Superman and Paula Brown's New Snowsuit (1955)

Setting:

The language used to establish the setting in the following places was:

Bedroom:

The language used in the setting of the girl’s bedroom implies that her bedroom is the place she can always dream of Superman, and flying with him. It is where she can be part of her own world, flying with Superman, as nobody else would understand. The narrator has described one of her windows as a great place to “look over to the lights of Boston that blazed and blinked far across the darkening water.” The view of Boston from the window in her bedroom, gives her an insight as to what it would feel like flying outside with Superman. Her bedroom is very special to her, as it brings Superman into her world. In addition to this her room is a place where she can lie and think about past events, which were not pleasant. This is evident when she describes herself in her bedroom as feeling “alone in bed, feeing the black shadow creeping up the underside of the world like a flood title,” when no one would believe that she didn’t push Paula.

School:

The language used to describe the school, implies that it is not very big or prestige, according to its explanation and location. The writer tells of the school as being “a red-brick building, set back from the main highway on a black tar street, surrounded by barren gravel playgrounds.” Despite the size and detailing of the school, that doesn’t stop the girl and David and Sheldon from playing Superman together. The school has open space where they can fly around and be just like superman.

Airport:

The language used to describe the airport, gives the reader the impression that, in a way, the planes represent Superman, shooting off into the sky from the runway. I believe the girl sees the airport as Superman’s home, where he sleeps and rests, and when she sees a plane take off in the night sky, she thinks of Superman doing the same. She describes the airport as “my Mecca, my Jerusalem.” ‘Mecca’ is a meeting site in Islam, just like the airport is like Superman’s meeting place, so once again, the airport is special to her as it symbolises Superman. After she watches the airport from her window, she goes to bed and dreams of superman and the vision of the airport helps her do so.

Narrator’s House:

The language used to establish the setting of the narrator’s house seems to imply that it is a small type of house, and nothing out of the ordinary. The house comes across as a very dark and icy with not much heating or lighting to make it homey. She describes the window-panes as “fringed with frost,” and her house comes across small, as when her Uncle Frank swung her in the air, her “head nearly grazed the ceiling.” The house does not come across as a very bright and comforting either, or a where you would feel safe in. The writer gives us the impression that the house wouldn’t be very appealing to live in, as she does not describe it as very comforting.

Paula Brown’s House:

The language used to establish the setting of Paula Brown’s place implies that it is a place where the children gather and have fun – and just be kids. There is much oppression and disappointment going on around them at the moment that they are not fully aware of a Paula’s house seems to be the place where the children have the most fun and escape from the harsh realities of the adult world. Firstly, Paula used her house to celebrate her “annual birthday party”. She invited all her friends and everybody had fun, escape the tragedies of war. Once again, the children played “Chinese Tag,” outside of Paula’s house. This was another way that the children could be together, and get away from the horrid images and broadcasts of the war.

My opinion about the story:
I did not particularly like the story. I found it to be quite boring and I wouldn't read it again. I much preferred the way Snowdrops went about incorporating the child in the adult world. I didn't like the way the story was written, I thought the choice of words was not all that great.