Short Story Study

How do the authors target their use of literary devices to achieve their purpose and
appeal to their readers in Shatter Proof, Genesis and Catastrophe and Breakfast?

Shatterproof, Genesis and Catastrophe (both 1960) and Breakfast (1989), written by
Jack Richie, Roald Dahl and James Herbert respectively. Shatterproof shows readers
how a wealthy middle-aged man is to rely on his wit to save himself when he finds
himself at the wrong end of a gun. Genesis and Catastrophe gradually brings readers
to an ironic revelation of the birth and love given to one of the most despised men in
history. Breakfast tells a rather chilling tale in which an emotionally damaged mother
prepares breakfast for her dead family after the world has gone to hell. Each author
shows us a different use of literary devices to achieve their purpose. The narrative
structure for Shatterproof is developed through dialogue.

Dahl masterfully uses characterisation to develop his main motif to inform a timeless
audience. Early on in the narrative, Dahl tells us,
’(Klara)... was very sad. She never smiled.’
in order to engage us by making us wonder why this is the case. She is also quite gentle
and religious,
"I have prayed and prayed that he will live, Doctor."
characterisation like this is what Dahl uses to create a bond between readers and the
characters.
Klara is very stubborn. Even after the doctor said the baby was ok countless times, she
still refused to believe it. She is her husband's third wife. She and her husband are new
to town.
Alois is an innkeeper. He's arrogant, overbearing, and a drunkard. Alois is pretty
stubborn, too, but he's also quite rude. When he saw that the baby was small, he
immediately said that the baby would die.
"I know what it means. It's going to be the same all over again,"
The doctor tries to be really kind to them by reassuring them. He also asked what the
name of the baby was which shows that he's considerate.
Jack Ritchie implements a rather contrasting approach to Dahl’s Genesis and
Catastrophe moving his story’s plot forward. Dialogue in Shatterproof is what portrays
the Ritchie’s ideas to the readers. He proficiently entertains his audience by using
dialogue to develop his characters, keep his storyline active and create a narrative
structure full of twists and surprises.
‘Who hired you to kill me?’
Immediately announcing the potential theme of the story, the author uses one of the
characters to do so. Ritchie uses dialogue to make his characters ask themselves and
each other questions that readers would have whilst reading.
“‘Was it my wife?’ he smiled, ‘Quite correct…’”
 ‘Your age is?’
‘Fifty-three’
‘And your wife is?’
‘Twenty two’
He also uses dialogue to answer these questions. By asking and answering these
questions, Ritchie not only develops his plot but also fulfills his objectives as a writer
of engaging and entertaining the audience but also makes the story less of tale of
unexploited motifs for the readers.
The dialogue used also helps with characterisation in the story.
‘You have insight Mr. Williams’
‘And as long as I keep you entertained…’
‘within a time limit, of course’
This style of dialogue tells us more about the characters we interact with and what
they feel and think.
Without too much use of description done by himself, the author uses his characters
to describe objects, places, events and other characters.
‘I was extremely fond of this piece…’
‘...I will replace it with another’
“Once I accept a commission, I am not dissuaded,”
The author yet again, heavily exploits dialogue whether it is to show that character is
cunning or doesn’t care for human life or for characterisation, description and
moving the plot forward.
Jack Ritchie’s Shatter Proof entertains, engages, and surprises his educated audience
leaving them satisfied but wanting more.

In Breakfast, James Herbert uses imagery to exhibit an idea set in a post-apocalyptic

world.He also uses imagery to skillfully foreshadow the shock readers are to receive
by the end through the story. Herbert successfully shows an adept use of imagery to
paint a picture for his audience the dreadful, agonising setting of his story.
‘She left it to boil on the stone-cold ring’
‘...noiseless receiver’
‘...sucked her finger when cold water splashed and burned it.’
‘...green bread’
‘ A misty film clouded his eyes...’
Herbert, unlike Jack Ritchie, doesn’t ask or answer questions that readers may have.
He purposefully portrays the lady to be pretending that things are the way they had
been before.
‘Silverfish scattered from beneath the milk jug…’
‘A small creature with many eyelash legs…’
‘The black fly which had…’

Imagery used in the story shows readers images of a place that hasn’t seen much or
any human activity in a while. By the end of the story, we learn that the lady has
been alone the whole time while interacting with her dead family.
‘She saw but did not perceive the nuclear-wasted city outside’
Herbert finally answers all questions that readers have again, with imagery.
Breakfast successfully informs and warns and entertains it’s targeted audience of
readers in the 1980s of nuclear war and the tragedies and atrocities it is capable of
creating.

All of these authors proficiently show a polished skill by using literary devices to
achieve their purpose and appeal to the readers. Each device used has a different
effect on the audience and these authors meticulously weave them into their plots
to have the effect they want it to have on us.