The Interview

Gary Duncan

Alan sat in the hallway while his parents talked about him in the living
room.

Mum said they wouldn’t be long, and had given him some magazines to
read while he waited.

Woman’s Weekly. Auto Trader.

“Look at you!” she’d said, before she went in. “Like you’re waiting to see
the dentist!”

Alan tried to smile, but it didn’t come out right.

Mum had called the meeting the previous week. She’d written him a
letter, and slipped it under his

bedroom door. Nothing to be alarmed about, she said, but they needed
to have a talk.

He’d asked about it the next morning at breakfast.

“Not really a talk,” she’d explained. “More of an ... appraisal.”

Alan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The hallway was cold but he felt
clammy.

Mum stuck her head around the door a minute later and smiled.

“You can come in now, darling,” she said.

Alan got up. He straightened his trousers and buttoned his jacket. It was
his dad’s jacket, a couple of

sizes too big. Dad suggested he borrow it anyway.

You know what Mum’s like, he’d whispered. She’ll be pleased you made
the effort.
Alan knocked on the living room door and went in.

Mum and Dad were sitting on the sofa. Alan’s armchair had been
pushed into the corner, so he sat

on the wooden stool they’d positioned in the middle of the floor.

“Thanks for coming,” Mum said, looking up from her clipboard.

“Sorry for the wait, son,” Dad said.

“Alan,” Mum said, slowly. “As I explained in my letter, we just wanted to

have a little talk, now that

you’re thirteen. Just you and me and Dad.”

“A talk?” Alan asked.

Mum nodded. “To discuss your ... progress.”

“Your progress,” Dad repeated.

“But-” Alan started to say.

Mum gave him that look. She didn’t like being interrupted.

“On the whole, Alan,” she said, “we’re fairly pleased with you. With the
way you’ve turned out.”

Dad cleared his throat.

“That’s the thing,” he said. “With kids. You never quite know what you’re
going to get.”

“Alan,” Mum said. “We’ve given it some thought, and we’ve decided we’d
like to keep you.”

She got up and handed the clipboard to Alan.

Alan took it, not sure exactly what he was supposed to do with it.
“Just some terms and conditions,” Mum said. “You just need to sign at
the bottom.”

Section A: Reading and Analysis

Comprehension Questions
1. Imagery and Description
● Question: What imagery is used in the first paragraph to describe Alan’s
situation? How does this imagery set the tone for the story?

2. Simile and Comparisons

● Question: Identify a simile in the passage and explain its effect.

3. Metaphor

● Question: What metaphor does Mum use to describe the meeting, and what
does it imply about their discussion?

4. Emotive Language

● Question: How does the use of emotive language in Mum's and Dad's speech
contribute to the tone of the passage?

Dialogue

● Question: How does the dialogue between Alan, Mum, and Dad help develop
their characters?

Punctuation

● Question: How does the use of punctuation in the dialogue contribute to the
overall tone of the passage?

Section B: Writing Practice

Creative Writing Prompt:

● Task: Write a short story about a character experiencing a similar formal

“appraisal” or meeting, using at least five of the language and structure
techniques listed above. Make sure to create vivid imagery, use emotive
language, and include interesting adjectives, adverbs, and varied sentence
structures.
● Example Prompt: Describe a scenario where a student is called into a meeting
with their teachers to discuss their progress. Use imagery, similes, metaphors,
and dialogue to create a tense and engaging narrative.