportunities for her

to evade her issues instead of confronting them. Also, it makes it effortless for her to obtain the different substances she abuses, as noted in the line "There will e plenty time for everything: time to get ink, to get cigarettes: maybe even to get a bit more coke" (p. 4, line 54).

If Else were in the same situation as the subject in Clarie Leashes' photograph "Frances - Reflection in the water" from 2008, she would be left alone with her thoughts. Unlike her current situation, where temptation to get anything she wants is readily available, Else would be forced to confront her abuse and problems through the reflection in the water. In her current environment, Else simply moves from place to place based on what catches her eye in the city.

The metropolis both sets the stage for her difficulties and supplies her with crucial backing. Despite confronting numerous challenges, traversing the cityscape stimulates a wave of original concepts, ambitions, and desires that ultimately guide her to a shop where she recognizes her mother's love for her. Her newfound insight attests to the significance of the surrounding environment in aiding her epiphany.

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