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In this thought-provoking and sensitive collection of short stories, young people find themselves up against prejudice, hypocrisy and bewilderment. There's Lorraine and Mohammed who fall wildly in love, ever conscious of the family pressures which might force them apart; John feels trapped by his marriage and the birth of his son, neither of which he is emotionally ready for; Jim finds himself on trial for a violent crime after he accidentally becomes caught up in a demonstration; and Tony, who despises the mindless prejudice of his schoolmates, is himself dealt a nasty blow by the people he seeks to defend.Jan Needle observes with great intensity and sometimes humor, the passion, despair and hopes of young people in the urban life of the 1980s.
Young protagonists navigate the volatile intersections of personal desire and societal expectation in this collection of stories set against the backdrop of 1980s urban life. Each narrative centers on a character facing a specific crisis—be it romantic, familial, or legal—that forces them to confront the rigid structures of their environment. The stories examine the friction between individual identity and the pressures exerted by family, peers, and the law. Through a series of focused vignettes, the author explores the emotional landscape of youth as they grapple with prejudice, entrapment, and the consequences of their actions.
This collection is characterized by its unflinching look at the social pressures facing young people during a specific era of British urban history. The narratives suggest a focus on the moral complexities of growing up, where characters often find their personal values at odds with the expectations of their community. The writing style appears to favor a direct, observational approach that avoids sentimentality in favor of psychological realism. By placing characters in high-stakes social situations, the stories highlight the fragility of youth and the often-unforeseen consequences of navigating a prejudiced world.
Page Count:
128
Publication Date:
1987-05-28
Publisher:
HarperCollins Publishers
ISBN-10:
0006719015
ISBN-13:
9780006719014
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