Analyzing Narrative Techniques in Baillie's 'Only Ten' - Essay

This essay provides an analysis of Allan Baillie's 'Only Ten', focusing on themes such as inference, tone, and character analysis. It explores how Baillie encourages readers to infer Hussein's past experiences through his moods and interactions with other characters like Pearl. The essay identifies a depressing tone in the story, linked to Hussein's experiences and the death of Suzy. Hussein is diagnosed with depression based on his behavior and the events surrounding him. Additionally, the essay discusses the power of literature as explored in 'The Verb to Be,' highlighting the connection between the setting of a bookstore and the character Vollard, and how literature is personified to have its own fate. This document is available on Desklib, a platform offering a variety of study tools and resources for students.

Only Ten
How does Baillie encourage the reader to inference about what has happened to Hussein?
Is this effective? Why/why not?
Baillie succeeds in encouraging the readers to inference what had happed to Hussein by
show casing his Hussein moods throughout the reading. The author paints the picture of what
Hussein was going through as a sad experience something that was kept in secret.
Through other characters such as the Pearl, the readers are able to understand that
Hussein had initially undergone through frightening experience as they got to understand each
other after Suzy’s death. This is because after Suzy’s death, Hussein and Pearl becomes friends
and share their experience. Because Pearl had tough experience from losing Suzy, Hussein
believed that Pearl was the only one who could understand what he was going through.
What tone can be applied to Baillie’s story? Explain how this is done with reference to
narrative perspective
Depressing- the tone applied in the story is depressing as highlighted through Hussein’s
experience. The story showcases how Hussein was sad throughout the story thus showcasing a
sadistic mood and tone in his life. It is a clear indication that he had gone through some
difficulties.
How would you ‘diagnose’ Hussein? What evidence is there to support your theory?
I would diagnose Hussein as being full of depression. Although it is not clear what
caused his depression, the author brings another incident where Suzy dies which made Pearl to
be depressed. This made Hussein and Pearl to be friends shading the light of Hussein’s situation.

Reflection
Last year I was involved with working in a local supermarket during my holiday where I
could make extra money. During this time, I happened to work with a person named Tom Kelly
who acted as a cashier. Tom was so secretive and silent throughout the first two months. At some
instances, I was forced to approach him to get a clue of what was happening to him with no vain.
On the third month we were joined with another person by the name John who was exciting until
his mother passed away. That was the time Kelly was open to John and then I realized that there
was a likelihood that Kelly had passed through a similar experience before. This completely
changed my perception on handling people’s situations and thus I became more understanding to
people who experienced such instances in life.

The verb to be
How does the author of 'The Verb to be' explore the theme of the power of literature?
In essence the author succeeded in exploring the theme of the power of literature when he
described an ongoing battle in the bookshelves particularly between the dust and the printed
words at “The Verb to be” The author describes the situation in the bookshop where cardboards
boxes were overflowing with books while piles of volumes threatened to topple over.
What connection does the author establish between the setting and the character Vollard?
The author was able to draw the contention between the bookshop and Vollard the
bookseller in that he was able to give insight through stories just like the books in the bookshop.
The bookseller was compared to the books he was selling due to the fact that he had a lot of
literary knowledge with him.
What techniques does the author use to show the power of literature?
The author describes books as having their own fate. He goes ahead and that some books
are forgotten in the bookshop and after being given as presents yet they are able to find their own
recondite fate. In this light the author personifies book as it I able to breathe fresh life of
knowledge even after a long period.