Short Story Course Analysis for ’’The Star’’ by Alasdair Gray’s pen

Alasdair Gray - He was born in Glasgow in 1934 where he still lives. - He is a Scottish writer and artist. - His most acclaimed work is his first novel Lanark. - Gray's works combine elements of realism,, fantasy, science and fiction, plus clever use of typography and his own illustrations.

‘’The Star’’ in lines The story is about a boy named Cameron, who sees a star falling down. He goes to the place where the star fell and takes the star with him. The star is cold but whenever he touches the star, then he feels relaxed and comfortable. Every time when he feels lonely or sad he keeps the star out and keeps looking at it. Once, he keeps the star in the school out, the teacher notices it and orders Cameron to give it to him, but Cameron swallows the star and falls into faint.

Characters Cameron: ‘the main character’ is just an - example of millions of children who live in despair and are victims of maltreatment and child abuse.. - His parents: mentioned once to show their negative roles toward their child. - The teacher: who represents the dictatorial school systems.

Analysis The onset of the story shows the first problem that the child faces ‘boredom’ when his mind portrays to him that three stars have fallen, and he is the only one who notices them. He looks at his father and mother and finds that they’re both busy ‘’this shows that he is neglected from his family. No one tries to amuse that child even if he was bored’’-the second problem-.

When he goes to get the star, poverty –the third problem- is shown in: 1-The description of his house ‘’the stairs were cold and lit by a weak electric bulb - the lobby – stairhead…’’ 2-The place where he finds the star ‘’he found it in the middle of a decayed cabbage leaf’’. If he was a pampered child, he wouldn’t touch such disgusting place.

3- The place where he sleeps ‘in bed with his brother’ In fact, it isn’t a star. It’s a glass marble, but he considers it as a treasure. He feels that he has something for his own. He keeps it for himself without telling anyone about it ‘‘that shows how the problems he encounters affect him to be an introvert. He doesn’t talk to anyone about anything’’.

Whenever he meditates that marble, his innocence portrays to him ‘‘a cave in an iceberg, a snow flake, an ocean of glittering blue-black waves, a flower, a jewel, a moon, or he heard a remote lulling sound’’. All these imaginations reflect his pure, natural, and innocent thoughts. He doesn’t think of money or toys, all his thinking is in beauty. In the last part, he decides to take a glance on it in class where he sits alone in the back bench ‘‘showing his loneliness even among his associates’’. When he takes it out, the teacher notices him and orders him to give him the star.

That event represents maltreatment – the forth problem- on the teacher’s side who represents a superior authority. When Cameron knows that there is no way to escape from this dictatorial authority, he swallows his treasure and fells into faint dreaming that he is rising to become one of stars which were his only escape all his problems.

Language Analysis - ‘’when he feels insulted or neglected’’ this conclusion invites the reader to think of the different reasons leading to such negative psychological problems. - The writer used the pronoun ‘he’ and didn’t mention the name of the child to affirm that these problems can encounter any child.

- Also, he didn’t assign either a time or a place to assert that this is not restricted by a particular time or place. **The text increases the reader's awareness of the importance of parents and teachers to help children overcome their problems and enjoy living in a better.**

Prepared by: Saleh M. Orooq Under the supervision of: Dr. Sami Breem