Structure

When it comes to structure, the entire short story “The Hockey Sweater” by Roch Carrier is built around the boy’s inner conflict and his refusal to wear the uniform of the opposing team. The boy’s conflict is most noticeable in three instances.

First of all, the first scene is when the boy expresses his torment and disappointment at home, upon discovering the Toronto Maple Leafs sweater. He cries and declares to his mother that he would never wear the sweater, even if she insists the sweater fits him “like a glove” (p. 278, l. 13).

The second scene where the conflict is present is on the skating-rink. Although his teammates do not comment on his appearance, the captain makes the boy stay on the forward line. He is not allowed to play, and he is even given a penalty when he gets on the ice after one of his teammates is hurt.

The third scene when the boy’s inner conflict is noticeable takes place in the church. Instead of praying for forgiveness, the boy prays for the moths to come and eat his sweater up. The scene is quite comical, even though the boy’s thoughts are extremely serious.

Here we will focus on the following elements of structure:

Language and style of writing

The style of the...