Language

Style of language

The short story “A Pair of Jeans” by Qaisra Shahraz is written in a formal style. The narration does not use slang or contractions, and the vocabulary is quite advanced. For instance: 

Fatima noted the distinct mutinous line of her daughter’s mouth. She struggled to say the right thing but she did not want to bruise her daughter’s ego further. She had a duty, however, to advise her as a mother, but the right words just failed to spring to her aid. 

The style of language creates a serious tone. It suggests that the subject matter is an important one to the writer. It also reflects the mood of the characters, who consider the issue of someone’s outfit to be very serious, defining their entire personality.

The “stream of consciousness” method is used in the text when we follow a character’s thoughts in a certain situation. I...